The Real Inspiration And Evolution Of The Betty Boop Cartoon
Betty Boop became a cultural icon in the 1930s, appearing in films and comic strips, exploding in popularity and merchandising. Her legend still lives on today. Created by cartoon animator Max Fleischer, Betty Boop not only was a characterization of a 1920’s flapper but also represented a freedom of female sexuality and sophistication. But who did Fleischer base his beloved character on? For many years, singer Helen Kane took the credit for being the inspiration behind the Boop, but now the truth is revealed. Here is the story of the real person who inspired Betty Boop.
A Star Is Created
Prior to the 1930’s, all female cartoon characters, such as Minnie Mouse, were simply the female counterparts of more famous male characters. Betty Boop was the first leading female character to come along. While she had a girlish face, marked by her large round head, big doe eyes, and button nose, she still was a fully realized woman, with curves, confidence and sex appeal. In 1930, she made her first appearance in a cartoon called Dizzy Dishes, which was part of animator Max Fleischer’s Talkartoon series. She quickly became a hit with adults first, and then children.
The Evolution Of Boop
The Betty Boop in Dizzy Dishes was quite different from the Betty Boop we know today. Initially, she was an anthropomorphic French poodle in a black dress. Then in 1932, she became a completely human female character, with her floppy ears turning into hoop earrings. She became known as a big-hearted flapper girl, and with her short dresses, high heels, garter, and accentuated breasts, she became a sex symbol of the times. She was even portrayed in Betty Boop’s Bamboo Isle wearing nothing but a lei and grass skirt, which was very risqué for television at the time.
Toned Down
As the 1930’s progressed, the film industry began to go through a censorship period and adopted a movie code in order to make films appropriate for all ages and the world market. Thus, the Motion Picture Production Code, better known as the Hays Code, was created. Fleischer was forced to tone down Betty Boop’s sexual characteristics, and she became a more demure career girl, but her popularity still soared. Soon after, viewers watched a few cartoons in which Betty Boop fought off the sexual advances of several male characters, which then transformed her into a feminist icon. But then, controversy arose.
The Woman Behind The Boop
Many began to wonder who Fleischer’s inspiration was behind creating Betty Boop. Many believed it to be Helen Kane, a singer of the time who was also a flapper icon. Her signature song was “I Wanna Be Loved By You” and she became known for using the phrase “boop-boop-a-doop, just like Betty Boop. Others suspected it was Clara Bow, an actress and sex symbol who acquired the flapper look, complete with the short hair and thin eyebrows. But the truth is, it was neither of these women. So who was the real woman who inspired the legendary character?
This is Where Betty Boop’s Story Begins
The real inspiration was a 1920’s African American jazz singer named Esther Jones, better known as Baby Esther. Jones was a regular performer at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem. She received her nickname because she sung in a “baby” style voice. Theatrical manager Lou Walton coached Jones, teaching her to incorporate scat phrases such as “boo-boo-boo” and “doo-doo-doo”, into her performances. She was also known for her performance to the song “I wanna Be Loved By You”, even before Helen Kane was doing it. So while Fleischer may have in fact been inspired by Kane, Kane was copying the performance of Jones. But Kane didn’t see it that way…
Helen Kane Sues
Not only did Kane appropriate Baby Esther’s style and claim it as her own, she then also wanted to officially be credited for being the inspiration behind Betty Boop. In 1932, Kane sued Fleischer Studios and Paramount Publix Corporation for $250,000 (which was a very large amount for the time). She claimed that they exploited her image, and charged them with unfair competition and wrongful appropriation, which is quite ironic considering the backstory. Kane’s career was starting to decline at the time, and the lawsuit helped get her back in the public eye. But her desperate attempt to reclaim her fame backfired.
Fleischer V. Kane
The trial began without a jury in May of 1932. A single judge reviewed both Helen Kane’s and Betty Boop’s films. The studio’s defense was that Kane had taken Baby Esther’s style, so Kane could not claim it as her own. Baby Esther had passed away before the trial had begun, so it was up to others to prove that Kane had stolen her style, and was therefore not entitled to any compensation from Fleischer Studios. An early test sound film of Baby Esther’s performance was used as evidence.
