Who was the real Betty Boop? — Mistakes Were Made

Esther Lee Jones, also known as Baby Esther or Lil Esther, was a child entertainer from Chicago, Illinois in the 1920s. She was a trained scat singer, dancer and acrobat. Esther’s career began when she won first prize in a Charleston contest at six. A theatre manager named Lou Bolton saw her performance and took her on as a client. Bolton set up performances for Esther in Chicago, New York, Detroit…