Bluto
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Bluto (sometimes known as Brutus, or Bruno) is a cartoon character created in 1932 by Elzie Crisler Segar as a one-time character, named "Bluto the Terrible", in his Thimble Theatre comic strip (later renamed Popeye); he made his first appearance September 12 of that year. Fleischer Studios adapted him the next year (1933), to be the recurring villain in their theatrical Popeye animated series, based on the Segar strip.[citation needed]
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[edit] Character
Bluto or Bruno is Popeye's nemesis; he, like Popeye, is attracted to Olive Oyl, and usually attempts to kidnap her. However, with the help of some spinach, Popeye usually ends up defeating him.
Bluto is a large, bearded, musclebound man. He mostly uses his physical brawn to accomplish what he is trying to do, but does display some ability for tactical planning. Neither Popeye and Olive Oyl, nor any other characters, think of him as anything more than a worthless scoundrel, although Olive seems to forget this in the beginning of an episode, only to discover it later. However, there are some cartoons that show Popeye and Bluto as friends and navy buddies, with Bluto usually turning on Popeye when an object of interest (usually Olive) is put between them. A prime example of this is the cartoon We're On Our Way to Rio. (1944)[citation needed]
In more recent Popeye cartoons, such as the computer-animated movie produced by Mainframe Entertainment, Bluto and Popeye are back to being good friends with Bluto being somewhat afraid of Popeye, although Bluto getting mind-controlled puts a wedge between them once again.[citation needed]
[edit] The Bluto/Brutus issue
After the theatrical Popeye cartoon series went out of production in 1957, Bluto's name was changed to Brutus because it was (wrongly) believed that Paramount Pictures, distributors of the Fleischer Studios (later Famous Studios) cartoons, owned the rights to the name "Bluto". (King Features owned the name all along as Bluto had been originally created for the comic strip. However, due to poor research, they failed to realize this, and renamed him Brutus to avoid copyright issues.)[1]. "Brutus" appears in the 1960-1962 Popeye television cartoons (with his physical appearance changed, making him obese rather than muscular), but he is again "Bluto" (and back to his original muscular physique) in the 1978 Hanna-Barbera Popeye series and the 1980 Popeye movie, as well as Hanna-Barbera's 1987 Popeye and Son series. Brutus was also the name Nintendo used for their arcade game based on the property.[citation needed]
Another subtle difference between the character of Brutus from Bluto is that while Bluto was often portrayed as a fellow sailor who also sought to win the heart of Olive Oyl, Brutus was portrayed as a generic villain, or bank robber, who showed no romantic interest in Olive. Instead, he usually took her hostage, leaving Popeye to rescue her.
Prior to the name change to Brutus, the bearded strongman was known as "The Big Guy Who Hates Popeye", "Mean Man" and "Sonny Boy" in the comic strip and comic books. The name "Brutus" was first used on Popeye related products in 1960 and in print in 1962. It is generally accepted that Bluto and Brutus are one and the same. However, Ocean Comics published a one-shot "Popeye" comic book where Bluto and Brutus were twin brothers. Bobby London, who drew the "Popeye" daily strip for six years, wrote and illustrated "The Return of Bluto" story where the 1932 version of Bluto returns and discovers a number of fat, bearded bullies have taken his place, calling themselves "Brutus" (each one being a different version of Popeye's rival).[citation needed]
[edit] Voiced by
Bluto was voiced by a number of actors, including William Pennell, Gus Wickie, Billy Bletcher, Pinto Colvig, and Jackson Beck. Beck also supplied the voice for Brutus in the early 1960s. In the 1980 live-action movie, he is portrayed by Paul L. Smith. In The All New Popeye Hour and Popeye and Son, he is voiced by Allan Melvin.[citation needed]
[edit] Other characters
In the animated cartoons, Popeye's foe is almost always Bluto, functioning in some capacity—fellow sailor, generic tough, carny hypnotist, Arab sheik, lecherous instructor, etc. However, in the Famous era shorts there have also been "original" one-time characters with Bluto-like personalities, and mannerisms such the blond, beardless lifeguard in "Beach Peach". Jackson Beck also voiced these characters using the same voice.[citation needed]
[edit] Other Media
Bluto appeared in the Robot Chicken episode "The Sack" voiced by Dave Coulier. In a segment that parodies the Popeye cartoons in the style of It's a Wonderful Life, Popeye and Bluto have opened up a bank together in shot that would show what the world would look like without Wimpy. The Bluto/Brutus name debate has become a topic of interest on The Rick Emerson radio program.
