Classic Cartoons

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On The Donald … the Real One

Background
Created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions

Voiced by Clarence Nash until Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)

Tony Anselmo (mentored by Nash) voiced starting with Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

First animated by Dick Huemer and Art Babbit

Dick Lundy developed Donald’s character.

Drawn in comics by Al Taliaferro, Carl Barks, and Don Rosa

Development

  • Started as an extra character
  • Appeared with Goofy as a supporting character to Mickey Mouse
  • Eventually developed into the main character
  • Followed a similar path in comics

Filmography
Appearing in over 150 theatrical films and shorts

Has the most theatrical appearances than any Disney character

First appeared in The Wise Little Hen (1934)

Second appearance in Orphan’s Benefit served as first encounter with Mickey Mouse

First appeared with Mickey and Goofy in Mickey’s Service Station (1935)

First star billing in Donald’s Ostrich (1937)

Personal/Personality
Middle name is Fauntleroy, thus the only major Disney character with an official middle name

Original name was Donald Oliver Duckling

Dressed in a blue sailor shirt, a white cap with a black or red bow tie

Most distinguishable characteristic is his speech

Personality described as mischievous, temperamental, a show-off, bragger, tenacious, and positive

Donald isn’t a sailor, but wears a sailor outfit because Daisy likes men in uniforms

Catch Phrases

  • “What’s the big idea!?”.
  • “Aw, phooey!
  • “Hiya, toots!”.
  • “So!!!”
  • Muttering, “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

Family, Friends, and Foes
Nephews Huey, Louie and Dewey (introduced 1938)

Twin sister: Thelma (Della) Duck, but also referred to as Dumbella (introduced 1937)

Cousin Gus Goose (introduced 1939)

European Uncle Ludwig von Drake (introduced 1961)

Rich uncle Scrooge McDuck (introduced 1947)

Girlfriend, Daisy (introduced 1937), but was originally named Donna Duck

Family tree according to Carl Barks

Image from Wikipedia

Image from Wikipedia

Donald’s wants to be Disney’s biggest star, thus the rivalry with Mickey Mouse Throughout his career, which resembles the Bugs Bunny-Daffy Duck rivalry

Consider the Mouseketeers theme to “D-O-N-A-L-D D-U-C-K! Donald Duck!” … or the Mouseketeer theme with chants of “Donald Duck” after mentioning Mickey

Foes include Chip ‘n’ Dale, Humphrey the Bear, Spike The Bee, Mountain Lion Louie, Bootle Beetle, Witch Hazel (in Trick or Treat), Aracuan Bird, and Baby Shelby

Honors
Received 8 non-winning Oscar nominations for Good Scouts (1938), Truant Officer Donald (1941), Donald’s Crime (1945), Chip ‘n’ Dale (1947), Tea for Two Hundred (1948), Toy Tinkers (1949), Rugged Bear (1953), and No Hunting (1955)

Oscar winner for Best Animated Short Film: Der Fuehrer’s Face (1943), a parody of Nazi Germany

TV Guide’s list of the 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time (#43) in 2002

He has appeared in more films than any other Disney character, and is the most published comic book character in the world outside of the superhero genre

A mini-series of seven short films following Donald’s life in the army from being drafted to basic training to being in an actual mission

Thanks in part to the mini-series supporting the war effort, Donald graced the nose artwork of virtually every type of WWII Allied combat aircraft

Miscellaneous
In the Disney Studios, Donald is often referred to as “The Duck”

Walt Disney described Donald Duck as Disney’s “problem child”

A duck skeleton that looks like Donald can be seen in James and the Giant Peach

Donald makes a cameo appearance in The Little Mermaid

Donald Duck is the only popular film and TV cartoon character to appear as a sports team mascot (Oregon Ducks at the University of Oregon)

Donald Duck Orange Juice, introduced by Citrus World in 1940.

A video game Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers

Below is a compilation tribute and the short earning his first Oscar nomination  (Good Scouts) … Enjoy

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On Popeye Day

Get ready to sing along because today is Popeye Day! (Words will appear during the second stanza)

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During my youth, the Mr. Cartoon Show at 4 in the afternoon on WSAZ provided my weekday cartoon fix … and Popeye the Sailor was the star of the show. Once I learned about Saturday being Popeye Day (actually celebrating his comic strip debut in 1929), I delayed the next Explore post because this is the perfect opportunity to revisit some classic characters through past posts.

Here’s the main cast of characters
Popeye
Olive Oyl
Bluto
Wimpy

Which did you visit?

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On the First Feline Star

Felix, a squatty black cat with wide eyes and a recognizable smile, is the first true animation star. His popularity during the silent film era matched that of film stars.

It’s time to watch the screen to sing along with his introduction

The Early Years
Felix’s origins are disputable; but linked to Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer

His prototype’s first appearance is disputable, either Feline Follies (1919) or Tail of Thomas the Kat – but Felix wasn’t the name in either

Adventures of Felix (1919) marked the appearance of Felix as the name

Besides is his popularity, there was a successful transition from screen to print with over 250 newspapers in syndication with the comic strip

Supporting characters include Willie Jones (his master), Skiddoo (mouse), Inky, Dinky, & Winky (nephews, and Kitty (girlfriend)

US Navy Fighter Squadron 2-B chose Felix as a mascot, thus appeared holding a bomb on the side of F-3 biplanes (1920s)

New York Yankees adopt Felix as the team mascot (1922)

Logansport High School (Indiana) choses Felix as the school mascot (1926), and remains so today … although their nickname is the Berries

Charles Lindbergh took a Felix doll on his historic solo flight across the Atlantic (1927)

