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Helen Kane was the first known "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" girl in the business. She did not voice Betty Boop, and initially found Betty Boop to be repugnant. According to Grim Natwick, she is "partially" the inspiration for the character. Partially as in the Fleischer Studios were already considering a "female counterpart" for Bimbo, an idea by Max Fleischer's wife Essie Fleischer. In court apart from claiming that Betty Boop was a "deliberate caricature" and used a similar singing style, Kane also wanted to lay claim to "Boop-Boop-a-Doop," "Boop-Boop-Pa-Do," "Boop-a-Doop," or simply "Boop" alone. It was later uncovered that Kane's 'gimmick' was not as original as she had claimed, and that other actresses had used the baby-doll style decades and years prior to Kane's debut in 1928. Kane was also "unable to provide evidence" that she was Betty Boop's model or the creator of "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" genre. Paramount Pictures made reference that Clara Bow was the model for Betty Boop, especially in Hollywood on Parade No. A-8. After filing many appeals against the Fleischers and Paramount, Kane was barred from filing any more.

Helen Sugar Kane

Sugar Kane

Helen Kane
BabyEstherJonesakaHelenKane

Name

Helen Clare Schroeder
Helen Kane
Sugar Kane
Clara Bow's Protégé
The Poo-Poo-Pah-Doop Girl
Poo-Poo-Pah-Doo Girl
The Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl
The Poop-Poop-a-Doop Girl
The But-Dut-De-Dut Girl
The Vo-Do-De-O Girl
The Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl
Pansy McManus in (Good Boy)

Audio:

Helen Kane:

Poo Poo Pah Doop by Helen Kane

Name

 What's the Meaning of This Poo-Poo-Pah-Doop?

Helen Kane In Cartoon Form

Name

 (Caricature of Helen Kane.)

Cartoon Helen Kane by Bernard Schmittke

Name

 (Helen Kane caricature by Bernard Schmittke.)

Clara Bow Betty Boop 2

Name

 (Did you know that redhead Clara Bow was also the model for Betty Boop?)

Clara Bow Betty Boop Hula

Name

 (Clara Bow and Betty Boop)

Helen Kane Betty Boop Clara Bow Comparison

Name

 (Did you know that Clara Bow was the ORIGINAL jazz baby? Did you know that Helen Kane was a Clara Bow copy-cat?)

Clara Bow Betty Boop 1

Name

 (Clara Bow the "It" Girl was used to promote Boop's risqué persona. Unlike Kane, Bow often reinvented herself and changed her image, dress sense and hairstyle, much like Madonna Ciccone.)

Clara Bow Betty Boop 4

Name

 (La Bow and La Boop.)

Clara Bow Betty Boop Louise Brooks

Name

 (Clara Bow's frilly dress was used to create Betty's signature dress.)

Helen Kane Mae Questel Betty Boop

Name

 (Helen Kane's more famous rival Mae Questel. Questel later "Out-Booped" Kane and became the New Boop Queen.)

Helen Kane Do something

Name

 (Helen Kane in her prime before she lost her wealth and fame.)

Helen Kane[1] (August 4, 1904 - September 26, 1966) was an actress and singer who became popular in the 1920s. In May 1932, Kane filed a $250,000 Infringement Lawsuit against Max Fleischer and Paramount Publix Corporation for the deliberate caricature that produced unfair competition. Kane had risen to fame in the late 1920s as "The Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl", a star of stage, recordings and films for Paramount.

Kane was not the "Boop" girl, she was originally known as the "Poo-Poo-Pah-Doop"[2] girl and was best known for her gimmick which consisted of interjecting the words "Poo" and "Poop" in her songs.

She had hazel green eyes, and jet-black hair.

In May of 1928, Kane appeared in Paul Ash's[3] stage show. She sang a song called "Romeo" and for her encore, was a song for Paul Ash's special benefit. She sang a peppy version of "You Have No Idea" to him.

In June of 1928, Paul Ash made a statement that Kane was a favorite, who recently signed up with Arthur Hammerstein thanks to her reception and success. She put over four cute little numbers, "We Love It," "That's My Weakness Now," "Is It Going to Be Long," and "Love, Love" and although she closed a show, she was next to closing in reality.

According to the Exhibitors Herald, Kane surpassed their fondest expectations and became a Broadway star less than a month in June of 1928. They stated that in 1929, Kane's name would be in electric lights, and prompted by the kindness of the Publix, and the showmanship of Paul Ash. Kane captivated audiences singing "You've Got No Idea" with new lyrics.

Helen Kane finished her final week at the Paramount in June. Working with Paul Ash in all her songs, amongst the best "Every Night in the Week". During the first show Helen did three extra encores, and thanked the audience and Ash for her success.

Though Ash discovered Kane, much like he did Peggy Bernier. Brooklyn booking agent Tony Shayne argued that he was the one who had discovered Kane.

Helen Kane was described as utilising "Bumpee-Ump-Bump-Bump" as her final words in her "I Wanna Be Loved By You" performance for "Good Boy" in a Tuesday, November 6, 1928 review.[4] Her career was nearing its end by 1931, with her last Paramount feature being A Lesson In Love. Kane was also noted as using a "But-Dut-De-Dut" and "But-Dut-Da-Dut" prior to the "Boop" routine, this can be heard in Kane's earliest recording of "That's My Weakness Now" recorded in 1928.

From 1929 to the late 1930s, Kane allowed impersonation, and sought a double and look-a-like by hosting her "Helen Kane Impersonation Contests" all over the United States of America. In 1930 to promote her film Dangerous Nan McGrew, she appeared on WDAE radio, there she hosted a "Poo-Poo-Pah-Doop" impersonation contest, in which girls hoped to emulate her.[5]

While filming Sweetie in 1929, actor Jack Oakie gave her the nickname "Boop". And she also at one point owned a cat who she named Boopy.

In 1930, Kane officially changed her "Poop" to a "Boop" routine, however she still used a "Poop" in her songs. Kane did not originate the "Boop", it had been used years earlier by African-American jazz singers Clarence Williams and Louis Armstrong.

A 1930 article said that Kane's phonograph and record training did not help her, and that Kane's voice "suffered" in comparison to Clara Bow who gave the mixers very little trouble, and spoke plainly and naturally.[6]

For a short time Helen was often mistaken and or mixed up with her imitator Babe Kane.

According to a 1930 article by gossip writer Fanny the Fan of Teacups, Kane who had a tremendous following in New York was "furious" over Gloria Swanson's statement saying that any one with half an eye could see that Clara Bow was the one real beauty among film stars.[7] Kane the baby-voiced girl, grew richer to the extent of $2,500 a week. Kane at the time was "thought by many" to be quite a genius of baby-talk songs.

Following Kane's decline in 1931, Paramount promoted the development of Betty Boop. By 1932, Betty Boop became a household name, Betty could be seen in animated cartoons, merchandise and could be heard on the radio. Kane heard Betty on radio as voiced by Mae Questel introduced by Max Fleischer, and she became upset.

