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Clara Rothbart

Bonnie Poe

Bonnie Poe
Bonnie Poe aka Clara Rothbart Betty Boop Wikia 2022

Name

Clara Rothbart
Bonnie Poe
Clara Poe
Bonny Poe
The Betty Boop Girl

Audio:

Bonnie Poe as Betty Boop:

Audio:

Bonnie Poe as Olive Oyl:

Bonny Poe
The_Voices_of_Bonnie_Poe

Name

Bonny Poe

Bonnie Poe[1], born Clara Rothbart[2] (March 6, 1915 - October 16, 1993) was a New Yorker who voiced the animated character Betty Boop in the animated cartoons starting in 1933 at the age of 17, a few months before her 18th birthday. Poe took over the role of Betty while Mae Questel was preparing for a baby.

Other Fleischer Studios characters that Poe was most notable for voicing were Olive Oyl and Buzzy Boop. Poe had blue eyes and she was a brunette, she later dyed her hair blonde.

When Poe was 14 she was a member of Borrah Minevitch's Harmonica Rascals. Minevitch was best known for his role as "Jimmie" in the 1928 musical "Good Boy". Minevitch left "Good Boy" in 1929 over a row over second billing to Helen Kane.[3]

Poe was a professional torch singer and she sang torch songs, Poe later sang to live audiences at 14 Broadway nightclubs, in 1932 she briefly performed at a nightclub called the Everglades Club. Poe had originally started out doing Betty's voice on the Betty Boop Frolics[4] radio show on the NBC network[5] in 1933.[6]

Poe's first role as Betty in the cartoon series as stated in lawsuit documents was in Mother Goose Land. Her Betty Boop voice was a impersonation of 1920s singer and actress Helen Kane, before she got the role of Betty Boop she was asked directly by Helen Kane to enter a "Helen Kane Impersonation Contest" as Poe often impersonated Helen Kane on the stage.

Helen Kane saw Poe's impersonation and thought she was talented, and she told Poe that if she entered the contest it would help Poe get some recognition. Bonnie also is said to have looked identical to Kane, and was often mistaken for her mostly particularly in Hollywood on Parade No. A-8, in which Poe is mistaken in person for Kane or Questel.[7]

Poe's first role in the Fleischer cartoons can be heard in the 1933 Screen SongBoilesk as several characters, including a flapper that sounded like Betty Boop, alongside Billy Costello. In 1933, Poe appeared with Harriet Lee at the Fox Theater.[8]Poe created and provided the initial voice for Olive Oyl using a deep oafish-sounding Brooklynese accent, but was later replaced by Mae Questel. Poe continued to do the voice for Betty Boop from 1934 to 1935.

By 1935, she was 20 and had finished voicing Betty Boop for the Betty Boop animated screen series and had moved back to radio. In the same year, Bonnie's younger sister Evelyn Poe[9] who looked similar in comparison her older sister became a RKO discovery.[10] Her sister Evelyn made her debut in a 1935 film as Betty Grable's rival. Bonnie would later provide Betty's voice in two 1938 shorts when Questel was unavailable, and was subsequently replaced by Margie Hines. Bonnie Poe can also be heard in a majority of the Fleischer Studios cartoons from 1933 to 1938, including the Color Classics releases.

Apart from being a radio voice-over, Poe was also a nightclub singer and hostess with her age being given as 10. In 1934, Poe filed a $25,000 heart balm action against George Raft. The suit striction was brought on her behalf by her mother, Mary Rothbart.[11] An individual may file a heartbalm action, a type of civil lawsuit, to obtain financial compensation for the dissolution or disruption of a love or marital relationship.[12] The lawsuit was settled out of court.[13] Poe later retired from show business, she briefly returned to radio in 1942 as a cast member for Gertrude Berg's radio show The Goldbergs.[14] As of 2022, her archived vocals were remixed into the "Boop" soundtrack commercial for Guess Originals x Betty Boop.

