Bimbo (known as Bimbo The Pup) is a fictional anthropomorphic dog created by animators Max Fleischer, Grim Natwick Sid Marcus and Dick Huemer for Fleischer Studios. He is best known for his role in the Betty Boop cartoon series, where he featured as Betty's main love interest. He is described as a generic dog, or a mix of Pug, Boston Terrier, and Bulldog, and was not based on a specific breed. While the early versions of Bimbo varied, the most recognizable appearance is that of a short, round, black dog.
History Bimbo was initially inspired by animation director Dick Huemer's work on Mutt and Jeff, who, when working on the Out of the Inkwell series, decided to give Out of the Inkwell protagonist Koko the Clown a canine companion named Fitz.
Bimbo made his first appearance in Hot Dog (1930) as the protagonist and star of Fleischer's Talkartoons series. He was gradually developed into an amoral everyman to compete with Walt Disney Productions' Mickey Mouse, allowing the character to become popular while Koko the Clown languished in legal turmoil over rights issues. He starred in several famous cartoon shorts of the 1930s, most notably Swing You Sinners!, Minnie the Moocher and Bimbo's Initiation, eventually reuniting with Koko when Albert Weiss gave up rights to the character.
Bimbo was later paired with Betty Boop, a female dog similar to Minnie Mouse, who gained unexpected stardom and popularity to the point Bimbo and Koko were overshadowed.
After Hays Code censorship rules began to strictly get enforced in 1934, Bimbo disappeared from future Fleischer cartoons of the era, due to the implications of an anthropomorphic dog dating a human girlfriend being considered too risqué. Coupled with the fact that everymen like Mickey Mouse, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Bosko lost their appeal to the audience, Bimbo was quickly retired in 1933 in favor of the Betty Boop and Popeye the Sailor series, According to Myron Waldman the character of Pudgy would be created as a replacement for Bimbo the Dog due to his hatred for Bimbo stating:
Revival About 56 years after his first absence from cartoons, Bimbo made a reappearance in 1989 as a major co-star in the TV special The Betty Boop Movie Mystery and in First Publishing's 1990 comic Betty Boop's Big Break with more of his original personality intact as a love interest of Betty. He has continued to appear in various Betty Boop merchandise since then and has been reestablished as a mainstay of the series.
In 2016, he appeared in Dynamite's Betty Boop comic mini-series as Betty's best friend with a secret crush on her. He later appeared in the iOS game Betty Boop Dance Card in a 3D look, also voiced by Will Ryan.
Filmography All films were directed by Dave Fleischer. TitleAnimation Release DateFilm BedeliaUnknown 1930-01-04 I'm Afraid to Go Home in the Dark 1930-01-30 The Prisoner's Song 1930-03-01 Hot Dog 1930-03-29La Paloma1930-04-12 Fire BugsTed Sears 1930-05-09 Dizzy DishesGrim Natwick 1930-08-09 Barnacle BillRudy Zamora 1930-08-31 Swing You Sinners!Ted Sears 1930-09-24Strike Up the BandAl Eugster1930-09-26 Grand UproarSeymour Kneitel 1930-10-03My Gal SalWillard Bowsky1930-10-18 Sky ScrapingTed Sears 1930-11-01 Up to MarsRudy Zamora 1930-11-20On a Sunday Afternoon1930-11-29 Accordion JoeGrim Natwick 1930-12-12Row, Row, RowSeymour Kneitel1930-12-20 Mysterious MoseWillard Bowsky 1930-12-26 Ace of SpadesRudy Zamora 1931-01-16 Tree SapsGrim Natwick 1931-02-03 Teacher's Pest 1931-02-07I'd Climb the Highest MountainSeymour Kneitel1931-03-07 The Cow's HusbandShamus Culhane 1931-03-13Somebody Stole My GalGeorge Cannata1931-03-20 The Bum BanditWillard Bowsky 1931-04-03 The Male ManTed Sears 1931-04-24 Twenty Legs Under the SeaWillard Bowsky 1931-05-05Alexander's Ragtime BandShamus Culhane1931-05-09 Silly ScandalsGrim Natwick 1931-05-23My Wife's Gone to the CountryUnknown1931-05-31 The Herring Murder CaseShamus Culhane 1931-06-26 Bimbo's InitiationGrim Natwick 1931-07-24 Bimbo's ExpressUnknown 1931-08-22 Minding the BabyShamus Culhane 1931-09-26Little Annie RooneyUnknown1931-10-10 In the Shade of the Old Apple Sauce 1931-10-16Lost film. Mask-A-RaidAl Eugster 1931-11-07By the Light of the Silvery MoonSeymour Kneitel1931-11-14 Jack and the BeanstalkDave Fleischer 1931-11-21 Dizzy Red Riding HoodGrim Natwick 1931-12-12 Any Rags?Willard Bowsky 1932-01-12 Boop-Oop-a-DoopDave Fleischer 1932-01-16 The Robot 1932-02-05Wait Till the Sun Shines, NellieSeymour Kneitel Minnie the MoocherWillard Bowsky 1932-02-26 Swim or Sink (S.O.S.)Seymour Kneitel 1932-03-11 Crazy TownShamus Culhane 1932-03-25 The Dancing FoolSeymour Kneitel 1932-04-08 Chess-NutsShamus Culhane 1932-04-13 A Hunting We Will GoAl Eugster 1932-04-29Let Me Call You SweetheartShamus Culhane1932-05-20 Hide and SeekRoland Crandall 1932-05-26 Admission FreeThomas Johnson 1932-06-10 The Betty Boop LimitedWillard Bowsky 1932-07-01Stopping the ShowRoland Crandall Betty Boop's Bizzy BeeSeymour Kneitel 1932-08-19 Betty Boop, M.D.Willard Bowsky 1932-09-02Betty Boop's Ups and Downs1932-10-14Romantic MelodiesSeymour Kneitel1932-10-21Betty Boop for President1932-11-04I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal YouWillard Bowsky1932-11-25Betty Boop's MuseumWilliam Henning1932-12-16 Snow WhiteRoland Crandall 1933-03-31 Betty Boop's Ker-ChooSeymour Kneitel 1933-01-06Betty Boop's Crazy InventionsWillard Bowsky1933-01-27Is My Palm ReadDave Tendlar1933-02-17 Betty Boop's PenthouseWillard Bowsky 1933-03-10 Betty Boop's Birthday PartySeymour Kneitel 1933-04-21 Betty Boop's May PartyDave Tendlar 1933-05-12Song ShoppingWillard Bowsky1933-05-19Betty Boop's I Heard 1933-09-01
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