| Character Name: | Harold Hamgravy |
| Publisher: | King Features Syndicate |
| Debut: | Thimble Theatre (December 19, 1919) |
| Creators: | E. C. Segar |
Harold Hamgravy, better known as Ham Gravy, is an American comics character from the Thimble Theatre (later Popeye) series, created in 1919 by E. C. Segar.[1] [2]
Ham Gravy was the original fiancé of the better-known character Olive Oyl, but was often attracted to other women who were considerably wealthy. Ham was depicted as a slacker who preferred getting rich quick rather than earning money honestly. He was likewise heavily defined in-universe by the considerable size of his nose, often a subject of mockery to other characters. While initially the main protagonist of the strip, Ham was increasingly supplanted by Olive's brother Castor Oyl during the mid-1920s as the latter's characterization evolved into more of an everyman, although Ham nonetheless retained a focal role in several storylines during this period.
In a later strip, Castor and Ham hired a sailor named Popeye to man his ship for a treasure hunt.[3] Intended as a minor supporting character, Popeye proved so popular with readers that he was made a permanent member of the main cast.[4] As Popeye's role expanded, Ham was increasingly phased out of the comic, with the sailor ultimately replacing him as the subject of Olive Oyl's affections following a series of Sunday strips in March 1930. Following two background appearances in May 1930, Ham vanished as a regular altogether; while he made occasional appearances in the later Popeye strips, he never regained comparable prominence.
Ham makes a supporting appearance in the 1980 film Popeye, where Olive has recently left him and has since begun dating Bluto at the film's opening. He was played by Bill Irwin.