When Mae was 17 and living in the South Bronx when she won a local contest to find the girl who most resembled Helen Kane, a popular singer known as the "Boop-Oop-A-Doop Queen." She was promptly signed by an agent and began performing in the Vaudeville circuit. Betty Boop creator Max Fleischer heard Mae doing her "boop-oop-a-doop" routine and hired her to do the character's voice in 1931. She served as the voice on more than 150 Betty Boop animated shorts until the character was retired in 1939. Her recording of "On The Good Ship Lollipop" sold more than 2 million during the Depression.



Best known as the voices of "Betty Boop" and "Olive Oyl" Best known in film as the matchmaking Mrs. Strakosh, one of Barbra Streisand's card-playing neighbors, in "Funny Girl." Had two sons from her first marriage: Richard and Robert (the latter pre-deceased her). She not only provided the voice of Olive Oyl in the 'Popeye' cartoons, but the toddler Swee'pea as well. She based Oyl's quivery, nervous-nellie voice on comedic actress ZaSu Pitts. Studied drama with the Theatre Guild in New York City and at Columbia University. Also belonged to the American Theatre Wing. Won the Troupers Award for outstanding contribution to entertainment in 1979. The City of Indianapolis honored her with a "Mae Questel Day" in 1968. Returned after a nearly 50-year hiatus to voice Betty Boop for Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).