Betty Boop in Japan

Betty’s trip to Japan in the 1935 cartoon “A Language All My Own” is more than a wonderful cartoon; it’s an amazing story of ambassadorship as well! This carefully crafted love letter to the Japanese people solidified Betty’s already growing popularity in Japan, a popularity that exists to this day.  In it, Betty not only pilots her own plane and wears a kimono, she actually sings in Japanese!

We hope you enjoy this unique film and it’s amazing history below, followed by a gallery of beautiful, rare Japanese memorabilia of the period from the amazing collection of Len Ellis.

The attention to detail in this film is remarkable and very deliberate. Head animator, Myron Waldman, was so concerned that the depiction of all things Japanese be authentic, that he asked several Japanese exchange students to preview the film before it was released.

The attention to authenticity was so great that it led to speculation about which real theater in Japan the one in the cartoon was modeled after. It was concluded that due to the size of the stage and the atmosphere, it matched a theater in Kyoto’s Miyagawa-cho district, except that it does not have a roof suitable for landing an airplane.

That Betty pilots her own plane is likely a nod to Amelia Earhart who, just months before the release of this film, became the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean (having already become the first woman to fly solo cross the Atlantic in 1932).

The huge crowd that welcomes Betty upon her arrival in Japan is also reminiscent of a real event: the crowd of over 500,000 baseball fans who showed up to welcome Babe Ruth and nineteen other Major League players to Japan in November of 1934. The players were in Japan as part of a goodwill tour during which they played Japanese baseball teams.

This film also marks another historic milestone: the very last film in which Betty wore her traditional short skirt and displayed overtly sexual behavior. The Hays Code, a set of moral self-censorship guidelines for the U.S. film industry, was just about to go into effect and the impact on Betty would be severe. Starting with her next film, “Betty Boop and Grampy,” Betty dresses and behaves far more modestly.

A bit of oft-repeated folk-lore says that Fleischer animators, as a secret jibe at the censors, altered the words in the Japanese lyrics of the song so that Betty sings, “Come to bed with me and we’ll boop-oop-a-doop!” While it’s a funny story, it’s not a true one. The Japanese lyrics are basically a translation of the English ones.

Betty’s influence on modern day manga and animae from Japan can be seen to this day, as acknowledged in this article about Osamu Tezuka, the artist credited with inventing anime:

“Dr. Tezuka is known in Japan as manganokamisama which literally translates as “god of comics.” His work continues to influence and inspire every artist in Japan, as every anime or manga that EVER uses “large eyes” to make the characters more appealing pays homage to Tezuka, as he was the one who started that trend (alternately, he was influenced by the works of Max and Dave Fleischer, who created Betty Boop).”

GALLERY

Most original Betty Boop pieces from the 1930s were made by small enterprises in Japan for the US popular market. No records were kept of these unauthorized pieces, which were low-cost items often sold through catalogue companies such as Montgomery Ward or Sears. Many items, such as plates and bowls as well as this whirligig, were the result of the innovative approach taken by Japanese manufacturers in the 1930s. Cartoon characters from different studios were often combined, since copyright and trademark rules were not at all enforced.

The items in this Gallery come from the collection of Len Ellis, a well-known Betty Boop collector and author of the book “The Definitive Guide to Betty Boop Memorabilia.” In addition to offering us the opportunity to view these rare and highly collectible items, Len has provided the accompanying text which introduces us to each piece and its place in collecting history. You can find Len’s monthly Blog about Betty collectibles at the King Features Betty Boop site: http://bettyboop.com/category/collectors-corner/ – Thanks Len!

HOW TO USE THIS GALLERY: Hover your mouse over each photo for more information about each image.
Or  click on the image to enlarge it, with the entire caption below the image, then you can hover your mouse anywhere on the image and an arrow will appear on the image allowing you to scroll to the next image. If you are using an ipad or touchpad device, tap a photo to activate slideshow feature to see captions.

Detail from corner of handkerchief which is 9 inches square and made of thin cotton with sewn edges all around. There is a different image of Betty Boop in each corner.

1930s Tin Litho Pail – Betty walks in a surreal garden while a dog-like creature rides by on a bike. Manufacturer unknown. Marked “Made In Japan.” Very Rare.

1930s Pencil Holder – the doorway that reads “Happy House.” There is a hole where the chimney might be that holds a pencil. The Manufacturer is unknown. There are no dates or markings. Made in Japan. Very Rare.

