Bosko the Drawback (1932)

1932-bosko-the-drawback-title “Bosko the Drawback”
Looney Tunes (Bosko title #2)
Released: October 22, 1932
Length: 7:00
Starring: Bosko

Credits:

Supervision by – Hugh Harman
Drawn by – Isadore FrelengBob McKimson
Musical Score by – Frank Marsales


Summary:

Bosko plays football.

Description:

A band is marching down a football field. The wind from a tuba blows the fur off of the bandleader’s hat, revealing a birdcage and its chirping occupant. A huge crowd starts pouring into the stadium. At the gate we watch as a trio of mice get their tickets punched by a dog’s tooth, and we also get a peek at a living turnstile. The stadium is quickly filled, while on the field we see two drummers crash the cymbals tied to their bottoms, and a centipede who plays four drums at once. Meanwhile, Bosko is getting a very thorough (and painful) rub down. “Be careful!” cautions Bosko, right before he gets his neck cracked. Back on the field we see an ostrich cheerleader shouting “Rah! Rah! Rah!”, after which we spot a dog whose fleas leap up and repeat the cheer. Bosko hears a whistle, ends his rubdown, then jumps into his football uniform. “C’mon fellas!” he shouts to his fellow players, who rush out onto the field amid the cheers of the spectators. A dog holds the starting pistol, but when he fires it an eggs pops out, cracks on the ground, and reveals a chick who blows the starting whistle. Bosko kicks the ball, thus starting a montage of generic football scenes. After this we watch as Bosko catches the ball, then runs down the field with a dachshund running interference ahead of him (just as in Freddy the Freshman), but gets tackled by the entire opposing team. We cut momentarily to a sports writer in the press box who violently pounds on his typewriter, but the angry typewriter comes to life and smacks the writer in the face with its keys, leaving the word “Nerts” typed onto his forehead. We also see a kangaroo spectator and her three children cheer in unison, after which he see grandpappy from It’s Got Me Again appear on the field, but get hit by a football causing him to spin around in his crutches. Also, a running gag involving a bird perched atop a U.S. flag begins at this point. Bosko kicks the ball to a centipede, and we watch as players tackle down each segment of the creature, causing him to get shorter and shorter. In the stands, the spectators form the image of a cheering fan, which then blows a huge raspberry. Then the football montage replays, after which we watch Bosko run down the field with the ball, but stop suddenly when he spots the snarling “Hunchback of Notre Dame” running towards him. Bosko turns around but then sees “The Four Horseman!” (indicated by a title card) running towards him. Bosko turns again but runs into a dachshund crossing the field, which acts like a slingshot and sends Bosko sliding down the field through the yard markers. He comes to a stop right before the goal line, but fortunately he’s so dizzy that he falls right across, winning the game. The bird perched atop the flag finally hatches its “egg”, and four little flag-waving birds emerge and cheer Bosko’s heroic touchdown.


Notes:

  • Obscure gag: “Are you listening?” (spoken by ostrich cheerleader) was a phrase used by popular radio personality Ben Bernie. A biography of Bernie can be found at The Jazz Age site. [JB]
  • Heard on the soundtrack: “This Is the Missus” and “One Step Ahead of My Shadow”. [LT&MM]

Memorable Scenes:


Video Availability:

None