New York based Betty Boop's movies feature songs written by America’s most famous composers performed by many of America’s greatest singers and musicians. On screen performances by American legends Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Don Redman,as well as performances by many of Betty’s Broadway and Hollywood friends are featured in the Betty Boop motion pictures.
An urban, Americana-informed sensibility marked many of the Betty Boop films, as they were often set in gritty cityscapes populated by poor immigrants. The films were groundbreaking through their inclusion of black performers.
Many of America’s most famous songwriters (Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, etc.) wrote songs which appeared in the Betty Boop films
In addition to being the toast of Broadway, Betty Boop stared in over 100 motion pictures for Paramount Pictures. Betty used her films as an opportunity to perform with many of her friends from the world of music.
Betty provided work and recognition for many of the leading instrumental artists of the 1930's, including Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, The Mills Brothers, Don Redman and his Orchestra and Luis Russell and his Orchestra.
Many well-known musicians played in the recording sessions for Betty's movies including Benny Goodman, and Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.
In essence, Betty Boop introduced jazz music to the movies and to a wider American audience in the early 1930's.
Today, the Betty Boop movies would be regarded as akin to music videos, as their purpose was to promote the music of the artists.
These movies were the first opportunity many viewers had of seeing Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway. For some in the audience, it was the first time they heard this brand of American music.
Betty Boop’s movies - urban, ethnic, surrealistic and offbeat were created in New York City at the Fleischer Film Studios located at 1600 Broadway overlooking Times Square.
