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Therefore, if it took a child star to bring both white and black races together, Baby Esther surely did that. Remember, that this was the time when racism was at its peak. Her performances served as a symbol and a way for the Americans to build a relationship with Black People. One day she was a massive child star and the next day she was gone. Unfortunately, after the 1930s, no one knows what happened to Baby Esther as she simply disappeared. Next, she headed to South America, attracting crowds and adding to her existing popularity and recognition. Such was the popularity that she was requested to perform for the King and Queen of Spain and then was specifically requested to perform for the King and Queen of Sweden. In 1929, she went on a tour to Europe and became the highest-paid child star. It did not take long for Baby Esther to become the most famous child star of the era. It was then that Helen started imitating Esther’s performances and her popularity started gaining some attention. At the time, Tony Shayne was also managing or working for Helen Kane so he showed her around Baby Esther’s set. In 1928, Baby Esther was performing at the Everglade Night Club when her booking agent brought Helen Kane to see her performance. People visiting the Cotton Club mostly sought Baby Esther and her performances who was a regular at the nightclub. The Club remained in operation from 1923-1940 having Billy Holiday and Duke Ellington grace the stage as well. She was famous for making adorable facial expressions and the “Boop-Boopy-Doo” signature line of Betty was taken directly from Esther’s act.Įsther was also quite popular at the Cotton Club located in New York famous for hosting the most famous black entertainers at the time.
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Esther was a trained child who could perform acrobats, dance, and sing in Harlem nightclubs as well as all over the United States in the 1920s. This perhaps explains the reason why she was called “Baby Esther”. Esther Jones is the Real Betty BoopĮsther Jones was a child entertainer originating from Chicago, Illinois. However, Fleischer Studios did use the likeness of Helen Kane to create Betty Boop. Most people believe that Helen Kane being the inspiration for Betty Boop was half true.
ORIGINAL BETTY BOOP PROFESSIONAL
Helen was a professional singer and actress who was known for her song “I Wanna Be Loved By You” released in 1928. Then, Helen Kane was thought to be the biggest inspiration for Betty Boop and was often credited. If Betty Boop was the caricature of the 1920s “It Girl”, Clara Bow was that 1920s “It Girl”. Plus, people often compared Clara with Betty and the fact was that both women rose to fame than anything else. Although Clara shares many similarities with Betty but back in the day many people were off the view that she was not the perfect choice for the role.
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So, Clara Bow was also a silent actress who successfully transitioned to talking movies in the 1930s. At the time, the movies were mostly silent. Who Was the Real Betty Boop?Ĭlara Bow is amongst many women who were credited for being an inspiration for Betty Boop. However, there is a lot more to discuss about the iconic character that the world needs to know. Originally, Betty Boop was intended to be a dog but it was in 1923 that she received a makeover and turned into the Betty Boop we know of today. The character was created by Fleischer and Paramount Studios. It was in the early 1930s that she made her first appearance in a talking cartoon called “Dizzy Dishes”. Her 1920s exaggerated flapper style and baby doll voice along with silly adventures made her a popular character for years to come.
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Betty Boop is one of the most recognized faces in the world.
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