Lou Walton’s Testimony
During the trial, Lou Walton testified that he had coached Baby Esther and taught her to use “boop” scat phrases when she was very young. Baby Esther’s manager also testified that he and Kane had seen Baby Esther’s act together in April, 1928. He then stated that just a few weeks later, Kane had began to “boop” as well, and adopted it as her trademark. They also showed video clips of Clara Bow, who many also claimed was the inspiration for the Betty Boop character. The judge agreed that Bow shared the Betty Boop style of dress and hair. Things were not looking good for Kane, but the trial was far from over.
Voice Artist Testimonies
Numerous actresses who portrayed the voice of Betty Boop, such as Bonnie Poe and Margie Hines, were called as witnesses. Both actresses were also voice artists and had become famous for voicing Betty Boop and Popeye’s Olive Oyl. Hines was hired to voice Betty Boop because she sounded like Helen Kane. Mae Questel, who eventually took over as the sole voice of Betty, also testified. She too was hired for her ability to sound like Helen Kane, but also because her voice additionally resembled Clara Bow, exemplifying that Betty Boop wasn’t solely a replication of Kane. These three women even looked like the character.
Little Ann Little
One of the most rememberable testimonies of the case came from Little Ann Little, an actress who also was known for playing the voice of Betty Boop (and another lookalike). Little told the court that the “boop-oop-a-doop” phrase had originated as “ba-da inde-do”, which then transformed into “bo do-de-o-do” and finally to “boop-oop-a-doop”. Little, who got the role of Boop after winning a Paramount contest looking for an actress with a “squeaky” voice, spoke like Betty Boop throughout her entire testimony. When Helen’s Kane’s lawyer asked Little if she spoke like that when she was at home, Little responded to the court, “Yes, indeedy!”
A Decision Is Made
The trial dragged on for two long years. Finally, Max Fleischer was able to locate a sound film from 1928 of Baby Esther performing, which included some “boop-a-doops.” That was enough evidence for Judge Edward J. McGoldrick to make his decision. He ruled that the plaintiff had “failed to sustain either cause of action by proof of sufficient probative force.” His opinion was that the “baby” style of singing did not originate with Helen Kane and that she was not the basis of Betty Boop’s appearance since Boop resembled other actresses, such as Clara Bow.
Baby Esther Gets Credit, But People Are Still Confused
So after a long and arduous battle in the courts, Baby Esther finally received the accreditation she deserved. An otherwise unknown artist created a legacy that has withstood time. Many were surprised to find that Betty Boop was in fact inspired by a black jazz artist, despite that she herself was obviously not black. Jazz studies scholar Robert O’Meally may have said it best when he made the statement that Baby Esther was Betty Boop’s “black grandmother.”
The trial wouldn’t be the last time someone would confuse the true inspiration behind Betty Boop.
Copy Cats
Throughout the years many have tried to imitate Betty Boop. One such copycat is the Russian model Olya. In 2008, Olya released a series of pictures on the world wide web dressed up and posing as Betty Boop. The old-fashioned looking photos were taken the same year through the Russian studio RetroAtelier, mimicking the animated icon. Somewhere along the way, people began to assume that she was, in fact, Baby Esther, and were reposting her images as “The Real Betty Boop.” Luckily the internet caught on to the truth, and many sites started posting that the woman in this image is NOT Baby Esther.
The Times They Were A-Changin’
Boop’s initial success began to flounder in the late 1930’s. Part of her decline was due to the fact that her cartoon co-stars were being featured in her cartoons more than she was. Fleischer attempted to keep her popular up by pairing her with other popular comic strip characters, such as The Little King and Little Jimmy. He even tried to create a spinoff series with his other popular character, Popeye, but the series never took off. The flapper and jazz era was coming to an end, being replaced by big bands and swing, and as it faded, so did Betty Boop.
But fans weren’t ready to say goodbye to Betty Boop.
