Donald Duck (film series)
A Walt Disney animated comedy series starring Donald Duck.
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Donald Duck is a series of American animated comedy short films produced by Walt Disney Productions. The series started in 1937 with Donald's Ostrich (although two previous short films, Don Donald and Modern Inventions, both from 1937, were later re-released under this series) and ended in 1961 with The Litterbug. It stars the titular character Donald Duck and introduced well-known characters such as his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie (first appearing in the 1938 short Donald's Nephews), his love interest Daisy Duck (first appearing in the 1940 short Mr. Duck Steps Out), and recurring rivals Chip 'n' Dale (first appearing in the 1943 short Private Pluto).
Lore & Background
The series began with Donald's Ostrich on December 10, 1937. Two earlier shorts, Don Donald (1937) and Modern Inventions (1937), were originally from the Mickey Mouse series and later re-released as shorts in the Donald Duck series.
The shorts typically open with a close-up of Donald's face with a starburst behind him and the title 'A Walt Disney Donald Duck'. During World War II, shorts featuring Donald in the military used a variant with his sailor's hat exchanged for a private's cap. The series had annual releases from 1937 to 1956, later having a hiatus until the release in 1961 of The Litterbug, which was presented without the starburst and under the title 'Walt Disney presents Donald Duck'.
Reader's Guide
The Donald Duck series is significant as a spin-off of the Mickey Mouse series, capitalizing on Donald's popularity after his debut in The Wise Little Hen. It introduced enduring characters like Huey, Dewey, and Louie (previously from comic books), Daisy Duck, and named Chip 'n' Dale. The series also spawned its own spin-off, Donald & Goofy. The shorts were directed by 12 different people, with Jack King (53) and Jack Hannah (48) having the most credits.
Distribution shifted from United Artists to RKO Radio Pictures, then to Buena Vista Distribution for some later shorts. The series has been preserved in home media, notably in the 'Walt Disney Treasures' DVD sets, which include most shorts across four volumes, though some World War II-themed shorts appear in a separate set. The television series Donald Duck Presents (1983) and its successor Donald's Quack Attack further extended the series' legacy by showcasing the shorts on The Disney Channel.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Donald Duck (film series) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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