Toon Sports: Popeye takes up bowling (1960)

When Al Brodax, head of King Features Syndicate's TV division, began producing Popeye shorts, he in effect watered down the spinach-eating sailor's adventures into sitcom fluff.

Take for example "Strikes, Spares, & Spinach". Popeye (Jack Mercer) & Brutus (Jackson Beck) are frenemies in this one, but the rivalry over Olive Oyl (Mae Questel) remains. This time, the guys are taking turns teaching Olive how to bowl. The American Bowling Congress, thankfully, never considered using this as an instructional video.

During this era, if you've seen one, you've probably seen them all.

Rating: B.