Baloney Dog

Want to slice a character into little slabs but not make it seem painful?

Just add some peppy music from Frank Marsales. (Do people say “peppy” any more?)

Here are examples from Bosko’s Store (1932). First, a dachshund runs through an electric fan, getting sliced like a salami, to the sound of a bassoon and tuba melody. Don’t worry. He reforms on the other side.



Later in the short, Wilbur the bratty cat falls into a meat grinder, with drips coming out forming mini-Wilburs (a gag going back to the silent Oswald days) that run into each other to re-form one, solid Wilbur.



The jumpy music is “I Love To See the Evenin’ Sun Go Down” by Maceo Pinkard and Jack Palmer, which ends the cartoon. Some other tunes: “There’s a Rainbow on the River” (Bosko sings while washing the window); “Doggone, I’ve Done It” (Bosko answers phone, gets baloney to slice); “Having a Good Time, I Wish You Were Here” (Mouse dials phone, asks about dry fish); “In the Hills of Old Missouri” (Bosko sweeps the wooden sidewalk in ¾ time); “How Can You Say No” (Bosko and Honey dance to player piano).

Bob McKimson and Friz Freleng are both credited as animators. Despite that, it’s a pretty lacklustre cartoon. There’s dancing, dancing and more dancing, all for the sake of dancing.