Kane got her private investigators in show business to "find out" who this Betty Boop was. Kane was told by her private investigators, that it was Mae Questel. Questel was the girl that Kane had made a complaint about in 1930. Kane had demanded that RKO remove the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" girl title from Questel, as Questel had previously "Out-Booped" Kane, according to mainstream media and local Brooklyn news outlets, and Kane didn't like her name in a tie-up with Questel.[8]

The $250,000 Infringement Lawsuit was brought in New York in 1934. On the surface, Kane's statements appeared to be valid, but it was later established that her "look was not original" since Kane shared similarities with the "official voices of Betty Boop" and Paramount top-star Clara Bow. It was later found that early in her career, Helen Kane had been emulating Clara Bow. This was confirmed by "Paul Ash,"[9] who catapulted Kane to fame. He said that Helen Kane would be the "next" Clara Bow and that she was Bow's protégé. He also did the same with Ginger Rogers, making her Helen Kane's protégé earlier in her career.

Many years earlier Ash had discovered Peggy Bernier. Bernier was known as "The Girl With The Baby Voice" way back in 1926, long before Kane was known. Kane did not become a popular artist until 1928.

Kane was questioned about Peggy Bernier's "baby-talk" origination in the lawsuit, Kane was unable to complete her response. Kane admitted that she knew Bernier. But when asked if she knew that Bernier sang in a "baby-voice" Kane responded with a vague answer claiming that she had never heard Bernier sing, and that Bernier had followed her into the Paramount, and that she couldn't remember what had happened next.

Bernier and Kane were both discovered by Paul Ash. But he had discovered Bernier years earlier. Kane did not, however, acknowledge copying Peggy Bernier in court.

The court focused on the image, the baby voice, and mannerisms, and finally who owned the "Boop" phrase. The Fleischers sent researchers to Harlem to find the origination of the "scatting genre" to prove that Kane did not invent it.

Kane's argument was that she had "invented" scat-singing by using her "Boop" as a metaphor. So to prove her wrong, the Fleischers and Paramount Pictures gathered vast evidence at African-American nightclubs in Harlem, and gathered witnesses from well-known nightclubs.

Clarence Williams testified on behalf of Paramount an the Fleischers, and he referred to scatting as "hot licks". And he told that court that he had used the "Boop" years earlier, as of 1915. Williams was quoted as saying, "Lack of further musical ideas, caused me to invent 'hot licks' in 1915, long before 'Miss Helen Kane' thought up her Boops."

When asked how she had created this "Boop" scatting technique, 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 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.

On April 19, Fleischer testified that Betty Boop was purely a product of the imaginations of himself and detailed by members of his staff. Little Ann Little, Bonnie Poe, Kate Wright, Margie Hines, and most notably Mae Questel were all summoned to testify, Wright however did not testify in court. The case dragged on for more than two years before the judge ruled against Kane, claiming her testimony did not prove that her singing style was unique and not an imitation itself; Kane was asked if her gimmick of scatting in songs was inspired by Felix Mayol's 1913 recording "Bou Dou Ba Boum", which Kane denied by stating that she had never heard of a French Boop.[10] However is another meaningless sound that came before Kane's Boop. Another witness claimed that Edith Griffith had "Booped" before Kane in a early recording.

An African-American child performer from Chicago known as "Baby Esther" originally billed Lil Esther, was cited as "Booping" which is a form of scat-singing in song[11], with Kane having seen Esther's cabaret show during the 1920s and Kane emulating Esther's style[12] to further her own career, that is what Paramount and the Fleischers had explained in court.

This was what the defense explained when they showed an early test sound film[13] featuring Baby Esther. According to the real court documents, the film that was screened in court had Esther singing "Wa-Da-Da," a tune that was uniquely Jones. But it also states that Jones performed two Helen Kane songs which are; "Don't Be Like That" and "Is There Anything Wrong In That?" which were popular songs in 1928. Only by going through the litigation records will one be able to get this information, which has been concealed from the general public.

This became a controversy in court as the defense for Kane attempted to show that the songs were imitations, even though many artists had recorded them and Helen Kane was not the owner of the tunes.

However it was proven that the women who voiced Betty Boop, were previously known for their imitations. When voicing Betty Boop, they clarified that "they were the inspiration" rather than connecting "Helen Kane" with the character.

It should be mentioned that in Chicago in the early 1920s. Esther and Peggy Bernier appeared in the same "Paul Ash" show long before Helen Kane's became a star. Years before Kane became well-known, Jones and Bernier "used similar" gimmicks.

Though Kane was not the originator of these styles, she did however popularize her own image.

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" and 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. Helen Kane later told the press that she was shocked and disappointed, remarking that both she and her friends were convinced that the Betty Boop cartoons were a deliberate caricature of her.

Helen appealed her case 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 another injunction but lost again and was prohibited[14] from further appeal, Judge Carew held no one could copyright a voice and Miss Kane did not hold the copyright on the actions of fictional character Betty Boop.

It later came out that the one true originator of "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" was Gertrude Saunders,[15] who had originated the scat singing style in alternative form in the 1921 musical Shuffle Along. Gertrude was succeeded by Florence Mills, who in turn was succeeded by Baby Esther Lee Jones. Whereas the baby-talk singing style was used earlier by Irene Franklin,[16] this is what Edward J. McGoldrick had ruled in court when he had dismissed the case. McGoldrick stated that in court from the evidence given, he 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. Helen Kane could not prove[17] to be sole innovator of the scatting or baby-talk, she was also outed in court for "allowing" the use of people to "impersonate" her, which was questioned as to why she was suing if she "allowed permission" for imitation.[18]

It was also questioned years later why she never patented her "Boop" routine. With her lack of evidence, she later forgot all about Betty Boop and moved on with her life, and also lost all her weight for a short time while trying to live a healthier lifestyle while battling cancer. Kane continued on her career as "The Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop" girl, Kane later back to her well known plump self, "plumper than ever" found herself scatting "Boop-Boop-Be-Doop" similar to that of Mae Questel, and was told by the press of the 1950s that she reminded them or sounded more like Betty Boop, in which most people assumed she voiced.

Kane would tell them that it was the 1920s style of singing, the flapper style. Helen Kane would then find herself signing autographs of photos of Betty Boop and rarely did interviews unless it was Hollywood related. She continued to appear on radio and TV, and made numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

In 1956, Kane appeared with her rival Rose Murphy on the Ed Sullivan Show episode The History of ASCAP.

On another episode of The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, Kane gave tribute to the American Society of Composers by singing her most famous song "I Wanna Be Loved By You" and she appeared on the show with Cab Calloway and his daughter Layla Calloway. She made her final appearance on TV a year before her death in 1961 on The Ed Sullivan Show, in which she performed live, singing a popular Irish song from 1913, as Kane was of Irish-German descent.

