Tag Archives: Donald Duck

December 5, 1941 – The Donald Duck Short Film Chef Donald is Released to Theaters

“Cooking is as simple as A, B, C, with a Mother Mallard’s recipe!”

On December 5, 1941, the Donald Duck short film Chef Donald was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack King.

Donald is listening to the radio while adding pages to his cooking scrapbook with rubber cement, accidentally adding a recipe for roast duck. He removes it before his favorite cooking show starts, and he hears the recipe for the day: waffles. Hungry, Donald quickly sets aside the rubber cement and gets ready to cook. As he goes to add the baking powder, he accidentally adds the rubber cement. When he tries to add the batter into his waffle iron, the batter refuses to leave the bowl. He then gets the bowl and mixing spoon stuck to the iron, and as he tries to unstick them, he knocks over his ironing board, and the iron presses his chef’s hat flat. Once again, he tries to mix the batter, but the strength of the batter and the amount of turns he gave it with his spoon give the spoon a propeller effect, and the bowl chases Donald around the room. The bowl catches the cord of the waffle iron and takes it for a spin before wrapping it around Donald. After the bowl finishes flying, Donald angrily attacks the batter, and gets his head stuck in the bowl. As he wriggles around, he ends up getting his tail stick in the waffle iron, cooking his tail instead. Still unaware of his mistake, Donald uses desperate measures to separate the batter from the bowl, using an axe and various other tools. The axe bounces off the batter and sends Donald flying up to the ceiling, where the hit of the axe creates a crack that travels through the entire house, and goes far enough to send the bowl flying at Donald’s head. Donald tries throwing the batter out the door, only to have the batter get caught on the doorknob and flying back in, trapping Donald in a web of batter. Angry, Donald decides to go to the radio station and let his temper get the best of him.

November 12, 1954 – The Donald Duck Short Film The Flying Squirrel is Released to Theaters

“I’ll get that peanut back!”

On November 12, 1954, the Donald Duck short film The Flying Squirrel was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack Hannah, with story by Nick George and Roy Williams.

A flying squirrel is picking acorns from a free and flying home to his nest, when he sees Donald selling peanuts in the park. He stops by to grab a few, but is scared off by Donald. Donald, however, asks the squirrel to help hang up his sign in the nearby tree, offering the squirrel a peanut. Unfortunately, the peanut Donald gave him was rotten, and when he goes to complain, Donald folds him up like a paper airplane and throws him far away. The squirrel ends up in a fountain, even more determined to get a peanut, and is able to rope one with a piece of string. Doanld catches him once again, however, and throws him using a slingshot. The squirrel ends up amongst a box of Quacker Jaxs, the snack with a prize in every package, and uses the prizes to create a costume for himself.

Donald searches for the flying squirrel as he hides among the snack boxes

Donald hears something from the table nearby, and looks over to find the flying squirrel dressed up as a sheriff. Donald grabs another pair of toy guns from a Quacker Jax box and pretends to shoot the squirrel; while the squirrel plays dead, Donald reaches in to grab him, only to find his fingers handcuffed. The squirrel retrieves his peanut from Donald’s pocket and runs away. Donald finally frees himself and, in an effort to get his peanut back, grabs a giant peanut costume and hides at the base of a tree. The squirrel takes one look at the giant peanut and discards his, which Donald eagerly snatches up. Donald doesn’t notice, however, that his giant peanut disguise has been wrapped in a rope by the squirrel, who pulls the peanut up to roast it over the flame in Donald’s cart. Donald leaps out of the rope and heads to the pond to cool off; once the disguise is revealed, the squirrel beats him over the head with a branch, retrieving the peanut while Donald is out of it. An all-out war ensues over the peanut, with both using any weapon at their disposal. In the end, Donald’s cart is destroyed, and the squirrel successfully gets the peanut.

October 26, 1945 – The Donald Duck Short Film Cured Duck is Released to Theaters

“Temper, temper, shame on you! You never see me lose my temper, do you?”

On October 26, 1945, the Donald Duck short film Cured Duck was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack King, with story by Roy Williams.

Donald is walking down the street with a cigar, blowing smoke hearts as he heads to Daisy’s house. She gets herself ready as she sees him approach, although she is less than happy about his cigar smoke. He tries to open the window for her, and is angered when it is sealed shut. He throws a tantrum, breaking all of her belongings. Having had enough, she admonishes him for his temper, and gives him an ultimatum: she won’t go out with him again until he controls his temper. Donald dejectedly walks away, and comes across a newspaper ad for a mail-order temper cure. His package soon arrives, and enclosed is an insult machine from the Tootsberry Institute of Temperism, which tells him that if Donald can withstand its insults for ten minutes and still control his temper, he will be cured. The machines is really rough with Donald, and loses it after 30 seconds. The tests get more and more rough, but finally, Donald is able to pass the test and receive his certificate. He jumps in his car and drives back to Daisy’s, and she tests him with opening the window again, and although he has problems, he manages to get the window open and doesn’t lose his temper after all the mishaps. When she shows up with a new hat, he laughs at the ridiculousness of it, and she loses her temper, beating him over the head with a broom.

October 13, 1950 – The Donald Duck Short Film Bee at the Beach is Released to Theaters

“No no, not that!”

On October 13, 1950, the Donald Duck short film Bee at the Beach was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack Hannah, with story by Nick George and Bill Berg.

It’s a busy day at the beach, and Spike the Bee is looking for a place to lay out. Finally spying an empty spot, he dives in, only to be beaten to the spot by Donald. However, he tries to make the best of what he can claim, until Donald continues to interrupt him, including step on his on his way to the ocean. Frustrated, he heads over to get Donald’s attention, and kicks sand in the duck’s face. Donald retaliates by blowing him away and using his stinger to open his soda; Spike in turn decides to poke holes in Donald’s straw. Donald eventually traps Spike in his soda, and decides to go use his new super duper raft in the ocean. Spike realizes that if he sets off enough carbonation, he can escape, and decides to use his stinger to pop a giant hole in Donald’s raft. Donald is able to avoid the direct hit, but Spike is able to let the air out, sending Donald out into the ocean into an area full of sharks. Although Donald manages to inflate the raft, Spike once again appears, threatening to punch a hole in the raft. Donald begs for his life, and Spike taunts him by poking several holes, which Donald quickly plugs with his fingers and toes, then takes a feather from Donald’s tail and uses it to lure the sharks. Donald manages to avoid getting his tail bitten off, but can’t avoid the sharks for too long, and he soon finds himself using an umbrella to try and fly away, much to Spike’s amusement.