Minnie the Moocher

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a), Original 400 foot Film Reel, and Original Cardboard Box (c). 2015.273.2.9.1a: 16mm film. The film begins with a wide shot of Cab Calloway and his orchestra performing an instrumental version of “St. James Infirmary” as the opening credits appear. Calloway performs an elaborate dance as he conducts the orchestra. In the cartoon’s first scene, Betty Boop is castigated by her parents for refusing to eat. Betty’s father’s head turns into a cylinder phonograph and her mother changes the cylinder from his voice to one that plays music when Betty leaves the table in tears. In the next scene, Betty sings “They Always Pick on Me” as she decides to run away and makes preparations to do so. She calls her friend Bimbo to inform him of her departure and he agrees to accompany her. As they make way, Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher” begins to play.

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