According to Colin Bratkovich, a historian, "realistic origins may still be attributed to black entertainers Baby Esther or Baby Cox (both known for their Florence Mills impersonations) is up for debate. Did Vaughn De Leath and Helen Kane run into Cox or Esther?"[19]

Many websites today have falsified that Helen Kane is the model for Betty Boop. Though Kane may have slightly served as base (as did teenage flapper girls) for Grim Natwick's Betty, she was not the Fleischers.

The fact that Betty Boop had red hair from 1930-1931 and 1934, similar to Clara Bow, is evidence of this. Kane was known for her black hair. Betty only has black hair, because she's made of ink. In color, Betty is supposed to be a red-head. Many flappers in the 1920s and 1930s had hairstyles similar to Kane's, Kane did not own the flapper girl hairstyle.

There were many "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" vocalists in the 1920s, Kane was not the sole Booper. According to Max Fleischer, no one was the model for his "dream child" his Betty Boop character, and that Betty was a figment of his imagination.[20] Today's Fleischer Studios has similarly said that inspiration comes from no one.

Despite the Fleischers' persistent denials that they were inspired by no one, there is some supporting evidence that the Betty Boop character was indirectly inspired by many women. Particularly by the spectacular Mae Questel, Betty's original voice, who was formally used as a model for both the rotoscoping and the character's voice.

In her final years Kane was broke and deeply in debt. Kane said, "No use lying, we ain't got a dime." Kane sang at benefits and $50 affairs but it wasn't easy to keep up with the landlord. Kane had also lost both of her breasts to cancer. She responded by saying, "I could play Little Lord Fauntleroy."

The night before Kane had died,[21] she was watching "Three Little Words" on TV. She saw Debbie Reynolds impersonate her on TV, at first this deeply upset Kane. She thought that "someone from her past" was impersonating her, and she frowned. Later on, Kane came to understand that Reynolds was playing her and that it was actually her voice. "That's cute," she said in response. Kane died in poverty.

Quotes 

  • Helen Kane: "When I was fourteen years old, I left the St. Anselm's Convent for, like Dolores Del Rio, Raquel Torres, Lupe Velez, and nearly all the other Hollywood stars, I too, am a simple convent girl." (1929)
  • Helen Kane: "Mother was ill and we needed money for the doctors so dad thought I'd better leave school and go to work." (1929)
  • Helen Kane: "I clerked. I filed. I typed. I wrapped bundles. I carried cash. I sold aprons and ribbons and notions and hardware, dishes, kitchen utensils, glassware, tin pans." (1929)
  • Helen Kane: "I had held about all the different kinds of jobs a young kid in New York could hold and keep her feet on the straight and narrow. I was hired, fired, hired and fired, and left of my own accord." (1929)
  • Helen Kane: "Oh, my bracelet? It's just a knick-knack. But you should see the one I'm going to get. It's got emeralds so-o-o big." (1929)
  • Helen Kane: "I get a headache when the general public speak of me as the Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl." (1930)
  • Helen Kane: "I felt like a monkey in a cage, and that I was something strange and peculiar that was being exhibited, like the 'world's fattest woman' or the 'wild man' from Borneo, The Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl indeed!" (1930)
  • Helen Kane: "It is much easier to make a $6.60 audience laugh than to make the vaudeville house laugh." (1930)
  • Helen Kane: "No one did believe me when I left Good Boy, but I was really ill." (1930)
  • Helen Kane: "And so miserable about all the things that were said about me. However, people seem to have forgiven me for what they thought I did, so I don't mind any more." (1930)
  • Helen Kane: " I'll take you to my private school and teach you how to Boop-Boop-a-Doop!" (1930)
  • Helen Kane: "Betty Boop is nothing more or less than a caricature of me and not so much of a caricature at that." (1934)
  • Helen Kane: "While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this type of imitation is the opposite." (1934)
  • Helen Kane: "I started Booping about 1928 on the radio and screen. Later 20,000,000 persons knew me as the Boop girl. Then came Betty Boop a cartoon and I almost lost my identity." ($250,000 Infringement Lawsuit)
  • Helen Kane: "Boop-Boop-a-Doop means nothing. I just got tired of singing Vo-Do-Do-Deo-Do."
  • Helen Kane: "The younger generation that loves Boops hardly remembers my Boops. They even call me Betty Boop, after the cartoon character." ($250,000 Infringement Lawsuit)
  • Helen Kane: "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!" ($250,000 Infringement Lawsuit)
  • Helen Kane: "I just put Boop-Boop-a-Doop in at one of the rehearsals, a sort of interlude. It's hard to explain - I haven't explained it to myself yet. It's like Vo-De-O-Do, Crosby with Boo-Boo-Boo, and Jimmy Durante with Cha-Cha-Cha."
  • Helen Kane: "While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this type of imitation is the opposite. Recently in Hollywood, when some children ran to open the door of my car, they hailed me as Betty Boop. So you can see that this leaves me on the short end of Helen Kane."
  • Helen Kane: "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 Margie Hines testified against me. Why I started them on their careers."
  • Helen Kane: "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 Kane: "I am MAD! MAD! MAD! I am so mad! I am going to spend a lot of money appealing this case."
  • Helen Kane: "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: "I have become a ghost..."
  • Helen Kane: "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."
  • Helen Kane: "I've lost more than 30 pounds in the last two weeks." (1934)
  • Helen Kane: "When I listen to this rock and roll and look at you kids, I don't think it's a whole lot different than the Charleston and the Varsity Drag."
  • Helen Kane: "I know when I was a kid, I used to look at these pictures and listen to the songs of the Gay Nineties, and I used to say to my mother, 'Oh, I wish I had lived then, it was so gay and so wonderful. Now the Jazz Age seems very mysterious and wonderful to you, kids, and when you have kids, they'll say; 'Gee, Dad, those 50s, they were something.' I really think it goes in cycles. When your kids come in and say; 'Gee, Dad, I wish we had done that, and so on and so forth,' it's the same thing. I don't think its changed a great deal."
  • Helen Kane: "I was signed for Arthur Hammerstein's Good Boy and I met a handsome Irishman in the show named Dan Healy. He was a famous master of ceremonies and producer of the Cotton Club shows." (1961)
  • Helen Kane: "I sang 'I Wanna Be Loved By You' to him so many times and he finally took the hint and married me." (1961)
  • Helen Kane: "I had imitators in every town in the country, dolls were named after me, even animated cartoons began to Boop. Get the picture?" (1961)
  • Helen Kane: "I have had two cancer operations and now feel great." (1961)
  • Helen Kane: "People may smile and say that we have nothing, but they are wrong. We have each other, and that's everything." (1961) 
  • Helen Kane: "Everything has gone, fame, money, cars, name in lights, the works - everything." (1961)
  • Helen Kane: "If I don't have an audience, at least one, I'm dead." (1963)
  • Helen Kane: "I was the peppy one, I was the flapper." (1963)
  • Helen Kane: "I was looking about 16, laughing, and jumping on and off of horses." (1963)
  • Helen Kane: "They had this thing like an illuminated pie plate, and you stuck in your head and you sang." (1963)

Fleischer Studios (2021)

Fleischer Studios Tribute To Jazz Singers 1 2021

Helen Kane is one of the several "scat singing" performers to be referenced by the Fleischer Studios and official Betty Boop page in 2021. Which state that Helen Kane's style of singing the practice of high-pitched scatting, along with many of the other characteristics could be found many other performers of the day.