The End Of An Era
The last Betty Boop cartoons were released in 1939. The cartoons were Fleischer Studio’s last attempt to bring Boop into the new era of swing. In one of the final cartoons, Betty Boop is riding in a convertible with the words “Betty Boop’s Swing Band” on it. She rides the car into a Native American reservation and introduces all of the Native Americans to swing music, and then a few of the people there and her form a band called “Swinging Sioux Band”. Their attempts to transform Betty Boop failed, and the cartoon was canceled.
Resurrected
Betty Boop had a resurgence in the 1950’s when television syndicator U.M. & M. TV Corporation bought 110 of her old cartoons. When color TV became popular in the 1960’s, the old black and white Betty Boop cartoons were retired. She became part of the ’70s counterculture when The Betty Boop Scandals of 1974 was released. NTA tried to capitalize on her newfound popularity and had her old cartoons colorized. However, the quality was too poor and they, in turn, had to be shelved. But her popularity would find new heights in the decades to come.
The Never Ending Merchandise Of Boop
In the 1980s new material featuring Betty Boop was released: two television specials called The Romance of Betty Boop and The Betty Boop Movie Mystery. She was also featured in a number TV commercials. With VHS tapes becoming popular, some of her old black and white cartoons were rereleased on home video. But what really skyrocketed her to fame in this new era was merchandising. In fact, many fans of her merchandise didn’t even realize she previously starred in films. Her sexy image returned and Items like clocks, figurines, clothing, piggy banks, jewelry, and bags became popular around the globe. Fans became avid collectors of all things Boop.
New Heights In The Macy’s Day Parade
Betty Boop’s fame was solidified when she made her first appearance as a balloon In Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She debuted in the parade in 1985 and was retired in 1987. She returned in 1991, 1992, 1995 (when her balloon was ripped apart by a lamppost) and then lastly in 1996. While she may have never reappeared as a balloon after that, she did make an appearance as a walkaround character on two “Superstars” floats. The floats were commemorating the anniversary of the parade, and also featured other beloved characters whose balloons had been retired.
Betty Boop Now Appropriated
With the popularity of Betty Boop booming, it’s no wonder many have tried to copy her style. British singer, songwriter and rap artist Alison Moira Clarkson originally took on the stage name Betty Boop because she shared the character’s signature look and style. In order to avoid trademark disputes, she changed her name to Betty Boo. Numerous cartoons have made Betty Boop parodies, such as The Powerpuff Girls, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Simpsons and Family Guy, to name a few. Celebrities such as Heidi Klum and Mischa Barton have even dressed as the cartoon sex symbol for Halloween.
She Hasn’t Had Her Curtain Call Yet
Betty Boop continues to be popular even today. In 2010 Boop became the official fantasy cheerleader for the United Football League and was used on their female-targeted merchandise. In 2012 she starred in a commercial for the makeup and perfume brand Lancome, alongside model Daria Werbowy, for their Hypnôse Star Mascara. A Betty Boop Broadway musical production, scored by Grammy and Academy Award nominee David Foster, is currently in the works and is set to be released in the fall of 2018. She truly is a legend that has withstood the test of time. Baby Esther would be proud.
Van Halen References Betty Boop In “Drop Dead Legs”
It’s amazing to see the scope of Betty Boop’s influence over the last eight decades. But who would have thought that the ’20s-flapper-inspired cartoon would even inspire the legendary rockers of Van Halen? It’s true!
Van Halen’s song “Drop Dead Legs” was inspired by none other than Betty Boop. The lyrics read: “You know that you want it. I know what it is. You know that you want it, baby, when the night is through, will I still be loving you? Dig those moves, vampire set me loose, get it higher. Throw my rope, loop-de-loop nice white teeth, Betty Boop. Set it cool real heavy. I ain’t fooled, gettin’ ready.”
The Infamous Garter Disappeared In 1933
By 1933 Betty Boop was known as a big-hearted flapper girl with her iconic short dresses, high heels, garter, and accentuated breasts. But that same year, Betty Boop lost her garter belt. The creators of the show didn’t think the change was all that noticeable and considering Betty Boop had already been a target of criticism for being too sexual, though it was no big deal. The fans felt differently, however. After the famous garter disappeared that year, the public’s high demand eventually brought it back.
