Myron Waldman, 97; Cartoon Animator

Myron Waldman, 97, an animator who in his long career originated Betty Boop's sidekick, helped create two Academy Award-nominated cartoons, and put Superman and Raggedy Ann on the screen, died Feb. 4 at New Island Hospital in Bethpage, N.Y. He had congestive heart failure.

Mr. Waldman was instrumental in the animation of Betty Boop, Popeye, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Raggedy Ann and Andy and the original Superman cartoon series.

Mr. Waldman was the last surviving head animator of Fleischer Studios, a leader in the fledgling cartoon field of the 1920s that then became a rival to Walt Disney in the 1930s with its Betty Boop and Popeye series.

Hired at Fleischer in 1930, Mr. Waldman worked on a popular series in which audiences were invited to "follow the bouncing ball" and sing along with lyrics on the screen. While at Fleischer, Mr. Waldman also originated the design for Pudgy, Betty Boop's dog.

Two of his cartoons, "Educated Fish," 1937, and "Hunky and Spunky," 1938, were nominated for Oscars.

Mr. Waldman also assumed a major role in the animation of Superman and Popeye and became the principal animator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, based on the Johnny Gruelle children's stories.

After World War II, Mr. Waldman joined Paramount's Famous Cartoon Studios, where he was instrumental in the character design of Casper, changing Seymour Reit's drawing to the image known today. He was also the artist behind the syndicated comic strip Happy the Humbug and the author of "Eve," a cartoon novel published in 1943.

Mr. Waldman left Paramount in 1956 to animate commercials and cartoons for television, including the syndicated "Out of the Inkwell" series in the early 1960s and the 1965-67 ABC Saturday morning cartoon series "Milton the Monster."

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Rosalie Waldman; two sons; and three grandchildren.