NEW YORK — In 1917, a man named Max Fleischer invented the rotoscope, a combination of projector and glass drawing board that allowed animators to trace over live-action film, one frame at a time.

With her oversized head, flapper dress and tendency to attract unwanted male attention, Betty Boop first came to prominence in the 1930s. She was a kind of character that hadn’t been seen in cartoons ...

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Fans of the 1930s character Betty Boop can rejoice as a precursor of the iconic cartoon is now in the public domain, as of Jan. 1, 2026. That means anyone can adapt that specific version of Betty Boop ...