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India Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Happy Birthday, Donald Duck: The feisty duck's quirky journey into our hearts
Screengrabs from The Wise Little Hen (l), and Orphan's Benefit (r) Donald first appears on June 9, 1934 in The Wise Little Hen His iconic voice comes from Clarence Nash's buccal technique He starred in more Disney shorts than any other character On a humid summer day on June 9, 1934, a new kind of animated star waddled into view. Six years after Mickey Mouse's debut, it was the turn of Donald Duck. He first met his audience in The Wise Little Hen where he annoys a hen by faking a stomach ache to dodge work. That cheeky first glimpse set him on a path to become one of Disney's most unforgettable characters. Donald's first TV appearance is just seven minutes long, but his unique personality shines through. His appearance, supporting the hen, alongside Peter Pig, nearly steals the show with his iconic squawk and feigned laziness. The message is clear: work hard or castor oil awaits! A ROGUE WITH A UNIQUE VOICE Donald Duck was created by Walt Disney as a foil to Mickey Mouse -- someone with a bit more edge. While Mickey was cheerful and composed, Walt wanted a character who could get frustrated, throw tantrums, and express more human flaws. What makes Donald so compelling isn't just his sailor suit or his temper -- it's how he sounds. Clarence 'Ducky' Nash lent his unique, near-incomprehensible voice, the kind that blended irritation and charm in equal measure. Nash used buccal speech (creating sounds using cheek movements), and Walt Disney instantly knew: 'That's our talking duck.' That voice stayed Donald's signature for decades. Donald's sailor outfit and fiery temper were designed to set him apart, making him more unpredictable and comically relatable to audiences. After Clarence Nash passed away, American animator and voice actor Tony Anselmo took over as the official voice of Donald Duck from 1985. Tony Anselmo (l) with mentor Clarence Nash (r) (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) RISING TO STARDOM By 1934, Donald had evolved from cameo to co-star. In August, he appeared in Orphan's Benefit , stepping alongside Mickey and pulling off a memorable comedic routine -- one that doubled his appeal as a cartoon underdog. Donald Duck in Orphan's Benefit Donald's reach kept growing as he starred in classic Disney shorts during World War II -- like the Oscar-winning Der Fhrer's Face -- boosting morale while showcasing his temper -- and swagger. Donald Duck in Der Fhrer's Face He even earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. BEYOND THE SCREEN Donald isn't just on-screen mischief. He's also a TV character ( DuckTales ), a video-game hero ( Kingdom Hearts ), and star of adventures that took him from South America ( Saludos Amigos ) to his own comics vault in Duckburg . In the comics, he became a global cultural icon. That Finnish have a big soft corner for the duck – they still adore Donald nearly as much as Japanese fans cherish Hello Kitty. His stories are vivid, vibrant, and full of goosebump-worthy moments. (l to r) DuckTales, Duckburg, Kingdom Hearts, Saludos Amigos WHY DONALD STILL CHARMS US Donald Duck is flawed, fiery, and funny -- but also fearless. His stubborn defiance makes him relatable. He fails, sputters, storms off -- and then we laugh with him, not just at him. His voice, his temper, and that sailor outfit all combine to give him a timeless appeal. As Donald turns 91, we wish him a very happy birthday! On a humid summer day on June 9, 1934, a new kind of animated star waddled into view. Six years after Mickey Mouse's debut, it was the turn of Donald Duck. He first met his audience in The Wise Little Hen where he annoys a hen by faking a stomach ache to dodge work. That cheeky first glimpse set him on a path to become one of Disney's most unforgettable characters. Donald's first TV appearance is just seven minutes long, but his unique personality shines through. His appearance, supporting the hen, alongside Peter Pig, nearly steals the show with his iconic squawk and feigned laziness. The message is clear: work hard or castor oil awaits! A ROGUE WITH A UNIQUE VOICE Donald Duck was created by Walt Disney as a foil to Mickey Mouse -- someone with a bit more edge. While Mickey was cheerful and composed, Walt wanted a character who could get frustrated, throw tantrums, and express more human flaws. What makes Donald so compelling isn't just his sailor suit or his