#13: Jack Mercer – Popeye
Popeye the Sailor’s first screen appearance was back in January 1929. It was Jack Mercer’s voice that brought the sailor’s signature catchphrases to life, as well as his constant, under-the-breath grumbling. It was Mercer who gave Popeye some of his most memorable lines, such as his declaration that “I yam what I yam.”
The iconic character has had a number of different voice actors through the years, and while Mercer wasn’t the first one, he was certainly the most prominent. He didn’t voice Popeye for the first couple of years, but started to provide his voice in 1934 for almost 50 years consecutively.