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

Which include Baby Esther Jones, Florence Mills, Gertrude Saunders, Duncan Sisters, Edith Griffith, Little Ann Little, Watson Sisters and Clara Bow.


The Fleischer Studios stated that "no one" was the model for Betty Boop. However Paramount Pictures stated that Clara Bow was the model. When Paramount promoted Betty Boop, they weren't thinking of Helen Kane. They were thinking of their top-star Clara Bow.

Clara Bow Betty Boop 0

Both Betty and Bow are both sex-symbols, and are both redheads.[22] Kane's hair was black. Betty's hair was only black because she is made of "pen and ink" but in color she's supposed to be a redhead. An early 1931 colorized artwork of a dog Betty by Grim Natwick, Betty has red hair.

Natwick and Dave Fleischer used a little of Helen Kane's fame to promote Betty, however Natwick also said that "numerous" flapper girls were also the inspiration behind the character. Betty emulated Kane's baby-talk singing, however Kane did not originate that style. Kane also did not invent the "Boop" as it was invented by numerous African-American scat-singers years before Kane debuted as the Boop Girl. When the Fleischers developed Betty, they used many sources of inspirations from Mae West to Marlene Dietrich. Boop and Bow share the same titles "La Bow" and "La Boop". They also both predate the famous Marilyn Monroe.

Paramount also played on the comparison between Bow and Boop in Hollywood on Parade. Desirée Goyette the voice of Betty Boop, originally thought that Kane was the inspiration. She looked into the story and found out that it was actually Clara Bow. Goyette said, if you want to know more about who Betty Boop was you need to know a lot more about who Clara Bow was. Sandy Fox another voice of Betty Boop said that the Fleischers lied and indicated that the Fleischer Studios are still lying to this day, and that "Helen Kane" was and is the inspiration behind Betty Boop. So the Betty Boop Fandom has given partial credit to both actresses. In fact, many people served as inspiration to develop the Betty Boop character.

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

You can find out more by clicking "The Battle Over Booping" and following the link to the Fleischer Studios article.

Scat Sounds Originated by Kane

  • Bumpee-Ump-Bump-Bump
  • But-Dut-Da-Dut
  • Bad-Da-But-Dut
  • Da-Dut-But-Dut-Da-Dut
  • Butt'n-Dutt'n-Da-Da-Da
  • But-Dut-Da-Da
  • 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
  • Poop-Poop-Padoop
  • Poop-Poop-a-Doop
  • Poop-Poopy-Doop
  • Poop-Poop-Pa-Doo
  • Poop-Poop-Pe-Doop
  • Poo-Poo-Pa-Doo
  • Poop-Oop-Pe-Doo
  • Bop-Bop-a-Dop
  • Bup-Bup-a-Dup
  • Bup-Bup-a-Lup
  • Bap-Bap-Be-Dap
  • Bop-Pe-Dop-Pe-Dop-Pe-Dop
  • Boop-a-Doop-a-Doop-a-Doo-Poop-Poop-a-Doo
  • Boop-Boop-a-Doop
  • Boop-Boopy-Doop
  • Boop-Boop-Pe-Doop
  • Boop-Boop-Be-Doop
  • Boop-Boop-Pa-Doop
  • Boop-Boop-Pa-Do
  • Boop-Boopa-Doop
  • Boopa-Doop
  • Boop

Helen Schroeder (1921-1922) 

Helen Schroeder Betty Boop Kane 1922

Helen attended the St. Anselm's Parochial School in the Bronx. When Helen was a little girl, she was starstruck. She asked her mother Ellen Schroeder for $3.00 to buy a costume, so that she could play the role of a "Queen" in a school play. 

Helen is cited as being 15-years-old in 1921, however she would sometimes fabricate her age to make herself either younger or older, she appeared in the Marx Brothers' show On the Balcony. 

Harpo Marx, one of the Four Marx Brothers, walked into an agency and saw her. She was the type he was seeking for a new act the Marx Brothers were preparing. Harpo said he would engage her if she had had previous stage experience, and so Helen invented long airing of impressive important engagements, Toured with Marxs' for many months she remained with the Marx Brothers, touring America and Europe.

In the show, Helen played the small role of Dorothy Gould, a hotel worker. Helen got the job, at $65 a week. Her mother didn't like the idea and her father Louis Schroeder was hurt by it. For years, her father had worked for $50 a month.

Helen is cited as stating "Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ken Murray, Lulu McConnell, Ruth Etting. When you came in here you had to be tops. There was a great deal of talent."

In her spare time while touring with the Marx Brothers, Helen would chew gum and babysit. 

When the show On the Balcony made its way to London in June of 1922, it was given great reviews at first. 

However one show in particular was a disaster. The show opened for only half an hour, and the British audience threw pennies at the cast on stage. According to information, the dancers and or Helen ruined the show, which upset the audience. London's leading critic demanded that the Marx Brothers "fire that squeaking thing" - Helen. 

After that show, Helen who was upset returned to America. Helen's mother asked her daughter what the Marx Brothers had done to her. Helen then found herself back at agencies. Helen accepted night club work, chorus work, anything to tide her over until she could get another engagement.

Helen Schroeder (1923) 

Helen Schroeder Stars of the Future Betty Boop 1923

In 1923 Helen made her Broadway debut in Stars of the Future, which was presented by Milton Hockey and Howard Green. Six girls were picked from choruses for this show. Jessie Foydce performed a Belle Baker imitation, Pearl Hamilton was notable in this show for her high kicks, and her little sister Violet Hamilton for the "dance" that she did. Betty Moore did a Spanish dance, and Jean Page for dancing. Helen Schroeder reversed the order of things in which juveniles imitated adults, by herself imitating a juvenile. The musical show featured singing, dancing and comedy. 

Helen Schroeder (1925) 

Helen Schroeder aka Helen Kane 1925

During the 1920s, Helen had started her career as a dancer and toured in a vaudeville troupe, making her initially a dancer. Helen was a trained dancer, and she often did kickline dancing. Kickline dancing is a leg kick performed in perfect unison in a chorus line. Helen would also sing, but she wouldn't become a "known singer" until 1928. Prior to 1928, Schroeder didn't have the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" gimmick.

