On June 9th, one of the most famous Disney characters, a charming drake named Donald, celebrates his birthday.
“Ducks! Oooo! ” Well, you know this song, admit it. Now it will be spinning in your head for the rest of the day. And we remembered her on the occasion of the birthday of the drake Donald Duck. This year he turns 81!
1934 – debut in the cartoon “Wise Little Hen”
Donald Duck’s popularity skyrocketed with his appearance on the screen in 1934 in the cartoon “Wise Little Hen.” This was largely due to his extraordinary explosive nature.
In confirmation of Mr. Duck’s unexpectedly acquired stellar status, by 1935, all store shelves were filled with Donald-shaped soap, butterflies, scarves and other souvenirs depicting a new character. At the very beginning of his “career”, Donald had a long, thin neck and an elongated narrow beak. However, this appearance only lasted a year or two, making the dolls, toys and other long-billed mementos produced from 1934 to 1936 highly sought after by collectors. The grumpy drake was often depicted with one winking eye on the products of that period, hinting at Donald’s mischievous disposition.
Donald Duck’s first sketch was created by an animator named Ferdinand Horvat. The appearance of the hero was noticeably different from his modern image, but the key elements – a sea visor and a jacket with jackets, a red bow and gilded buttons – were in place even then.
Interesting fact
Initially, it was assumed that Donald’s upper limbs would end in feathers, but soon they “turned” into fingers.
1937 – the main role in the animated series “Donald Duck”.
Emerging from the shadow of Mickey Mouse, Donald finally got the lead role in an animated series entirely dedicated to his adventures only. In this project, his image finally “took shape”, and since then the audience’s favorite has appeared on screens in the animation style that is familiar to us.
1987 – the start of the classic “Duck Tales”.
In the cult series of the 90s, Donald’s role was rather episodic: the character did not appear in every episode, because the main characters in the project were his nephews Billy, Willie, Dilly and the legendary Uncle Scrooge. Sorting out the ancestry of the vast Dacian family can be tricky. In an attempt to understand who is who is who, it is best to check the family tree of this famous clan.
- Photo Shoot:
- Disney Channel Press Office
Young fidgets Billy, Willie and Dilly made their debut in the Sunday sitcom Naive Symphonies, starring Donald at the time. Shortly thereafter, the ducklings appeared on screen in their first animated film, Donald’s Nephews, and have since become a “part of the life” of the grumpy drake.
Interesting fact
Billy, Willie and Dilly have “analogues” – Daisy Duck’s nieces: April, May and June.
2004 – Donald’s personalized star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
He deserves it. Donald Duck received his well-deserved personalized star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Mickey Mouse, who received his star back in 1978, came to support his friend during this crucial moment.
Interesting fact
It was Mickey who became the first fictional character to be awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This unique event was timed to coincide with his 50th birthday.
2017 – the main role in the new “Duck Tales”.
Unlike the original Duck Tales, Donald’s plot role has expanded significantly in the new project. He became a full-fledged character in every episode along with Scrooge McDuck, Billy, Willie, Dilly and Ponochka. When creating the image of Donald in modern “Duck Tales”, the authors were inspired by the cult comics of Karl Barks, in which the drake wears not only a classic blue sailor suit, but also a black jacket with gold buttons.
PS By the way, in honor of Donald’s birthday on June 9 from 12.00 until the evening on the air of the Disney Channel, you will find a marathon of the classic and new animated series “Duck Tales” – do not miss it.