This article is only to give you the basic gist of Betty Boop's personality. If applying for the role of Betty, follow the instructions given to you on your application. See also MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park & Grand Hotel.
Some of the information is Boop-Oop-a-Dooping full of SPOILERS. Boop-Oop-a-Doop!
Universal Studios
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Betty Boop is a character who is featured at the Universal Studios theme parks. She is portrayed in person by a masked Betty Boop and or Betty Boop Impersonator. The original concept for Universal Studios was Cartoon World and was going to feature characters from Joseph Ward Cohen Jr. and the Fleischer Studios. However plans for Cartoon World were scrapped. Instead it was incorporated into Toon Lagoon.
Betty's store was also featured at the theme park, there you can buy Betty Boop related merchandise. Betty is played by interactive performers in person, along with other famous faces such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and many more. Those who are chosen to play Betty in person must wear Betty's full attire, including her famous garter belt as well as a sponge wig that resembles Betty's hairstyle. Sometimes the job role will require the actress to dance. According to information the audition process is done via the internet, via application form. If the actress gets through the application the said actress can then audition for the role by sending an audition tape. Most of the time the actresses can do this through YouTube or any other media based website.
Character Personality
Betty is a light-hearted, care-free flapper, reminding the audience of the Jazz Age. Betty as a character is polite, sweet, friendly and knows right from wrong, is very peppy and her presence can light up a room.
Voice Type
Betty's speaks in the baby-talk style using a Brooklynese accent, but her speaking voice can differ depending on who is doing her voice. The original character's voice was originated by Margie Hines starting from 1930. According to Cindy Robinson, Betty's present voice actress, Betty has two different voice forms, one where she is sultry and sexy as performed by Robinson, and one where she is just cute in general. Cuter Betty is more high-pitched and was originally performed by Melissa Fahn, and later by Marie Danielle. The original voices of Betty also had their own unique voice types for Betty, all actresses sounded similar but different, as some were more high-pitched than others, and some used a more baby-ish voice, for example, Kate Wright and Little Ann Little used a high-pitched voices which could also sound a little nasal at times. The most famous of Betty's voices was Mae Questel, who made Betty's voice her signature sound and, unlike the several other women who provided Betty's voice, she was the only one who could squeak in a high-pitch tone at the end of her "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" routine.
For instance, "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" with a final "Bop" Though they will likely be instructed on what to do and what not to do, the character's pronunciation of the "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" scat manner is left up to the individual playing it. Their mission is to amuse the large throng of theme park visitors by giving the greatest possible portrayal of the character.
You will often see Betty holding a parasol. She uses this to protect herself from the sun.
Little Ann Little (First Person to Officially Portray Betty in Person)
Little Ann Little, one of the several original voices of Betty Boop, used to portray Betty to live audiences in the 1930s starting from 1933. She's the original "Betty Boop Impersonator" and worked for the Fleischer Studios. Ann made public and personal appearances as Betty. According to Ann Little, she made personal appearance tours as Betty, and used to get loads of fan mail especially from children and men.
Universal Studios Hollywood: VHS Souvenir Video (1992)
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Betty Boop, Mae West, Charlie Chaplin, Lauren and Hardy, W. C. Fields, and Groucho Marx all appear on the VHS video.[1] The footage was likely recorded in 1991, this VHS was sold at the Universal Studios Hollywood store until 1999.
Meet & Greet (1996)
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In 1996, Betty Boop as portrayed by a "Betty Boop Impersonator" appeared at a meet and greet[2] with Frankenstein and Beetlejuice to meet the cast of a popular 1990s "Fox Broadcasting Company" network show.
Betty Boop Store
The Betty Boop store is a Betty Boop fan's dream come true, you can get just about anything imaginable.
The store was located at the Toon Lagoon, during the 1990s the "Comic Strip Lane" theme song and Betty Boop's speaking dialogue was was recorded by Betty Boop impersonator Sandy Fox. As of October 2022, the Betty Boop store was closed for refurbishment.[3] It re-opened during the holidays to sell merchandise but was replaced by the "Universal Orlando Annual Passholder Lounge" in 2023.[4]
Betty Boop Shows
- Pandemonium Cartoon Circus (1999-2000)
- Under the Mistletoe (2017)
- Boop'n Around (2018)
- Step Into Christmas (2018)
Betty Boop (King Features)
Elizabeth Rendon as Betty Boop from King Features Syndicate.
