# Modern Inventions

Modern Inventions is a 1937 American comic science fiction animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. The cartoon follows Donald Duck as he tours the fictional Museum of Modern Marvels. It was directed by Jack King in his first directing role at Disney, and features original music by Oliver Wallace. The voice cast includes Clarence Nash as Donald, Billy Bletcher as the Robot Butler, Adriana Caselotti as the Robot Baby Carriage and Don Brodie as the Robot Barber.
Modern Inventions pokes fun at modern conveniences. The scene of Donald in the barber's chair was submitted by Carl Barks as his first story contribution at Disney. It is also the final Disney short to be released by United Artists.

## Plot

Donald visits the Museum of Modern Marvels which showcases various futuristic electronic appliances and inventions. He uses a quarter on a line to get in; this allows him to keep it and get in as well. Once inside, he meets the Robot Butler, a robotic golden cyclops. The Robot Butler is programmed to greet guests and take their hats, but he has a flaw in his programming that compels him to take their hats whether they want to or not. A running gag is after Donald's hat is taken by the Robot Butler, Donald does a magic trick to produce another hat. Donald encounters a robotic hitchhiker, which he activates by making ambulance noises, but when he laughs at it, it pokes him in the eyes. Next, he goes to a bundle wrapper, which has a sign that says not to touch it. When Donald pulls a lever, the machine proceeds to grab him in two robotic arms, put wrapping paper around him, and put him in ribbons, like a package. He manages to break out by vigorously shaking, and continues exploring.
All the time, Donald has been losing hat after hat to the Robot Butler, making Donald angrier and angrier. Eventually, the Robot Butler chases him through the museum to an automated baby carriage, which Donald hides inside. Donald changes his current hat to a baby bonnet to wear as he is rocked as the song "Rock-a-bye Baby" is played. Donald starts crying about not getting milk. The machine gets out a bottle of milk, but it hits him in the face instead of going into his mouth, making Donald agitated.
The Robot Butler is again attracted by Donald's laughing and yanks the baby bonnet off his head. Donald produces one last hat and goes to a self-operating barber chair. Using his coin, Donald pays to get the works, but the machine ends up flipping him over; the result is that the machine gives his tail a haircut, cleans his bill, and coats his face with shoe polish. The Robot Butler appears yet again, and he then takes Donald's last hat, which causes Donald to throw an explosive tantrum.

## Production

The story was originally conceived as Mickey's Inventions, a vehicle for Donald's co-star Mickey Mouse. As Donald's star began to rise in 1936, the short was reworked as a duck cartoon.

## Voice cast
### Uncredited

* Clarence Nash as Donald Duck
* Billy Bletcher as Robot Butler
* Adriana Caselotti as Robot Baby Carriage
* Don Brodie as Robot Barber Chair

## Releases

Source:
* May 29, 1937 - original release (theatrical)
* c. 1992 - Mickey's Mouse Tracks, episode 7 (TV)
* c. 1992 - Donald's Quack Attack, episode 30 (TV)
* December 24, 1997 - Ink & Paint Club, episode 26: "Classic Donald" (TV)

## Home media

The short was released on May 18, 2004, on Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume One: 1934-1941.
It was also released on VHS is 1985 on Cartoon Classics: The Continuing Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale Featuring Donald Duck.

## Legacy

The cartoon would later serve as inspiration for suicide booths, fictional contraptions appearing in the American adult animated sitcom Futurama.
In an episode of the series House of Mouse, the cartoon is mentioned when Goofy and Minnie Mouse try to figure out the name of the cartoon where Donald's tail is given a haircut by the mechanical barber chair. Donald mistakenly tells them that it was from a short called Donald's Haircut made in 1945, only for Mickey Mouse to mention the correct name and year that it was made.