Tag Archives: 1940s

December 21, 1945 – The Donald Duck Short Film Old Sequoia is Released to Theaters

“If Old Sequoia goes, you go!”

On December 21, 1945, the Donald Duck short film Old Sequoia was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack King, with story by Homer Brightman.

The short begins at a national park, where the tree Old Sequoia proudly stands. Two beavers are chopping down trees close to Old Sequoia at a rapid pace, unbeknownst to Donald, who is snoozing away in the ranger station. He nearly falls from the post when he receives a call, and is lectured about the trees in his park. The lead ranger threatens him, and Donald rushes to his task. He spies the beavers near Old Sequoia and chases after them as fast as he can. The beavers manage to trip him up, then set their sights on Old Sequoia. Donald manages to trap them with his shotgun, just as the phone rings. He is lectured again by his boss, and he sprints back to guard Old Sequoia. He realizes that the beavers have gotten into the tree to chop it down, and poor Donald can only watch as sawdust comes out of the tree. He attempts to put the sawdust back in the tree, and only ends up making the tree implode. The tree, left standing by a tiny stand, threatens to fall, with Donald just barely able to keep it propped up. Unfortunately, the tree falls, taking the ranger station with it. Donald receives one final call from his boss, informing him he is fired.

December 16, 1949 – The Donald Duck Short Film Toy Tinkers is Released to Theaters

“Prepare to defend yourselves!”

On December 16, 1949, the Donald Duck short film Toy Tinkers was released to theaters. The sixteen mm release of the film gave it another title of Christmas Capers. The short was directed by Jack Hannah, with story by Harry Reeves and Milt Banta.

It’s a beautiful winter’s night, and Chip and Dale are sound asleep in their log when Chip is awakened by Donald chopping down a Christmas tree. Chip wakes up Dale, and the two follow Donald home, where they spy all sorts of Christmas goodies through the window. Chip devises a plan to get inside and unnoticed, and the two start collecting the nuts they spotted inside. Dale gets a bit distracted after taking a hat and cane from a teddy bear, and starts playing with the toys. Donald notices the two stealing the nuts, and decides to play a prank on the while reclaiming the nuts; the chipmunks are much smarter than Donald, however, and the two groups go back and forth trying to one-up the other. The two engage in a war, throwing ornaments at each other, but eventually, Donald raises the white flag of surrender while the boys make off with the nuts and the toys.

November 25, 1949 – The Donald Duck Short Film Slide, Donald, Slide is Released to Theaters

“Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! World Series today!”

On November 25, 1949, the Donald Duck short film Slide, Donald, Slide was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack Hannah, with story by Nick George and Bill Berg.

It’s a beautiful day, with Spike the bee being serenaded by classical music on the radio. He pretends to conduct a full orchestra as the music plays, only to be interrupted by Donald switching to the World Series. Spike angrily switches back, and Donald spots the bee. He places Spike near the radio and blares the ball game in his ears, scaring him. Donald then acts out the game excitedly, but gets a rude interruption from Spike again. Spike doesn’t give up easily, and enters the radio itself to change the channel. Donald manages to capture the bee and uses him as the ball in his baseball game. Spike tries to sting Donald, but Donald safely stays inside. As Spike threatens him with his stinger and taunts him with snippets of the game. Donald in retaliation creates a fake radio that will blow up in Spike’s face, and Donald, in his excitement, doesn’t see Spike’s stinger waiting, and gets stung in the backside. As Donald heads inside, Spike locks him in the shower and changes the station to his classical music, with Donald unknowingly contributing to the piece.

October 14, 1949 – The Donald Duck Short Film The Greener Yard is Released to Theaters

“It was a paradise all right, just full of fancy foods.”

On October 14, 1949, the Donald Duck short film The Greener Yard was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack Hannah, with story by Bill Berg and Milt Banta.

The story begins next to the yard of Donald Duck, where Bootle Beetle is preparing a meal for his son. His son is upset that they’re having beans again for dinner, and Bootle Beetle warns him that the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence. In Donald’s yard, Donald is feeding his birds, which Bootle Beetle calls a land of plenty – except for beetles. He then recalls a story from his youth when he travels to Donald’s yard to savor the foods in the garden. Unfortunately, he doesn’t realize that Donald is coming to work in his garden, and is caught unawares. Donald tries to smash Bootle Beetle, but the beetle ends up escaping into the hose. Donald manages to get him out of the hose, but knocks himself out on a tree branch in the process. Donald rouses and chases him across the yard, as do the chickens, but the resourceful beetle manages to save himself from being eaten. Two birds run off with Bootle Beetle, and he manages to slip out of their grasp as they argue who will eat him. He falls into his home, and relays that there is no place like home. His son rushes to gratefully eat his beans, but when he hears the clucking of chicken, he looks up in surprise to find his father has stolen some watermelon from Donald’s yard for dessert.

September 12, 1947 – The Donald Duck Short Film Wide Open Spaces is Released to Theaters

“Sweet repose.”

On September 12, 1947, the Donald Duck short film Wide Open Spaces was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack King, with story by MacDonald MacPherson and Jack Huber.

At the Hold-Up Motel, Donald screeches to a halt in front and wearily makes his way inside, only to find that there’s nothing available but the cot on the porch for $16. Donald is furious, and gets kicked back into his car by the management. He drives away and decides to set up an air mattress in the woods, but has little luck in keeping the mattress inflated. Donald finally manages to get it inflated, only to find a rock under the mattress. He throws the rock up a hill, which accidentally starts an avalanche. Donald flees from the scene in his car, but gets crushed against a tree by a giant boulder. Weary, Donald tries to get back to sleep, but ends up snoring himself into the nearby river, where he shares his sleep with a giant fish. He gets back to the mattress, but ends up getting slapped in the face by a branch that moves with his snoring. He props the branch up to keep it from swinging into him, but his snoring once again causes the branch to move, landing on the air pump and inflating the air mattress to the point that it flies away, sending Donald straight to the door of the motel, where he owes the owner $16. Donald pays him in his sleep, and when the owner forcibly removes Donald from the cot, he lands into a cactus, where he continues to doze happily.