Frank Marsales
Encyclopedia
Frank Alfred Marsales was a Canadian-born
musician and composer best known for his work scoring many classic Warner Brothers
cartoons in the 1930s. He also worked with Walter Lanz
Studios in the mid to late 1930s.
Cartoons under the direction of former Disney animators Hugh Harman (1903–1982) and Rudolf Isling (1903–1992), scoring many classic cartoons in the 1930s, including every Harman & Isling Looney Tune
and Merrie Melodie
. His first credit was for "Sinkin' In The Bathtub", released May 1930 and animated by Isadore Freeling; his last credit for Warner Bros. was in 1933 with "Bosko's Picture Show". He left Warner Brothers when Harmen and Isling 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 1930's, Marsales began work at Walter Lanz
Studios as musical director
for the Andy Panda
cartoons, among others. Frank Marsales's 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 December 30, 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.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musician and composer best known for his work scoring many classic Warner Brothers
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
cartoons in the 1930s. He also worked with Walter Lanz
Walter Lantz
Walter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, film producer, and director, best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.-Early years and start in animation:...
Studios in the mid to late 1930s.
Cartoon career
Frank Marsales was a symphony musician who became the music director for Warner BrothersWarner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Cartoons under the direction of former Disney animators Hugh Harman (1903–1982) and Rudolf Isling (1903–1992), scoring many classic cartoons in the 1930s, including every Harman & Isling Looney Tune
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
and Merrie Melodie
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
. His first credit was for "Sinkin' In The Bathtub", released May 1930 and animated by Isadore Freeling; his last credit for Warner Bros. was in 1933 with "Bosko's Picture Show". He left Warner Brothers when Harmen and Isling 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 1930's, Marsales began work at Walter Lanz
Walter Lantz
Walter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, film producer, and director, best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.-Early years and start in animation:...
Studios as musical director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
for the Andy Panda
Andy Panda
Andy Panda is a cartoon character who starred in his own series of animated cartoon short subjects produced by Walter Lantz. These "cartunes" were released by Universal Pictures from 1939 to 1947 and United Artists from 1948 to 1949. The titular character is an anthropomorphic cartoon character, a...
cartoons, among others. Frank Marsales's last credited musical score
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
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 December 30, 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.