Betty Boop Comes To The Big Screen
In 1989, CBS released an animated special called Betty Boop’s Hollywood Mystery. The story, which was set in the late 1930s, reflects on the original Max Fleischer style of animation. In the movie, Betty Boop works as a waitress in a diner with her friends Bimbo and Koko. They trio entertains the customers with a Hawaiian hula revue, but when the diner owner sees them he gets very angry and fired Betty and her pals. While searching for a new job, they run into detective Sam Slade who hires the girls to go undercover as musical detectives to keep an eye on a Hollywood movie star.
Many Musical Artists Were Showcased In The Cartoons
Perhaps one of the most underrated things about the iconic cartoon was the music that frequently accompanied the episodes. With Bett Boop being a caricature during the Jazz Age, it’s no surprise that numerous talented musical stars were showcased in Betty Boop cartoons. Just a few of these talented musicians include the likes of French actor and cabaret singer Maurice Chevalier, vocal powerhouse Ethel Merman, Louis Armstrong (known for iconic hits like “What a Wonderful World”), American jazz singer Cab Calloway, and Rudy Vallée, who was known for being one of the first pop stars of the teel idol type.
Black And White In Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Betty Boop appeared in the 1988 production of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The movie, which is based on Gary K. Wolf’s 1981 novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? follows a toon-hating detective as he must befriend a cartoon rabbit in order to provide his innocence after being accused of murder. The movie features a slew of both Disney and Warner Bros. characters. Amongst the lineup? Betty Boop! Interesting, she is the only character who appears in black and white in the film.
Each Second Of Film Took 24 Frames
Creating cartoons was much different in the 1930s than it is today. Although it’s still necessary to have illustration skills to produce cartoons and animated films today, the use of computers and other technologies in the film industries have made things much easier and definitely more streamlined. Back in the early days of Betty Boop, cartoon animator Max Fleischer had to draw 24 frames for each second of film that was created! When you think about the time it would have taken to produce that many illustrations, it’s amazing that character was featured in so many films.
Marilyn Monroe Took A Cue From Betty Boop
Marilyn Monroe and Betty Boop have long been compared to one another. With their voluptuous figures and playful demeanors, both have become American sex symbols in the last century. But before Marilyn Monroe stood on top of a New York City subway grate and had her dress fight an upward breeze, Betty Boop was doing the same thing…well, sort of. In 1932’s Betty Boop’s Ups and Downs, Betty Boop can be seen making almost the same statement. Since then, the two have been frequently compared.
Betty Boop Says Goodbye To Her Original Animal Friends
In nearly every one of Fleischer’s films that Betty Boop appeared in, she was never far from her animal companions. There are approximately 36 animals that appear throughout Betty Boop comics and films, including Spider, Pudgy, Fitz, Gus Gorilla, Little Crow, and more. But the animals change throughout the years. In the earliest episodes of the Betty Boop series, the animals can talk. However, after 1934, the talking animals had been completely eliminated. From here on out, her only animals were silent pets.
Betty Boop Becomes An Emoji
Nearly 90 years after Max Fleischer created Betty Boop, and she is still infiltrating all aspects of pop culture. Case in point: being made into an emoji. In June 2016, the Betty Boop emoji was created in partnership between Fleischer Studios and PepsiCo. The emoji was on display for the weekending as a part of an interactive exhibit for World Emoji day in the Big Apple. Although the Betty Boop emoji wasn’t created to be a mainstay for iPhone and Android users, we wouldn’t be surprised if one was eventually introduced!
Betty Boop Confidential
In 1995, the celebrate Betty Boop’s 65th anniversary, the Betty Boop Confidential retrospective toured 20 cities in the United States. This culminated with a special screening at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood. According to IMDb, Betty Boop Confidential was a “collection of 11 Betty Boop and other Fleischer shorts restored by the UCLA Film Archive, emphasizing some of her more risque moments. Not to be confused with the video collection of the same name.”
