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Because Helen Kane lost this lawsuit, in the court of law, it was proven that Kane was not the originator of the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" or model for the Betty Boop character.

$250,000 Infringement Lawsuit

$250,000 Infringement Lawsuit

$250,000 Lawsuit
Helen kane vs Bettys voices

Name

Kane v. Fleischer et al., 248 A.D. 554 (New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division New York State Library, Albany. 130.)[1]

In May 1932,[2] Helen Kane filed a $250,000 infringement lawsuit[3] against Max Fleischer and Paramount Publix Corporation for the deliberate caricature[4] that produced unfair competition.[5] While Kane had risen to fame in the late 1920s as "The Boop-Oop-A-Doop Girl," a star of stage, recordings, and films for Paramount, her career was nearing its end by 1931. Paramount promoted the development of Betty Boop[6] following Kane's decline.[7] The case was brought in New York in 1934.[8] Although Kane's claims seemed to be valid on the surface,[9] it was proven that her appearance was not unique.[10] Both Kane and the Betty Boop character bore resemblance to Paramount top-star Clara Bow On April 19, Fleischer testified that Betty Boop purely was a product of the imaginations of himself and detailed by members of his staff. Little Ann Little, Mae Questel, Margie Hines and Bonnie Poe[11] were all summoned to testify.

Plaintiff/Defendants

Judge:
Plaintiff:
  • Helen Kane
  • Samuel Robert Weltz (Attorney for Helen Kane)
Defendants:

Testimonies

Appeal

Judge:

Fleischer vs. Kane

Helen Kane claimed that her reason for suing was not about money and that she felt that they had stolen her identity. She was cited as saying: "While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this type of imitation is the opposite. It isn't about money. Fleischer Studios and Paramount Pictures have stolen the idea I put across, and I am not going to stand for it! Betty Boop is nothing more or less than a caricature of me and not so much of a caricature at that."


The court ruled out "Betty Boop's" name as infringement, because Helen Kane was not known as Helen Boop. So Kane could not lay claim to the copyright of Betty's name, because Helen Kane was known as Sugar Kane on the Broadway stage, not Helen Boop.

Peggy Bernier Helen Kane

When questioned, Kane did not admit to stealing anyone's "Boop". However she admitted during the lawsuit, that Duncan Sisters, Irene Franklin, Frances White, Nan Halperin and Peggy Bernier were all prominent before her, and that each and every one of these Caucasian female singers had preceded her by singing using the baby-voice technique and the baby-doll style. Bernier was known as "The Girl With The Baby Voice" and was discovered by Paul Ash in 1926, several years before Kane was discovered by Ash, and Bernier was best known for her baby voice. Bernier and her husband Milton Watson (who was also discovered by Ash), were also in the same "Paul Ash" Chicago revue as Baby Esther Jones in 1926. Kane admitting to these several women originating the baby-voice before her, ruled out the baby singing style. It was later noticed when Kane lost her lawsuit, that though Betty Boop bore a strong resemblance, Kane did not originate the scat-singing or baby-voice and was unable to prove any of her claims in court.


Animationz

The action was commenced by the service of the summons and complaint on the defendants on or about April 30, 1932. Issue was joined by the service of the defendants' answers on or about June 14, 1932. The action was brought to trial before Hon. Edward J. McGoldrick without a jury on April 17. 1934, and continued until May 4, 1934. The decision containing findings of fact and conclusions of law is dated June 8, 1934. The judgement in favor of defendants and against plaintiff is dated June 8, 1934, and filed on June 23, 1934. 

"The plaintiff seeks to prevent the defendants from using and exploiting pictorial representations and portrayals of her and to prevent the defendants from using and exploiting her professional, theatrical name, in violation of Sections 50 and 51 of the Civil Rights Law; and the plaintiff seeks to prevent the defendants from deceiving the public into the belief that the performances of the cartoon character Betty Boop are the performances of the plaintiff, and from deceiving the public into the belief that the plaintiff actually supplied the singing and talking synchronized with the actions of the said cartoon character in the Betty Boop cartoons. Plaintiff originates and still uses a method of singing songs consisting of the interpolation at frequent intervals of the sounds[15] Boop-Boop-a-Doop, or Boop-Boopa-Doop or Boop-Boop-Pa-Do or Boopa-Doop or simply Boop[16] alone."[17] Your honor," said Miss Kane's lawyer to Justice Edward J. McGoldrick, "we contend this character has Miss Kane's personality her mannerisms her plumpness, her curls, her eyes, and that she sings the songs Miss Kane made famous." The attorney for Max Fleischer, whom Miss Kane was suing contended that almost 60 songs were used in the cartoons and that only a few of them had been sung in pictures by Miss Kane. "You Honor." said Miss Kane's attorney, "we next will offer in evidence a picture called Pointed Heels in which Miss Kane was starred." A five-reel picture, made in 1929, was started. In this production, Helen Kane as a vaudeville dancer known as "Dot" almost drives a composer of symphonic music insane. Several times during the performance. Miss Kane and her husband Max Hoffman. Jr., and nearly everyone else in the movie-courtroom laughed but not Justice McGoldrick. "We will hear the phonograph records next," he said. A phonograph began playing: "That's My Weakness Now". Helen Kane "Booped" for the enlightenment of Justice McGoldrick and "Boop-Boop-a-Dooped" the court into giggles and herself into tears. Visibly agitated, Helen pursed her lips and trickled a few "Boop-Boop-a-Doops". Counsel insisted on more "Doops". In exasperation over the delays Kane bowled; "Of course I'm the original Boop girl!" I began Booping about 1928. My Boops earned me as much as $25,000 a week. Here's how I Boop!". The most significant evidence against Kane's case was her claim as to the uniqueness of her singing style. "PUT IT DOWN! PUT IT DOWN!" shouted Miss Kane to the stenographer who was looking a little puzzled.

Baby Esther Jones Paris 1929 Lew Bolton

Testimony revealed that Kane had witnessed seven-year-old African-American Florence Mills impersonator Baby Esther Lee Jones,[18] scat singing[19] at an obscure nightclub called the Everglades Night Club some years earlier.[20] Esther was a child wonder, who used to sing and dance in her acts. She would later go on to tour several countries in a revue becoming a hit in Paris in 1929, and creating a sensation wherever she appeared. Also to note, Jones and Kane had the same booking agent (Tony Shayne). In 1928, Baby Esther was dubbed the miniature Florence Mills and had based her singing and dancing style on Mills, who died in 1927. Mills had become famous by replacing Bessie Smith's rival Gertrude Saunders in the musical Shuffle Along. You can find out more about Baby Esther in the article titled What Ever Happened to Baby Esther?.

