The city of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., has announced plans for a Betty Boop Festival Wisconsin festival Aug. 5-8 in honor of hometown hero, the late animator Myron ‘Grim’ Natwick.
Natwick (1890-1990) was the original top animator on the iconic character, who debuted Aug. 9, 1930 in a cartoon short produced by the famous Fleischer Studios. Boop was created by Max Fleischer as a competitor to Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse, and became an icon of animation in her own right, known today to millions around the world.
Natwick’s career in animation began in 1921 Hearst’s International Film Services, which he left for Fleisher Studios in 1929. After two years of working at the top animator on Betty Boop as well as on Popeye, he moved to the Ub Iwerks Studio and then to Disney 1934, where he was the primary animator on Snow White. He returned to Fleischer in 1938 to work on the feature film Gulliver’s Travels.
In addition to Betty Boop events, organizers are planning many other artistic and entertainment activities, such as an expanded Grim Natwick animation exhibit; scenic motorcycle tours; an animated film festival; visual art gallery; animation art collectors show; a dance, and other activities.
Betty Boop Festival Wisconsin is a not-for-profit community group, and proceeds from the Festival will be used to support future Betty Boop Festivals in Wisconsin Rapids.
Organizers include Arts & Heritage Cluster, a volunteer group of community members dedicated to ‘engaging, uniting and illuminating their local arts and heritage for a vibrant community,’ and the Wisconsin Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
More information on the festival can be found at its official website, located at www.BettyBoopFestivalWI.com.
