Name Frank Marsales | Role Composer | |
Born 31 August 1886 ( 1886-08-31 ) Died August 14, 1975, Long Beach, California, United States Spouse Catherine Elizabeth Murset (m. ?–1971) Parents Lena Burns, Robert Lambert Marsales Music director Sinkin' in the Bathtub, Congo Jazz, Goopy Geer, Freddy the Freshman, Big Man from the North Similar People Rudolf Ising, Abe Lyman, Walter Lantz | ||
Looney Tunes - Bosko the Doughboy (1931)
Frank Alfred Marsales (31 August 1886 – 14 August 1975) was a Canadian composer best known for his work scoring many classic Warner Brothers cartoons in the 1930s. He also worked with Walter Lantz Studios in the mid to late 1930s.
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Cartoon career
Marsales was a symphony musician who became the music director for Warner Brothers Cartoons under the direction of former Disney animators Hugh Harman (1903–1982) and Rudolf Ising (1903–1992), scoring many classic cartoons in the 1930s, including every Harman & Ising Looney Tune and Merrie Melodie. His first credit was for "Sinkin' in the Bathtub", released May 1930 and animated by Isadore Freleng. He composed the music to the 1931 Merrie Melodies Lady, Play Your Mandolin!. His last credit for Warner Brothers was in 1933 with "Bosko's Picture Show". He left Warner Brothers when Harman and Ising left the studio (but not with them), missing out on scoring their work at Paramount for the 1933 animated "Alice in Wonderland" — Marsales may also have had a hand injury at that time that precluded his composing any music at all.
In the mid-1930s, Marsales began work at Walter Lantz Studios as musical director for the Andy Panda cartoons, among others. Frank Marsales' last credited musical score at Walter Lantz Studios was for "Knock Knock", released 25 November 1940 (although he may also have scored some part of the "Syncopated Sioux" cartoon that was released 30 December 1940, which musical director was uncredited). Music from Marsales' work for Lantz also found its way into the 1957 Woody Woodpecker television show, which contained not only new cartoons, but also Woody's (and other) theatrical Lantz cartoons from the previous twenty years.
Personal life
Marsales was born in Canada on 31 August 1886, the son of Robert Lambert Marsales and Lena Burns. He lived most of his life in California. Marsales married Catherine Elizabeth Murset (30 April 1889 – 13 Jan 1971). They had no children. He died 14 August 1975 in Long Beach, California.