Betty was created by Grim Natwick who said, "I had a song sheet of Helen Kane, and the spit curls came from her. So I just designed a little dog and put cute feminine legs on her, and the earrings, which developed later, started out as long ears. I suppose I used a French poodle for the basic idea of the character." Grim Natwick's other claim to fame was that he created and animated most of Snow White for Disney.
The voice of Betty Boop was done by several women, including Margie Heinz, Kate Wright and Bonnie Poe, but Little Ann Little and Mae Questel were the most important. Little Ann Little did the voice first and then went on the road with a Betty Boop act. The act consisted, in part, of a drawing demonstration by Pauline Comanor, who drew Ann as Betty Boop and handed out the drawings to lucky audience members. Mae Questel did the voice until the series ended in 1939. She was quite adept at mimicry and could imitate anyone. She also, like Ann, bore a striking resemblance to Betty.
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