We are going to discuss who Frank “Rocky” Fiegel was, the sailor who was inspired to bring Popeye to life. Apparently, the caricature was achieved as a reflection of a Polish sailor who lived in Illinois, in the USA.
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A little history about the Popeye comic
Popeye’s name is still known, although new generations have seen little of this cartoon. He first appeared on January 17, 1929, in the pages of The New York Evening Journal.
Its name derives from the combination of anglicisms “Pop + Eye”. He is a seasoned sailor, with strong arms, bald and tattooed.
In his adventures, he falls in love with the very skinny Olivia and has constant fights with his rival Brutus. Another characteristic of him is that he eats spinach, thanks to which he gains a lot of strength, with which he defeats his enemies.
Source: inNaturale
The sailor who served as inspiration: Frank “Rocky” Fiegel
This cartoon is a classic. However, few suspect that he is inspired by a real sailor; named Frank Fiegel, who was nicknamed “Rocky”. He was a guy capable of fighting everyone in the port.
The chronicles of the time reflect that he had a very pronounced chin and had lost his teeth. He had big, muscular arms. Even at a certain age, he was going toe-to-toe with many opponents.
He was a street fighter, who came to be considered invincible. A sailor by trade, he earned extra money in outdoor boxing duels. People bet on him and he earned income by knocking out his opponents.
It is striking that he was quite aggressive with those who rivaled him. Instead, he was extremely careful and protective of his loved ones. He passed away in 1947, his grave can still be seen in the Illinois town.
Source: Getty
The comic was printed until 1994
However, it is still known on the web and in some film or television versions. It is important to mention that the creator of the cartoon, Elzie Chrisler Segar, never thought that he would earn money with his work and drawings.
However, the Popeye character has become part of popular culture. This appellation is still used to refer to someone rude, energetic and emboldened. Even this name is used as a frequent nickname.
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Did you imagine that this cartoon was inspired by a Polish sailor? Well, it can be said that the comedian’s character inherits many of the traits of the true boxer from the ports of Illinois.
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