I'm Too Busy to Think Smurf

Black text above a color illustration of a Smurf character with its eyes closed leaning up against a tree 

In 1958, Pierre Culliford (or Peyo) created a series of comics featuring little blue individuals who lived in mushroom houses, where no humans could find them. These “three-apple tall” beings who could live hundreds of years were originally called “Les Schtroumpfs” by Culliford, who was Belgian. The name came to be when Culliford forgot the French word for “salt” while dining with his French friend and fellow cartoonist, Andre Franquin. Culliford made up a French word for salt, Schtroumpfs, and later named his blue characters the same name. Eventually, the Schtroumpfs became known as “The Smurfs”.

In the 1960s and 70s, two animated films and ten animated shorts were released in Belgium, then in several other European countries. In 1981, Hanna-Barbera adapted the comic into an animated series, which became an instant hit in the United States. Due to its popularity, a variety of merchandising was created, including this 1980s button featuring Lazy Smurf napping against a tree. Smurfs enthusiasts enjoyed another revival in 2011, when another animated film was released in theaters. Since then, two more films were released in 2013 and 2017.

Fun fact: While Americans refer to these blue creatures as “The Smurfs”,  they are known as “Pitufos” in Spanish and “Dardasim” in Hebrew!