Half dog and half wolf

clip from film with Boris, Balto, Steele, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Muk, Luk

Quotes and dialogues

BORIS: Balto, there's some things I can't do for you. BALTO: Yeah. BORIS: I'm goose, not Cupid. STEELE: Didn't make the team... Bingo? BORIS: Don't listen to him or look at him. Live a long life. BALTO: My name's Balto. BORIS: But you can call him "idiot"! STEELE: I'm sorry. Balto. Balto the half-breed. Hey, goose, you a half-breed too, huh? Part turkey? BORIS: Waa-hah-hah! NIKKI: Good wordplay there, boss. KALTAG: You are the wittiest, the quickest. You are the drollest, the cleverest, the sharpest, the most hilarious... STAR: You crack me up! BALTO: Steele. Just leave him out of this. STEELE: Oh, Balto, I've got a message for your mother. KALTAG: Balto, translate this for me... BORIS: What's wolf for "Go chase your tail"? Balto, stop! Whoa! STEELE: Get him. Get out of here, wolf-dog. You'd better get back to your pack! BORIS: Maybe it's the unrelenting fear talking, but I'm seeing wisdom in this advice. Maybe we go now, huh? Now! KALTAG: I'm thinking Balto's friend got his feathers ruffled! STAR: Goose! Ha! I get it! NIKKI: Half-wolf in the side pocket there. KALTAG: That was the most dead centre, the most on-target, the most down-the-middle... STAR: Ya hit him! NIKKI: That son-of-a... KALTAG: He is the most malicious, the most disgusting, obnoxious, the most revolting, the most repulsive... STAR: He's no lap dog. BORIS: Not a dog, not a wolf. All he knows is what he is not. If only he could see what he is. BALTO: Homesick, Boris? You ever think about going back? BORIS: Don't fret, Fido. I'm sticking here until I'm sure you can stand on own four feet. BALTO: You're taking care of me? BORIS: Don't thank me. BALTO: I smell... herring. BORIS: The herring are flying south too? BALTO: Say! Must be Muk and Luk. BORIS: Oh. Good news. MUK: Uncle Boris! BORIS: Oh, no! BALTO: How sweet. "Uncle Boris" BORIS: No hugging, no licking! MUK: Uncle Boris! MUK: He says he's glad to see you. We love you. Uncle Boris. MUK: What are you talking about? Of course he's glad to see us. He loves us... don't you? BORIS: Oy. OK? Hey, boychicks, uh, let's play a game. MUK: Yes, please. Uncle Boris. BORIS: Race you to the shore. One, two, three, go! They win. MUK: Help! Help! We can't swim! Help! Help! We're drowning! Save us, please! BORIS: Bears! Fellas! Idiot balls of fluff! BALTO: Easy, Boris. You know how they are. BALTO: Muk! Luk! Relax! Come on, you're OK. You're not drowning. BORIS: He has point, bears. You are not drowning. Cause if you will pause one moment you will observe that's... tide is out! He said what? MUK: Oh, the shame of the polar bear who fears the water. No wonder we are shunned by our fellow bear. Woe is us! It's what he said. Kind of pathetic, really. BORIS: What, more whimpering? Between you and Balto, it's like Dostoevsky novel here. Lighten up. And what is so interesting? BALTO: Jenna. BORIS: Is love. So go make move. When the angels' balalaikas strum the sweet song of love, mambo! BALTO: Nan. She's not my type. BORIS: And why not? This wolf business again? What's wrong with being half and half, I'd like to know? Sometimes I wish like crazy, I was half eagle. BALTO: Why? BORIS: Better profile, for one thing. Hmm. And no one eats you, for another. NOTE: to watch in high resolution, click on them

References

Nikki is a reddish-brown Chow-Chow. Chow-Chows have been used as sled dogs in the past, but they are normally a non-sled dog breed.

Strong video sales lead to the release of two sequels: Balto II: Wolf Quest (2002) and Balto III: Wings of Change (2004).

Businessman George Kimble worked together with the newspaper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, to bring Balto and his team to Cleveland. On March 19, 1927, Balto and six companions were brought to Cleveland and given a hero's welcome in a triumphant parade. The dogs were then taken to the Brookside Zoo (now the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo). In 1998, the Alaska Legislature passed HJR 62- 'Bring Back Balto' resolution. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History declined to return Balto. However, in October 1998, Balto left for a five-month stay at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, which drew record crowds.

The real Balto was only a Siberian Husky. Universal's animators designed him to be partially an Arctic wolf in order to be a more interesting cinematic character.