Bill Zaboly, was a first-generation Hungarian-American cartoonist best known for his work as the sole illustrator for the daily and weekly strips of Thimble Theatre’s Popeye from 1939 to 1959.

As an illustrator, printmaker (with works in Washington D.C.’s Smithsonian) and painter, he exhibited in Cleveland and Chicago during the early 1930s, also creating the Sunday strip Otto Honk about moon-faced, dim-bulb Otto, who was variously employed as a private eye, movie stunt man and football player.

[2][3] Zaboly, his wife Irene, son, and two daughters lived in various places throughout his storied career, spending most of their time in either Connecticut (to be close to the publishers in New York), a historic mansion on North Park Blvd.

However, his work was not published until August (daily) and September (Sunday) of 1959, after Zaboly’s backlog of final strips ran.

[3] Zaboly's art was featured in many licensed Popeye items from the late 1950s through 1964, including many coloring books during this period.

With his Thimble Theater run ending, Zaboly returned to Chagrin Falls, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland), where he spent time working for NEA.