Myron Natwick, Creator Of Betty Boop

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Myron ``Grim'' Natwick, the animator who gave life to a curvaceous flapper with a kewpie-doll face whose favorite refrain was ``Boop-Boop-A-Doop,'' has died. He was 100.

Mr. Natwick died Sunday in Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center of complications from pneumonia, hospital spokesman Ted Braun said.

Mr. Natwick introduced the mini-skirted Betty Boop in 1930. Betty, with help from singer Helen Kane, soon became known for her coy trademark, ``Boop-Boop-A-Doop.''

``Although she was never vulgar or obscene, Betty was a suggestion you could spell in three letters: S-E-X,'' Mr. Natwick said recently. ``She was all girl.''

Betty Boop marked a comeback with a cast of other classic cartoon figures in 1988's ``Who Framed Roger Rabbit?''

Mr. Natwick's talents were much admired by fellow artists and others in the animation industry, said Noel Blanc, son of the late Mel Blanc, known as the ``man of a thousand voices.''

``Everybody loved Natwick,'' he said. ``Betty Boop was everybody's favorite lady cartoon.''

The Betty Boop character - one of the earliest animated figures - has enjoyed a recent resurgence, said Blanc, who succeeded his father as the voice of Bugs Bunny.

``Her popularity in the last five years has been amazing,'' he said. ``A cartoon character goes on forever with the happiness it brings to people.''

Mr. Natwick is survived by his daughter and two grandsons.