Was hired to play "Popeye" by NBC for the Wheatena hot cereal-sponsored Popeye Radio Show which ran from 1935-1937. Poppen performed in 126 of the show's 204 episodes. At NBC, they followed Amos & Andy, which gave it a tremendous lead-in audience. Poppen's vocalization of Popeye was vastly different than the better known cartoon version and widely criticized and was replaced in 1936 when it was moved to CBS. The radio show was unique for replacing Popeye's spinach with hot cereal and the rather lavish addition of a live orchestra, very unusual for a children's show.