Quotes

  • Bonnie Poe: "There's a new feud raging in Hollywood." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1933)
  • Bonnie Poe: "Mickey Mouse insists that the Three Little Pigs are hogging the spotlight." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1933)
  • Bonnie Poe: "Men like Jones Beach because it is the she shore." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1933)
  • Bonnie Poe: "The trouble with modern marriage is that too many couples think a pair beats a full house." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1933)
  • Bonnie Poe: "Miss Kane told me about the Helen Kane contest that was going to be held at the Riverside the following week and told me that she thought that it would be a very good idea if I joined the contest." ($250,000 Infringement Lawsuit)
  • Bonnie Poe: "On the R.K.O. Circuit I went as a comedienne and I played straight form. The young man told jokes and I answered them. First I gave my impersonation of Helen Kane, then I sang a straight song." ($250,000 Infringement Lawsuit)

Role(s)

Character(s)
1933-1938 Bopbopadop0 Betty Boop Popeye the Sailor
1933-1938 OllyOyl Olive Oyl Popeye the Sailor
1933 Queenevil2 Queen Snow White
1933 Little Miss Muffet Little Miss Muffet Mother Goose Land
1933 Boopoldman3 Hippo The Old Man of the Mountain
1933 Three Blind Mice Three Blind Mice Mother Goose Land
1934 Fairymom2 Fairy Godmother Poor Cinderella
1935 Miss fritzi ritz Mrs. Fritzi Prissy Mrs. Fritzi Prissy
1938 MaxFleischerBuzzyBoop1938 04 Buzzy Boop Buzzy Boop

The Billboard (1931)

The Billboard 26th December 1931

Eddie Stanley got as many chuckles as possible out of the extremely cold audience with his wisecracks and funny action. He is assisted in his turn by Bonnie Poe.

The Billboard (1932)

The Billboard 1932 Helen Kane and Bonnie Poe Touring Together

Helen Kane, Booper of the first Boop, Booped her way to an unmistakable show-stop. Totes a swell song rep, and how she sells the ditties. Was forced out for two encores, and her get away hand ran into Eddie Stanley's act in the next stands, forcing him to quit. Helen's piano accompanist knows his business. Eddie Stanley experienced little trouble in getting over in number four.

BonniePoeBettyBoop1934NightclubSinger

Eddie tells stories, toots occasionally on the clarinet and indulges in crossfire with a looker, Bonnie Poe. Latter also does a Helen Kane in fair style. Comedy material, for the most part, is the high although Stanley resorts frequently to a Joe Miller, but as he explains it, they are inserted only to test the memory. Stanley crammed in plenty of laughs and ankled off to a sock hand.

Clara Rothbart

Bonnie Poe Betty Boop's Real Name Was Ciara Rothbart

According to a Buffalo Evening News article dated the 8th of March 1934, Bonnie Poe's real name was Clara Rothbart. The reason given was to allow time for program. The article stated the stars adapted in the cause of billing, appropriateness and euphony. The Quad-City Times also reported on the 15th of April 1934, that a song performed by Bonnie Poe (Betty Boop) would not seem the same if an announcer introduced her correctly as Clara Rothbart. In some old newspapers her second name is misspelled Rothbert, instead of Rothbart.

Radio's Betty Boop (1933)

BonniePoeBettyBoopGirl1935

Just in case you're curious about the identity of radio's Betty Boop we tell you that in private life she is Bonnie Poe and she has saucer-eyes similar the eyes of the screen Betty Boop. If you like the Betty Boop pictures you'll like her radio programs that come over NBCs Red network. (Beacon Journal)

Before Radio (1933)

Bonniepoe18yearold1933bettyboop

Bonnie Poe, the Betty Boop Girl, who is only 18 sang in 13 different Broadway night clubs.

Betty Boop (1933)

Bonnie Poe voice of Betty Boop NBC Radio 1933

Poe's portrait was featured in a 1933 article which stated; Betty Boop, whose antics on the NBC network bring to mind the character of the animated cartoon, as seen by The Times-Union Staff Artist.

 $250,000 Lawsuit

Bonnie Poe Vs Helen Kane

Bonnie Poe served as defense in the Helen Kane lawsuit against Betty Boop. It was stated that Margie Hines, Mae Questel and Poe were as much "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" girls as Kane. The latter however avered that they got their start "Booping" through contests which were sponsored by Helen Kane.