1930s Pendulum Wall Clock Probably one of the rarest clocks, it is similar to a cuckoo clock. Betty’s right arm wraps around the clock face and she is in what looks like an awkward half-sitting position. The pendulum extends below her legs. Clock face is marked “Tezuka Clock Co. Ltd.” near center, “Made In Japan” at bottom. Very Rare.

1930s Lusterware Tea Set, 23 pieces – This set is unusual in that Betty’s hair is sometimes blond, orange or black. Although the pieces are marked with the Fleischer Studios copyright, it is unlikely that any authorization was granted. Label on box “BETTY BOOP TOY TEA SETS Des. & Copr by Fleischer Studios GEO. BORGFELDT Corporation. N. Y. Made in Japan.”

1939 Tattoo/Decal Sheets – The sheet on the left has exclusively Betty Boop images while on the other she shares the sheet with Popeye, Charlie Chaplin and a variety of animals. These were rare until, in the early 1990s, someone found boxes of them in a warehouse in New Jersey. Printed on sheet is “Made In Japan.” No other markings or date. Manufacturer unknown, Japan. Common.

1930s Clothing Brush – The top half of this brush is made of ceramic lusterware; on the bottom is the broom. The bristles are held together with a silk band and slips into the bottom of the top piece. “Made In Japan” is printed on Betty’s back, but there are no other markings or date.

1930s Card Holder Betty is made of celluloid and is 2 inches tall. She stands on a black 2 x ½ inch Bakelite base. A ½ inch celluloid rat or rabbit affixed to the base, along with a celluloid backing to hold a business card between the two. The manufacturer is unknown, and there is no date or markings. Japan. Very Rare.

Cartoon Character Christmas Lights - These lights feature popular characters of the day: Andy Gump, Moon Mullins, Kayo, Smitty, Dick Tracy, Annie, Sandy, and Betty Boop. The ornaments are glass and are hand-painted. No date or copyright. Manufacturer unknown.

Toy-Mechanical Windup Whirlygig This toy stands 10½ inches tall. Betty’s right leg is imprinted with the face of a watch (no idea why). The wind-up mechanism operates with a key that causes the top portion to spin. This is a rare toy. Not shown here is the extremely rare box with a label that features Betty and Mickey Mouse together. It was not uncommon for Betty to be pictured with Mickey Mouse on unauthorized Japanese products. There is also a label affixed to the main box label that reads “Jolly Betty.”

Menkos, or Japanese counting cards, were made from the 1800s, and are still made today. Menko is a card game, usually played by children, and literally means [MEN] face (image, mask) [KO] child. Until 1999, there were ten to twenty known Menko Betty Boop cards from the 1930s to 1950s. But since then dozens of additional cards have surfaced. As with other Japanese items, free license was taken by the artists to use any character combinations that interested them. This card says “atashi kore de mo geijyutsuka yo,” which means something like “I’m an artist at this too!” Note that Betty is wearing a garter – unusual for a menko.

Menkos-B This second card is a scarce pre-war menko of Betty Boop that dates from 1936.

This is a rare menko design with Betty running a relay race (probably made for the 1936 Berlin Olympics). There is a similar example photographed on page 185 of Yasuno’s book “Collection of Betty Boop Made in Japan.”

1930s Celluloid Whirligig – 10½ inches tall. Packaged in a brown cardboard box affixed with a fantastic label showing Mickey Mouse and Betty dancing. Printed “Jolly Betty.”

1930s String Holders – There were several varieties of these, all made of chalkware. The lips are red for both styles, with an opening to feed the string through. Manufacturer unknown. Rare. NOTE: Since it is easy to make a mold of these items, be sure to check the back. The recessed area for the string should be smooth and round; copies or fakes usually do not have a nice finish on the back, as they are made by hand and not from a machine mold. Also be sure it is made of chalk.

1930s Betty Handkerchief – There are a few image variations on this handkerchief, which is 9 inches square and made of thin cotton with sewn edges all around. There’s always an image in each corner.

This very rare collectible is a matchbox containing wooden matches. Betty is shown holding a drink, perhaps a martini! It says “Akebono (name of a coffee shop) Tokitsu Eki Mae (in front of Tokitsu Station).”

Special Thanks to:
Lisa Azuma, Japanese consultant and translator
Len Ellis, Collector & Author