Betty Boop made her debut on August 9, 1930, in “Dizzy Dishes” with her trademark heels, garter and long eyelashes. In this iconic Max Fleischer cartoon, waiter/chef/dog Bimbo scrambles to serve a roast duck to a gorilla in a nightclub. When he sees Betty singing “Boop-Oop-a-Doop” onstage, he falls in love, singing along as he strums the duck like a guitar.
The piggish primate eats his plate and table before spotting Bimbo and the bird and chasing them around the club. In the end, Bimbo gets away on a train made from kitchen utensils after stealing the gorilla’s pants.
While Betty Boop is only a side character in her first appearance, she would go on to become Fleischer Studio’s most popular property.
In “Dizzy Dishes,” Boop is an anthropomorphic poodle, though her character later developed into the iconic flapper audiences know today.
Inspired by Clara Bow, Esther Jones and Helen Kane, Betty’s dog ears became long earrings, and her fur turned into tight curls. She appears in over 100 cartoons from the 1930s, including the first Popeye cartoon in 1933.
In 1934, however, the Hollywood Production Code forced the studio to draw her in long dresses with a less sultry personality. Betty’s troubles continued as Clara Bow sued Fleischer Studios for copyright infringement.
Fortunately, none of this held Betty Boop back. Through constant syndication, guest appearances and merchandise deals, generations of cartoon enthusiasts worldwide still recognize her as the bubbly, spirited face of the Jazz Age.
Loving this daily history. I was a newbie working for UPI in Memphis when the B U L L E T I N, as the hedder read, came down the teletype that Nixon resigned. I have the yellow printout to this day.
And as for Betty Boop, why, she was my late husband’s favorite cartoon girl!
So, thank you helping folks revisit history, both public and personal.
I thought it was Adam Schiff as the model.
did pat garret really billy the kid?
Love reading your history notes.
While most coaches provide water for the team, you should always bring some along.
The original Betty Boop was modeled after a Black female nightclub singer named Esther Jones. Let’s get the history correct!
“PBS has confirmed that Betty Boop, the popular cartoon character introduced to the world by cartoonist Max Fleischer in 1930, was actually inspired by a real-life African American jazz singer and entertainer from Harlem named Esther Jones. Her stage name was “Baby Esther”, but unfortunately, when her character become the first and most famous sex symbol in animation she was whitewashed with most people having no idea where the original inspiration came from.”
The original Betty Boop was modeled after a Black female nightclub singer named Esther Jones. Let’s get the history correct!
“PBS has confirmed that Betty Boop, the popular cartoon character introduced to the world by cartoonist Max Fleischer in 1930, was actually inspired by a real-life African American jazz singer and entertainer from Harlem named Esther Jones. Her stage name was “Baby Esther”, but unfortunately, when her character become the first and most famous sex symbol in animation she was whitewashed with most people having no idea where the original inspiration came from.“
I think Adam Schiff was the model too.
Scouting was great for BOYS! My two sons are both Eagle Scouts. They worked very hard to achieve their goals. We, their parents, are very proud of their accomplishments.