Mae Questel Lived The Part Of Betty Boop
Perhaps the most recognizable actress to ever serve the part of Betty Boop was Mae Questel. Questel was an actress, comedienne, singer, and downright talented. Funny enough, she even won a contest focused on imitating Helen Kane! Another interesting fact about Questel is that not only did she voice Betty Boop for seven years, but she started her run when she was just 17 years old. The actress even had an uncanny appearance to the iconic cartoon, which led to her doing promotional events.
Betty Boop: A Rival Of Mickey Mouse?
We also know that Helen Kane served as the inspiration behind the character of Betty Boop, but where else did Fleischer draw inspiration from? It has been rumored that Fleischer wanted Betty Boop to be a marketing maven that could rival that popularity and success that Walt Disney was having with Mickey Mouse. According to Antique Rader, “The creation of Ms. Boop is said to have been an attempt at garnering a slice of Betty Boop attention being enjoyed by Walt Disney courtesy of his main mouse, Mickey. In an April 2012 auction presented by Mosby & Co. Auctions, a 1930s tin stroller made in Spain, featuring colorful lithographs of Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, and Felix the Cat on the seat and back, sold for $1,180.”
Betty Boop Is A Marketing Maven
Off-screen, Betty Boop is a marketing maven. Even nearly eight decades after her introduction she is still everywhere. In February 2017, fashion designer Zac Posen, Pantone, and M.A.C Cosmetics teamed up with Fleischer Studios and King Features to unveil a Betty Boop dress collection. In July 2017, she began appearing in campaigns for J-esthetic salons throughout Japan. Since her image was licensed in 1934, there is a long line of Betty Boop merchandise to come forth. In fact, at one time there were more than 250 companies manufacturing Betty Boop licensed items!
Hungry? There’s A Betty Boop Diner
As if we needed more evidence of Betty Boop’s monumental impact on popular culture, you can now dine at a Betty Boop-themed diner. The diner, which opened in Tokyo in early 2017, features a 1950s America theme, which captures the image of the iconic Betty Boop character as well as a sales corner featuring souvenir products.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with FBC, who has extensive experience in managing character-identified restaurants and cafes in Japan,” said Cathleen Titus, vice president of international licensing for King Features. “They have done a terrific job of capturing Betty’s combination of glamour and sassiness to communicate genuine ‘50s vibes for the diner.”
An Original Betty Boop Comic Strip Sold For $4,720
In August 2012, an original 1935 Betty Boop Sunday comic strip sold during a Hess Fine Auctions event. The strip, which was part of The Charles L. Howard Collection of Early Comic Art & Original Political Illustration, sold for a staggering $4,720. Mr. Howard has been a collector of original printings of comic strips as well as the chief officer for the Sant Fe Railroad. His collection was exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1939, and the original strips were the focus of multiple education institutions in the early 1940s.
Before Betty Boop There Was Nancy
We all know the name Betty Boop, but many don’t realize that before the beloved cartoon character was dubbed Betty Boop, she was essentially nameless. According to Mental Floss, in Betty’s first cartoon appearances, the supporting character didn’t even have a real name. Instead, she was called “Nancy Lee” or “Nan McGrew” in a few episodes. Many believe that Betty Boop got her name in the 1931 cartoon Betty Co-ed, but that’s not exactly tru—however, the creators say that her appearance in the movie did help inspire her name later on.
Betty Boop: The Feminist Icon
Betty Boop is adored by fans all over the world. For many, their adoration stems from viewing Betty Boop as a feminist icon. Although some view Betty Boop’s overt sexuality has inappropriate, there are lots of episodes where she fights off intimidating men, some of whom are even sexually harassing her, which was an especially taboo subject at the time. Take for example Boop-Oop-A-Doop. In this episode, Betty is a tightrope walker who boss follows her into her tent to and then threatens her job if she doesn’t submit to his advances. She fights off the advances and the police get involved.
