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Welcome to the Helen Kane Wiki

• The Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl.

Information

Helen Kane was a Actress & Singer of the 1920's, as she took on the status of a singing sensation, there were Helen Kane dolls and Helen Kane look-alike contests, appearances on radio and in nightclubs. This cult following reached its peak in late 1928 and stayed there until early 1929. Kane's voice and appearance were the source for The Fleischer Studios animator Grim Natwick when creating the famous cartoon character Betty Boop.   Although in the early 20's "Presumed to be 1928" just before Helen hit fame.  Helen Kane saw an African American performer by the name of Baby Esther and swiped her singing style and used it in her hit song I Want to Be Loved By You and became a hit overnight.

Quotes

• "I just put it in at one of the rehearsals, a sort of interlude. It's hard to explain - I haven't explained it to myself yet. It's like vo-de-o-do, Crosby with boo-boo-boo, and Durante with cha-cha-cha." For more quotes click Helen Kane Quotes.

Recordings

Kane recorded 22 songs between 1928 and 1930. After 1930 and up to 1951, she recorded four sides for Columbia in addition to the "Three Little Words" soundtrack single recording of "I Wanna Be Loved by You" She also recorded four songs that comprise a 1954 MGM 45Ep entitled, "The Boop Boop a Doop Girl".

The Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl Comic Strip

In 1933, the Fleischer Studio was negotiating a comic about Betty Boop with King Features Syndicate. They couldn't agree on a price, and Helen Kane stepped in, suggesting a comic based on her name and appearance, entitled The Original Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl by Helen Kane.

1928

• Get Out and Get Under the Moon

• That's My Weakness Now

• I Wanna be Loved by you

• Is There Anything Wrong in That?

• Dont be like That

• Me and the Man in the Moon

1929

• Button up your Overcoat

• I Want to Be Bad

• Do Something

• That's Why Im Happy

• I'd do Anything for you

• He's So Unusual

• Aint'cha

• I Have to have you

1930

• I'd Go Barefoot All Winter Long

• Dangerous Nan Mcgrew

• Thank you Father

• I Owe You

• Reading Ritin Rhythm

• Ive Got It But It (Dont Do Me No Good)

• My Man Is On The Make

• If I Knew You Better

1950

• I Wanna be Loved by you (Three Little Words)

1951

• I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Cat

• The BeanBag Song

• Hug Me! Kiss Me! Love Me!

• Aba Daba Honeymoon

1954

• When My Suger Walks Down the Street

• When I Get You Alone Tonight

• Do Something

• That's My Weakness Now

1983

• Chameleon Days (1920's Knock-off recorded by Mae Questel who is singing as Helen Kane on radio/record.)

Films

In mid-1929, Paramount Pictures signed Kane to make a series of musicals at a salary as much as $8,000 a week.

1929-1930

• Nothing But The Truth (1929)

• Sweetie (1929)

• Pointed Heels (1929)

• Paramount on Parade (1930)

• Dangerous Nan Mcgrew (1930)

• Heads Up! (1930)

Scrapped/Unknown

• Honey (1929) Scrapped Comedy?
• Three of a Kind (Unofficial Release)
• Puzzle Wuzzie Was a Bear (1945)
• I Wanna Get Married (1945)

Other

• Dizzy Dishes (Caricature)

1931

• A Lesson In Love.

1950

• Three Little Words.

Television

• Hollywood on Parade No. A-3 (1932)
• Texaco Star Theatre (TV Series), Episode #3.36 (1951)

• Toast of the Town (The Ed Sullivan Show) , Episode #6.27 (1953)
• You Asked For It (1950's)

• I've Got a Secret - 110: 7/18-24 7/21/54 (1954)

• The Ed Sullivan Show, A salute to ASCAP (22-Jan-1956)

• This Is Your Life (1958)
• The Jack Paar Tonight Show (TV Series), Episode #1.226 (1958)

$250,000 Infringement lawsuit

In 1930, Fleischer 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, Kane filed a $250,000 suit against Paramount and Max Fleischer, charging unfair competition and wrongful appropriation in the Betty Boop cartoons.

• $250000 Infringement lawsuit.

Helen Kane News Archive

• Helen Kane in the Newspapers.

1981

• Helen Kane the boop-boop-a-doop girl.

1985

• Helen Kane and other boop.boop.a.doopers.

1999

• Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl.

2004

• 'Boop-Boop-a-Doop'.

2009

• The 'Boop-Boop-a-Doop' Girl.
• Betty Boop Best of Helen Kane

Helen Kane Tributes 90's-2012

• In 1930 child singer Baby Rose Marie aspired to be Helen Kane. "I just love to sing on the radio," the tiny miss declared. "I don't think much of opera, and when i tune in i like to hear songs, you know, about boopa doops. Baby Rose Marie covered Helen Kane's "Don't be like that" in 1929.
• During the 90's Cheryl Chase sung in a one woman show as Helen Kane, From 1995-1998 she recorded five songs as Helen Kane with the Crazy Rhythm Hot Society Orchestra
• The Skabs 1993-2001 release of "I Thought Wrong" was Helen Ghastly's homage to the original Boop-Boop-a-Doop girl Helen Kane.
• In 2004 Cindy Ball played Helen Kane in a tribiute show called "Dont Tell Mama" which was held at 343 W 46th Street (Between 8th and 9th Ave) in New York City, most of Helen Kane's living relatives attended.
• From 2008-Current Ginger Pauley sings as Helen Kane live with the Hoosier Daddys and has released an album entitled "Ginger and The Hoosier Daddys That's Why I'm Happy".

Helen Kane References

• In the 1958 film Some Like It Hot, Marilyn Monroe plays a character called Sugar Kane which is a reference to Helen Kane. Marilyn also performs Helen's signature song "I Want to Be Loved By You".
• Bernadette Peters lip-sync's to Helen Kane's original recording of "I Wanna be Bad" in the 1981 film Pennies from Heaven.
• In 1983 Cyndi Lauper covered Helen Kane's original recording "He's So Unusual" and made it into the title sequence for her Grammy Award wining Album "She's So Unusual" The sung lyrics continue in the backround of the song "Yeah Yeah", while the beginning of the song plays before "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" in the song's music video.
• In the 1986 Alvin and the Chipmunks episode Help Wanted: Mommy Helen Kane's signature song "I Wanna Be Loved By You" is performed by Miss Miller who alongside the Chipettes are dressed in flapper attire.
• In 1984 Actress Molly Ringwald stated that she sing's alot of Helen Kane stuff otherwise known as Betty Boop.
• On March 26, 2013 Helen Kane's recording of "Button Up Your Overcoat" was used in Bioshock Infinite. It can be heard in the Emporia Towers and the abandoned bar. 

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