Actress. Best known as the original voice actress of Betty Boop. Was also the voice of Olive Oyl and Swee Pea in Popeye cartoons.

Born Margaret Louise Hines

October 15, 1909, New York City, U.S.

Died December 23, 1985 (aged 76)

Seaford, New York, U.S.

Other names

Marjorie Hines

Marjorie Heidtmann

Marge Hines

Occupation: Voice actress

Years active: 1930–1943

Spouses: Jack Mercer ​(m. 1939; div. 1950)​

Raymond Brenneis (m. 1951; div. 1954)​

Jesse William Heidtmann ​(m. 1956)​

She was known for her work at Fleischer Studios, where she was the original voice of Betty Boop, (although Little Ann Little erroneously claimed to have been the first and longest serving voice artist),[8] Hines served from 1930 until 1932 and again from 1938 until 1939, before voicing Olive Oyl and Swee' Pea in the Popeye the Sailor cartoons from 1938 to 1944.[9] She also provided the voices for Fleischer's animated films Gulliver's Travels and Mr Bug Goes to Town.[10]

Career edit

Hines was the original voice actress for Fleischer's cartoon character Betty Boop, whilst she was touring vaudeville she was heard by vocalist Billy Murray, an employee at Fleischer studio who suggested she was the right choice for the voice of the character[8] she made her who debut in the cartoon short Dizzy Dishes in 1930, studio head Max Fleischer hired Hines, as she was a Helen Kane sound-alike, and Kane was the basis for the character. Hines and several other actress voiced Betty until Mae Questel took over the role in 1931.

Beginning in 1932, Hines also did vocals for Aesop's Film Fables and Tom and Jerry produced by Van Beuren Studios. Her Van Beuren credits were erroneously attributed to Bonnie Poe, another actress who'd worked for Fleischer on Betty Boop cartoons.

Mae Questel, who was Fleischer's voice for Betty Boop and Popeye characters Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea during the mid-1930s, was unable to move with the Fleischer Studios staff when they left New York City for Miami. As a result, Hines was hired to replace Questel in both the Betty Boop and Popeye series, beginning in 1938. Hines voiced Betty Boop through her final series entries in 1939, and continued to voice Olive until 1943, when the studio, by then taken over by Paramount Pictures and renamed Famous Studios, returned to New York.[11] The Marry-Go-Round (1943) was Hines' final short as the voice of Olive, with Mae Questel returning to the role in 1944.

Personal life edit

Hines was born in Glendale, Queens, New York City, in October 1909, as Margaret Louise Hines.[12]

On March 3, 1939, at the purported age of 21 (more likely 29 since she was born in 1909), Hines married her 29 year old co-star Winfield B. "Jack" Mercer, who provided the voice of Popeye.[12][13] At the time of her marriage, her mother lived on Long Island and had the two remarry at a New York church.[13] The two later divorced in 1950.[14] Hines married for a second time in 1951, to Raymond Brenneis (1922–1981), in Greenwich, Connecticut.[15] However, the couple divorced in 1954.[16] In 1956, Hines married Jesse William Heidtmann (1918–1997) in Southold, New York.[17]

Under the name Marjorie L. Heidtmann, Hines died in Seaford, New York on December 23, 1985, at the age of 76.[18][19] She was survived by her husband Jesse, who died in June 1997, at the age of 79.[20]

Filmography edit

Year Title Role

1930 Dizzy Dishes Betty Boop

1930 Mysterious Mose

1932 The Wild Goose Chase Girl Cat

1932 Pencil Mania Tomtato / Flapper

1933 Magic Mummy The Mummy

1933 The Farmerette Farmerette

1933 Tight Rope Tricks Acrobat

1933 Silvery Moon Countess

1935 Dancing on the Moon Various roles

1938 Bulldozing the Bull Olive Oyl

1938 All's Fair at the Fair Mirandy

1938 Sally Swing Betty Boop

1938 On with the New

1938 Thrills and Chills

1938 Cops Is Always Right Olive Oyl

1939 My Friend the Monkey Betty Boop

1939 Customers Wanted Olive Oyl

1939 Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp

1939 Musical Mountaineers Betty Boop

1939 The Scared Crows

1939 Ghosks is the Bunk

1939 Rhythm on the Reservation

1939 It's the Natural Thing to Do Olive Oyl

1939 Never Sock a Baby Swee' Pea

1940 Shakespearean Spinach Olive Oyl

1940 Females Is Fickle

1940 Me Feelins Is Hurt

1940 Wimmin Hadn't Oughta Drive

1940 Puttin' on the Act

1941 All's Well Baby

1941 Child Psykolojiky Swee' Pea

1941 Mr. Bug Goes to Town Mrs. Ladybug

1941 Nix on Hypnotricks Olive Oyl / Telephone Operator / Bird

1942 Olive Oyl and Water Don't Mix Olive Oyl

1942 Baby Wants a Bottleship

1942 Alona on the Sarong Seas

1943 Cartoons Ain't Human

1943 The Marry-Go-Round

From Wikipedia

Also see FamilySearch ID: LY1Z-J44