Mistaken for Helen Kane

April 1934 Bonnie Poe Mistaken for Helen Kane

In April 1934, A summons obtained by a judgement against Miss Kane obtained by a Fifth avenue clothing store to collect a bill of $40.65 was served mistakenly on Miss Bonnie Poe, a motion picture singer, who took part in the animated films dispute. Miss Poe's resemblance to Miss Kane was so startling that the process server refused to believe she was not Miss Kane and touched her with the summons. It fell to the floor and was picked up by a reporter. 

Hollywood on Parade No. A-8

Mae Questel dressed up as Betty Boop, has to hide one withered arm

(Mae Betty Boop Questel dressed up as Betty Boop)


At the age of 18 in 1933, Bonnie Poe appeared in a live-action short called Hollywood on Parade No. A-8 as Betty Boop alongside Bela Lugosi as Dracula. She performed a song called "'My Silent Love" on stage as Betty. The controversy is that Betty is portrayed by Poe, such controversy coming from Helen Kane, the “Original Boop-Oop-a-Doop Girl,” a popular singer who capitalized on her novel coquettish voice to become an on-stage hit in the late 1920s through early 1930s. Kane sued over the impersonation of her as Betty Boop. Any such appearance as Betty Boop would have negated her claim. Above is an image of Mae Questel, who has to hide one of her 'withered arms', while dressed up as Betty Boop. Various books mistake Bonnie Poe for Mae Questel, who had previously played the character in the live-action short titled Musical Justice.

Bonnie poe as Betty Boop 02

(Bonnie Poe portraying Betty Boop in Hollywood on Parade No. A-8)


The person playing Betty Boop in Hollywood on Parade No. A-8 could not have been Mae Questel, due to the fact that Mae had one withered arm and always had to hide it behind her back or have her hands on her hips, as seen when she portrayed Betty Boop in Musical Justice. Before being given the role of Betty Boop, Bonnie Poe was referenced in a 1933 newspaper stating that she would soon make her way to Hollywood.

Hotel Roosevelt Grill (1933)

Among those spotted this week in the Hotel Roosevelt grill where genial Reggie Childs and his WZJ-WOR orchestra play: Conrad Thi-bault, Lulu McConnell, Sisters of Skillet (very sad looking, by the way), the Harmonians, Frank Novak, Harriet Lee, Gladys Rice, Helene Daniels, Lanny Ross, Bonnie Poe and Ben Alley.

Secrecy Results In Suit

Bonnie Poe George Raft

George is a tight-lipped fellow where his private affairs are concerned. That's a lesson he undoubtedly learned playing in the Tenth av. of 20 years ago, when chance acquaintances might be Gophers - the powerful "mob" which ruled the neighborhood. When fortune plopped him down in Hollywood, he kept his marriage secret. He kept it so secret, in fact that a pretty little thing named Bonnie Poe (no relation of Edgar Allan) was embolden to sue him for $25,000 charging breach-of-promise. She's a Los Angeles nightclub hostess and her demands are still legally pending. Along Broadway they speak of George as a naive young man at heart, for all the exotic Latinveneer of his screen characterizations and for all his crimp, hard-boiled Tenth av. accent and knowing swagger. Broadway is sympathetic. 

Four Betty Boop Girls (1934)

4 Betty Boop Girls Paramount Group

In 1934, Bonnie Poe joined a group called the Four Betty Boop Girls, a girl group that consisted of lead singer Mae Questel who took the title of Betty Boop, Little Ann Little, and Margie Hines, the original voice of Betty Boop. Poe was one of "The Boop-Oop-a-Doops" in the group.

At the Anchorage (1934)

Bonny Poe 1934 Helen Kane

For this season, the management, of the Anchorage announces a policy of small, intimate floor shows, featuring Broadway celebrities, presented nightly at 7.30 and midnight. Jerry Blancherd remains as mistress of ceremonies: others acts include Bonny Poe, recently awarded a Paramount Picture contact as result of a "Helen Kane" contest, and Myra Lott dancer. During intermissions, Manny La Porte entertains with "piano meditations." Orchestral music is directed by Milton Kellem.

