The New Neighbor

Last updated
The New Neighbor
The New Neighbor.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jack Hannah
Story byNick George
Milt Schaffer
Produced by Walt Disney
Starring Clarence Nash
Billy Bletcher
Music by Edward Plumb
Animation byEdwin Aardal
Al Coe
George Kreisl
Volus Jones
Dan MacManus (effects)
Layouts by Yale Gracey
Backgrounds byThelma Witmer
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • August 1, 1953 (1953-08-01)
Running time
7 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The New Neighbor is a 1953 American animated short film directed by Jack Hannah and produced by Walt Disney, featuring Donald Duck. [1] In the short film, Donald moves to a new place and gets along with his new next-door neighbor, Pete.

Contents

Plot

Donald has recently moved into a new house and neighborhood. Donald observes his neighbor Pete walking outside to dump garbage into Donald's yard, followed by Pete's dog Muncey breaking through the fence to dig up Donald's garden. Pete introduces himself, and immediately takes advantage of Donald's initial friendliness to take all of Donald's food and serving ware. When Pete appears at the door again, his seemingly gracious offer of a bowl of homemade green porridge turns out to actually be dog food.

With Spring arriving, the neighborhood's focus turns to their yards. Donald comes out with his wheelbarrow and tools, but before he can even start using them, Pete forcibly takes each one as Donald picks it up (fork, trowel, sprayer, pruners, clippers). When a sudden thunderstorm breaks out, both neighbors run for cover, but Pete reminds Donald that all of his tools are sitting out in what has become a mud puddle. This forces Donald to run out in the rain to save the tools from being ruined, while Pete sits inside warm and dry.

On a later spring day, Pete is trimming his tree, and the wind blows all of the leaves and branches onto Donald's lawn. Pete mockingly says to Donald, "Better rake 'em up quick! They'll ruin your lawn!" and laughs. Donald scrambles to rake up all the debris and places them into his incinerator. Upon noticing Pete's laundry on a nearby drying line, Donald sees an opportunity for revenge. Burning the leaves, Donald directs the smoke towards Pete's laundry, and taunts Pete by pointing this out. The two trade further attempts to one-up the other's nastiness, causing escalation into a full-scale war.

The escalating conflict attracts crowds and local TV coverage. Pete kicks things off by cutting a large protruding limb from Donald's tree, to which Donald responds by cutting Pete's long johns that were extending over the property line. The battle continues to intensify with increasingly violent and destructive acts. Donald and Pete ultimately end up on a ladder suspended on the fence, making them appear to be playing on a "see-saw", while the crowd laughs at them. Pete lifts the ladder, but Donald uses gravity to run his lawn mower at Pete, injuring Pete's back.

With a break in between "rounds", both neighbors retreat to their "corners" for a break and pep talk from their supporters. One person from the neighborhood throws further fuel on the fire by suggesting to each that a spite fence would be a prudent move. As the bell rings to indicate the start of the next "round", the neighbors start building fences on their respective sides of the property line. The fence grows in height as the neighbors chant out "Higher! Higher! Higher!" Muncey begins digging under the foundation of the combined fences, and then begins forcibly punching holes through the bottoms of them while the neighbourhood dogs cheer him on. The foundational damage causes the perilously high fences to crumble and collapse, causing the gathered crowds to scatter.

In the final scene, Pete is shown injured and bandaged up, reluctantly moving away with his house in tow. Donald is declared the winner, but as the camera zooms out, we see Donald is moving away as well, hence making the war between neighbors a draw.

