Donald Duck's 85th birthday today! Some facts about this amazing cartoon character

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oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, June 09: Its Donald Duck's birthday today. It was on this day (June 9) in 1934 that one of most famous cartoon characters, Donald Duck, first appeared in the Walt Disney cartoon 'The Wise Little Hen'. Today, on the 9th June 2019, Donald Duck celebrates his 85th birthday.

Donald, known for his temperamental personality and perpetual bad luck, starkly contrasts another popular Walt Disney character Mickey Mouse, who is portrayed as genial, kind, intelligent and social. Donald Duck is anything but these. Donald's personality traits are more on the negative side like short tempered, lazy, selfish, arrogant etc.

Donald was created six years after Mickey Mouse as Walt Disney wanted a character that was more negative than Mickey who was just too correct almost a role-model like.

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"One of the greatest satisfactions in our work here at the studio is the warm relationship that exists within our cartoon family. Mickey, Pluto, Goofy, and the whole gang have always been a lot of fun to work with. But like many large families, we have a problem child. You're right, it's Donald Duck," Walt Disney had once said.

Donald Duck is vastly more popular than Mickey Mouse. The situations that Donald gets into because of his personality are not only funny but also something that the people can relate to. Beyond animation, Donald is primarily known for his appearances in comics. Donald was most famously drawn by Al Taliaferro, Carl Barks, and Don Rosa. Barks, in particular, is credited for greatly expanding the "Donald Duck universe", the world in which Donald lives, and creating many additional characters such as Donald's rich uncle Scrooge McDuck.

Donald Duck's connection with cricket:

Around the time that Walt Disney was creating a friend for Mickey Mouse, Australian cricket player Donald Bradman was dismissed for a duck in an Australia V England match at The Oval. This is said to have inspired Walt Disney to name his new character Donald Duck. Donald Duck's full name is actually Donald Fauntleroy Duck.

Donald Duck's achievements:

In 2002, TV Guide listed Donald Duck as one of the greatest cartoon characters of all time. On the 9th June 2004 he received his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his role in animated films. Donald is the mascot of the University of Oregon's Fighting Ducks sports teams. He won an oscar for the 1943 animated short Der Feuhrer's Face, which was originally titled Donald Duck in NutziLand. The anti-Nazi cartoon begins with music from Wagner's comic opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and also features Groucho Marx's singing.

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Lyrics of Donald Duck Theme Song:

Before the start of every Donald Duck cartoon, a 20 second song is played where names of animators and others involved in creation of the animation are show. Here's the lyrics of that song sung by Oliver Wallace.

Who's got the sweetest disposition?

One guess -- guess who!

Who never never starts an argument?

Who never shows a bit of temperament?

Who's never wrong but always right?

Who'd never dream of starting a fight?

Who gets stuck with all the bad luck?

No one... but Donald Duck!