Betty Boop, M.D.

Last updated

Betty Boop, M.D.
Directed by Dave Fleischer
Produced by Max Fleischer
Starring Mae Questel
Animation by Willard Bowsky
Thomas Goodson
Color process Black-and-white
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • September 2, 1932 (1932-09-02)
Running time
7 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Betty Boop, M.D. is a 1932 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo. [1] The animated short is certainly one of the more surreal entries in the Betty Boop filmography.

Contents

Plot

Betty, Bimbo and Koko are the owners of a traveling medicine show. They are selling "Jippo", an all-purpose health tonic. Koko's contortionist display doesn't convince the local townsfolk to open their wallets, but Betty's song and dance gets the whole town eager to buy their product. Betty, Koko and Bimbo sell bottles. Drinking the tonic causes everyone to exhibit strange side-effects. A feeble old man drinks some and becomes a large baby, while a baby drinking it becomes an old man. Other effect seen include massive weight gain, unusual hair growth, rapid changes in shape and size, and even death.

The cartoon's ending makes a reference to "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", a film adaptation which was released earlier that year by Paramount Pictures.

Music

Betty sings "Now's the Time to Fall in Love" with the words changed to "Now's the time to buy Jippo". An old man's heart sings "Darling, I Am Growing Old-er" from Silver Threads Among the Gold. The animated short features the song "Nobody's Sweetheart", followed by a scat vocal variations. The recording artist was long assumed to be Cliff Edwards aka "Ukulele Ike"; it is certainly in the style which he made famous. However, some state it was Billy Costello, which wouldn't be unlikely, considering he did the voice acting of later Popeye shorts, and that Costello recorded very good imitations of the "Ukulele Ike" style under the pseudonym "Red Pepper Sam".

Related Research Articles

<i>Snow-White</i> (1933 film) 1933 film

Snow-White is a 1933 American animated short in the Betty Boop series from Max Fleischer's Fleischer Studios. Dave Fleischer was credited as director, although virtually all the animation was done by Roland Crandall, who received the opportunity to make Snow-White on his own as a reward for his several years of devotion to the Fleischer studio. The resulting film, which took six months to complete, is considered both Crandall's masterwork and an important milestone of the Golden age of American animation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleischer Studios</span> American animation studio

Fleischer Studios was an American animation studio founded in 1929 by brothers Max and Dave Fleischer, who ran the pioneering company from its inception until its acquisition by Paramount Pictures, the parent company and the distributor of its films. In its prime, Fleischer Studios was a premier producer of animated cartoons for theaters, with Walt Disney Productions being its chief competitor in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty Boop</span> Animated cartoon character

Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character designed by Grim Natwick at the request of Dave Fleischer. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She was featured in 90 theatrical cartoons between 1930 and 1939. She has also been featured in comic strips and mass merchandising.

<i>Talkartoons</i> Series of animated cartoons

Talkartoons is a series of 42 animated cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures from 1929 to 1932.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koko the Clown</span> Cartoon character

Koko the Clown is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer. His first appearance as the main protagonist in Out of the Inkwell (1918–1929), a major animated series of the silent era. Throughout the series, he goes on many adventures with his canine companion "Fitz the Dog", who would later evolve into Bimbo in the Betty Boop cartoons.

Betty Boop's Bamboo Isle is a 1932 Fleischer Studios Betty Boop animated short, directed by Dave Fleischer.

Swim Or Sink is a 1932 Fleischer Studios animated short film directed by Dave Fleischer and starring Betty Boop, Koko the Clown, and Bimbo. It was reissued under the titles S.O.S.

Betty Boop's Crazy Inventions is a 1933 Fleischer Studios animated short film, featuring Betty Boop.

Chess-Nuts is a 1932 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Bimbo and Koko the Clown.

I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You is a 1932 American pre-Code Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo. The cartoon features music by and a special guest appearance from jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra playing "You Rascal You". The title of the film comes from the song, written by Sam Theard in 1931.

Betty Boop's Museum is a 1932 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo.

Betty Boop's Ker-Choo is a 1932 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo.

Is My Palm Read is a 1933 Pre-Code Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo.

Betty Boop's Penthouse is a 1933 Fleischer Studios animated short film featuring Betty Boop assisted by Koko the Clown and Bimbo.

I Heard is a 1933 Pre-Code Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo. The cartoon features music by and a special guest appearance from jazz musician Don Redman and his Orchestra.

Betty Boop's Birthday Party is a 1933 Fleischer Studio animated short film, starring Betty Boop and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo.

Betty Boop's May Party is a 1933 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo.

Any Rags? is a 1932 Pre-Code Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Bimbo, and Betty Boop, with a brief appearance by Koko the Clown.

Little Annie Rooney is a short animated film that is part of the Fleischer Studios Screen Songs series. It is based on the popular song Little Annie Rooney and uses it in the soundtrack. The chorus says:

<i>Minnie the Moocher</i> (film) 1932 Betty Boop cartoon

Minnie the Moocher is a 1932 Betty Boop cartoon produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures.

References

  1. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 54–56. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved June 6, 2020.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.