Florence Mills who toured at the London Pavilion, in Paris, France, and other European cities long before Josephine Baker and Baby Esther Jones, was known to incorporate a "Tooty-Tooty-Too" into her song "Baby and Me" in a higher pitch obbligato, kind of like a flute. Jones being a Florence Mills impersonator sums up her interpolations. Only difference is that Jones used completely different scat rhythm to Mills. Which Kane was inspired by when she saw Esther perform at the Everglades.

Booping Is Traced Back to Wha-Da-Da 1st of May 1934

According to information, Helen hadn't actually debuted her "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" until the hit Arthur Hammerstein musical show Goodboy. Esther's ex-manager Lou Bolton, stated that Kane had debuted her "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" in Summer 1928, whereas Esther had delivered many "Boops" months before her in April, 1928 and had been scat singing on stage to live audiences since 1925. Kane was introduced to Bolton in 1928, and saw Esther's performance on stage. Bolton also claimed that Helen had a ringside seat at the Everglades Club on Broadway one night when Baby Esther was actively scat singing on the stage. Which then inspired Kane to want to scat sing in her songs.


Kane later introduced the unique sounds into the hit song "I Wanna Be Loved By You", and later a variety of scat sounds in the songs (which were neither "Boop" or "Poop") in several other song releases, "That's My Weakness Now" and "Get Out and Get Under the Moon". "That's My Weakness Now" and "Get Out and Get Under the Moon" were released in July, (Summer, 1928).


In Kane's original version of "That's My Weakness Now", she doesn't use a "Boop", she uses a "But-Dut-De-Dut" and "But-Dut-Da-Dut" instead. And her original scat was not "Boop" but "Poop" and "Poo-Poo-Pah-Doop".

Kane was also known to have used a "Bumpee-Ump-Bump-Bump", "Butt'n-Dutt'n" and "Da-Da-Da".


When asked how she had created this "Boop" technique, Helen Kane stated, "It's a form of rhythm I created. There's a bar in the music, and at the end there is a stop." However interpolating "hot licks" into songs had already been established by other performers long before Helen Kane had started using the "scat-singing" technique that she claimed she had invented. Helen Kane made "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" famous but she was not the first "scatter" and she certainly did not "invent" the rhythm of interjecting "meaningless" sounds into songs.

During the lawsuit, Kane claimed she did not know what "hot licks" or "scatting" was. It was lightly questioned by the Fleischers lawyers, how she was able to interject these words, without knowing what scat-singing was, which led the Fleischers and Paramount to research the origins of scat-singing to prove that Kane did not originate this method of singing.

The Fleischer Studios and Paramount Publix Corporation's research led to all-Black nightclubs in Harlem. This is how the Fleischers got Clarence Williams, and Lou Bolton to defend them in court. Bolton explained how his ex-protégé Baby Esther, had been scat-singing since 1925, however he did not say she invented the "Boop" rather that she was scat-singing something similar before Kane. Williams told the court that he had used a "Boop" in 1915. Also it is generally known that Louis Armstrong (who did not testify against Kane), was frequently known to use a "Boop" and a "Doo" in his jazz songs too.

For a official scat-singing timeline of "Boop" and "Doop" predecessors read here.

Get Out Get Under the Moon Helen Kane Boop Record

"Get Out and Get Under the Moon"


Both of Helen's early recordings feature alternative scat sounds, similar to sounds Baby Esther used to interpolate into songs, indicating that Helen had adapted the scat sounds she'd heard. Helen didn't record the hit song "I Wanna Be Loved By You" for Victor Records until the 5th of September, 1928. A few days later, Helen officially recorded the song on record on the 20th of September. The song was that popular that it became a 1928 hit song. The song is that popular that it is still relatively remembered to this day. Even so much, that during the 50s, the famous Marilyn Monroe covered the song, making it a classic. To find out more into detail as to why Kane lost, read the article How Did Helen Kane Lose Her $250,000 Lawsuit?.

The real Baby Esther Jones in 1929 from Betty Boop Lover Tumblr - she was like a mini Josephine Baker in France

An early test sound film[21] was later discovered featured Baby Esther originally billed "Lil' Esther" performing in this style, disproving Kane's claims. In the footage Baby Esther performed "Wa-Da-Da" and two Helen Kane songs which were "Don't Be Like That" and "Is There Anything Wrong In That?". Songs that had not only been performed by Helen Kane, but a galaxy of performers, as back in the 1920s, artists used to cover the same songs. Supreme Court Judge "Edward J. McGoldrick" ruled: "The plaintiff has failed to sustain either cause of action by proof of sufficient probative force." In his opinion, the baby technique of singing did not originate with Kane.

Helen Kane Impersonator NOPE Actual Lawsuit Document Clipping

During the trial Helen Kane's attorney Samuel Weltz claimed that the footage of Baby Esther singing was irrelevant, incompetent and immaterial and stated that Esther Jones was a Helen Kane impersonator. He was denied by the court. 

According to Leslie Cabarga (who had met Mae Questel in person), Helen Kane went to Max Fleischer and said if you use me in the cartoons instead of Mae Questel, I'll drop the suit. Max who knew Mae Questel said that he wouldn't use anyone other than Mae to voice Betty Boop, and also the main fact that Helen Kane who had been in debt would have probably asked for a larger salary, when in reality Fleischer could hire an impersonator to do the role for less. Had Paramount and the Fleischers wanted Kane to have done the role, they would have went to her from the start. Instead, they asked Margie Hines, who had won several Helen Kane impersonation contests to do the role because she did the singing for less money, as did Mae Questel and the other girls. Not only did the women who voiced the characters in Fleischers cartoons play Betty, they also had to play numerous other characters, from mothers to babies, to boys, including inanimate objects. Mae Questel was perfect for the role because she could play multiple characters. Even when Mae Questel wasn't doing the voices in the Betty Boop cartoons, the other women who did voice-over for the Fleischers were also expected to play more than one character role[22], something Kane would have had trouble doing, as she was not experienced in character voice-over and impersonation, Kane was a singer who could only do one voice and that was the baby-talk one. Mae however was able to do more than one voice, which is why she had such a successful career on radio and on the stage and also later in life.

Gertrude Saunders

When African-American singer, actress, dancer and comedian Gertrude Saunders[23] (who is not to be mistaken for Baby Esther Jones), caught wind of the trial, she later came out as the one true originator of "Boop-Boop-a-Doop". She stated that she had "Boop-Boop-a-Dooped"[24] in 1921, long before Betty Boop and Helen Kane and long before Baby Esther. And she herself originated the style of singing when she used to appear in an all-black Broadway show in the early 1920s musical Shuffle Along, where she ended with her number "Daddy Won't You Please Come Home", ending the entire scat chorus in baby talk.[25] From 1934 to 1950, Saunders was given tribute as the originator[26] of the "Boop" scat singing style.[27] According to vast research, African-Americans originated the scat singing style and it was adapted by others. Scat singing in general is most associated with jazz, a genre of music that also originated in African-American communities in the United States.

