Who is "The Mask" impersonating after he gets "shot"?

After the Mask finishes kissing a young, gorgeous Cameron Diaz; the jealous Dorian Tyrell, Diaz' boyfriend and film primary antagonist comes downstairs with his cronies to confront him.

They pull their guns and--after several failed attempts--finally shoots him.

Comically, we hear:

You got me, partner....Hold me closer, Ed, it's getting dark

The voice he uses to say these lines sounds very familiar.

Which actor\character is he impersonating?

reference the-mask

Best Answer

According to the Mask Wikipedia article there were several references in that one "dying" scene.

When "shot" at the first scene inside the Coco Bongo, the Mask's consequent "dying" dialogue references several classic literary moments:

"Ya...got me partner!" - A good impression of Pat Buttram, a voice highly associated with Western films.

"Tell Auntie Em to let Old Yeller Out" - A reference to Aunt Em in The Wizard of Oz and Old Yeller.

"Tell Tiny Tim I won't be coming home this Christmas" - Tiny Tim is a character in Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol.

"Tell Scarlett I do give a damn" - A comedic reply to Rhett Butler's line "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" in Gone With the Wind.

At the end of the scene, he is presented with an award for his performance and breaks the fourth wall by thanking the movie audience with Sally Field's acceptance exclamation "You love me! You really love me!". As this is going on, people-shaped silhouettes appear onscreen and applaud while Dorian combs his hair, adding to the illusion of an appreciative film theatre audience.