Today in History—August 9: Betty’s First Boop

On this day in 1930, Betty Boop made her first appearance in the Fleischer Studios cartoon Dizzy Dishes.

She wasn’t quite the Betty Boop we know today, although many of her iconic features were already present in this first iteration: Her large eyes, short, curly, black hair, and her “boop-oop-a-doop” catchphrase were all there.

Also, she was a dog.

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This version of Betty Boop—who at this point didn’t have a name—was not the star. She instead played the love interest of Bimbo (another dog), a hapless waiter who becomes infatuated after seeing her perform. The character made several more appearances as Bimbo’s girlfriend, taking various names such as “Kitty” and “Dangerous Nan McGrew” before being consistently named “Betty Boop” in 1931.

About this time she had also lost many of her canine features, and her floppy ears were replaced by dangly hoop earrings. By 1931’s Mask-a-Raid, she was not only human but also receiving top billing, with Bimbo now in a supporting role.

The human Betty Boop proved a massive success, leading many to note her similarities to other popular performers of the time.

One of those performers felt the similarities were a little too obvious. Actress Helen Kane sued Fleischer Studios for infringement in 1932. She claimed to be the creator and owner of the phrase “boop-oop-a-doop.” The studio countered that, although Boop’s appearance was partially inspired by Kane, Boop’s voice and mannerisms were largely taken from jazz entertainers such as Baby Esther Jones, and that many of Boop’s vocal performances were jazz vocalizations called scatting.

The trial went on for months. The press noted with amusement the plight of the court reporter who threw his hands in the air in frustration after trying to transcribe scatting.

So, who was the real inspiration for Betty Boop? Helen Kane? Esther Jones? A dog?

The answer, according to studio cofounder Max Fleischer: all of the above. The New York Supreme Court agreed, finding that Betty Boop was an amalgamation of many contemporary Jazz-era figures.

Fleischer Studios continued to publish Betty Boop cartoons until retiring the character in 1939. But her impact would be felt for generations to come, with fans of all ages admiring her iconic look and that unforgettable catchphrase: “Boop-oop-a-doop!”

Famous Birthdays

1922: Conchita Cintrón—American Portuguese bullfighter, the first female career professional matadora

1968: Gillian Anderson—American actress and writer

1976: Audrey Tautou—French actress who starred in Amélie

1977: Chamique Holdsclaw—American basketball player