15th June, 2009

DAVID ADAMS

It was 75 years ago last week - 9th June, 1934 - that Walt Disney’s creation Donald Duck first made his cartoon debut in The Wise Little Hen with the line “Who, me? Oh, no. I’ve got a belly ache.”

From those early beginnings, Donald - who didn’t even get a credit for that first film - went on to have his own daily newspaper comic strip in 1938. He eventually featured in more than 150 cartoons - a total which exceeded even that of Mickey Mouse and included 128 of his own - and as many as seven full-length feature films.

The duck was conceived as a counterpoint to the goody two-shoes Mickey and quickly became known for his almost indecipherable accent (it was Clarence ‘Ducky’ Nash who gave Donald his voice until 1985 when the job was taken over by Disney artist Tony Anselmo) as well as for running afoul of other characters within the Disney milieu, and, of course, for his short fuse.

But it’s his never say die attitude which some say explains his appeal to many fans, leading one Donald expert to describe him as a “modern Sisyphus” - always optimistic that he’ll reach the top of the hill despite never seeming to do so. As it notes in the official Disney website: “He's a loser, not a quitter, and he'll go down fighting”.

Donald - whose middle name is Fauntleroy - found a girlfriend early on in his career: originally named Donna, it was later changed to Daisy. Audiences were also introduced to members of his extended family including his three mischievous nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie who first appeared in 1938 in the film Donald’s Nephews as well as his gruff uncle, Scrooge McDuck.

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