![]() But it was illegal for her to do so without having a permit, and both Jones and Bolton were imprisoned and fined. It was, apparently, not illegal for a 9-year-old girl to perform at an adult club, known to serve illegal alcohol. The somewhat curious phrasing of the charge reflects an age in which child workers enjoyed almost no legal protection. In June of 1928, police arrested William Jones and Lou Bolton for allowing a minor to perform “after hours without a permit”. Max Fleischer and Paramount Studios.īut there was an event that would impact Baby Esther, her father William Jones, her agent Lou Bolton, and the trajectory of young Esther’s career much more immediately and dramatically. At the time, no one could have guessed that these two seemingly unrelated events would come to play a role in the 1934 court case of Helen Kane v. Around that same time, Esther was invited to perform her act as part of a short Movietone talking film produced by MGM. In early 1928, Bolton booked Baby Esther at The Everglades, a restaurant and after-hours club in midtown Manhattan, where she was billed as "The Miniature Florence Mills". In April of that year Helen Kane, a popular entertainer and actress, saw Baby Esther's act at the Everglades Club. As audience tastes changed, promoters simply changed the name of the act. For example, audiences were far more inclined to buy tickets for a "Miniature Florence Mills" than they were for a child performer they’d never heard of. Born in 1904 in The Bronx and attended St Anselms Roman Catholic school on Tinton Avenue, Helen Clare Schroeder would eventually become the inspiration for one of the most iconic and lasting cartoon characters, Betty Boop. “Kiddie” acts, were all the rage in the early 1900s and nearly all were billed as “little,” “baby” or “miniature” versions of popular stars. This attracted the attention of theatrical agent Lou Bolton who was known for his ability to identify, train, package and promote talented child performers. We do know that in the mid-1920s, when she was between four and six years old, Esther won first prize in a Chicago Charleston contest. As a result, today more than 100 years later, we still aren’t sure of her exact birth date. ![]() This meant that her exact age was kept purposely fluid. Because she was billed as a “kiddie” act, staying childlike for as long as possible was central to her marketability. Baby Esther) was born in Chicago in, or around, 1919. However video evidence came to light of Baby Esther performing in a nightclub and the courts ruled against Helen Kane stating she did not have exclusive rights to the “booping” style or image, and that the style, in fact, pre-dated her.īaby Esther’s “baby style” did little to bring her mainstream fame and she died in relative obscurity but a piece of her lives on in the iconic character Betty Boop.Esther Lee Jones (a.k.a. When Betty Boop was introduced, Kane promptly sued Fleischer and Paramount Publix Corporation stating they were using her image and style. ![]() Finding fame early on, Helen Kane often included this “baby style” into her music. After seeing Baby Esther, Helen Kane adopted her style and began using “boops” in her songs as well. Betty Boop is best known for her revealing dress, curvaceous figure, and signature vocals “Boop Oop A Doop!” While there has been controversy over the years, the inspiration has been traced back to Esther Jones who was known as “Baby Esther” and performed regularly in the Cotton Club during the 1920s.īaby Esther’s trademark vocal style of using “boops” and other childlike scat sounds attracted the attention of actress Helen Kane during a performance in the late 1920s. Introduced by cartoonist Max Fleischer in 1930, the caricature of the jazz age flapper was the first and most famous sex symbol in animation. ![]() The iconic cartoon character Betty Boop was inspired by a Black jazz singer in Harlem. Betty Boop is best known for her revealing dress, curvaceous figure, and signature vocals Boop Oop A Doop While there has been controversy over the years, the inspiration has been traced back to Esther Jones who was known as Baby Esther and performed regularly in the Cotton Club during the 1920s. Esther Jones is the name of the real Betty Boop. ![]()
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