temper -- it's how he sounds. Clarence 'Ducky' Nash lent his unique, near-incomprehensible voice, the kind that blended irritation and charm in equal measure. Nash used buccal speech (creating sounds using cheek movements), and Walt Disney instantly knew: 'That's our talking duck.' That voice stayed Donald's signature for decades. Donald's sailor outfit and fiery temper were designed to set him apart, making him more unpredictable and comically relatable to audiences. After Clarence Nash passed away, American animator and voice actor Tony Anselmo took over as the official voice of Donald Duck from 1985. Tony Anselmo (l) with mentor Clarence Nash (r) (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) RISING TO STARDOM By 1934, Donald had evolved from cameo to co-star. In August, he appeared in Orphan's Benefit , stepping alongside Mickey and pulling off a memorable comedic routine -- one that doubled his appeal as a cartoon underdog. Donald Duck in Orphan's Benefit Donald's reach kept growing as he starred in classic Disney shorts during World War II -- like the Oscar-winning Der Fhrer's Face -- boosting morale while showcasing his temper -- and swagger. Donald Duck in Der Fhrer's Face He even earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. BEYOND THE SCREEN Donald isn't just on-screen mischief. He's also a TV character ( DuckTales ), a video-game hero ( Kingdom Hearts ), and star of adventures that took him from South America ( Saludos Amigos ) to his own comics vault in Duckburg . In the comics, he became a global cultural icon. That Finnish have a big soft corner for the duck – they still adore Donald nearly as much as Japanese fans cherish Hello Kitty. His stories are vivid, vibrant, and full of goosebump-worthy moments. (l to r) DuckTales, Duckburg, Kingdom Hearts, Saludos Amigos WHY DONALD STILL CHARMS US Donald Duck is flawed, fiery, and funny -- but also fearless. His stubborn defiance makes him relatable. He fails, sputters, storms off -- and then we laugh with him, not just at him. His voice, his temper, and that sailor outfit all combine to give him a timeless appeal. As Donald turns 91, we wish him a very happy birthday! Join our WhatsApp Channel
India.com
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This 'star' is 100 times richer than Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, owns a vault filled with gold, but there's a twist, his name is...
We often read about the richest actor, actress, filmmaker, and director in the world. From Arnold Schwarzenegger to Shah Rukh Khan, to George Lucas, all the renowned names have raked in moolah over the years, thanks to their super hit films and other side hustles in the name of business. These actors, who portray non-fictional characters in movies, have become the richest among all, but let us tell you that even in the fictional world, there are billionaires surpassing all these real actors—be it Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark, the Raichands, Rocky Randhawa, and more! Though these people can be billionaires, there is one character who is a trillionaire, and one cannot even imagine his fortune! This Person is Richer Than Many Countries Even before reading the name of this character, let us tell you that he is not your regular one! He knows how to entertain, he knows how to keep you engaged, and he knows everything in between. But, he is not a person! Yes, that's correct—we are talking about none other than the much-loved Scrooge McDuck! Now, let's transport ourselves back to those childhood days when we turned to Disney Channel and watched our favorite cartoons from Mickey Mouse to Big City Greens. Among these, another cartoon character who gained immense love and admiration was Scrooge McDuck from the series DuckTales. Scrooge McDuck has been rated as the richest fictional character by various public platforms. Forbes, an international business magazine, included the name of Scrooge McDuck in its 'Fictional 15' – a list of the richest fictional characters. According to the magazine, McDuck's wealth was estimated at over $64 billion at the time, placing him on par with the world's richest individuals. Various theories related to McDuck often float on the internet, and one YouTube channel, Film Theorists, analyzed McDuck's adventures in DuckTales and its spinoffs. They concluded that his wealth could conservatively be estimated at $239 billion (Rs 2 lakh crore), while a more generous estimate puts it at a whopping $12 trillion (Rs 100 lakh crore), making McDuck the richest among all.
