Who owns the Popeye character? Hanna Barbera or someone?
Just curious...
Used to have a mercy license, at the time IIRD we dealt with King Features Syndicate. But it’s been quite awhile.
Popeye came from King Features and still is syndicated by them but the early shorts are owned by Time Warner. As for the chicken chain, it was said they wanted to get away from the name Popeye’s and rebrand as Louisiana Kitchen but most people still think of them as Popeye’s and the full name is Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen
Wiki:
>>Alvin C. Copeland claimed he named the stores after the fictional detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in the movie The French Connection and not the comic and cartoon character Popeye the Sailor. Copeland would claim facetiously that he was “too poor” to afford an apostrophe. The chain later acquired rights to use Popeye the Sailor for marketing. The company’s early brand became deeply tied to the cartoon star with its sponsorship of the Popeye & Pals children’s show in New Orleans, and the character appeared on items from packaging to racing boats. In late November 2006, AFC announced the mutual termination of their licensing contract with King Features Syndicate, effectively ending their association with the Popeye characters.
https://www.marketplace.org/2012/11/29/business/food-and-drink/well-blow-me-down-popeye-out-popeyes