Voice cast

Television

Home media

The short was released on November 11, 2008, on Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume Four: 1951-1961 . [2]

Additional releases include:

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Mouse</span> Disney cartoon character and mascot

Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white gloves. He is often depicted alongside his girlfriend Minnie Mouse, his pet dog Pluto, his friends Donald Duck and Goofy and his nemesis Pete among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete (Disney)</span> Disney cartoon character, antagonist of Mickey Mouse

Pete is a cartoon character created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks of The Walt Disney Company. Pete is traditionally depicted as the villainous arch-nemesis of Mickey Mouse, and was made notorious for his repeated attempts to kidnap Minnie Mouse. Pete is the oldest continuing Disney character, having debuted in the cartoon Alice Solves the Puzzle in 1925. He originally bore the appearance of an anthropomorphic bear, but with the advent of Mickey in 1928, he was defined as a cat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goofy</span> Disney cartoon character

Goofy is a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. He is a tall, anthropomorphic dog who typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, and is Max Goof's father. He is normally characterized as hopelessly clumsy and dim-witted, yet this interpretation is not always definitive; occasionally, Goofy is shown as intuitive and clever, albeit in his own unique, eccentric way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Mouse universe</span> Fictional universe involving Mickey Mouse and related Disney characters

The Mickey Mouse universe is a fictional shared universe which is the setting for stories involving Disney cartoon characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Pluto and Goofy as the primary members, and many other characters related to them, being most of them anthropomorphic animals. The universe originated from the Mickey Mouse animated short films produced by Disney starting in 1928, although its first consistent version was created by Floyd Gottfredson in the Mickey Mouse newspaper comic strip. Real-world versions also exist in Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland, called Mickey's Toontown.

<i>Donalds Cousin Gus</i> 1939 Donald Duck cartoon

Donald's Cousin Gus is a Walt Disney cartoon released on May 19, 1939. Gus Goose debuted as a recurring character in Al Taliaferro's Donald Duck newspaper comic since 9 May 1938.

<i>Mickey Mouse Clubhouse</i> American animated childrens television series

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is an American animated interactive television series for preschoolers. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series was created by Disney veteran Bobs Gannaway. The series originally aired 125 episodes from May 5, 2006, to November 6, 2016, on the Disney Channel's preschool block, Playhouse Disney, making it the longest-running original series to air on the block. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>Mickeys Trailer</i> 1938 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Mickey's Trailer is a 1938 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon stars Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy on a near disastrous road trip in a travel trailer. It was directed by Ben Sharpsteen and features the voices of Walt Disney as Mickey, Clarence Nash as Donald, and Pinto Colvig as Goofy. Animators include Ed Love, Louie Schmitt, Johnny Cannon, Don Patterson, Clyde Geronimi, Tom Palmer, Frenchy de Trémaudan and Cy Young. Pete makes a cameo in this cartoon where he is seen driving a truck during the "Runaway Trailer" sequence featuring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. This cartoon was released about five months after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It was the 100th short in the Mickey Mouse film series to be released, and the second for that year.

<i>Walt Disney Treasures</i> Limited Edition 2-disc DVD Collection

Walt Disney Treasures is a series of two-disc DVD collections of Disney cartoons, television episodes and other material. They cover material from the studio's earliest days to its more recent work. There were nine waves, each containing two to four sets, for a total of 30 titles. All content is presented uncensored and uncut with digitally restored picture and remastered sound.

<i>Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers</i> 2004 American film

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, or simply Walt Disney’s The Three Musketeers is a 2004 American animated direct-to-video musical adventure film based on the film adaptations of the 1844 novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and the Mickey Mouse film series by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. As the title suggests, it features Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as the three musketeers in their first full-length feature film together. This film was directed by Donovan Cook, produced by Walt Disney Pictures and the Australian office of DisneyToon Studios. It was released directly to VHS and DVD on August 17, 2004, by Walt Disney Home Entertainment, and was later re-released on Blu-ray Disc on August 12, 2014, coinciding with the film's 10th anniversary. The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who praised its musical numbers, action sequences and faithfulness to the original material, but were mixed on certain aspects and elements.

<i>Lonesome Ghosts</i> 1937 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Lonesome Ghosts is a 1937 Disney animated cartoon, released through RKO Radio Pictures on Christmas Eve, three days after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). It was directed by Burt Gillett and animated by Izzy (Isadore) Klein, Ed Love, Milt Kahl, Marvin Woodward, Bob Wickersham, Clyde Geronimi, Dick Huemer, Dick Williams, Art Babbitt, and Rex Cox. The short features Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck & Goofy as members of The Ajax Ghost Exterminators. It was the 98th short in the Mickey Mouse film series to be released, and the ninth for that year.

