Esther Jones, known by her stage name, Baby Esther, was an African-American singer and entertainer of the late 1920s. Her singing style often included, “Boop oop a doop.” She performed regularly at the The Cotton Club in Harlem. Helen Kane saw her act in 1928 and appropriated Jones baby singing style for a recording of I Wanna Be Loved By You. Jones style went on to become the inspiration for the voice of Betty Boop. In 1930, Fleischer Studios animator Grim Natwick introduced a caricature of Helen Kane, with droopy dog ears and a squeaky singing voice, in the Talkartoons cartoon Dizzy Dishes. Betty Boop, as the character was later dubbed, soon became popular and the star of her own cartoons. In 1932, Betty Boop was changed into a human, the long dog ears becoming hoop earrings. In May 1932, Helen Kane filed a $250,000 lawsuit against Max Fleischer and Paramount Publix Corporation, for “exploiting her image.” charging unfair competition and wrongful appropriation in the Betty Boop cartoons. Contending that Betty Boops boop-oop-a-doop style constituted a deliberate caricature that gave her unfair competition. The trial opened that year with Kane and Betty Boop films being viewed only by the judge. No jury was called. Ann Rotshchild aka Little Ann Little, Margie Hines, Kate Wright, Bonnie Poe, and most notably Mae Questel were all summoned to testify. Little Ann Little told the court how Boop oop a doop had started out as ba-da inde-do, which developed into bo do-de-o-do and finally to Boop Oop a Doop. Helen Kanes counsel asked Little Ann little, who spoke through-out the trial in a Betty Boop voice Oh do you speak like that way at home? Little Ann Little responded to the court Yes indeedy! The defense argued that Kane had taken the idea from Baby Esther. Jones manager testified that he and Kane had seen her act together in April 1928, and just a few weeks later, Kane began to boop.[1] In the court transcripts, theatrical manager Lou Bolton testifies for the defense stating that in 1925, he coached a young negro child named Esther, teaching her how to interpolate her songs with scat lyrics which she later repurposed into her trademark boop oop a doop. Paramount was able to prove that Kane did not uniquely originate or have claim to the Betty Boop style of singing or look. Paramount proved this by showing Clara Bow (a Paramount Actress) who also had the Betty Boop style of dress and hair. Evidence was produced that Kane actually derived that singing style from watching Baby Esther perform at the Cotton Club several years before the creation of the Betty Boop character. After a two year legal struggle, Max Fleischer located a old film of Esther Jones performing, (a little-known African American singer known as Baby Esther). Supreme Court Judge Edward J. McGoldrick ruled: “The plaintiff has failed to sustain either cause of action by proof of sufficient probative force.” In his opinion, the “baby” technique of singing did not originate with Kane. Jones is now spoken of mostly in the context of her contributions to Betty Boops vocal stylings. Jazz studies scholar Robert OMeally has referred to Jones as Betty Boops black grandmother.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 11:00:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015