By Shawna S. Ruppert
A Donald Duck quiz shows that his early appearance differed somewhat from how he came to be seen later. The colors and the sailor suit were the same however, and it was just the fine details that differed. Dick Lindy was the original animator of the duck.
One of the most popular Disney shorts has been the "Orphan's Benefit" which has been rereleased on video cassette and DVD several times since its release in 1934. This was the first appearance of Donald and Mickey in the same cartoon. It would also showcase Donald losing his temper in a fit of rage, something that would become a staple of his slapstick schtick over the next several decades.
Donald Duck trivia will show that for many years Donald was the clearly most popular of the Walt Disney stable of characters. There would also grow a stable of characters which were relatives of Donald. These would also become very popular characters in their own right. First of all, there was Huey, Dewey, and Louie, his nephews. Later, his Uncle, Scrooge McDuck would also emerge as another popular duck character.
A Donald Duck quiz will show that he was the most popular cartoon character of the war era (Bugs Bunny was also very popular). He was the mascot for much of the air force, and many WW II planes had Donald logos proudly on the nose of the plane.
Donald has gone on to be very popular right up until the present. He had appeared in feature films as well as being a guest star in the TV show Duck Tales, which featured his extended family in the main roles. He would also eventually feature in his own show, Quack Pack. An interesting fact about Donald duck is not only that is he very popular in North America, but has also enjoyed extreme popularity in Scandinavia throughout his lifetime.