Adult Animation
Betty Boop remains a sex symbol to this day. But unlike most modern cartoons, Betty Boop was made to appeal to adult audiences. This is why Betty Boop has cleavage and in some episode, doesn’t even have a top on. But despite this, she still maintains her girlish demeanor, a quality that was a perfect balance for the flapper image Betty Boop represented. Although she maintained her virtue on screen, behind the scenes the company allowed her to be a little naughty. In 1931, the company even sent out a cheeky Christmas card in which Betty Boop is seen in bed with Santa Claus!
Betty Boop Goes Red
The Betty Boop most of us recognize is the voluptuous sex symbol with puckered red lips and jet black hair. But Betty Boop didn’t always have dark locks. In her first and only color cartoon, Betty Boop is portrayed as a redhead. According to Mental Floss, “when the cartoon was being syndicated for television, producers thought it might be a good idea to colorize the character, so they sent it to Korea for colorization, only to have it returned looking sloppy and cheap. No one bought the colorized cartoons and they were largely ignored as part of the library.”
The National Legion Of Decency Steps In
In 1934, Fleischer Studios was targeted by the National Legion of Decency and the Production Code. The result? Betty Boop was forced to tone down Betty’s sexuality and she became a housewife with a new, prudish wardrobe. This is because the original Betty Boop was thought to be “suggestive of immortality.”
According to Mental Floss, the studio believed her new image would no longer appeal to her original audience, so they started to aim the cartoons at a more juvenile crowd. Unfortunately, this only made the series decline even faster. Towards the end of the Betty Boop series, they tried to make her relevant to modern audiences by including instances of the swing era, but this didn’t work either.
Mae Questel’s Later Career
After her Betty Boop days were behind her, voice actress Mae Questel continued her career. First she worked in radio, in The Green Hornet and Perry Mason, and later on Broadway and in television shows and ads. Questel’s acting career experienced an enormous comeback in 1988, when she was cast in the animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Woody Allen’s New York Stories. Many of Questel’s younger fans probably remember her best as Aunt Bethany from the National Lampoon comedy franchise. Sadly, she developed Alzheimer’s disease and passed away in 1998 when she was 89 years old.
Popeye and Olive Oyl, Sittin’ In A Tree
Margie Hines, who was the first voice for the Betty Boop cartoons, played the role along with other actresses in 1930 and 1931. The first of Betty’s cartoon short was called “Dirty Dishes” and featured a quartet of singing cats and a hungry gorilla. Once Mae Questel took over voicing Betty Boop, Hines did other voice work including the role of Olive Oyl from Popeye the Sailor Man. In real life, Hines fell in love with the actor who voiced Popeye, Jack Mercer. The two were married in 1939 and ate spinach at their wedding breakfast. The two are pictured above, with Mercer on the left and Hines on the right.
“Alias Boop”
Margie Hines initially got the job of voicing Betty Boop after winning a “Boop-a-doop” contest in Brooklyn, New York. According to this newspaper clipping from the Fleischer Family Collection, “she had never been on the stage before but she immediately was given a part in a song and dance act.” After touring with a vaudeville act and performing on radio shows she was eventually discovered by voice actor Billy Murray, who thought she was perfect as Betty Boop. The newspaper article also noted that Hines stood at “five feet and a half small” and weighed 98 pounds.
Animator Grim Natwick
The animator who created (but did not own) the original Betty Boop design for Fleischer Studios was Grim Natwick. Born Myron Natwick, he received his humorous nickname as a reference to his jovial nature. After Betty Boop, he went on to work as an artist with other firms such as Walt Disney Productions, UPA, and the Walter Lantz studio. At Walt Disney, Natwick was the head animator for 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Natwick lived to 100 years old, dying in 1990. There is a film festival held in his honor in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, each year.
