Bonnie Poe

From the A&E "Biography" series, a review of the birth, development and cinematic history of Betty Boop, the flapper cartoon character who has been a popular icon since the 1930s.

Out-takes (mostly from Warner Bros.), promotional shorts, movie premieres, public service pleas, wardrobe tests, documentary material, and archival footage make up this star-studded voyeuristic look at the Golden age of Hollywood during the 30s, 40, and 50.

At Betty Boop's Music School for Animals, Pudgy the dog doesn't do so well, but puppy love triumphs.

In a tribute to the Fleischer brothers shorts of the '20s, a janitor hypnotizes Max Fleischer's pen to draw Betty Boop.

Two little pigs cry wolf on their brother and then an actual wolf comes.

Popeye and Bluto are deep sea divers. Popeye has a treasure map; for some reason he cuts Bluto in on the deal, but of course, Bluto's idea of 50-50 isn't exactly fair...

In the only Betty Boop color cartoon, Cinderella (Betty) goes to the ball thanks to her fairy godmother. Later, only her foot fits the glass slipper.

Betty takes a trip to the beach and needs the assistance of a big, hunky lifeguard when she rides her rubber horsy out too far!

Olive runs some kind of boarding school. She serves her charges a huge bowl of spinach, but they are less than enthusiastic about it. Popeye comes by and demonstrates the values of spinach: he feeds some to a tree, which grows huge and sprouts a variety of fruit; he feeds a hen, which lays a dozen eggs, and he eats some himself to resist a prizefighter passing by.

An immigrant has become a mailman on Radio Row. One of his first duties is to deliver letters to Bunny Poe, Vera Van, Ramon & Rosalie and George Jessel. Each of them is doing a specialty, except for Jessel, who's been interrupted in his rehearsal by a fellow who wants him to appear on a benefit for starving "moonlight-song writers". Jessel accepts and tells his mother that he won't be home for dinner, until he is told that the benefit is not in town but in Philadelphia. But the fellow has a pretty secretary...

Betty falls asleep doing a jigsaw puzzle and finds herself through the looking glass into a modern, urban wonderland. The shrinking potion comes from a "Shrinkola" dispenser. When most of the characters assemble, Betty sings "How Do You Do" to them. But the jabberwock steals Betty away, and everyone comes to her rescue.

Bluto is the boxing champ, Popeye his challenger, Wimpy the timekeeper. Popeye is pounded mercilessly until Olive comes by with a can of spinach.

Betty Boop, sleepless on a freezing night, builds a nice hot fire which proves too much of a good thing; in a dream she visits Hell, sings "Hell's Bells," and makes Hell freeze over!

Betty Boop appears on stage with Freddie in an old-fashioned mortgage melodrama.

Popeye and Olive, adrift on a raft, land on what apparently is Africa, and are immediately battling elephants and gorillas (also a moose!). Popeye eventually battles an entire menagerie at once - after first gulping down a can of spinach, of course.

Popeye skates over to Olive's house to give her a Christmas present: ice skates of her own. While he's teaching her, Bluto skates up and gets fresh; of course, Popeye fights him. When Olive rejects Bluto again, he sends her careening on an ice floe towards a waterfall.

A toy version of Betty Boop drops in on a small toy shop. The other toys come to life and crown her their queen. Then the cartoon quickly turns into Fleischer's idea of King Kong.

Betty Boop hosts a Hallowe'en party with a few uninvited guests.

Popeye sails into Mexico, where Olive is a dancer and Bluto is a bandit.

To the tune of Rubinoff and his orchestra, Betty Boop and feathered friends try to save a baby bird from the booze-swilling Tom Kats Club.

Popeye, Olive Oyl and Wimpy are shipwrecked on an island of hostile Indians

Betty Boop goes to see the fearsome Old Man of the Mountain for herself; he sings the title song and a duet with Betty.

Popeye and Bluto fight for the love of Olive Oyl in their debut short, featuring Betty Boop.

In the Hollywood Hall of Fame - a wax museum - the figure of Eddie Borden comes to life and introduces us to various stars in effigy. Pining over the effigy of Clara Bow, her husband Rex Bell suggests that Eddie get on with Betty Boop. Betty asks Eddie to accompany her in a rendition of "My Silent Love."

Betty, Koko, and Bimbo drive at the auto races; Betty has a cold, and her sneezes help her win.