Helen Kane's Gimmick Is Old 

Helen Kane's Idea Is Old 1st May 1934

Boop-a-Doop defense cites old song, Ba-Da-Daten-Doop. What-Da-Das and Vo-Deo-Do are also recalled by witnesses. Testimony in the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" trial of Helen Kane grew more complicated today. Whereas there have been many "Boop-Boop-a-Doops" and "What-Da-Das," today the court stenographer had two new ones to worry about, namely "Bo-Vo-Deo-Do" and "Ba-Da-Daten-Doop." These sounds uttered during the testimony of defense witnesses who sought to convince the Supreme Court Justice Edward J. McGoldrick that Helen Kane had not originated the "Boop-a-Doop" method of singing. Helen Kane seeks $250,000 damages from Max Fleischer and the Paramount-Publix corporation for allegedly imitating her in the Betty Boop film cartoons. Alfred Evans, an employee of Rudy Vallée, said he heard Edith Griffith[28] sing "baby" songs in an Omaha theater in 1927, with the interpolations, "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" and "Poop-Poop-a-Doop." Mrs. Miriam Luber, dancer testified that she heard similar noises made by "Baby Esther Jones" at an Atlantic City night club in 1928.

Helen Kane's Scat Interpolations: 

Helen Kane's original scat techniques were neither "Boop" or "Poop," her original interpolations seem to be a variety of scat sounds. But it seems that she debuted as the "Poop" girl. It has been argued that the scat singing techniques that Kane used in early 1928 are said to have been inspired by interpolations that Florence Mills impersonator[29] Baby Esther Jones used to use at the Everglades. Kane's original interpolations are very similar to sounds used in the all-black Broadway musical Shuffle Along. Similar sounds that Gertrude Saunders, Florence Mills, Nina Mae McKinney and Josephine Baker would frequently use in their musical performances.

Early 1928: 


"But-Dut-Da-Dut-Badda-But-Dut-Da-Dut-But-Dut-Da-Dut" by Helen Kane.



"Butt'n-Dutt'n-Da-Da-Da-Butt'n-Dutt'n-Da-Da-Da-But-Dut-Da-Da" by Helen Kane.



"Baddle-a-Daddle-a-Daddle-a-Daddle-a-Do-Da-Diddle-a-Do-Ba-Do-De-Do-Da-Ba-Du-Ba-Du-Bo-Pa-Tiddle-a-Taddle-a-Do-Da-De-Da-Do-Do-Tittle-a-Tattle-a-Toodle" by Helen Kane.


By mid-1928 Kane adapted her scat technique to "Poop" and was then known as the "Poop" girl.

"Poop," "Poo," "Pe," "Pa," "Doo," "Bop," "Dop" and "Doop" (1928): 


"Bop-Pe-Dop-Pe-Dop-Pe-Dop-Poop-Poop-a-Doop" by Helen Kane.
















"Boop-Boop-a-Doop" (1928): 

Helen later decided to change her "Poop" routine to "Boop," and then change her title from the "Poop" and "Poo" girl to the "Boop" and "Boo" girl. Revealing that Helen Kane was never the "Boop" girl to begin with, she was originally the "Poop" girl. In most of her early performances, she is saying "Poop" not "Boop," which is why she held "Poo-Poo-Pa-Doo" contests.


"Boop-a-Doop-a-Doop-a-Doo-Poop-Poop-a-Doo" by Helen Kane.


Max Fleischer Testifies 20th April 1934

His own imagination, not Helen Kane, was responsible for the creation of that pen-and-ink character known as Betty Boop, Max Fleischer, artist, testified today. Miss Kane, whose contribution to the "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" style of singing is seeking $250,000 damages from Fleischer, Fleischer Studios, and Paramount Pictures Corporation on the ground that Betty Boop movies are based on her song technique and personality. Trial of the suit is before Supreme Court Justice Edward J. McGoldrick.

Betty Boop vs. Helen Kane

Dizzy Dishes Helen Kane Boop Boop A Doop Girl 1930

In court cartoons featuring Betty Boop were shown against Kane's film appearances.[30] Dizzy Dishes (1930), Pointed Heels (1929), Boop-Oop-a-Doop (1932), Nothing But the Truth (1929), The Bum Bandit (1931), Dangerous Nan McGrew (1930), but with no sound. As the Judge was very strict in his ruling so Helen Kane was then asked to demonstrate her "Boop" technique in front of him.

HelenKanePiano

Demonstrates "Boops" In Court - Helen Kane, famed Boop-Boop-a-Doop girl, in Supreme Court in New York in her $250,000 suit against two film organizations for alleged imitation of her[31] in animated cartoons. On the stand, she gave a musical demonstration of the art of Booping. Max Fleischer was cross-examined by Samuel R Weltz, the counsel for Helen Kane. 

3boops

Max Fleischer told of seeing Helen Kane at an entertainment given by the Paramount Company in 1928. Al-though a number of other actors appeared. Mr. Fleischer was unable to recall their names." Aren't you influenced by the people you meet in life when you create a cartoon character?" demanded Mr. Weltz. "Not exactly," said the witness. "Is the hairdress of Betty Boop one of the figments of your imagination" Mr. Fleischer replied in the affirmative, adding that in the production of the entire character he was assisted by members of his staff. Mr. Weltz, had previously called attention to the fact that both Betty Boop and Helen Kane parted their black hair in the center and that long split-curls adorn their fore-heads.


In court Max Fleischer was forced to admit that Helen's "Booping" had antedated Betty Boop's.

Betty Cavorts Boopless

Plagiarism

Court sees animated cartoon and Helen Kane film run off silently in plagiarism case. A Boopless Betty Boop flickered silently across the wall of Supreme Court Justice McGoldrick's chambers today as Helen Kane sought to show that the animated cartoon character had copied $250,000 worth of her "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" style. Miss Kane, who says she is the original "Booper" is suing Paramount-Publix Corporation and Max Fleischer, creator of Betty Boop for that amount and is seeking an injunction to stifle the "Boopings" of what she terms her pen and ink mimic. Helen watches - Alternately pouting and giggling, the actress - singer watched first the cavortings of Betty Boop and then the filmed versions of how she herself "Boops." Justice McGoldrick also watched, gravely making the notes that will help him to decide whether Betty Boop uses unfair competition. Except for the occasional throat-clearings of a roomful of attorneys, it was strictly a silent performance. The court having ruled against any audible "Booping." Miss Kane's attorneys strove vainly to have the sound tracks included, saying hey wished to show how Betty Boop has "simulated our voice and our style of singing," but Justice McGoldrick ruled that any "Booping" would be incompetent, immaterial and irrelevant. "It looks silly," Miss Kane whispered to the reporters, "without the sound." However, cousel proceeded to run off Betty Boop in "Bimbo, The Bum Bandit" and Helen Kane in Dangerous Nan McGrew. The animated cartoon showed Betty Boop capturing a bandit in one reel. "Dangerous Nan McGrew" showed Helen Kane capturing a bandit in seven reels. Three of the reels were skipped, however to save time.