Music
The music played in the Betty Boop Store with Betty Boop's vocals was recorded by Marie Danielle, and includes a number of Betty Boop and Helen Kane covers that Marie rerecorded. Along with other anonymous characters, Marie is playing the dual roles of Olive Oyl and Betty Boop, which were created by Mae Questel. In video from Betty Boop Queen of Cartoons released in 1995, it is seen that some of Helen Kane's original recordings were played in the store during the 1990s. Tunes like "Abba Dabba Honeymoon" and "Hug Me Kiss Me Love Me" are among the tunes that were also played when Betty made her appearances. The version of "I Wanna Be Loved By You" that Helen Kane recorded for the 1950 movie "Three Little Words" is the one that gets played the most.
Listings
- "Do Something"
- "I Wanna Be Loved By You"
- "Don't Take My Boop-Oop-A-Doop Away"
- "I Want You For Christmas"
- "Comic Strip Lane"
- "I Want to Be Bad"
- "That's Why I'm Happy"
Universal Studios Hollywood
- Suzanne LaRusch (Portrayed Betty in 1991, but also Mae West and Marilyn Monroe, she was best known as Universal's Lucille Ball.)
- Marie Danielle (Traveled the world promoting Universal Studios Hollywood and portrayed Betty in person from 1991.)
- Dena Drotar (Betty Boop, but also the most famous Marilyn Monroe impersonator.)
- Ash Kane (2013-2014)
Universal Studios Florida
- Marie Danielle (Voice at Universal's Island of Adventure, Orlando in Florida.)
- Elizabeth Rendon (2006)
- Chelsea Talmadge
- Hollie Winnard
Universal Studios Singapore
In 2022, Universal Studios Singapore removed Betty Boop from the theme park. The theme park chose not to renew the rights to the character.
- Kayla Strada (2010-2013)
- Amanda Klein (2010)
- Cindy Wilson
- Christina Hydro
Universal Studios NBC
Betty Boop's Costume Design
The dress Betty wears at Universal Studios resembles the dress that original Betty Boop girl Bonnie Poe had wore in Hollywood on Parade No. A-8, only more cartoony.
The dress also has straps added to keep it up, although most recently Betty Boop can be seen wearing strapless dresses at the theme parks. The character also wears alternative costumes from sailor costumes to frilly formal dresses. Most of the time the dresses Betty wears are small because actresses who portrays her sometimes have to perform a hot dance number.
Here are some concept artworks of early 1990s Betty Boop costumes.
Betty changes her costume on multiple occasions, sometimes she can be seen wearing a sailor costume or a gown, and sometimes Betty can be seen as a masked character.
Bimbo the Dog
Bimbo the dog also makes appearances at Universal Studios as a masked character, sometimes he can be seen with Betty Boop.
Other Characters
Beetlejuice, Marilyn Monroe, Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball), Donkey (Shrek), the Mummy, the Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants, Woody Woodpecker, Scooby Doo & Shaggy, Frankenstein's Monster, Andy Panda, Storm (X-Men), Groucho Marx, Spider-Man, Zorro, Wolverine (X-Men), Marvel Comics Characters, Laurel & Hardy, Doc Brown, Green Goblin, Hello Kitty, Patrick (SpongeBob), Captain America, Crash Bandicoot, Yogi Bear, Archie, Popeye, Olive Oyl, Thundercats, Woody Woodpecker, Lady Lovely Locks, the Flintstones, the Cabbage Patch Kids, The Care Bears, Barbie.
Gallery
Trivia
- Betty Boop also played a part at the MGM Grand Hotel, casino and theme park. At the MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park and MGM Grand Hotel, Betty was portrayed by Angelia and Terri Gandy and Diana Rice.
- "I Want You For Christmas" was performed at Universal Studios by Betty Boop and Marilyn Monroe for a special 2016 Christmas holiday event titled "Under the Mistletoe", the duet also included "Santa Baby".
- Sometimes Betty is required to dance, and also tap dance. Little Ann Little and Baby Esther Jones, were talented dancers, who were also both skilled at tap dancing.
- Caucasian-American mainly play Betty Boop and have done so for years. However on the odd occasion at Universal Studios Singapore, they have had Chinese women and or Chinese-Malaysian actresses portraying Betty.
Links
- Universal Studios Orlando Auditions
- Universal Studios Hollywood Jobs
- NBC Universal Careers
- Universal Auditions
- Universal Studios Auditions (2023)