Technological Comedy. The role of domestic technologies and new inventions in Fleischer Studios' animations

Abstract

This article analyses animated short films that incorporate domestic technologies into their narratives. It focuses specifically on the Betty Boop episodes produced in the United States of America between 1930 and 1939 by Fleischer Studios. In many of these animations, the characters interact with a range of household technologies, creating comedic choreographies. This case study sheds light on the imaginaries and ideals surrounding technological optimism, the automation of domestic labour, the fascination caused by new inventions, controversies arising from their malfunctions, their assimilation into everyday life, and the gendered dynamics of their use. By bringing together domestic technologies and animated shorts, this interdisciplinary approach aims to broaden research strategies related to technological and design imaginaries.