Helen Schroeder aka Helen Kane Hamilton Sisters and Fordyce 1925

Kane shared a room with Jessie Fordyce. The girl group known as the Hamilton Sisters and Fordyce would have became Hamilton Sisters and Schroeder, however, Pearl Hamilton chose Fordyce over Schroeder to tour as a trio act "just to see what happens" at the end of the theatrical season. The girl group later became famous as the Three X Sisters.

In 1935, Kane would reunite with the girl group for "one-shot" live stage performance. The Three X Sisters and Helen sang a novelty coon song "The Preacher and the Bear" in harmony. 

Peggy Bernier 

Peggy Bernier Helen Kane

Peggy Bernier was discovered by Paul Ash years before he had discovered Helen Kane. Bernier was in the same 1926 Chicago revue as Baby Esther Jones. Bernier was known as "The Girl with the Baby Voice". It is possible that Helen Kane was imitating Bernier, however in court Kane denied it. Newspapers, wrote in reviews that Bernier who sang in baby-talk could not match Kane's singing style and wrote that her singing was raspy in comparison.

Irene Franklin 

Irene Franklin baby singer of the 1900s

Stage, screen and vaudeville comedian Irene Franklin used a little girl persona years before Helen Kane.

Irene Franklin I've Got the Mumps

Irene's 1909 hit song "I've Got the Mumps" is one of the earliest baby-talk songs known in history. During the spectacular $250,000 Infringement Lawsuit that took place during the 1930s, Helen Kane acknowledged in court that Irene, the Duncan Sisters, Nan Halperin, Peggy Bernier, Hannah Williams had preceded her on the stage using a very similar "baby-doll" persona. A majority of those singers would also sing in the baby-singing style that Kane was famous for. Unlike Irene, the Duncan Sisters would also scat-sing in their act.

Edith Griffith 

Edith Griffith Boop a Doop Nebraska 1927

Edith Griffith used "Poop-Poop-a-Doop" and "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" at an Omaha, Nebraska theatre in 1927. Griffith also interpolated "Do-Do-Da-Da," "Da-Da-Do-Do." "Da-Da-Da-Da," "Roo-Too-Too-Too," and "Da-Da-Da-Ba-Ba-Ba" into her songs and is said to have sang in the "baby-talk" style, a year before Helen Kane was known.

Chic Kennedy 

Chickennedyboopboopadoophelenkane1930

Chic Kennedy also complained that Helen Kane had stolen her "Poop" routine in 1928, when interviewed in a 1931 newspaper but said that she didn't mind.[23]

Mae Barnes 

Mae Barnes

Mae Barnes who appeared in the 1927 version of Shuffle Along is cited in history as "Booping" a lot of "Boops" before Helen Kane. She was also identified in a 1930s program, in which stated that she pioneered scat-singing. This is also archived in 1984 release of The Harlem Renaissance: A Historical Dictionary and the 2018 release of The Complete Book of 1930s Broadway Musicals by Dan Dietz. She can also be heard scatting in many of her recordings.

Gertrude Saunders 

Black Betty Boop Gertrude Saunders aka Baby Esther

After hearing about the lawsuit Gertrude Saunders told the newspapers that she had did the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" before Helen Kane, Baby Esther and cartoon character Betty Boop. Saunders also stated that in Shuffle Along she would end the entire scat chorus in baby-talk. And for years had been given tribute as the "Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl" in "African-American" newspapers, mostly the Afro-American newspaper. A few articles include Gertrude Saunders the Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl (1934), Negro Booper (1938), Gertrude Saunders Gets A Break (1939), Remember Gertrude Saunders? (1950) Gertrude Saunders Returns to Broadway (1950), Gertrude Saunders Broadway Comeback (1950), Betty Boop's Rival Gertrude Saunders (1950), most of the articles reference Betty Boop and or Helen Kane. However Gertrude forgot to mention that she did more of a "Tweet-Tweet-Tweet" rather than a "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" but indicated that she was the "first" woman to interject scat-singing into songs, and proclaimed that she paved the way for others. Helen Kane uses Saunders' "Tweet-Tweet-Tweet" in her song "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street" released in 1954.

Baby Esther 

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

According to history, Helen Kane was inspired to scat sing after she and her booking agent Tony Shayne saw Florence Mills impersonator Little Esther Lee Jones, an African-American child performer from Chicago scat sing on stage at the Everglades in 1928, and that Helen had taken direct inspiration from what she saw.

Florence Mills, who was Jones' inspiration and predecessor was known for incorporating a "Too-ty-Too-ty-Too" into her act during the early 1920s. As of 1925, Jones started to emulate Mills' "scat-singing" method of singing into her songs.

Tony Shayne was not only agent for Helen Kane, he was also Esther Jones' booking agent in 1928 and both he and Kane had ringside seats, and according to Esther's ex-manager Lou Bolton they both watched Esther's "unique" performance on the stage.

Helen took Esther's original "scat singing" interpolation, and adapted it to "Boop-Boop-a-Doop." This among many other things was later brought up in court, proving that Helen Kane was not original, which led Helen to lose her suit against Paramount Pictures and the Fleischer Studios

Esther Jones who had been "scat singing" since 1925, never once lay claim to the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" style. However Esther did do a "Boop" routine among her other unique "scat interpolations" in Esther's lost 1928 MGM Movietone appearance, as "Booping" was all the rage in 1928, as made famous by Helen Kane. 

Kane had taken inspiration for the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" from Esther earlier in the year, but Helen had changed the words, making them not exactly Esther's interpolations. Helen's "Boop" is more of less "deprived" from Esther's scat singing. As Helen basically adapted her own "interpolations" several times throughout 1928. 

A comparison between Kane and Esther is that, Kane was also known for her "squeaky high pitch" voice, which is what got her fired in 1922 from the Marx Brothers' show. Esther also had a "high pitch" voice, as stated in many newspapers, and also used a "cute" gimmick in her act. 

Esther Jones is better remembered in history for dancing, not singing. But she did often sing in her act. Kane never publicly admitted to "taking inspiration" from Esther Jones. When Kane was asked during the "$250,000 Infringement Lawsuit" if she had ever visited the Everglades Club in 1928, she gave "vague" answers.

There are people out there who try to erase the real Baby Esther from history, by stating that she was a nobody and once even went to the length to say that she didn't exist. Until the real Esther was tracked down, proving them to be liars and fabricators.

False information passed around is that Esther died, that is false information, she did not die in 1934. But true research proves that Esther was very well known in the 1920s, and had attracted major white audiences while performing on stage in America. Esther was more popular in Europe and South America, she was also a jazz singer, dancer and acrobat.

Cab Calloway and Baby Esther 1934

When Esther returned to America she became a singer and dancer for Cab Calloway and returned to the vaudeville stage under the title "The Sepia Dancing Doll." The reason as to why Esther is not remembered in Cab Calloway's revue, is because she was no longer a star attraction, and was a background Sepia dancer, although in Helena Justa's revue, she was given her own tap dancing number. Esther later became a full-time acrobat and appeared at several African-American fundraisers in 1934 from July to September. Today in history, Esther is credited as the original Betty Boop but was in fact the black version of Baby Rose Marie, and was really a miniature Josephine Baker

Helen Kane Impersonator NOPE Actual Lawsuit Document Clipping

During the $250,000 Infringement Lawsuit, 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. 

