Popeye is a scrappy little seaman with bulging forearms, a squinty eye, and a screwed-up face, punctuated with an ever-present pipe in his mouth. He is always ready for a fight instead of a reasonable discussion, has a gravelly voice, and is constantly mumbling under his breath. His credo is “I yam what I yam, and that's all what I yam.” His girlfriend is the gangly, uncoordinated Olive Oyl, for whose attention Popeye vies constantly with Bluto, his bearded, hulking rival. Other recurring characters include J. Wellington Wimpy, a hamburger-loving coward; Swee'pea, Popeye's adopted baby (whom he calls his “infink”); and Poopdeck Pappy, Popeye's anarchic father.

From 1933 to 1942 brothers Max and Dave Fleischer (Fleischer brothers) produced numerous cartoon short subjects in which an animated Popeye was voiced by Jack Mercer and other actors. In the 1960s and '70s Popeye cartoons were made for American television, where the old cartoons also found a wide audience. Popeye comic books were produced from the 1930s to the 1970s. The likenesses of Popeye and other characters in the strip were widely marketed on toys, clothing, and other merchandise. Robin Williams portrayed the old salt in the live-action film Popeye (1980).