Evening star., 1942-02-15
Congress Just Another Ache for Donald
His Life Has Been Full of Them, Destiny That Makes
Clear Why He Is Full of Bombast and Spleen
HOLLYWOOD.


-Today's Hollywood star in the
headlines is a waddling fowl-known
to the world over as Donald Duck.
over his defenseless head is being
fought a battle worth millions OF
dollars of publicity!
While Congressmen are in tizzy
over Donald Ducks short, '"The New
Spirit" on income tax, 1t Is 1asci-
mating to review the life story OF TINS
fine feathered friend Of Walt Dis
news. Donald's rise to fame-and
infacy. is one Of Hollywoods great
est success stories.
Legend has it that he came into
being one stormy night-Friday the
18th. That he few into WINDOW
of the Disney studio disguised as
mud puddle, completely dlsrupting
story conference with his belllger-
ent: do va wanna flght?"
In reality the conception OF Dom
old Ducks character was accidental.
Clarence Nash, a bird and amman
imitator on the Chatauqua, was
working on a Disney picture one day
giving his version of a scared nttie
girl reciting Mary Had Little
Lamb" When Disney heard IL ne
said to his story gang: That man
has a peculiar vocal equipment. =.
He sounds like a duck talking we
might use his voice in a picture some
time. Take his address down"
Disney Remembered Voice.
Two years later, Clarence Nasn
was recalled to the studio and soon
after put under contract. Donald
Duck came into being. His start
was a very humble one, IN the extra
ranks. His first bit was in The
Wise Little Hen
Donald got completely out OF hand.
He souawked and beloved and
strutted until you would have
thought he was the star OF the pic
ture. He attracted so much atten-
ton that Walt and his gang decided
to give him buildup.
In his next picture, "The Orphans
Benefit" he had more lines. He
played the part Of an entertainer
who insisted on reciting Mary Had
q Little Lamb" and Little Boy
Blue" despite the orphans response
with potted plants, vegetables and
brac-a- -brac. This time Donald
wrapped up the picture and waddled
off with it tucked under one wing!
His towering RACES, his utter i'm
potence in the face of ever-present
obstacles had audiences bowling.
With great ease he slipped into
character roles. He was an officer OF
the law in The Dog Catcher"
peanut vendor in "Mickey's Band
Concert" a fireman in "Mickey's
Fire Brigade" a mallet wielder in
"Mickey's Polo Team" - mischief
maker in all of them.
He Tries to Be Good.
Donald began to have humanl-
tartan instincts in his following pic
lures. He tried desperately to be
good time and again, but Fate was
always against him. AS Donald put
it: Everything I do right goes
wrong. To me the world is just a
hat with a brick underneath. I have
a sneaking hunch that people like
me, but they like to see me get it
in the neck :. I represent the little
guy with big ideas who can't put
them across"
In nutshell, the reason for
Donald Ducks extreme success is
because this is essentially an era
of Illustration and Donald is its
epitome.
1t took him three years to achieve
stardom in his own right in Modern
Inventions" Shortly after, his three
little nephews, Hewey, Dewey and
Louey entered the scene to make
his life more hectic.
Last December 18th, Mr.. Donald
Duck felt that he had reached the
pinnacle of all Hollywood successes
when the United States Treasury |
Department called his boss to Wash
ington to ask if he could be inter-
ested in making a Donald Duck |
picture on income taXeS-ideaS to
be worked out which incorporated
entertainment as only Donald Duck |
can dish it out, as we'll as dramatic |
information graphically showing the