Helen Kane's Idea 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 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, but decided to lay claim to "Boop" something she did not create but popularized. Boop and Poop, though similar are two complete different words. 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 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 and Josephine Baker would frequently use in their musical performances.

Pass the Sugar 

The song "Pass The Sugar" published by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co in New York which was released in 1930, was introduced by Helen Kane. Betty Boop sings this song in the 1932 Talkartoon titled Betty Boop's Bizzy Bee by Margie Hines.

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" 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.


Clarence Williams Gives Court Proof of 'Boops' Origin (1934) 

African Americans Boop Boop a Doop Origin 1934 Clarence Williams

Clarence Williams barks at Helen Kane. Gives court proof of "Boops" origin. 

The terms of jazz rightfully the property of the Race have been dignified in the courts of the realm since Helen Kane's "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" suit before Justice Edward J. McGoldrick in the supreme court last week introduced "hot licks" as evidence.

None other than the famous Clarence Williams, was the executor of the "hot licks" in the show which took place in court. Williams of course, hails from New Orleans, and married to Miss Eva Taylor, the radio songster. He appeared as witness for the defense.

"Now, don't sing, but just illustrate to his honor some 'hot licks' you did in 1915," instructed Louis Phillips, counsel for Paramount-Publix.

Williams hesitated a moment and wrinkled his brow. Then he started tapping his foot. The audience laughed.

"Wha-Da-Da-De," exclaimed Williams, forgetting the admonition against the use of his voice. The foot tapping continued at a faster tempo. "Sha-Da-Deda-Boo-Boo-Pa-Doo," said Williams.

Justice McGoldrick held up his hand, indicating that he had enough. But Williams didn't see see the signal, kept his feet going and "hot licked" the sounds.

He was "going to town." When he was through Williams beamed and explained that he had invented the "hot licks" in 1915. He had "to do something" when his musical ideas ran dry, he said.

Paramount Helen Kane Look & Sound-alike Contests 

Imitation contest

Helen Kane sponsored imitation contests dubbed "Helen Kane Impersonation Contest," with Paramount through the country. Helen Kane opened her Helen Kane Impersonation Contest held through the country to all local girls in which were judged by the audience. The girl who looked and sung like Helen and "Boop-Boop-a-Dooped" most successfully was the winner. In some of the earlier contests, several of the women who would later provide the voice for Betty Boop won first place. Margie Hines the original voice of Betty Boop won first place held in a local cinema cathedral in Freeport, and was later seen by a Fleischer Studios staff member, who thought she was perfect for the role as Betty Boop. According to Helen Kane, Hines entered three "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" contests and won first place in each and every one of them and the both of them met backstage.

Helen Kane Mae Questel Betty Boop

In 1934, Kane stated that she knew Hines was the voice for Betty Boop but would not acknowledge Questel. Reason for this was in 1930 Helen Kane was upset with Mae Questel using the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" girl title. Questel had been exploited by the newspapers and given much coverage and was claimed as being better than Kane, which later somewhat became a reality as Helen Kane was later overshadowed by Betty Boop and forgotten. When Kane was asked how she heard of Betty Boop, Kane stated that she had heard Betty Boop voiced by Mae Questel and Max Fleischer on radio and wanted to find out who was singing like her. However Kane had to have known who Questel was as she had previously met her, if Kane did not know, she would have never been able to have made a complaint against Questel for using the "Boop Girl" title in 1930.

Mae Questella 1929 He's So Unusual

Mae Questel had first won first place in a Helen Kane Impersonation Contest at the RKO Fordham Theatre. There she received an autograph from Helen Kane which read "To Another Me", and won a prize of $100. Mae would often substitute for Helen Kane, in the 1920s she was originally dubbed one of the greatest Helen Kane impersonators. While working in vaudeville Mae heard there was an audition taking place for the role of Betty Boop so she decided to audition and won the role. Several of the other voices of Betty also started out impersonating Kane and several others entered contests with each and every one of them winning first place. The contests were held by Kane was to help these girls start their careers in show business, to give back to the community. Because Kane grew up poor and wanted to help these girls. In the final contest held at The Riverside Theatre in New York, Questel came first, and Bonnie Poe and Margie Hines tied in second place. Helen Kane first saw Bonnie Poe impersonating her in an act. Kane and Poe later played the same bill in Chicago for three weeks. The Helen Kane contests ran from 1929 to 1938. The age range to enter was initally 6-16, and later 4-18. 

Claire Bart

Claire Bart

Helen's most favorite impersonator was Claire Bart. The newspapers stated that Mae Questel was Helen's best impersonator and had outdone the original, but not to Helen. Helen stated that Claire imitated her to perfection, and was chosen in the contest which instigated to find a double for her in both manner of singing and looks.

Restrained By Court Order (1930)

Poop Poop a Doop Kane Court Order 1930

Helen Kane the Queen of all the "Poop-Poop-a-Doop" coloraturas, is said to have made a $40,000 deposit in a New York bank, believed to have been given her by a dress manufacturer. She has been restrained by a court order from touching the money and is being brought back from Chicago to tell what she knows about it and the financial condition of the dress firm from which it is alleged the money came. Helen denies knowing anything about it, or that she has anything like that sum in the bank. It's all very sad and trying on a working girl.

"Boop Boop" Is Wrong! (1931)

Helen Kane says phrase is "Poop-Poop-a-Doop". Take it from Helen Kane, its inventor, the phrase isn't "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" at all, it's "Poop-Poop-a-Doop". "Somebody got it all wrong the first time," said Miss Kane as she stopped here for personal appearances. According to Chic Kennedy in 1931, she originated "Poop-Poop-a-Doop" and it was stolen from her by Helen Kane. (The Pittsburgh Press

Paramount on Parade (1930) 

HelenKaneandClaraBow1930BettyBoop

In 1930 Kane debuted in Paramount on Parade which featured Clara Bow, Nancy Carroll, Maurice Chevalier, Gary Cooper, Clive Brook, Skeets Gallagher, Harry Green, Jack Oakie, Zelma O'Neal, Ruth Chatterton, Leon Errol, William Powell, Buddy Rogers, Mary Brian, George Bancroft, Richard Arlen, Abe Lyman Band, Dennis King and Mitzi Green.

HelenKaneandClaraBow1930BettyBoop2


Two years later Kane made a small cameo appearance in the 1932 Paramount short Hollywood on Parade No. A-3, a year before Betty Boop made her live-action debut in Hollywood on Parade No. A-8.

