The Real Inspiration And Evolution Of The Betty Boop Cartoon

Betty Boop: A Rival Of Mickey Mouse?

We also know that Helen Kane served as the inspiration behind the character of Betty Boop, but where else did Fleischer draw inspiration from? It has been rumored that Fleischer wanted Betty Boop to be a marketing maven that could rival that popularity and success that Walt Disney was having with Mickey Mouse. According to Antique Rader, “The creation of Ms. Boop is said to have been an attempt at garnering a slice of Betty Boop attention being enjoyed by Walt Disney courtesy of his main mouse, Mickey. In an April 2012 auction presented by Mosby & Co. Auctions, a 1930s tin stroller made in Spain, featuring colorful lithographs of Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, and Felix the Cat on the seat and back, sold for $1,180.”