Betty Boop

 Having had a vintage Betty Boop doll in my collection for some time and not knowing her back story, I decided to look up information about her so I turned to a Google search.

Betty Boop, a blue-eyed, curly-haired woman with long earrings first appeared in 1930. She was an animated cartoon, the work of Max Fleischer and Grim Natick. She is probably best known for her "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" phrase. In one instance, after she successfully fought off the advances of a circus performer, she stated, "He couldn't take my boop-oop-a-doop away!"

A Black singer of the 1920s is thought to have been the inspiration for Betty Boop although Esther Lee Jones was never given that credit officially. Originally, Betty Boop was portrayed as a singing, talking French poodle with long ears, but eventually, those ears became earrings. Another cartoon pup, Bimbo, was her main love interest. 

Betty Boop was depicted as having a sweet personality. The garter she wore signaled her as a "liberated" woman because women of the 1920s often tucked a flask into their garter. 

Betty's first film was "Dizzy Dishes" in 1930. By 1934, she was censored by The Hays Code of 1934, and by 1939 the series was discontinued altogether. Always controversial from the start, the reason for the ban in 1934 was the use of laughing gas.

Betty's image has been reproduced on many material objects such as playing cards and other goods.  

I have been the happy caretaker of Betty Boop for a number of years now as she sat in my studio, keeping me company. A few years ago, some fabric companies reproduced her image. I only wish I'd bought some of that fabric when it was available. If anyone knows where I could get some, please reach out and let me know. I enjoyed learning more about her and hope that you did, too.