A Brief History Of Betty Boop (VIDEO)

Cartoon coquette Betty Boop is an indelible part of American animation history, as well as its first sex symbol. Boop's wide-eyed sex appeal reverberated throughout the industry and influenced characters like Jessica Rabbit ("Who Framed Roger Rabbit") and Hello Nurse ("Animaniacs").

Betty Boop was created by Max Fleischer and first appeared in the 1930's "Dizzy Dishes." Her skimpy outfits and risqué scenes set her apart from contemporary animated female characters.

Even if you're aware of her influence, you might not know that Betty Boop was modeled after 1930's singer Helen Kane, and was originally an anthropomorphic French Poodle. Find out all about the history and development of Betty Boop in the video below.

The Origins of Betty Boop

Comments

[michelesda]

07:41 AM on 08/28/2011

I had always thought Clara Bow was the inspiration.

[1blujay]

01:22 AM on 08/28/2011

"With a head like a giant peanut, vast mascara'd eyes, too-kissable lips, baby-doll voice (courtesy of singer Mae Questel), flattened marcelled hair, and mere threads of a dress exposing miles of hot flesh, she was the perfect celluloid sex toy." ~Gary Morris

[coreten]

11:09 AM on 08/29/2011

I think your breathing got a little fast and shallow while describing all that. ;)

[LMPE]

01:08 AM on 08/28/2011

Mae Questel, who provided Betty Boop's voice, also played Woody Allen's mother in "New York Stories" and one of the relatives in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation".

[joyf1]

10:14 PM on 08/28/2011

Mae was also in Funny Girl, a friend of Fanny's mother.

[Carolab]

10:16 PM on 08/27/2011

Helen Kane was ripped off.

[BlueOnBlue]

09:35 PM on 08/27/2011

Late in his life, I became friends with an artist who had been worked in his youth as a "tweener" on Betty Boop cartoons, filling in the frames in between the key frames of animation. He also worked on Woody Woodpecker and other iconic cartoons. He died a couple of years after i met him, but he was a lovely person and this article brought him to mind for me.

[sophia288]

08:33 PM on 08/27/2011

I love Betty because my mom loved her. So dear Betty will always remain a favorite with me; I can't believe that they sell so much merchandise with Betty Boop drawn on it.

I have my mom's magnets and cup. I liked the video shown on HP . . . I was surprised that she started out as a dog.

[lisalulu]

10:26 PM on 08/27/2011

f.f. Love Betty Boop.

[sophia288]

08:24 PM on 08/27/2011

She was the first Marilyn Monroe.

[american-dolt]

07:38 PM on 08/27/2011

Max Fleischer was Genius.

[FearlessFreep]

12:03 AM on 08/28/2011

The underrated figure of early animation. (He also did OUT OF THE INKWELL, SUPERMAN, and of course POPEYE.)

[Euglena Vorticella]

07:36 PM on 08/27/2011

She looks like she has Up's Syndrome.

[Ricardo01]

07:12 PM on 08/27/2011

Whereas the Disney brothers were farm boys that like to draw farm animals, Fleischer preferred the uptown, big city subjects of the jazz age.

[hereforthefunofit]

07:07 PM on 08/27/2011

poor writing and poor presentation does not a fun documentation make.

[commiepinko]

07:03 PM on 08/27/2011

MADE IN AMERICA!

TAKE THAT, CHINA!

[INTUITE]

05:03 PM on 08/27/2011

I am sorry, what video below!

[ringmaster]

04:52 PM on 08/27/2011

Betty was originally a dog. Sometimes the pet of Freddy the Freshman. Those dangling ear rinds were once her droopy ears.
Bonnie Poe was the voice of Betty Boop. She was the one Helen Cain sued.

[Random User]

04:44 PM on 08/27/2011

The first Popeye cartoon was actually billed as a Betty Boop cartoon.

[boyer37212]

05:19 PM on 08/27/2011

This is the first Popeye. Betty appears in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UjM9UI40jk

[sophia288]

08:27 PM on 08/27/2011

She does sound a bit like Olive Oyle (am I spelling this correctly?)