Boop-A-Doops Worry Stenogs

Fleischer Studios Worry

Court stenographers who have struggled to record in shorthand the "Boop-Oop-a-Doops" of Helen Kane were on the verge of hysterics tonight. Supreme Court Judge Edward J. McGoldrick ordered them to act down "Do-Do-De-Do-Ho-Wa-De-Da." The "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" trial, in which Helen Kane seeks $250,000 damages from the animated cartoon creators of Betty Boop became thus complicated when Lou Bolton testified for the defense. Bolton testified that nine years ago in Chicago he taught Baby Esther,[32] a negro child under his management to interpolate "Do-Do-De-Do-Ho-De-Wa-Da-De-Da" between the bars of music in popular songs. "Will you spell that?" asked a court stenographer. "I can't," replied the witness. "Put it down as it sounds," ordered Judge McGoldrick.

Mae Questel Grilled In Court

MaeQuestelMostFamousBettyBoopWhoFramedRogerRabbit

Mae Questel who was the official voice[33] of Betty Boop at the time was grilled[34] by Helen Kane's defense. Hines the original voice of Betty Boop & Poe were also questioned.[35] Questel was asked what song she had performed at the Helen Kane contest. Questel stated she had sung "He's So Unusual" and had won first place. She was asked if she used to mimic Helen Kane and she admitted that she did at the Fordham Theatre along many other girls. She was asked if she was advertised after winning the show and she said yes and went on to perform "He's So Unusual" at the Riverside Theatre. She was asked if she knew Bonnie Poe and asked why Poe had her hair combed like Miss Kane. Questel stated that they always wore curls in their hair.[36] She was then asked if she knew that Helen Kane was the Boop-Boop-a-Doop girl. When asked about singing "That's My Weakness Now" in the 1932 cartoon titled Stopping the Show.


Helen Kane Mae Questel Betty Boop

Questel stated she did not mimic Helen Kane but had been to about 4-5 shows at theatres, where she watched Kane perform publicly. According to Questel she was touring at the time of the lawsuit as "Mae Betty Boop Questel" singing Betty Boop songs from the cartoon series, but did not associate her Betty Boop singing voice with Kane through each and every question answered.

Margie Hines Tells Court About Hot Licks

The Original Voice of Betty Boop 1930-1932

Margie Hines who was known as The Original Betty Boop admitted in court to knowing what "hot licks" in music were and that she used them. There is an archived recording of Hines doing a "Wa-Da-De-De-De-De" proving that she did interpolate alternative "hot licks" into songs. Hines indicated that her "Boop" routine was actually "hot licks" and she also claimed that even though she had impersonated Helen Kane, it was not Helen Kane's "baby-voice" but her own that was used in the Betty Boop cartoons. Helen Kane tried to lay claim to a voice that she did not own. If the Fleischers and Paramount had used Helen Kane's actual voice, it would have been a complete different story.

Poop Poop Padoop?

Poop Poop a Doop Boop Boop a Doop Boop

According to Helen Kane her original scat lyrics were not "Boop-Boop-a-Doop", they were originally "Poop Poop Padoop". Helen Kane claimed that her linguistic invention had been misquoted and that it was really "Poop Poop Padoop" rather than "Boop Boop a Doop". Although the exact difference between a Boop and a Poop was never made entirely clear. It has been indicated that Helen's scat sounds were influenced by other performers and that she had adapted the scat sounds she had heard and made them her own.

Chickennedyboopboopadoophelenkane1930

According to a 1931 news article, before Helen launched her suit against Paramount and the Fleischer Studios, Broadway performer Chic Kennedy claimed she originated "Poop-Poop-a-Doop" and it was stolen from her by Helen Kane, when she was taken ill.

Edith Griffith

Edith Griffith Boop a Doop Nebraska 1927

Edith Griffith was also used as evidence as "Booping" in a early recording alongside Baby Esther. Edith is said to have used "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" and "Poop-Poop-a-Doop" a year before Kane in 1927. Other scat sounds she made were "Do-Do-Da-Da," "Da-Da-Do-Do." "Da-Da-Da-Da," "Roo-Too-Too-Too," "Da-Da-Da-Ba-Ba-Ba," on stage and she also used the baby-talk style of singing.

Irene Franklin I've Got the Mumps


Several other baby singers were also used against Kane. Nan Halperin, Irene Franklin, Peggy Bernier, Duncan Sisters, Hannah Williams. To find out more about the baby-talk singing style read the article titled The Origin of the Baby-Talk Singing Style.

Felix Mayol

Felix Boop Boop a Doop Mayol

French singer and entertainer Felix Mayol was also used as evidence as "Booping" in the 1913 song titled "Bou-Dou-Ba-Da-Boum," Helen responded to this by saying she had never heard of the song.[37] According to vast research, Mayol is actually "shouting" the name of an African solider in this song, not scatting but it sounds like general scat rhymes.

Clarence Williams 

Clarence

Clarence Williams an African-American music publisher and composer who testified at the $250,000 lawsuit of Helen (Boop-a-Doop) Kane, told the Supreme Court Justice McGoldrick in Manhattan that back in 1915 he invented “hot licks" which went mostly "What-Da-De-Da" with an occasional "Boop" thrown in by accident. The witness said he had invented the "hot licks" when he ran out of words and music. He was married to Eva Taylor, who appeared in the musical Shuffle Along the same musical in which "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" was said to have originated, and she was also great friends with Florence Mills,[38] who had died in 1927. One of Williams' hit songs was "Papa De-Da-Da". When Margie Hines[39] was summoned to testify in court she also called the "Boop" sounds she had made "licks".