Helen Kane Is Not Happy With Mae Questel's "Boop Girl" Title (1930)

Helen Kane Is Upset With Mae Questel Using Boop Title In 1930

In 1930, a year before Mae Questel signed a contract to voice animated cartoon character Betty Boop, singer Helen Kane who dubbed herself the "Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop" girl made a complaint about Mae Questel using the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" girl title in her act. Indicating that she was not happy with Questel, as some media outlets were claiming that Questel was better than the original. Kane noted that she was not in favor of her name in a tie-up with Mae Questel, as Questel had been given much exploitation and also covered a show for Kane when she was taken ill. Kane's request was heeded, and Questel's title was changed to a RKO find.

Helen "Sugar" Kane 

Broadway Sugar Kane in Her Prime 1930 Before Betty Boop Took Over as Queen

Helen Kane was known as "Sugar Kane" on Broadway.

Meeting Competition (1932) 

Clara Bow Helen Kane 1932

Curiosity impelled a search of the records to find out just what sort of competition Helen Kane, now at the Buffalo, had to meet when she made her Broadway debut as a Boop-a-Dooper. It disclosed that Clara Bow's picture, Ladies of the Mob, was playing at the Paramount when Paul Ash's protege stepped in to sing "That's My Weakness Now". La Bow was at the height of her screen fame. Helen was just beginning. It was the opening of a six week run at the world's crossroads, in the second of which her name was in the lights out in front, for the first time on any street.

The Only Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl (1933) 

Helen Kane The Only Original Boop Boop a Doop Girl (1933)

While appearing on the stage in 1933, Kane changed her title to "The Only Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl" in an effort to prove that she was the original.

Helen Kane Must Pay $32,500 (1933) 

Helen Kane Ordered to Pay $32,500 (1933)

Helen Kane was ordered to pay $35,500 to the Bond Dress Company, after being given somewhere between $40,000-$50,000 by Murray A. Posner, which led the company into bankruptcy. The $32,500 payment was a compromise.

The Irving Trust Company, wanted to recover the money which was paid to her as a preferred creditor. The company claimed that Miss Kane gave Posner the money to invest in his business, whereas Miss Kane claimed that she gave it to him to invest in Liberty bonds.

Kane was unable to explain, why in 1930 Posner paid her $1,500 directly be check, and two months later concealed a similar payment of $10,000 to retire a loan, through a third party, because he did not want the banks to think he was giving money to an actress.

Initially Posner and Kane were good friends and Kane made no secret of the jewels that Posner gave her and would say to I. Gainsberg, the counsel for the Irving Trust: "Posner gave me this" and "Posner gave me that".

Prior to coming forward with the truth, Kane stated on direct examination, that she said she gave Posner large sums of money to invest in bonds. Later they quarreled over his use of the money and, she testified, she got it back only after pressure was brought to bear on him.

$250,000 Lawsuit 

Charges Film Stole Boop 1932 Fleischer Studios

On the 3rd of May 1932, Helen Kane launched a three way lawsuit against the Fleischer Studios & the Paramount-Publix Corporation claiming that they had stolen her style.

The Original Boop Boopa Doop Girl

"Plantiff originates and still uses a method of singing songs consisting of the interpolation at frequent intervals of the sounds Boop-Boop-a-Doop, or Boop-Boopa-Doop or Boop-Boop-Pa-Do or Boopa-Doop or simply Boop alone."

Dangerous Nan McGrew 1930

Kane filed a permanent injunction to restrain the Paramount Publix corporation, as well as Max Fleischer from the production and display of their "Boop" series. Kane's height (only 5 feet tall) and slightly plump figure attracted attention and fans. Her round face with big brown eyes was topped by black, curly hair. Her voice was a baby squeak with a distinct Bronx dialect. Oscar Hammerstein's 1928 show Good Boy was where she first introduced the hit "I Wanna Be Loved By You". In 1930, Grim Natwick introduced a caricature of Helen Kane, with droopy dog ears and a squeaky singing voice, in the cartoon Dizzy Dishes. Betty Boop as the character was later dubbed, soon became popular and the star of her own series. In 1932, Betty was changed into a human, with the long dog ears becoming hoop earrings.

Bizzy bee 2

Films featuring Kane used in court as evidence were Pointed Heels (1929) - Dizzy Dishes (1930), Nothing But the Truth (1929) - Boop-Oop-a-Doop (1932), Dangerous Nan McGrew (1930)  - The Bum Bandit - (1931) parallel to that of the Betty Boop films. $250,000 Infringement Lawsuit for more details. To get specific facts and information on how Kane lost, read the article How Did Helen Kane Lose Her $250,000 Lawsuit?

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery (1934) 

HelenKaneImitation1

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but it often proves disastrous to amusement originators. A shining example is the eclipse of Helen Kane. Her petulant Boo-Boop-a-Dooping jumping her out of obscurity into a four figured weekly salary.

HelenKaneImitation2

She packed movie stage shows and musical comedies as no other performer of her day. Then came a flood of imitators on the stage, screen and radio. So excellently done her art seemed an easy accomplishment. In a movie cartoon suit she brought, the defendant showed a half hundred girls could do her trick.

Chubby Helen Kane's Case Threw Out of Court (1934) 

HelenKaneBetyBoopLawsuit1934 (Betty Boop Wikia)

Supreme Court Judge Edward McGoldrick yesterday in New York threw chubby Helen Kane's case against Max Fleischer, creator of Betty Boop cartoons, out of court. Miss Kane had sued for $250,000, claiming that the characterization was an infringement on her own title and right to the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" expression. 

Helen Kane's Loses Suit For $250,000 (1934) 

Helen Kane Loses Betty Boop Lawsuit 1934

New York court holds she failed to prove theft of technique. Justice McGoldrick's decision constituted this contribution to musical knowledge: The "baby" technique of singing did not originate with Miss Kane. One of the main reasons as to why this happened according to the lawsuit documents, was because when being questioned, Kane admitted that other "baby-talk" singers had preceded her, this and all the other evidence that was brought up in court was used against her and she lost her suit. 

Helen Kane Can't Copyright Voice (1936) 

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

Can't copyright voice, so Helen Kane loses Paramount suit again. 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.

The Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl by Helen Kane 

In 1933, when Helen Kane learned that Betty Boop was going to star in a comic strip, she contacted King Features. See Betty Boop Comic Strip (1934-1937) for more details.

Helen Kane & Max Fleischer 

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 the other girl (Questel) I'll drop the suit. Fleischer, who knew Mae Questel, said "I won't use anyone but my Mae." According to a Brooklyn newspaper after Kane had sued Fleischer, he had not a single good word to say about her. The Brooklyn newspaper even blacklisted Kane, and stated in one article that they wasn't supposed to mention her by name but ended up doing so. Max Fleischer started out his early career as a newspaper cartoonist. 

