Happy Birthday, Betty!

Betty_boopToday, August 8, back in 1930 was the first appearance of Betty Boop, which occurred in the cartoon Dizzy Dishes by the Max Fleischer Studio.

This early incarnation of Betty was not much like her later self. For one thing, she wasn’t yet named Betty, much less Boop.

She also wasn’t a human being. She was a dog–a French poodle, specifically.

She was, however, modeled after a human actress named Helen Kane, who later sued Fleisher (unsuccessfully).

MORE ON HELEN KANE.

Betty inhabited a surreal world in which even the smallest inanimate object could take on a life of its own under the influence of Fleisher’s full animation techniques, and she went on to fame and stardom, working with greats such as Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong.

She also became a starmaker herself, launching Popeye on his animation career.

After 1934, though, her overt . . . (ahem) . . . attractiveness had to be toned down due to Hollywood Production Code regulations.

Betty continues to be popular today, making an occasional appearance, as she did in a famous cameo in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Boop-oop-a-doop!

MORE ON BETTY.

WATCH OR DOWNLOAD PUBLIC DOMAIN BETTY CARTOONS.

(Of special note: Minnie The Moocher.)

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

14 thoughts on “Happy Birthday, Betty!”

  3. ‘Tiss also the Feast of St. Dominic, founder of the Dominicans. But St. D doesn’t pose like that 😀

  4. Ugh. I’ve disliked Betty Boop with a fiery passion since I was a kid. I think the only reason she’s still (somewhat) popular is the trashy dresses and suggestive posses they draw her in. Again, I say: ugh!

  6. Minnie the Moocher is probably my favorite as well (love that Cab Calloway), but the consesus for Fleischer BB masterpiece probably rests on “Snow White.” This film is likely the epitome of surreal, visual absurdity of the kind that populated early ’30s animation. The sheer density and variety of transformation gags make it a new experience upon each viewing. If you watch it on the internet you will undoubtedly miss out on the bizzare and striking backgrounds.
    A word of caution to the scrupulous (since copyrught has been such a common topic on this blog lately): I do not think that all of these cartoons are truly in the Public Domain, despite their wide availability on PD videos. Shamefully (in the view if classic animation buffs especially) Betty Boop is among those cartoon series that has not gotten her due on a legitimate DVD release. Her fate is better than many others though (Fleischer Popeye ?!?) as there have been legit VHS and LaserDisc editions. So caveat downloador.

  7. Yes, she had her cameos, but she also has been one of the most heavily quoted “actresses” of all time. Pour examplee:
    RD-D2 in the obscure space opera “Star Wars”: Boop-boopbee-boop!
    Tweaky in the obscure space opera “Buck Rogers”: Boopy-boopy-boop! Wanna dance, Buck?
    Bubow (mechanic owl) in the obscure space opera “Clash of the Titans”: Booo-booo-booop!
    Laura Ingels Wilder in the obscure space opera “Little House on the Prarie”: Boo-paw-boo-paw-boo!
    Kinda makes the world seem small, doesn’t it?

  9. i love betty boop..!!! i think shes a kool charakter.!!i only think that it is said their aint no more betty boop cartoons , i think it would be better having more carttons of her. well thanks an d bye bye.!!

  10. eu sou brasileira e sou uma grande fã da BETTY BOOP.
    eu também sou BETTY
    i love you Boop

  13. hae im a big fan of betty boop my friends think im weird bt it all good as she rox hard man i wish she was still on tv

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