You Silly Rascal, You
In a fan favorite episode of Betty Boop from 1932, the famous jazz trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong made a guest appearance. It was one of his first film appearances. The episode is titled “I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead You Rascal You,” and in it Armstrong performs a Sam Theard song of the same title. The song is about a man who has discovered that his wife has been cheating on him, and the lyrics are being sung to her lover:
“Now I’ll be glad when you die, you rascal, you, uh-huh
I’ll be glad, oh, I’ll be tickled to death when you leave this earth–it’s true, oh yeah”
Minnie the Moocher
Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Another Betty Boop short featured a guest appearance from a highly esteemed jazz musician. Bandleader/singer Cab Calloway sang a song called “Minnie the Moocher” in an episode of the same name, which was ranked the 20th best cartoon episode of all times in a 1994 poll of animation critics and artists. In “Minnie the Moocher,” Betty fights with her controlling parents and runs away from home. On their journey they encounter some scary characters like skeletons, ghosts, and cats without eyes. All of the ghouls follow Betty and her boyfriend Bimbo back home when they get scared and decide to return.
“Never Just Kids’ Stuff”
As the New York Times notes, the “Minnie the Moocher” short is representative of how different Betty Boop was from the other cartoons of the time. The lyrics to the title song, performed by Cab Calloway, are “about a ‘lowdown hoochie-coocher’ who falls for a coke-addicted pimp named Smokey. He takes Minnie down to Chinatown and introduces her to the illicit pleasures of opium; she spends her time in narcotized daydreams of riches. Not exactly Snow White.” Fleischer Studios obviously took a very different approach to their cartoons than Walt Disney Productions did.
Early Fans
Cartoons became popular very quickly after they were first introduced. Betty Boop had some famous (and brilliant!) fans in the early years. According to the New York Times, “Gertrude Stein and Jean-Paul Sartre were said to be big fans of the scantily clad gamine, whose sex appeal and sassy attitude got her into racy situations with legions of lecherous suitors. That is, until 1934, when the Government imposed controls on American movie content, altering Ms. Boop’s wardrobe and toning down her adventures.” Stein was a playwright and novelist, while Sartre was a critic, philosopher, and novelist. Maurice Chevalier, the French singer and actor, was also a fan of the flapper.
Fleischer Studios
Although Fleischer Studios was only in business from 1921 to 1942, it was responsible for a great many of the animated works that we’re familiar with today. The studio was known for its darker, “rougher” approach to animation than Walt Disney Productions, its main competitor. At one point hiring up to 800 employees, Fleischer was responsible for Popeye the Sailor, the Superman cartoon, Koko the Clown, and other popular shows. The studio was acquired by Paramount on May 27, 1942, after a period of PR crises and financial troubles. 1600 Broadway in Manhattan, where Fleischer was based, now houses condominiums. A Miami branch is now a police department.
Big In Japan
Betty Boop became very popular in Japan right away. This is partially because Fleischer Studios used the same distributor as Walt Disney Productions, so Betty Boop films reached an audience already eager for cartoons. In 1935, the studio released “A Language All My Own,” an episode intended to thank Japanese fans for their support. In this short cartoon, Betty flies to Japan and sings the title song in English. Then she changes into a kimono and performs the same song in Japanese. Fleischerstudios.com says the episode “is more than a wonderful cartoon; it’s an amazing story of ambassadorship as well! This carefully crafted love letter to the Japanese people solidified Betty’s already growing popularity [overseas].”
Stay In Betty’s House!
Well, you can’t actually stay in Betty’s house since she only exists in the cartoon world. But here’s the next best thing: a bed and breakfast called “Villa Betty Boop” that occasionally opens its doors to travelers. Located in Jávea, Spain, the property is decked out in all things Betty, from kitchen accessories to a bedroom that’s loaded up with Boop stuff. The villa also offers a pool and is situated near the beach, if you’re interested in leaving the house once in a while. One anonymous reviewer on booking.com said that the house is “a little eccentric,” but we’re sure die-hard fans won’t mind.
Betty Boop, M.D.
Many fans cite “Betty Boop, M.D.” as one of the most surreal shorts in the franchise’s history. Betty, along with friends Bimbo and Koko, own a traveling medicine wagon. They go from town to town selling a product called “Jippo.” The tonic is supposed to be a cure-all, but causes all kinds of bizarre side effects such as rapid aging and tooth removal. It ends with a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, reference, pictured here. According to ClassicCartoons, “[s]ome people find [the episode] rather unsettling and disturbing, especially because of the ending. It’s a cult favorite, and definitely not the kiddie stuff.”