Deeply Shocked at Verdict

HelenKaneDeeplyShocked

Helen Kane the Boop-Boop-a-Doop girl today lost her suit for $250,000 against Max Fleischer, cartoonist, the Fleischer Studios Inc., and the Paramount Publix Corporation. Supreme Justice Edward J. McGoldrick held that she had failed to prove her contention that the defendants wrongfully appropriated her singing technique in the "Betty Boop" film cartoons. Miss Kane said she was deeply shocked at the verdict. "I consider it very unfair as all my friends believe the cartoons a deliberate caricature of me," she said. Samuel R. Weltz her attorney said an immediate appeal would be filed. The "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" trial began April 17th, Miss Kane seeking damages on grounds that the defendants had used her picture in violation of the civil rights law and that the cartoons constituted "unfair competition". In the opinion of the town's faithful court ringsiders, there has never been a more melodious trial in the city. At times, during attempts to determine the origin, and even the reasons, for the "Boop" style of singing it resembled a musical comedy. The testimony given during the trial was, for the most part in two-fourths time and very syncopated. The defense presented a galaxy of talented performers to show that long before Miss Kane made her debut as a singer of "baby" songs the practice of interpolating songs with meaningless sounds was quite common. 

Do-Do-De-Do-Ho-De-Wa-Da Claimed Boop-a-Doop Parent (1934)

Court stenographers who struggled to record in shorthand the "Boop-Oop-Doops" of Helen Kane were on the verge of hysterics tonight. Supreme Court Judge Edward J. McGoldrick ordered them to set down "Do-Do-De-Do-Ho-De-Wa-Da-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 this complicated when Lou Bolton testified, for the defense, Bolton testified that nine years ago in Chicago he taught Baby Esther, a negro child to interpolate "Do-Do-De-Do-Ho-De-Wa-Da-De-Da" between the bars of music in popular songs. Bolton said Miss Kane heard Baby Esther's song treatment here in 1928 and shortly afterward began her famous "Booping." Testimony also was heard today from Bonnie Poe and Margie Hines, two petite piping-voiced misses who said they were hired by the Max Fleischer studios as voices for Betty Boop after winning Helen Kane contests. Miss Hines said she won a preliminary contest before she ever heard Miss Kane. (Democrat and Chronicle)

Mistake 

Helen Kane Lawsuit Max Fleischer

After Helen had lost the suit (with the complaint that she was losing her identity as Helen Kane and becoming Betty Boop), lawyers agreed that Helen had made the mistake of charging plagiarism when she should have claimed re-straint of trade.

Trial of the People vs. Helen Kane (1934) 

Helen Kane vs

In 1934 Helen Kane opened a show based on the $250,000 Infringement Lawsuit titled Trial of the People vs. Helen Kane, which featured Helen Kane and Harry Carroll. 

Using Betty Boop's Image Without Permission 

1935 Brooklyn Helen Kane Tour Using Betty Boop

During Helen Kane's 1935 Brooklyn Fox appearances on stage, she used Betty Boop's image for her posters, and her appearance also featured a Betty Boop cartoon.

Helen Kane Betty Boop 1935 Brooklyn Fox

It was thought that Max Fleischer should have sued her, but he did not, which allowed her to use Betty Boop's image without permission. 

Nervous Breakdown (1935) 

After her divorce to Max Hoffmann, Jr., the son of dancer Gertrude Hoffmann, Helen Kane was hospitalized in 1935 with a nervous breakdown. According to Helen, after the "death of her mother," "domestic troubles" and "court" she became depressed so she checked herself into medical facility for long-term illness. Helen was nursed back to health by her strict nurse Nano Carter, who she nicknamed Ol' Ironsides. Helen claimed that because Nano was so strict, it was just the medicine that she needed to get back on her feet. After recovering, Helen checked out of the medical facility. 

The Original Betty Boop (1942) 

Helen Kane using Betty Boop's Name AGAIN 1942

Kane also used Betty Boop's name again in 1942. Heading the all star floor show Helen Kane the original Betty Boop "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" girl, Paramount's $100,000 star. 

Mistaken for Betty Boop 

Voice of betty boop not

When Helen Kane made her big comeback in the 1950s, Betty Boop had been long retired and forgotten. Betty Boop the cartoon character was later rediscovered in the 1980s, 30 years later. The animated cartoon character was around in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, but studios did not produce any cartoons featuring the character, she appeared in one or two commercials. It wasn't until the 80s when the fictional character Betty Boop became iconic making her first comeback in the 1985 CBS animated TV special The Romance of Betty Boop followed up four years later by Who Framed Roger Rabbit and finally one year later in The Betty Boop Hollywood Mystery. The character also made multiple appearances in commercials. 

Helen Kane Betty Boop Signed

Kane was mistaken for the voice of Betty Boop, she also used to sign photos of the cartoon character and hand them out to people. She was played by Debbie Reynolds in the 1950 MGM musical Three Little Words, where she dubbed Debbie's singing voice. Kane recorded 22 songs between 1928 and 1930. After 1930 and up to 1951, she recorded four sides for Columbia Records in addition to the "Three Little Words" soundtrack single recording of "I Wanna Be Loved by You". In 1954, MGM records issued the last Helen Kane recordings as a 45-rpm Ep X1164 called "The Boop-Boop-A-Doop Girl!", orchestra directed by Leroy Holmes, and the songs are "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street", "When I Get You Alone Tonight, Do Something" (from Nothing But the Truth) and "That's My Weakness Now".

Helen Kane Death Cancer 1960s

When Kane died of breast cancer in the 1960s at the age of 62 she was tributed in the newspapers. In some newspapers she was mistaken for the original voice of the animated character Betty Boop. She had put up a valiant fight against cancer for 10 years.

Death 

Helen Kane died on the 26th of September, 1966, at age 62, in her apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City. The cause of death was breast cancer. Her husband of 27 years, Dan Healy was at her bedside. She was buried in Long Island National Cemetery, in Suffolk County, New York. The night before Kane's death she was watching Three Little Words musical sequence "I Wanna Be Loved By You" on TV and saw Debbie Reynolds. Upset at first while frowning, Kane said, "WHY THAT..." Kane paused, and smiled and said, "She's cute at that."

Helen Kane's Discography[24] (1928-1954) 

1928:
1929:
1930:
1950:
1951:
1954:

Filmography 

1929:
1930:
1931:
  • A Lesson in Love (1931)

Gallery

Trivia 

  • News reporters misunderstood her "Poo-Poo-Pah-Doo", so she changed her scat from a "Poop" to "Boop".
  • Though Kane was in debt and had died in poverty, she had $40,000 worth of expensive jewels that she refused to sell.
  • Kane wanted to show the judge that the defendants had made a studied imitation of her style, eye movements and general mannerisms, and how Betty Boop had simulated her voice and style.
  • Helen's recording of "Aba Daba Honeymoon" is featured in the 2022 film Babylon. In that film Margot Robbie's character is based on Clara Bow.[25]
  • Helen Kane's recording of "I Wanna Be Loved By You" is featured in the 2022 trailer for Pearl featuring Mia Goth.
  • A list of Helen Kane quotes can be read here.[26]

Links 

See Also 


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