Popeye was first introduced to society on January 17, 1929. He appeared in a guest spot in the Thimble Theatre, a comic strip created by Elzie Segar for the New York Evening Journal which was based on Olive Oyl's family.

His first big screen debut was in 1933 when he appeared in an episode of a Betty Boop cartoon called "Popeye the Sailor".

By 1938, Popeye may very well have been more popular than Mickey Mouse throughout America.

When Popeye was really in a bind, he would down a can of spinach. This of course would give him super-human strength to take on his enemies.

Popeye had a supernatural creature in his world known as Eugene the Jeep. Eugene was named before the vehicle even existed. The jeep had the ability to disappear and reappear in another place.

Popeye was piped into American homes with his own cartoon show in the 1960s, after the invention of the television.

Robin Williams portrayed Popeye while Shelley Duvall was Olive Oyl in his very own movie in 1980.

After the Popeye comic strip started in 1931, spinach consumption went up by 33% in the U.S.

An anchor is tattooed on Popeye's arm.

Being the longest running cartoon series, Popeye first aired on television in 1956. Between 1933 and 1957, 'Popeye the Sailor Man' was made as 233 one-reelers and a single two-reeler. Between 1960 and 1962 there followed a further 220 'Popeye' cartoons (for television) and then 192 cartoons 'All New Popeye' between 1978 and 1983.

This weekend, the Empire State Building helps America celebrate Popeye. If you look closely, you might see old Popeye scaling the King Kong building, although he is hidden well by the spinach green lights!