Donald Duck

“The stars can change their courses, the universe can go up in flames and the world crash around us but there will always be Donald Duck.”

- Trevor Howard as Dr. Alec Harvey, Brief Encounter (1945)

We are Donald Duck, Donald Duck is us. In close to 200 animated shorts and features, plus comic books and television, the duck known as Donald faced life’s travails in an all too human and relatable manner.

“Mickey was on a pedestal while the duck could blow his top.”

- Walt Disney

Yes, Donald has a temper. So do we all. We may start out with the best of intentions, but Fate with a capital “F” conspires against us.

In 1938s Self Control Donald does his best to follow the simple, kindly advice of a radio psychologist, but all things that buzz and crawl and peck stand in the way of peace and contentment.

In 1940s Donald’s Vacation it is an inanimate object, a *&*^(*)!!* folding chair that obstinately refuses to work as advertised. We cannot cast stones at Donald for losing his temper. We’ve all run across those *&*&&*Q!j** easy-to-work items that refuse to work, easily or otherwise. Poor Donald!

We all love our families. Donald loves his family. However, sometimes little angels aren’t all they are cracked up to be. Sometimes kids like Huey, Dewey and Louis misbehave. Sometimes. Sometimes the psychology books and all the patience in the world gets you nowhere. Sometimes you have to yell!

"Is there anything we didn't do to poor Donald?"

-Ward Kimball, animator

A little "white magic" in The Three Caballeros had Donald changing shape and size. A couple of gods with too much time on their hands gave Donald powers beyond his ken and abruptly took it away again in Trombone Trouble. Donald was hatched by a condor in Contrary Condor. He was attacked by a rooster in Golden Eggs.

He couldn't enjoy a ball game on a radio because of a music-loving bee in Slide, Donald, Slide. He was beset upon by Chip 'n Dale for no reason at all...well, okay, sometimes it was Donald's fault, but honestly, those little guys were diabolical in Toy Tinkers, Corn Chips, All in a Nutshell, Three for Breakfast, The Lone Chipmunk, etc. Diabolical!

“With all respect to Clarence Nash, I think if he had spoken more clearly, Donald Duck would have been a more popular character.”          

Mel Blanc, actor

Really, Mel? According to the Gallop Research Institute, by the end of the 1940s, the American public ranked Donald Duck as its favourite cartoon character, followed by Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse.

In 1953 when the Disney studio ceased production on most of their cartoon shorts for economic reasons, Donald Duck continued.

Since 1959 Swedish television has aired Disney cartoons on Christmas Eve and any mention by the network of tampering with this tradition is met with outrage. Donald Duck, known as Kalle Anka, has become a Swedish symbol of Christmas.

"On our first date, I bet you wished I looked like Donald in Mr. Duck Steps Out."

- Garry, the man who married Caftan Woman when she was Blouse Babe

"Hi, Toots!"

- My son Gavin learns how to talk to girls from classic Disney shorts

Life, and the Disney animators and directors gave Donald Duck a lot to cope with, but they also gave him friends that stick by him through thick and thin...

...and loved ones that make the journey worthwhile. Yes, we are Donald Duck. Donald Duck is us.

Favourite movies: Duck Pimples (1945)

I used to think I was pretty hot stuff when it came to the movie buff game. I thought I knew my Disney. All that was before HIMSELF, THE BOY came into my life. Gavin has his challenges (autism/developmental delay), but the kid knows Disney. It was HIMSELF, THE BOY that introduced me to the wonderful and wacky Duck Pimples, a short from 1945.

Based on a story by gagmen Virgil Partch and Dick Shaw, it is unlike any Disney or Donald 'toon before or since. It's directed by Jack Kinney, who also gave us the delightful Donald's Diary wherein Donald's inner voice is the dulcet tones of Ronald Colman. In Duck Pimples, Donald is thrown into a surrealistic, noirish nightmare that abounds with animated gags and thrills.

Donald expert, director Jack Hannah referred to his protagonist as "the duck" and explained that "the duck" was such a good character because as Mickey Mouse became a star he could no longer get away with the cheeky antics of his youth. Bad-tempered, hard-luck Donald fulfilled that comic need. Animator Ward Kimball put it this way: "Is there anything we didn't do to poor Donald?"

Well, the duck is certainly put through his paces in this short that HIMSELF, THE BOY and I enjoy particularly at Hallowe'en. We're sure you'll enjoy it as well. 

Note: Hugh Hennessy was an animator whose work for Disney spanned from The Band Concert to Lady and the Tramp.