Hot Licks Man Testifies In Helen Kane Suit

Fleischer Studios Lawsuit African American Williams

Clarence Williams, colored of New Orleans was a defense witness today in Helen Kane's $250,000 suit. Miss Kane's suit is against Paramount Publix and Max Fleischer, creator of animated cartoon girl Betty Boop claiming infringement. Williams is what is known as a "hot licks" man. Now, said the attorney for the defense, don't sing but illustrate to his honor some "hot licks", Williams tapped his foot, "Wha-Da-De-Da", he testified, "Boo-Boo-Pa-Doo." His honor held up a hand. Williams feet tapped faster. Boop! the attorney for the defense changed the line of inquiry. Lack of further musical ideas said Williams, caused him to invent "hot licks" in 1913 - long before Miss Kane thought up her Boops.

Max Fleischer Denies Lifting Helen Kane's Stage Act

Says "Betty Boop" product of imaginations of him-self and staff. The great "Boop-Boop-a-Doop"  trial went Booping along in supreme court today with artist Max Fleischer denying he used Helen Kane as an unwitting model for his animated Betty Boop cartoons. Betty Boop, Fleischer testified is purely a product of the imaginations of himself and his staff. Miss Kane, who claims to have originated the idea of interspersing a catchy little "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" now and then when singing a song is seeking $250,000 damages from Fleischer, the Fleischer Studios Inc, and Paramount Publix Corporation on the ground the Betty Boop cartoons are based on her personality and style of singing. Asked if he has ever seen Miss Kane perform before he began drawing Betty Boop cartoons in 1930, Fleischer recalled an entertainment at which she sang in 1928, her numbers were rewarded by "great applause", he added. "Aren't you influenced," Miss Kane's lawyer asked", by the people you meet-in life when you create a cartoon character?" "Not exactly," replied Fleischer." Is the hairdress of Betty Boop one of the figments of your imagination?" "Yes" said the artist. The attorney previously had observed that Betty Boop and Miss Kane affected similar coiffures. "When you saw Miss Kane in 1928, he pursued "did you look at her nonchalantly or studiously?" Defense counsel objected and Justice McGoldrick told Fleischer he need not answer. In creating Betty Boop, the cartoonist said his principal contributions had been the rolling eyes and mature figure. Miss Kane who says she has been "Booping" since 1920 listened closely to Fleischer's testimony. She wore a flaming red hat with a long brown feather that has a habit of tickling her attorney's ear when he bent over to confer with her.

Dave Fleischer

Dave fleischer

The trial centered on who had coined the "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" phrase. Dave Fleischer later recalled, "In the courtroom... we were all talking 'Boops' and 'Boop-Boop-Ba-Doops' and 'Boopety Boop-Boops', and we'd say, 'It's not a 'Boop', it's a 'Boopety-Boop'."

Resemblance

Bamboo Isle Isnpired by clara Bow Hula

Mae Questel, Betty's voice was not the only one who looked like Betty Boop. The popular singer Helen Kane looked like her too. But then so did the movie star Clara Bow, the "It" girl. And so did thousands of other women. The boyish bob and split curls, round face, wide mascaraed eyes was very popular in the late 1920s and the 1930s.  

According to Helen Kane

According to Helen Kane, the problem was not that she looked like Betty Boop but that Betty Boop looked like her and sang like her and most important, used the phrase "Boop-Oop-a-Doop", which Kane claimed to have invented. Although Kane's accusations strangely mirrored the cartoon, Max Fleischer remained undaunted by her claims that they had taken her "Boop-Oop-a-Doop".

Helen Kane the Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl

In 1923, a plump, impudent artfully infantile young woman named Helen Kane began to appear in vaudeville. Later in her songs as of 1928, she usually replaced the lyrics with extraordinary noises. Presently her favorite noise, "Boop-Boop-a-Doop," became a recognized word in Vaudeville's nonsense language. By 1928, Helen Kane had innumerable imitators. In 1931, there appeared in animated cinema cartoons a character called Betty Boop. Helen Kane grew fatter. Her infantilism grew less appropriate and profitable. Betty Boop remained babyish, alert, and so prosperous that her name became almost as familiar in Manhattan courtrooms as that of Ella Wendel. Producer Max Fleischer whose firm made the Betty Boop cartoons, distributed them through Paramount, successfully sued a doll manufacturer for imitating Betty Boop. It was Producer Fleischer and Paramount Publix Corp. who were sued by Helen Kane for $250,000 for copying her voice and mannerisms. Justice Edward J. McGoldrick ruled against a jury. Counsel ordered Helen Kane to remove her coat, arrange her hair like Betty Boop. Defendant Fleischer produced three baby faced young women who do the singing for Betty Boop cartoons. The court was darkened and three Betty Boop cartoons and one reel of a Helen Kane picture were projected on the wall. After this, Justice McGoldrick ruled that he had, had enough, demanded records and music sung by Helen Kane and Betty Boop before he made a decision. Grown fatter but still talking with the voice of an indignant doll.

Court Solemn as Helen Kane Boops Out Grief

The trial itself, although deadly serious for the principals, involved seems to have had been a sort of comic opera. The newspapers had a ball with it. Even the staid New York Times carried the headline that had read: "Court Solemn as Helen Kane Boops out Grief." At one point in the trial, the Times reported, Kane's lawyer directed her to remove her hat and coat, so the court might see if her face and figure resembled that of Betty Boop's. To make the resemblance more striking she arranged locks of her hair across her temples and cheeks. Young women in the audience immediately began practicing the coiffure. The same article also contained ecstatic descriptions of her, were introduced. Justice McGoldrick remarked. "Of course, I shall consider only the pictures, but I suppose counsel will have no objection if I try the music on the piano, He said he would have no difficulty considering the pictures alone, because they were obviously the prettiest parts of the sheets. "Thank you", piped Miss Kane.

Grim Natwick on the Creation of Betty Boop

According to animator Grim Natwick, it was he who created and designed the character while working on the Talkartoons. "One morning they put on my desk a copy of the 'Boop-Oop-a-Doop' song sung by Helen Kane," he told John Canemaker. "At that time there were no designers and no story men. We virtually wrote our own stories and designed our own characters, then animated them, and so it was with Betty. I'm not even sure she was okayed before I animated her." Helen Kane was then working for Paramount at its studio in Astoria. Paramount had already sent the Fleischers another of its stars, Rudy Vallée (a service it would continue in the future), so the interest in Kane is not surprising. What is unusual is that Fleischer proceeded to copy Kane's distinctive look and sound without bothering to get her permission first. Despite the obvious connections and Natwick's later admission, Helen Kane lost her lawsuit when it was revealed that she was not the first "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" singer in the business. In final irony fans now associate this performance style with Mae Questel, who voiced most of the Betty Boop cartoons.

Baby Esther Footage? And Helen Kane Reference?

