Known for his unmistakable voice and classic sailor costume, Donald made his first official appearance in “The Smart Chicken”, in 1934.
Energetic, grumpy, intelligent, temperamental and very funny, the beloved character created by Walt Disney turns 90 on June 9th. The date arises from the character’s first appearance in an animated story. As part of the Silly Simphonies series, Donald debuted in the short film “The Smart Chicken” on this day in 1934, creating a furore with his exaggerated antics and outbursts of rage. From then on, the animators and scriptwriters who worked with Walt Disney They had a lot of fun creating countless other situations that accentuated their fickle personality.
Today, nine decades later, Donald continues to win fans through his presence in Disney park attractions, consumer products from different categories and audiovisual content on Disney+. On the 9th, inclusive, “Quem Ri por Último” and “Louco por Margarida” will arrive on the streaming service, two fully restored shorts released in 1950 that feature Donald getting involved in crazy confusion, in addition to the new production “DIY Duck” – a short that will show Donald trying to make some home repairs, starting with changing a light bulb, which quickly turn into a series of comical disasters.
Taking advantage of this special date, check out seven little-known facts about the legendary Donald Duck below.
1. A DUCK IS BORN
Donald has its origins in the early 1930s, after Walt Disney heard the renowned voice actor Clarence Nash creating animal sounds on the radio. When Nash gave a nervous recitation of the song “Mary Had a Little Lamb” with a voice that sounded like a scared goat, Walt said, “That’s our talking duck!” Nash provided Donald’s unique voice from the character’s creation until his death in 1985.
2. MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Donald has made several superstar appearances, but there’s one especially memorable one. In 1958, he co-hosted the Oscar® ceremony alongside legendary comedian Bob Hopethe actors Jack Lemmon, James Stewart It is David Nivenand the actress Rosalind Russell.
3. TOURING LATIN AMERICA
Two short films take Donald on a memorable journey through different countries in Latin America. Available on Disney+, “Alô, Amigos”, from 1943, and “Have you ever been to Bahia?”, from 1945, narrate the character’s adventures in the region. His experiences in Latin America were also recorded in the book “Donald Duck Sees South America” published in the United States in 1945. In the narrative, the character travels through Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Argentina.
4. BROTHERLY LOVE
Donald has a sister…. and we know her name. In the 1938 short film, “Donald’s Nephews” — also available on Disney+ — the protagonist receives a postcard from his “sister Dumbella”, in which she informs that, that same day, Donald would receive a visit from his mischievous nephews : Huguinho, Zezinho and Luisinho.
5. MULTI-FACETED DONALD
Throughout his audiovisual history, Donald has performed the most diverse tasks and professions. Among them are: gardener (Donald’s Garden, 1942), chef (Donald, The Cook, 1941), golfer (Donald’s Golf Game, 1938), beekeeper (Honey Harvester, 1949), window cleaner (Window Cleaners, 1940) and mathematics teacher (Donald in the Country of Mathematics, 1959).
6. LOANED COSTUMES
Mickey and Donald were present at the official opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955, but not in the form we know them today. For the occasion, the costumes were borrowed from the renowned ice skating show Ice Capades. The Disney Legend (Legend of Disney, in its literal translation) Bill Justiceone of the Imagineers who was instrumental in designing the park’s characters, recalled that Walt insisted that the beloved characters be present.
7. ETERNAL SUPERSTAR
On August 9, 2004, Donald was immortalized on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame with a star named after him. Thus, he is part of a select group of eight Disney characters who have this honor. The others are: Mickey, Minnie, Kermit the Frog, Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Tinker Bell and The Muppets.
Source: Recreio