<i>Magician Mickey</i> 1937 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Magician Mickey is a 1937 Walt Disney Mickey Mouse cartoon, originally released to theaters on February 6, 1937. This was the 92nd Mickey Mouse short to be released, and the third for that year.

<i>Mickeys Amateurs</i> 1937 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Mickey's Amateurs is a 1937 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. Originally entitled Mickey's Amateur Concert during production, the cartoon depicts an amateur talent show hosted by Mickey Mouse. It was the 94th short film in the Mickey Mouse film series, and the fifth for that year. It was co-directed by Pinto Colvig, Erdman Penner, and Walt Pfeiffer, and features original and adapted music by Oliver Wallace. The voice cast includes Walt Disney as Mickey, Clarence Nash as Donald Duck, Florence Gill as Clara Cluck, and Pinto Colvig as Pete and Goofy.

<i>Moving Day</i> (1936 film) 1936 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Moving Day is a 1936 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. The cartoon, set during the contemporary Great Depression, follows the antics of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as they frantically pack their belongings after being dispossessed from their home. The film was directed by Ben Sharpsteen and includes the voices of Walt Disney as Mickey, Clarence Nash as Donald, Pinto Colvig as Goofy, and Billy Bletcher as Sheriff Pete. It was the 85th Mickey Mouse short to be released, and the eighth of that year.

<i>Mickeys Fire Brigade</i> 1935 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Mickey's Fire Brigade is a 1935 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. The cartoon stars Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy employed as firefighters responding to a hotel fire. It was directed by Ben Sharpsteen and features the voices of Walt Disney as Mickey, Clarence Nash as Donald, Pinto Colvig as Goofy, and Elvia Allman as Clarabelle Cow. It was the 77th Mickey Mouse short to be released, and the sixth of that year.

<i>The Dognapper</i> 1934 Mickey Mouse cartoon

The Dognapper is a 1934 animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. The cartoon stars Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck as police officers who chase Pegleg Pete after he dognaps Fifi, Minnie Mouse's pet Pekingese. The film was directed by David Hand and features the voices of Clarence Nash as Mickey and Donald. Pinto Colvig as Pete and Melvin J. Gibby as Fifi. It was the 70th Mickey Mouse short film to be released, and the eighth of that year. This was the first and only time that Mickey was voiced by Nash; Walt was in Europe at the time and was unavailable to record his lines for Mickey, thus, Nash took over.

<i>Get a Horse!</i> 2013 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Get a Horse! is a 2013 American animated comedy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Lauren MacMullan. Combining black-and-white hand-drawn animation and color computer animation, the short features the characters of the late 1920s Mickey Mouse cartoons.

Early to Bed is a Donald Duck animated short film that was released on July 11, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures. The film was colored by Technicolor, produced by Walt Disney Productions, and directed by Jack King. The cartoon tells the story of Donald, who is trying to sleep, despite the annoyingly loud ticking of the clock keeping him awake.

<i>Donald Applecore</i> 1952 Donald Duck cartoon

Donald Applecore is a 1952 American animated short film directed by Jack Hannah and produced by Walt Disney. In the short film, Donald Duck is an apple farmer trying to save his crop from Chip 'n' Dale.

<i>Dragon Around</i> 1954 Donald Duck cartoon

Dragon Around is a 1954 American animated short film directed by Jack Hannah and produced by Walt Disney, featuring Donald Duck and Chip 'n' Dale.

<i>The Delivery Boy</i> (1931 film) 1931 Mickey Mouse cartoon

The Delivery Boy is a 1931 Mickey Mouse animated short film directed by Burt Gillett, produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was the twenty-ninth short in the Mickey Mouse film series, and the fifth of that year.

References

  1. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 74–76. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. "The Chronological Donald Volume 4 DVD Review". DVD Dizzy. Retrieved 13 February 2021.