Cartoon - Intrepid Popeye - 1960s

Original Yugoslav theatrical cinema poster for NEUSTRASIVI POPAJ (literally “Intrepid Popeye”), a vintage animated cartoon compilation featuring Popeye the Sailor, Olive Oyl, Bluto, Swee’Pea, and Wimpy.

This poster was produced for theatrical exhibition in Yugoslavia and distributed by INEX Film, with production credits referencing Zagreb Film / Paramount Pictures. As with many Yugoslav cartoon compilations of the period, the exact program of shorts shown is undocumented; cinemas often used such posters for curated selections rather than fixed, internationally standardized releases.

Artwork & Design

The poster features bold, hand-drawn cartoon artwork closely aligned with the classic Fleischer / early Paramount Popeye visual style, presented in a clean, graphic composition with vivid flat colors.

Notably, Yugoslav posters for American animated cartoons from this era often embraced more dynamic, expressive, and physically exaggerated imagery than contemporary U.S. posters, staying truer to the anarchic spirit of the original cartoons.

The strong green field, oversized yellow title typography, and character grouping give the poster a highly displayable, instantly recognizable presence.

Dating & Printing Analysis

Based on:

The INEX Film distributor logo

Technicolor credit usage

Paper stock and printing method

Flat color fields with visible coarse raster / pre-offset characteristics

Overall graphic style consistent with Yugoslav cinema posters of the period

This poster is confidently attributed to the early–mid 1960s.

Yugoslav distributors transitioned to different paper qualities, typography, and printing processes later in the decade, making this example representative of the earlier theatrical print runs.

Film & Cultural Significance

Popeye the Sailor, created by E. C. Segar, is one of the most iconic characters in animation history. The classic theatrical Popeye cartoons—produced primarily in the 1930s–1950s—are widely regarded as some of the most inventive and influential animated shorts ever made.

Yugoslav cartoon programs introduced these American classics to local audiences in theatrical settings, and posters such as this were printed exclusively for cinema use, never for retail sale.

Surviving examples are scarce, particularly in clean condition.

Format & Origin

Country: Yugoslavia

Approx. Year: c. 1960s

Poster Type: Original theatrical cinema poster

Distributor: INEX Film

Production credit: Zagreb Film / Paramount Pictures

Approx. size: 70 × 50 cm (27.5 × 19.5 in)

This standard Yugoslav cinema format was intended solely for theater display.

Condition

Very good vintage condition for its age.

Original fold lines from cinema distribution

Bright, well-preserved colors

Clean image area with no major tears or losses

Minor handling signs consistent with age

(Please review photos carefully for exact condition.)

Collector’s Importance

Original Yugoslav posters for classic American animated characters are significantly rarer than U.S. or Western European equivalents, particularly from the 1960s.

This example is especially desirable for collectors of:

Popeye memorabilia

Classic American animation

Yugoslav & Eastern European movie posters

Vintage cartoon artwork

Paramount / Fleischer-era animation history

Authentic Yugoslav issues from this period are now firmly established as serious collector pieces, not secondary alternatives.