Donald Duck's 50th Birthday

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Donald Duck's 50th Birthday
Donald50logo.jpg
Logo used by Disney in the birthday tour and the CBS television special.
Written by Peter Elbling
Andrew Solt
Directed by Andrew Solt
Phil Savenick
Starring Dick Van Dyke
Clarence Nash
John Harlan
Music by Paul J. Smith
John Debney
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Producer Andrew Solt
Production companiesAndrew Solt Productions
Walt Disney Pictures Television
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseNovember 13, 1984 (1984-11-13)
Related

Donald Duck's 50th Birthday is a television special broadcast on The Magical World of Disney on November 13, 1984 on CBS. As the title suggests, it was produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Donald Duck character, who first appeared in the Walt Disney short The Wise Little Hen in 1934. [1]

Contents

Donald is shown in both animated and live costumed form, interacting with emcee Dick Van Dyke and other cast members. The film not only shows Donald's life, but also depicts an extensive international tour that Donald went on in 1984. Various celebrities of the day send Donald birthday greetings, including Ed Asner, Andy Warhol, Donna Summer and the Star Wars droids. [2] The tour culminates in a parade in Donald's honor at Disneyland.

This was the last time Clarence Nash voiced Donald Duck before his death a year later. It was rebroadcast on Disney Channel Europe on November 13, 2004 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the special plus at the end of the special, it has the sign: "Walt Disney 1901–1966 Clarence Nash 1904–1985".

Features

1984 birthday tour

In 1984, Donald Duck (in live form) went on an international tour through Europe, Japan and parts of the United States. Some of these stops on his tour actual stage performances attended by other (live) Disney characters. Donald's arrival at airports (on his own plane depicting Donald in flight on the tailfin) was met with colossal crowds that kept getting bigger. There were also several parades for Donald, and not just at the Disney theme parks. In one, Donald sat in a staff car in his military uniform and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. This scene was also when he was discharged from the US Army. Donald is also shown having his footprints cast in cement at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in May 1984.

In the film, Donald's tour is shown with music as well as dialogue, assumedly added later by Clarence Nash.

Cast

Muppet performers

Also featured is Walt Disney in several clips (Disney himself having died in 1966).

Soundtrack

The Donald Duck's 50th Birthday
EP by
various artists
ReleasedNovember 1, 1984 (1984-11-01)
Recorded1984
Genre Various
LengthUnknown
Label Disneyland
Producer Uncredited
Singles from The Donald Duck's 50th Birthday Album
  1. "Happy, Happy Birthday to You (Donald Duck Version)"
    Released: 1984
  2. "Going Quackers"
    Released: 1985
  3. "Can You Quack Like Donald Duck?"
    Released: 1986
  4. "Tutti Frutti"
    Released: 1987
  5. "The Army's Not the Army Anymore"
    Released: 1988
  6. "Donald Duck Theme"
    Released: 1989

Happy, Happy Birthday to You (Donald Duck Version) was released on the Splashdance LP and cassette. Splashdance has since been re-released on compact disc.

Notes

  1. Jenner changed her name to Caitlyn Jenner due to gender transition in 2015. [3]

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References

  1. Woolery, George W. (1989). Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987. Scarecrow Press. pp. 127–128. ISBN   0-8108-2198-2 . Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 253. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  3. Buzz Bissinger (June 1, 2015). "Introducing Caitlyn Jenner". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on June 13, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.