Robert Louis Stevenson published Treasure Island as a novel in 1883, but it was first published as a serial in the children’s magazine Young Folks from 1881 through the following year. So, it is sometime in 1881 or ’82 that the world was first introduced to the character of Long John Silver (in Chapter VII).  In Chapter VIII, our narrator, Jim, meets Silver for the first time:

As I was waiting, a man came out of a side room, and at a glance I was sure he must be Long John. His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. He was very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham–plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling. Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, with a merry word or a slap on the shoulder for the more favoured of his guests.

Treasure Island introduced many modern ideas about pirates to the world, ideas that have now become cliché. Today “everyone knows” that pirates have peg-legs and parrots on their shoulders, but indeed, it was entirely unique when introduced in the person of Long John Silver.

Silver was first portrayed on film in the silent movie era, as early is 1912. The first speaking Long John was Wallace Beery (most famous for his role in Grand Hotel)

Treasure Island was first made into a television series in 1954, and the character was played by Robert Long. Audiences never tire of the story or the character, though, and he was even played by Orson Welles in 1972. Other notable actors to play the role include Charlton Heston, Tim Curry, Eddie Izzard, and Brian Blessed.