1933-1935

Betty Bonnie Poe Betty Boop

In 1934, Bonnie Poe appeared in Rambling Round Radio Row as a Betty Boop performer. She performed a number called "Puddin' Head Jones" in the musical short. Bonnie Poe could last be seen in person with the other voices of Betty Boop in 1934 in the Fleischer Victory Newsreel. She helped Mae Questel, "Booping" to the song "Don't Take My Boop-Oop-A-Doop Away", after winning the Helen Kane $250,000 Lawsuit. Poe then went to perform her "Boop" routine with Little Ann Little, Mae Questel and Margie Hines on the Paramount Stage in New York City. Poe also voiced Betty in 1938, two times before the role was taken over by Little Ann Little and Margie Hines. Poe also provided the voice for Olive Oyl one last time in the Popeye the Sailor short titled I Yam Lovesick, in which she did an impression of ZaSu Pitts, differing to her earlier portrayal of the character with the deep souding voice. Poe also did a radio interview with Billy Costello, the original voice of Popeye. In 1935, Bonnie Poe had a role on radio station NBC-W1OD, in a program called House of Glass, which was created by Gertrude Berg. Poe played the role of Dottie Martin, an out-of-work entertainer who temporarily juggled trays at a hotel.

1937

Bonnie Poe aka Clara Rothbart Betty Boop Girl Voice Actress

In 1937 Bonnie Poe made public appearances at nightclubs, where she was dubbed "The Original Betty Boop". In her routine she would sing, and do a bit of comedy. 

Bonnie Poe Returns to Radio (1942)

It's welcome news that Bonnie Poe is returning to radio as a member of "The Goldbergs" cast. Although out of the theatrical fold for several years, many fans still remember the good-looking Bonnie as the original model and voice of the old "Betty Boop" movie cartoons.

Betty Boop's Double Shift

Bonnie Poe's archived "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" voice-over from the official cartoon series was used in the 2007 Nintendo DS Game Betty Boop's Double Shift.

Songs Performed as Betty Boop

Betty Boop Frolics

  • Betty Boop Frolics at 7:15 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, July 21, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 7:15 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, July 28, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe, Red Pepper Sam and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 7:30 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, August 11, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 7:30 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, August 25, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 7:30 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, September 1, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 7:30 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, September 8, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 7:30 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, September 22, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 6:45 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, September 29, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe, Billy Costello and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 6:45 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, October 6, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe and Vic Erwin's Band)
  • Betty Boop Frolics at 6:45 p.m. | WEAF (660 kc.) | (Friday, November 3, 1933) | (Bonnie Poe, Billy Costello and Vic Erwin's Band)

Filmography

1933:

1934:

1935:

  • Dizzy Divers

1936:

  • The Twisker Pitcher
  • Never Kick a Woman
  • Somewhere in Dreamland

1937:

  • Educated Fish

1938:

2007:

2022:

Death

  • Bonnie Poe died from complications connected to pneumonia in 1993.

Gallery

Trivia

  • Before she became the voice of Betty Boop she would impersonate Helen Kane and played the same bill with Kane in Chicago for three weeks somewhere between 1931-1932.
  • She was also a radio singer.
  • Poe was also able to portray numerous characters, and also was able to speak and sing using a deeper tone.
  • Margie Hines' Van Beuren credits were erroneously attributed to Bonnie Poe.
  • Bonnie Poe can be heard in a majority of Betty Boop cartoons from 1933-1934 and lastly in 1938. 
  • Sometimes Poe would utter "Poop-Poop-Pa-Doop" and or "Poop-Poop-Pah-Doop" instead of the "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" routine and would sometimes use "Poops" in her Betty Boop songs. "Poop-Poop-a-Doop" is more or less channeling Helen Kane, as Kane's "Boop" was actually a "Poop" originally.
  • According to a 1933 news article, Poe took over the full-time role of Betty in the cartoons and on various radio events for a short time, while Mae Questel was busy preparing for a baby.
  • Poe lived at 236 West 70th Street in New York.

See Also


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