Frank Alfred Marsales (August 31, 1886 - August 14, 1975) was a Canadian composer. He is best known for his work scoring many classic Warner Bros. cartoons in the 1930s.
Cartoon career[]
Marsales was a symphony musician who became the music director for Warner Bros. 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 Melodie "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 animated television series "The Woody Woodpecker 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 Yonker, Saskatchewan, Canada on August 31, 1886, the son of Robert Lambert Marsales and Lena Burns. He lived most of his life in California. Marsales married Catherine Elizabeth Murset (April 30, 1889 – January 13, 1971). They had no children. He died August 24, 1975 in Long Beach, California.