Kane Silhouette

The 1932 cartoon "Stopping the Show" had a reference to Helen Kane, but it was taken out before it could be shown to the Judge and is no longer present in the episode. However, Baby Esther's early sound test did not break during the Boop segment. The Baby Esther movie used a twin system sound design similar to Vitaphone. The "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" portion of the film did not break, and this was not demonstrated in court.

The print was broken and had to be spliced in multiple locations. It also lost frames at a critical point and became out of sync. Lou and film cutter Kitty Pfister spent the entire night figuring out where to put black film slugs to replace the frames that were lost and bring the critical spot back into sync. A newly created marriage print featuring optical sound was created, and the Paramount News Lab remained open throughout the night in anticipation of its presentation as proof the following morning. The claim that Justice McGoldrick was bought off is a conclusion rather than an assertion. Miss Kane had enough evidence left to support her case.

In order to restore the critical spot's timing, Lou and head film cutter Kitty Pfister spent the entire night determining locations where black film slugs should be inserted to replace missing frames. In anticipation of the new marriage print with optical sound being presented as proof the next morning, the Paramount News Lab remained open through the night. The conclusion that Justice McGoldrick was bought off is unfounded. There remained sufficient proof to support Miss Kane's claims. But because a picture of Helen Kane is shown next to an early Betty Boop in a movie trade advertisement.

The claim that Justice McGoldrick was bought off is a conclusion rather than an assertion. Miss Kane had enough evidence left to support her case. That being said, a movie trade advertisement features a photo of Helen Kane next to an early Betty Boop. The tampering with the original negative to "Stopping the Show"', which was based on Mae Questel's stage act impressions and led Max Fleischer to hire her, provides more proof. This is the original official Betty Boop cartoon featuring a number of modern-day celebrities. A picture of the celebrity with moving lips and the voice of the celebrity emanating from the image introduces each. The only real voice is Maurice Chevalier's.

Mae Questel mimics Fanny Brice's vocal style. It's strange that Betty starts the scene singing Helen Kane's hit song "That's My Weakness Now". Unlike the other songs, this one is not arranged with the help of the celebrity photo on the easel. An audio clip of the audience cheering before the song starts may be heard. There are two lengthy shots, one of which pans from the audience to the stage. An image resembling Helen Kane is displayed on an easel in the background.

An audio clip of the audience cheering before the song starts may be heard. There are two lengthy shots, one of which pans from the audience to the stage. An image resembling Helen Kane is displayed on an easel in the background. If not, why is it there? The purposeful removal of this explicit allusion to Helen Kane from the negative allowed for the presentation of a new print in court that would not have revealed any editing. However, it was obviously taken out of the negative. Paramount capitalized on the court's misunderstanding of film technology, accepting the evidence as it was presented without questioning the manipulation of the footage.

Leslie Cabarga on the Lawsuit

Betty Boop Didn't Steal Boops From Helen Kane 1934 Betty Boop Wikia

According to Leslie Cabarga who had researched the Fleischer Studios, Judge McGoldrick was bribed and was payed off by Paramount. Leslie Cabarga, "I started to research and met Grim Natwick who is credited having created Betty Boop. I called him in California and he told me his story, which was that he had been given a sheet music of Helen Kane and they told him, hey, do a take off of her. What happened was err... Helen's lawyer kept bringing up these facts and he kept being overruled by a Judge that was brought by Paramount. So he, the Judge was in Paramount's pocket, he was in money's pocket. Which never happens to this day it never happens. So it was an anomaly then and unheard of now. The fairness of honesty and justice wins out all the time as we know in the American way but not back then. So every time Helen's lawyer would try to bring up an objection, state a fact he would be overruled. It became where he recognized how ridiculous this was and was almost kind of mocking it, saying I don't have a chance here. Apparently, Helen Kane had gone directly to Max Fleischer and said if you use me in the cartoons, I'll drop suit, but Max said I won't use anyone but my Mae Questel."

Helen Kane Explained Her Difficulties

Helen Kane Do something

Helen Kane:

"I have become a ghost... Recently in Hollywood when some children ran to open the door of my car they greeted me as Betty Boop. Betty is just one stroke removed from Mickey Mouse."

Loser In Suit

Fleischer Studios Helen Kane Is A Loser

Helen Kane who claims[40] to be the original "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" stylist, is shown as she appeared in a New York City supreme courtroom where her $250,000 damage suit against Max Fleischer.[41] She sought an injunction to stifle the movie "Boopings" of Betty Boop, pen and ink character which Fleischer contended was a product of his own imagination.[42]

Verdict

Judge McGoldrick found that Helen Kane's singing style was most common to a number of Boop-a-Doopers even before Helen had claimed she had invented the idea and mannerisms.[43] And the lawsuit ended with her losing against the Fleischer Studios and the Paramount-Publix Corporation, a company Helen herself used to be linked to earlier on in her career.

The complaint made by Helen Kane was dismissed on the ground that the plaintiff had failed to make out a cause of action for unfair competition and again, on the entire case of the defendant Paramount Publix Corporation moved to dismiss the complaint upon the ground that the plaintiff had failed to make out a cause of action for unfair competition, in that the plaintiff has failed to prove any property right in any of the things and songs which she claims a property right in; she has failed to prove any deception between herself and the cartoons of which she complains; and upon the further ground that there is not a scintilla of evidence in the record that there is any competition whatever between the plaintiff and the cartoon known as as Betty Boop; and on the further ground that it affirmatively appears that all of the matters as to which plaintiff claims any right are publici juris; upon the ground that it affirmatively appears from all of the evidence that there was no deception and no intent to deceive anybody, and the fact that the girls Margie Hines, Bonnie Poe and Mae Questel and Little Ann Little were known as the girls whose off-screen voice was recorded for use in the Betty Boop cartoons.[44]

The court ruled at the beginning of the trial that, under a liberal construction, the complaint embraced two causes of action: (1) a violation of Sections 50 and 51 of the Civil Rights Law; (2) unfair competition. During the course of the trial the complaint was dismissed as to the individual defendant Max Fleischer.

