Biography: Betty Boop

This episode presents the biography of celluloid personality Betty Boop. The creation of William Fleischer, the seductive cartoon star tickled the fancy of moviegoers more than half a century ago, and her appeal continues today. The program, directed by the animator's son, Richard Fleishcher, traces Betty Boop's rise to success. First depicted like a mythological figure of old, Betty had a woman's body and a dog's head. Later revisions gave her the persona that she is known by today. Archival film footage shows the perky Ms. Boop in her famous routine with Cab Calloway, singing "Minnie the Moocher." Other clips show how she caught the ire of the Hays Office, Hollywood's infamous censorship committee.