Don Donald

Don Donald
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBen Sharpsteen
Story byWebb Smith
Otto Englander
Merrill De Maris[1]
Produced byWalt Disney
StarringClarence Nash
Music byPaul J. Smith
Animation byFred Spencer
Dick Huemer
Al Eugster
Johnny Cannon
Milt Schaffer
Jack Hannah
Ugo D'Orsi[1]
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • January 9, 1937 (1937-01-09)
[2]
Running time
8 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Don Donald is a 1937 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists.[3] The cartoon follows Donald Duck attempting to woo a female Mexican duck named Donna. It was directed by Ben Sharpsteen and features music by Paul J. Smith which was adapted from the Mexican folk songs "Cielito Lindo" and "Jarabe Tapatío". Clarence Nash voiced both Donald and Donna.

Although billed at the time as another Mickey Mouse cartoon, explaining the face of Mickey Mouse at the beginning of the original release, the film is actually the first installment of the Donald Duck series, and is the first to feature Donald as the primary starring character.[4] The film also introduces a love interest for Donald.

  1. ^ a b "Walt Disney's "Don Donald" (1937) - Cartoon Research". Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  2. ^ Kaufman, J.B.; Gerstein, David (2018). Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History. Cologne: Taschen. ISBN 978-3-8365-5284-4.
  3. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 74–76. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  4. ^ Donald had appeared previously in 14 films as a co-star.