Victory Newsreel

A_Message_To_Helen_Kane

A Message To Helen Kane


After winning the trial against Helen Kane, Max Fleischer accompanied by Mae Questel, Bonnie Poe, Margie Hines, Kate Wright and Ann Little performed a response to Helen Kane in a Fleischer Victory Newsreel. Max stated that the five voices of Betty had something special in their voices. Mae Questel took the lead and performed "Don't Take Our Boop-Oop-a-Doop Away". In the newsreel the girls said as a direct response to Kane; "You can say our voices are awful, or my songs are too risqué, but don't take our 'Boop-Oop-a-Doop' away." The reason for this was while in court Helen had ignored the voices of Betty Boop (several of the women had entered Helen Kane contests and had won first place - according to information Helen had felt betrayed by the women who had won first place in her Helen Kane look and sound-alike contests held in the late 1920s,) so Helen pretended they wasn't there and had basically saw them as nothing so this was their response to Helen after the trial had ended. The newspapers followed the lawsuit for days on end, and had given the character Betty Boop, her creator Max Fleischer and the voices of Betty Boop most of which who were uncredited for their role as Betty Boop in the cartoon series great publicity. Helen Kane responded to three of the girls who had originally entered her "Helen Kane Impersonation Contest" by saying: "You know, people in show business usually stick together. You can imagine how I felt when these three girls that sing for Betty Boop - Mae Questel, Bonnie Poe and Marjorie Hines testified against me. Why I started them on their careers. They all won Helen Kane contests and I gave them my picture and wished them luck. The verdict was a great shock to me. It's not the money - I'm financially independent and I'll spend my last dollar fighting that verdict. There should be some way an artist can protect her creations." Helen had originally claimed she didn't mind being impersonated but by 1930 it started to grate on her career, much so that Mae Questel was dubbed as being better than the original, which led Helen to make a complaint against Questel using the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl" title and prompted Helen to declare Claire Bart the best Helen Kane impersonator. A girl group called the Four Betty Boop Girls debuted in 1934, and featured Mae "Betty Boop" Questel as lead vocalist, and Margie Hines, Bonnie Poe and Little Ann Little as the "Boop-Oop-a-Doops" in the group.

Helen Kane Is Mad! Mad! Mad!

HelenKaneCartoon1

After losing the trial against the Fleischer Studios Helen Kane denounced civilization incognito and then denounced civilization in the flesh. Miss Kane in fact didn't think the human race was being kind to her. She gave a small interview in the papers where she let out her frustration on the Judge. "I want him to know that I'm not all Boop-Boop-a-Doop!" while appealing the case. She told her husband at the time that she never wanted to see another lawyer, newspaperman, Judge or courtroom in all her life. "I am MAD! MAD! MAD! I am so mad," she said, "I am going to spend a lot of money appealing this case. They have stolen my idea! I don't need money. I sued these Betty Boop people for $250,000, I don't want a cent of it. All I want is vindication. It has broken my heart." Helen Kane later decided to fight back with a cartoon caricature of herself dubbed "The Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl", after hearing that Betty Boop would appear in a comic strip series. Helen contacted King Features in advance and asked for a comic of her very own which was short lived and was soon replaced by the Betty Boop comic strip. Around that time period Helen also opened a show titled Trial of the People vs. Helen Kane which was based on the events that had taken place in court. 

SueHelenKane1935bettyboop

In 1935, a year after the trial had taken place, Helen Kane went on tour in Brooklyn. Her appearances featured Betty Boop as used in the posters and a Betty Boop cartoon. Max Fleischer was advised by the newspapers to sue her, but he did not pursue Kane.

Helen Kane Appeals

Helen Kane Lawsuit Max Fleischer

After Helen had lost the suit, lawyers agreed that Helen had made the mistake of charging plagiarism when she should have claimed restraint of trade. Restraint of trade is an action that interferes with free competition in a market, a clause in a contract that restricts a person's right to carry on their trade or profession. Helen appealed her case[45] but it was dismissed by the Appellate Division of the N.Y. Supreme court, which prohibited her from further appeal. Helen based her action on the grounds that Fleischer and Paramount used her voice and originality in the cartoons by Fleischer in his animated shorts, without her permission. She also sought an injunction, Judge Carew held no one could copyright a voice and Miss Kane did not hold the copyright on the actions of the Fleischer character.

Helen Kane Betty Boop Signed

Helen Kane Can't Copyright a Voice

Can't Copyright a Voice Helen Kane 1936 Fleischer Doll Lawsuit

The Appellate Division of the N.Y. Supreme court on Friday (1) unanimously sustained the ruling of Justice, Edward J. McGoldrick in dismissing the $250,000 action brought two years ago by Helen (Boop-a-Doop) Kane against Max Fleischer and Paramount-Publix. This decision prohibits Miss Kane from further appeal. Miss Kane based her action on the grounds that Fleischer and Paramount used her voice and originality in the cartoons by Fleischer in his "Out of the Inkwell" shorts, without her permission. She also sought an injunction, Judge Carew held no one could copyright a voice and Miss Kane did not hold the copyright on the actions of the Fleischer character. Fleischer Studios, Inc and the Cameo Doll Co, Y.S Federal Judge John M. Woolsey in N.Y, yesterday (Tuesday), branded the defendant, Ralph A. Freundlich, president of the Ralph A. Freundlich, Inc, doll makers, a commercial parasite and recommended that the U.S attorney investigate to see if Freundlich could be prosecuted on criminal charges. The suit brought against Freundlich charged he and his company with infringement upon the copyrighted cartoon characters of 'Betty Boop' which Max Fleischer originated in the making of dolls. The defendants claimed the Fleischer copyright was invalid in that Helen Kane was the originator of the character. Freundlich at the trial impressed me as belonging to the common type of commercial parasite, said the judge in his opinion, who endeavors slyly to benefit from the work done and the good will achieved by others. Besides the award granted the plaintiffs, the court directed the defendants to pay $15,000 fees to the plaintiff's counsel.

Stage & Radio Adaptions of the $250,000 Trial

After the trial, Helen Kane opened a show based on the trial called Trial of the People vs. Helen Kane also known as Action of the People vs. Helen Kane. The show opened several times, including at Tony Shayne's Sky Rendezvous on the Hotel Walton Roof.[46] Kane also acted out a bit of the trial on Rudy Vallée's radio show The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour in 1934 in which she explained that she wanted a pound of Max Fleischer.

Outcome

Betty Boop was retired in 1939 and no longer appeared on screen. Helen Kane made a comeback in the 1950s and did TV appearances where she performed live and released several songs. One with MGM in 1954 titled "The Boop Boop a Doop Girl". Helen also used to sign pictures of Betty Boop and hand them out, she was mistaken as the voice of Betty Boop. She died several years later in 1966 as she had battled breast cancer for more than a decade which later killed her. After Kane had died she was mistaken for the voice of Betty Boop in several newspapers and was later forgotten. Betty Boop was later rediscovered during the 1970s but didn't quite make an impact until the 1980s, in which she became an iconic figure of the past.

Betty Boop References Lawsuit Several Years Later

Betty Boop Lawsuit 2011

On Betty Boop's old official website the Helen Kane vs. Fleischer Studios lawsuit was referenced and later removed. In 2011 on Betty Boop's official Facebook the lawsuit was referenced in a quiz which asked people, "Who sued Fleischer Studios in 1934 in a lawsuit that made the headlines? What was the lawsuit about? Who won?". The quiz was left open and answered by fans.

