Don Donald is a 1937 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was the second short to star Donald Duck (although it was initially billed as a Mickey Mouse cartoon, despite the eponymous character not appearing at all). It introduces Donna Duck (the precursor to Daisy Duck) as Donald's girlfriend. Clarence Nash voices both since Donna's voice is the same as Donald's an octave higher. The short also notably features the first appearance of the car that would become 313, Donald's vehicle of transportation in the comics.
Synopsis[]
The cartoon takes place in Mexico and tells the story of Don Donald going to greet his girlfriend, Donna. Donald rides a donkey and lets Donna also ride it, but unfortunately Donna hates the animal. Angered at blowing his chances with Donna, Donald Duck gets angry at his donkey and calls it a mean name before seeing a flashy new red car on sale. With that, Donald trades in his burro for the new car. Donna loves the new car — until it breaks down in the middle of nowhere. She leaves Donald, who is left with nothing but a shrunken sombrero. The donkey, having returned on the scene, has the last laugh.
Characters[]
- Donald Duck (voiced by Clarence Nash)
- Donna Duck (voiced by Clarence Nash)
- Jenny the Burro (voiced by Lee Millar)
Trivia[]
- Though originally billed as a Mickey Mouse cartoon despite the eponymous character not appearing at all, the burlap reissue prints of this cartoon however correctly bill this as a Donald Duck cartoon.
- The original title card is seen in some German VHS releases of Disney cartoons, but the title is modified with just the cartoon's title. The true original title card found online in 2014 sourced from a rare black and white print, shows that the title had a headline above the titled cartoon "Presenting Donald Duck in".
- The songs that Donald sings at the beginning are Frank Crumit's "The Gay Caballero" and "Cielito Lindo".
- This cartoon marks the only appearance of Donna Duck in animation, though she would reappear in the comics. For the rest of the late-1930s, Donald would not have a love interest until 1940 when Daisy Duck debuted in Mr. Duck Steps Out.
- This cartoon's appearance on Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Starring Donald and Daisy VHS release confusingly refer both Donna and Daisy as the same character, despite that both Donna and Daisy are intended to be separate characters.
- This cartoon's canonicity was retconned in the Italian comic story "Paperino e il segreto della 313" ("Donald Duck and the secret of the 313"), published in Topolino #2071 (8 August 1995), first published in English in the webcomic The Duck Family Stories as issue 26 (Donald Duck: The Secret of the 313, 2013), which acts as an origin story for Donald Duck's car (known in Italy as "the 313" after its license plate number) and explains that it is all a film which Donald and Daisy (starring as Donna) were acting in, and during which Donald came into possession of the car.
- This short was originally conceived as a Silly Symphony entitled "The Little Burro". The plot was nearly identical to the final version, except the protagonists were a nameless Mexican boy and girl who would have come to regret trading their burro for the car and thus, joyously reunited with him in the end.[1]
Releases[]
Television[]
- The Mickey Mouse Club, October 12, 1955
- Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald, episode #42
- Good Morning, Mickey, episode #46
- Donald's Quack Attack, episode #77
- The Ink and Paint Club, episode 1.4: "Disney Firsts"
Home video[]
VHS
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Donald Duck's First 50 Years
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Starring Donald & Daisy
- Donald's Greatest Hits
Laserdisc
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Starring Donald & Daisy / Starring Pluto & Fifi
DVD
- Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume 1
- Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Starring Donald
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Merritt, Russell, Disney Editions, 2016
