Another iconic character from "back in the day", Betty Boop was originally created as a caricature of Helen Kane, an American singer who gained fame by imitating the style of black singer Baby Esther Jones. Although Betty was originally an anthropomorphic French poodle, as she became the star of her own cartoons, Boop was transformed into a full human. Kane ended up suing Max Fleischer & Paramount for exploiting her personality and likeness, but ultimately lost the lawsuit.