Trivia

  • During the lawsuit, Kane shouted her "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" at the puzzled stenographer and told him to, "PUT IT DOWN! PUT IT DOWN!" Miss Kane was silenced by Justice McGoldrick, and a couple of her "Boops" eliminated from the record.
  • It was argued that Betty bore more resemblance to Clara Bow the "It" Girl. Like Bow, Boop was also a redhead.
  • In 1933 Helen Kane discontinued her "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" trademark.[47]
  • The British press claim that Kane was suing for £50,000.
  • Helen Kane requested for a jury of "12 men" from "all walks of life" to decide in the dispute whether or not Betty Boop was a caricature of her, but she was denied. [48]
  • Helen Kane told the court that Max Fleischer had seen her perform on stage at one of her shows.
  • Helen Kane had played a Betty in the 1931 film Heads Up!, the same exact year Betty Boop was given the name Betty. But according to the Fleischer Studios the animated character's name was inspired by the classic hit song "Betty Co-Ed".
  • Helen wanted Betty Boop stopped by injunction.
  • The lawsuit started in 1932 and ended in 1934. Kane continued to pursue the Fleischers after the Fleischers won, but after being rejected more than once, she later gave up.
  • The newspapers followed the trial for days upon end which gave the voices of Betty Boop, Bonnie Poe and Margie Hines publicity. This allowed Hines the original voice of Betty to snag a role alongside Harry Warren in 1933, and Bonnie Poe starred in Rambling Round Radio Row in 1934.
  • Ann Little insisted that the reason Helen Kane lost her suit was because of the evidence she had given against her in court.
  • Sometimes it is claimed on official Betty Boop merchandise that Betty Boop's body was designed after Mae West and that her singing voice was taken from Helen Kane, or sometimes with a body like Marilyn Monroe and a singing voice like Helen Kane. 
  • Child performer Baby Esther, who was better known as Li'l Esther was presumed to have died by internet speculation and or fabrication by a Helen Kane fan club. The real lawsuit documents state that her ex-manager Lou Bolton, stated that he thought she was still in Paris. Esther did not comment on the lawsuit, but she was advised by the Afro-American newspaper to sue Kane. Esther however did not pursue Kane. 
  • During the lawsuit Kane claimed that she didn't know what "hot licks" were and lied under oath that she never heard of the term "scat singing". She claimed to not know what "scatting" in songs was. Had she not known what "scat rhythm" was, she would have never been able to interject "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" into her songs.
  • A Helen Kane fan club on Facebook staged Baby Esther's hoax death, at that time they did not have her information, so they made it up. A faux-historian was eventually hired by them to publish a book that was "anti-Esther Jones" and they synced it to Wikipedia. To do this, he wrote a biased "Helen Kane" documentary book which "painted Kane" as Betty Boop. In reality, Kane was not Betty Boop and she did not like the character. So in doing that, it is an injustice to Kane, and is disrespectful. Kane disliked the comparison and didn't want to be called Betty Boop while she was still living. The Helen Kane club is also notable for hating Betty Boop and the Fleischer Studios company. Three of the members are former Betty Boop and Helen Kane impersonators. Two of the members previously worked for Universal Studios as Max Fleischer's Betty Boop, and the owner of the website was a former Helen Kane impersonator. Jones is reduced to almost "nothing" in the book that they wrote. They wrote that she was a "nobody" however that was not a true narrative, in fact Jones was more successful than Kane, and Kane died in poverty. Regardless Jones is still commemorated every Black History Month and will "never" be forgotten. Jones's legacy with the Betty Boop narrative will "always" exist regardless of individuals who have racist intentions.

See Also


  1. https://boopboopbedoop.wordpress.com/2023/08/01/250000-infringement-lawsuit-2/
  2. https://boopboopbedoop.wordpress.com/2022/09/04/250000-infringement-lawsuit/
  3. Charges Film Stole Boop
  4. Helen Kane Asks $250,000; Claims Film Stole 'Boop'
  5. Protect Her Rights In Boop-a-Dooping
  6. Helen Kane Hears Betty Boop Trial
  7. Court Studies B. Boop's Face
  8. Kane Suit Ends 1st Inning: No Doop, No Boop, No Error
  9. Sings Her Boop-a-Doop in Court
  10. Court Dismisses $250,000 Suit of Helen Kane
  11. Three Real Life Baby Boops
  12. Lou Bolton Testifies
  13. Clarence Williams Balks Helen Kane Suit: Gives Court Proof of 'Boops' Origin
  14. Can't Copyright a Voice, So Helen Kane Loses Paramount Suit Again
  15. Justice Hears Boop-a-Doop
  16. Scatting Timeline
  17. Boop-a-Doop Blues
  18. Helen Kane Adopted Baby Esther's Boops to Further Her Own Popularity
  19. Here Come the "Scat" Singers
  20. Witness Says Actress Took Cue from "Baby Esther" Jones in 1928
  21. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Shorts: Little Esther
  22. Betty Boop Sees Betty Boop
  23. Gertrude Saunders the Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl
  24. Negro Booper
  25. Gertrude Saunders Gets A Break
  26. Gertrude Saunders Returns to Broadway
  27. Betty Boop's Rival Gertrude Saunders
  28. Birth of the Boop
  29. Young "Florence Mills'" (Esther Jones) Father Must Face Court in New York
  30. Calls Betty Boop Poor Caricature
  31. Miss Kane and Betty Boop
  32. Boop, Doo-Doo-Doo, Wha-Da-Da Too Much
  33. Chubby Helen Kane Suing for $250,000, Claims Others Imitate Her
  34. Giggling Boopers
  35. My Boop Girl Cannot Get a Legal Doop in Edgewise
  36. Helen Kane Glowers at Four Movie Imitators
  37. A French Boop-Boop-a-Doop? Helen Kane Says She Never Heard One
  38. Negro Baby Esther's Managers Held In $500 Bail for Trial
  39. Margie Hines Testifying
  40. Justice McGoldrick Rules Singer Couldn't Prove She Invented Boop-Boop-a-Doop
  41. Boop-a-Doop Suit Thrown Out by New York Justice
  42. The Defeat of Helen Kane
  43. Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl Loses Suit: Deeply Shocked
  44. Five Betty Boops Silent In Court
  45. Helen Kane Appeals Betty Boop Case
  46. Trial of the People vs. Helen Kane at Tony Shayne's Sky Rendezvous
  47. Helen Kane Discontinues Boop-Boop-a-Doop
  48. Helen Kane Denied Jury in Betty Boop Dispute
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