Is That A Squint?
While in the comic book Popeye had one eye that he lost in a fight, in the cartoon, it’s unclear if he lost and eye or if he is just squinting. However, in one episode Bluto calls him a “one eyed runt” so perhaps he really was missing an eye in the cartoon as well.
Real Life Inspiration
Popeye was inspired by boxer Frank “Rocky” Fiegel, who also smoked a pipe, had a strong chin, and was keen on fighting. In fact, the International Popeye Fan Club put a headstone of Fiegel’s unmarked grave in 1996. However, Fiegel was not a sailor.