Felix appeared as the first balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (1927)

RCA used a papier-mâché Felix doll in a test as one of the first images ever broadcast by television (1928)

Felix’s last silent film was The Last Life (1928)

Felix the Cat by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra

Felix Kept on Walking by Paul Whiteman

Post-Silent Film Era
Transition from silent to sound unsuccessful as new characters became more popular

1st voiced by Mae Questral (1936)

Animation transitioned to Joe Oriolo (and eventually Don Oriolo), who produced 264 shorts featuring Felix (voiced by Jack Mercer for 29 years)

Felix, now less mischievous, using a “bag of tricks” became his trademark

First full feature film was Felix the Cat: The Movie (1988)

DreamWorks Animations currently own Felix the Cat

Newer Opener

Honors
#28 TV Guide’s Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time (2002)

#89 British Television Channel 4 poll of 100 Greatest Cartoon Characters (2004)

#36 Animal Planet’s 50 Greatest Movie Animals (2004)

Enjoy this tribute

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On Reviewing Frostbite Falls

Seldom a ratings superstar,m but it’s longevity speaks volumes. From the originals to reruns to syndication to remakes to movies and more, Rocky, Bullwinkle, and their friends are legends.

Based on The Frostbite Falls Review, a proposal that never aired

Premiered on November 1959 as Rocky & His Friends on ABC for airing on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons

Original series in black and white

Moved to NBC (1961) in a Sunday night timeslot

After moving the series into different timeslots, the last show aired June 27, 1964

5 seasons provided 163 episodes

Created by Jay Ward and Bill Scott

Produced by Jay Ward Productions

Voices by Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees, Walter Tetley, Daws Butler, Charlie Ruggles, Hans Conried, William Conrad, and Edward Everett Horton

Previously-Honored Characters –  Visit as many as you want … Which did you visit?

Closing Credits

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On a Foghorn Reprise

With his classic, That’s a joke… I say, that’s a joke son, plus numerous one-liners, Foghorn Leghorn is one of my favorite classics. As a matter of fact, he was an early honoree here, but that was before I developed the format I now use. With that in mind, it’s time to give him this overdue honor!

Background
A large, friendly rooster with an overbearing personality

Created by Robert McKimson

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons for Warner Brothers

Original based on The Sheriff, a West Coast radio character, but after the growing popularity of Senator Claghorn, a classic radio character on the nationally syndicated Fred Allen Show, Foghorn followed Claghorn’s character

Original voice by Mel Blanc (1946-1987), followed by 9 others

Starred in 28 cartoons between 1946 and 1963
First: Walky Talky Hawky (August 31, 1946)
Last: Banty Raids (1963)

Walky Talky Hawky nominated for Academy Award, but lost to Tom and Jerry’s The Cat Concerto

Made a cameo in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and Space Jam (1996)

Appeared in commercials for GEICO, KFC, Oscar Meyer Hotdogs

Personal
Loves to hum Camptown Races, but only knew the words “Duh dah, Duh dah”

Appears with Henery Hawk – a young chickenhawk who usually is seen looking for a chicken to eat, but doesn’t know what a chicken looks like

Dog nemesis is Barnyard Dog (aka George P Dog)

Also appeared with Barnyard Cat, Bill the Weasel, Poppy and Elvis (Enjoy this classic rant with Barnyard Cat

In attempting to woo the widowed Miss Prissy, he babysits her son, Egghead Jr

Moves around a lot – one address is Cucamonga, California where he received a telegram from Rhode Island Red, but also flies south of the “Masie-Dixie Line” to get “out of the deep freeze and into the deep south”

Went to Chicken Tech and with his chum, Rhode Island Red

Grandfather to Feather Buster

Classic Quotes
Foghorn Leghorn has many classic one liners … enjoy the video with a collection, as well as the list below.

Okay, I’ll shut up. Some fellas have to keep their tongues flappin’ but not me. I was brought up right. My pa used to tell me to shut up and I’d shut up. I wouldn’t say nothin’. One time darn near starved to death. Wouldn’t tell him I was hungry.

Boys as sharp as a bowling ball.

Pay attention, boy!

Boy’s like a dead horse — got no get-up-and-go.

That boy’s as strong as an ox, and just about as smart.

That boy’s like a tattoo … gets under your skin.

Go away boy. Ya bother me.

This is gonna cause more confusion than a mouse in a burlesque show!

You’re doing a lot of choppin’, but no chips are flyin’. I’m cuttin’ but you’re not bleedin’!

Clunk enough people and we’ll have a nation of lumpheads.

Aaaaaahhhhh, shuuutupp!!

Nice girl, but about as sharp as a sack of wet mice.

That womans as cold as a nudist on an iceberg.

She reminds me of Paul Revere’s ride – a little light in the belfry.

Gal reminds me of the highway between Ft. Worth and Dallas – no curves.

Boy’s like a dead horse – got no get up and go.

That kid’s about as sharp as a pound of wet liver.

If kid don’t stop talkin’ so much he’ll get his tongue sunburned.

That dog’s as subtle as a hand grenade in a barrel of oat meal.

Look sister, is any of this filtering through that little blue bonnet of yours?

I’ve got this boy as figgity as a bubble dancer with a slow leak.

You look like two miles of bad road.

I-I-I know what you’re gonna say son. When two halves is gone there’s nuthin’ left – and you’re right. It’s a little ol’ worm who wasn’t there. Two nuthins is nuthin’. That’s mathematics son. You can argue with me but you can’t argue with figures. Two half nuthins is a whole nuthin’.

Enjoy the full episode of PoP Goes the Weasel (1953)