Movie and Cartoon Characters with Real-Life Inspirations

9. Popeye the Sailor from the comics

Elsie Crisler Segar often created funny sketches from the lives of ordinary workers for newspapers.
In 1929, a new character appeared in his comics – Popeye, a constantly tipsy, rough sailor.
The prototype for the character was Segar’s childhood friend, Frank ‘Rocky’ Fiegel.