In The Market For Memorabilia?
There are countless Betty Boop items out there, on sites ranging from ebay to etsy. You can find clothing, dolls, household items, and everything in between. One fan even compiled a guide to help collectors. According to FleischerStudios, “no records were kept of these [older] unauthorized pieces, which were low-cost items often sold through catalogue companies such as Montgomery Ward or Sears.” Also, “cartoon characters from different studios were often combined, since copyright and trademark rules were not at all enforced.”
Betty Boopers
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images
This photo shows a group of Betty Boop lookalikes auditioning for spots in a performing and recording act called the Betty Boopers, which was produced by Beso Entertainment Studios. Only four spots were available to the dozen or so applicants. The audition took place in New York City on February 13, 1998, in order to commemorate Valentine’s Day, which is supposedly Betty’s birthday as well as her favorite holiday. As we can see, the women each took a slightly different approach to approaching Betty’s signature look. A life-sized statue of Betty Boop stands behind the group of lookalikes.
A Betty Boop Movie In The Works?
Speaking of Simon Cowell, the producer and reality show judge who signed One Direction after they appeared on The X Factor, he’s also apparently a fan of Betty Boop. In 2014, Variety announced that Cowell would soon be developing and producing a feature-length film about her. Of the flapper, Cowell has stated “Betty is an icon, and one of the biggest stars in the world – I’m thrilled to be working with her. Betty, I’ve worked with some serious divas but I think you could be the biggest of them all!” The film has not yet been released but rumor has it that it’s still in production.
Animal Logic Loves Betty Boop, Too
Although Simon Cowell’s CGI Betty Boop movie has not yet been released, the company that teamed with him for the production had nothing but high praise for the iconic cartoon character. Zareh Nalbandian is the chief executive of Animal Logic, the animation studio behind such movie hits as Happy Feet and The Lego Movie. In a 2014 statement, Nalbandian had this to say: “I’ ‘m thrilled that Animal Logic is part of this exciting new collaboration with Betty. She’s an amazing, iconic and loved character, and we’re going to have so much fun producing her 21st century big screen debut.”
Teeming With Tattoos
Betty Boop’s image is one of the most popular cartoon designs requested at tattoo studios. The late and great soul singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse even sported an image of the flapper on her lower back (not pictured in the image above). It was one of 14 tattoos Winehouse had, and when she first got the ink she posted about it to an online fan group:. “ps I got a tattoo of Betty Boop on my bum the other day!!” Winehouse herself adopted a look that referenced Betty Boop’s style, with over-the-top dyed black hair and exaggerated eye makeup.
Betty Boop Bar
Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Hotel has a Lobby Bar that used to feature a Betty Boop impersonator. In fact, the lounge was called the “Betty Boop Bar” and the impersonator was a guest favorite. Terri Gandy was the actress who portrayed Betty, and tourists loved having their photos taken with her. MGM removed the Betty Boop elements back in 1991, but there are still tokens from the casino floating around on the internet. There was also an impersonator named Angelia at the MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park, but she is no longer at the park.
One Direction Pays Tribute
At the 2013 MTV Teen Choice Awards, Betty Boop received an acknowledgment from an unlikely celebrity: singer/songwriter Zayn Malik. At the time, Malik was a member of the hugely popular boy band One Direction (known to fans as 1D). He appeared at the awards ceremony wearing a jacket emblazoned with Betty’s image. One Direction, which rose to fame after appearing on the singing competition The X Factor, won four awards that evening, for Choice Love Song, Choice Single by a Group, Choice Music Group, and Choice Summer Tour. Perhaps Betty Boop served as a good luck charm for the band!
Becoming A Cartoon
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Betty Boop’s signature look has inspired generations of style and fashion. Today, there are countless tutorials online that teach Betty fans exactly how they can style their hair and makeup to look like the famous flapper. The hairstyle that Betty wears is most easily achieved with a wig, but those who are good at “finger waves” can probably manage to do their own hair. Another key element of the look are Betty’s heavily lined eyes and signature arched eyebrows. Add in a little red dress and some accessories, and you’re set for Halloween!
