Nick George Movies
- 1960
This animated spoof of the popular TV series This Is Your Life (the creator of which, Ralph Edwards, is given special acknowledgement in the closing credits) first aired on the Walt Disney Presents TV anthology. Jiminy Cricket is all set to give a testimonial to his cartoon comrade Donald Duck -- but alas, Donald is relaxing at home and has no intention of leaving. Literally dragged to the Disney studios by his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, an outraged Donald relaxes a bit when he realizes that he's the guest of honor. The rest of the episode combines newly animated footage with clips from vintage theatrical cartoons, as Donald's life is recounted by such colleagues as Daisy Duck (who explains why she and Donald never married), Chip 'n' Dale, Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and even a few guest stars who never made a picture with the Duck, including The Three Little Pigs, Lady and the Tramp, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. "This Is Your Life, Donald Duck was rebroadcast as a separate Disney special on February 22, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clarence Nash, Cliff Edwards, (more)
- 1960
Legend has it that the desert promontory of Chimney Butte is inhabited by an eccentric hermit who keeps visitors at a distance with his shotgun. Even when the Disney staffers try to photograph the hermit with a telephoto lens, the old recluse blasts away. Closer examination reveals that, under all that white tousled hair, the Mad Hermit is none other than Donald Duck, who has squirreled himself away in the caves of Chimney Butte because of his inability to find peace and quiet anywhere else (as illustrated with clips from earlier Disney theatrical cartoons). But though he thinks he's found solitude at last, Donald is in for quite a surprise: Chimney Butte has been designated an H-bomb testing site! This all-cartoon episode originally aired on the Walt Disney Presents TV anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clarence Nash
- 1959
Originally telecast on the 25th annivesary of the creation of irascible animated hero Donald Duck, this episode of Walt Disney Presents stitches together several classic Disney theatrical cartoons into a delightful continuity. Dismayed because his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie are flunking geography, Donald decides to pile them into the family car and take them on a motor tour of the U.S. But while the Duck family experiences all manner of hilarious adventures in the pursuit of higher education, the boys don't learn very much -- in fact, the only location they can identify on the map is Disneyland. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clarence Nash
- 1959
Those irrepressible chipmunks Chip 'n' Dale have the whole show to themselves in this popular episode of Walt Disney Presents. After introducing their theme song (written by Gil George and Oliver Wallace), the two frisky rodents recall their various and sundry misadventures, courtesy of excerpts from past Disney theatrical cartoons. Highlights include Chip 'n' Dale's rivalry over a sultry singing female chipmunk and a memorable run-in with their old friendly enemy Donald Duck. Towards the end of the program, Chip accedes to Dale's wish that the program become a Western show ("The Lone Chipmunk") by heading out to the Wide Open Spaces in pursuit of that notorious outlaw Peg-Leg Pete. First telecast in 1959, The Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale was rebroadcast several times under such alternate titles as "Mixed Nuts" and "The Misadventures of Chip 'n' Dale." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1958
Four cartoon shorts from the Disney archives are shown herein to trace the rise to stardom of the studio's number one celebrity, Mickey Mouse. Along the way, it is shown how such former "extras" as Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy were elevated to fame through their appearances in Mickey's popular movie vehicles. Even Pluto is on hand to congratulate Mickey on his success, via a lengthy excerpt from the theatrical cartoon Pluto's Christmas Tree. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1957
Fed up with the roles offered him by his boss Walt Disney, Donald Duck walks out on his contract and begins searching for a new job. Answering an advertisement from the Ajax employment agency, Donald is tried out on a number of assignments--failing spectacularly at each one. Finally, the agency dispatches Donald to an "important position in the oil industry"--which turns out to be a job as a gas-station attendant, where our hero has quite a run-in with his hot-rodding nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. A 30-minute version of Duck for Hire was telecast in 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clarence Nash
- 1957
This is the second Disneyland episode to trace the development of Disney's elaborate cartoon features from the studio's earliest "Silly Symphony" short subject. Among the the cartoons represented herein are The Grasshopper and the Ants (with the song hit "The World Owes Me a Livin'"), Who Killed Cock Robin?, Water Babies, Farmyard Symphony, and Wynken, Blinken and Nod. Perhaps because much of the footage excerpted in this episode was originally released in black and white, "More About the Silly Symphonies" is one of the few Disney TV anthology episodes never to be rebroadcast after its initial airing. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1957
This Disneyland episode opens with a drawn portrait of Walt Disney's cartoon family--with "problem child" Donald Duck literally poised to pour cold water on the gang. Nevertheless, host Disney is prepared to present the irascible Duck with an award, if only he can behave himself for a week. The rest of the episode consists of excerpts from Donald's theatrical cartoons, thinly disguised as "testimonials" from his associates Mickey Mouse, Jiminy Cricket, Daisy Duck, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Chip 'n' Dale and even Pluto. Despite their less-than-glowing accounts, Donald still earns the award--but not for long. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1956
The premise of this Disneyland "clip show" is manifested in a birthday party for Donald Duck. Having planned a surprise party for their "Unca Donald", Huey, Dewey and Louie are surprised to discover that Donald has already arranged his own natal celebration, complete with home movies. While the nephews would rather watch Donald's Disney colleagues Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Pluto--in fact, they'd sooner enjoy The Mickey Mouse Club on TV, or even make their umpteenth trip to Disneyland--Donald insists upon screening his own cinematic triumphs. Included in this mostly-animated entry is a live segment featuring the Mousketeers and Disney's own ragtime band, The Firehouse Five Plus Two. Rebroadcast three times on Disney's various TV anthologies, "At Home with Donald Duck" was again seen as a special on April 4, 1979, retitled Happy Birthday Donald Duck. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clarence Nash, Jimmie Dodd, (more)
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