Tag Archives: Short film

September 1, 1944 – The Donald Duck Short Film The Plastics Inventor is Released to Theaters

“Now, the moment we’ve been waiting for: the first flight in our plastic plane.”

On September 1, 1944, the Donald Duck short film The Plastics Inventor was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack King, with story by Jack Hannah and Dick Shaw.

Donald is listening to a radio program called “The Plastic Hour with Professor Butterfield,” of which he is a big fan. He is excited about learning how to bake an airplane out of a huge hunk of junk. He waits until the plastic is ready to be poured into the mold, and creates the parts for the motor while he waits, and is soon ready to fly his plastic plane after baking his helmet as well. Soon, he heads up into the sky with his plane, and enjoys his flight immensely. The professor warns that the plane will melt in water, so Donald should be sure not to get it wet, and should avoid all rainclouds. Unfortunately, a storm quickly brews, and Donald quickly tries to keep his plane together, to no avail. He acts quickly to avoid some mountains, but ends up quickly losing parts of his plane in the process. The plane completely disintegrates, and Donald ends up falling to the ground, covering a flock of blackbirds like a pie. Angered by the professor’s carefree attitude about Donald’s plan falling apart in the rain, Donald takes a nearby watering can and dumps it on the radio, which, like the plane, quickly disintegrates.

August 9, 1940 – The Donald Duck Short Film Donald’s Vacation is Released to Theaters

“Doggone it! Am I mortified. This is absolutely…!”

On August 9, 1940, the Donald Duck short film Donald’s Vacation was released to theaters. The short was directed by Jack King.

Donald is sailing in his canoe, singing while playing his guitar, when he falls over a waterfall. He makes his way out of the river and sets up his camp, which fits rather nicely inside his canoe contraption, which doubles as a tent. He decides to relax, and pulls out a new e-z folding model of the Comfy Vacation Chair, although for Donald, it is anything but easy. Donald ends up folded in the chair as if he were imprisoned, and is soon flung back into the river. He gets back to the chair and starts jumping on it, until it springs into shape. A herd of chipmunks, having watched the interaction, observe Donald as he sleeps in his chair, then make a break for his food supplies. They accidentally puncture Donald’s tail with a pineapple, waking him from his slumber; as he jumps in the air, he is once again trapped in his chair, helpless to watch as the chipmunks carry his food away. He uses the chair to propel him forward to chase the chipmunks, unaware that a bear has discovered his food as well. As he chases the chipmunks, he crashes into his food and ends up grabbing the bear by accident. Annoyed, the bear chases after Donald all over the woods, which ends with Donald quickly packing up his things and hightailing it down the river once again.