The Indian Chief Really is an Indian

Popeye and his trusty spinach (he eats the can, too) polish off some marauding Indians in I Yam What I Yam (1933). But wait! The chief comes at the sailor man from behind a rock. Popeye takes care of him with one punchk.



But wait again! Who is the chief revealed to be?



Why it’s Mahatma Gandhi! Wearing a diaper. Cartoons and radio comedy shows of the early ‘30s were big on fasting Gandhi jokes.

Now stuff from the chief drops from the sky and lands on Popeye. The Fleischer writers liked falling stuff gags; one ended I Eats My Spinach (1933) and Wild Elephinks (1934).



Billy Costello, Gus Wicke and Billy Murray (at least I think he’s Wimpy) provide voices, along with Margie Hines.