"A Donald Duck Cartoon"

Release Date December 10, 1937

Running Time 8:51

Synopsis

Donald is the announcer of the Wahoo train station dealing with a troublesome piece of cargo : an ostrich.

Characters

Donald Duck

Hortense, the Ostrich

Credits:

Director : Jack King

Story : Carl Barks

Animation

Jack Hannah

Paul Allen

Johnny Cannon

Videos

United States

Cartoon Classics (Second Series) : Volume 2 : Here's Donald

Germany

Donald Superstar and Co.

Heir ist Donald

Italy

Disney Adventures

Laserdiscs

United States

Here's Donald / Here's Goofy

Japan

Hello! Donald

Disney Cartoon Festival 5

DVD

United States

Disney Treasures : The Chronological Donald Volume 1 : (1934-1941)

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #54 : More Goin' to the Birds

Mickey's Mouse Tracks : Episode 54

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Gallery

Original gag sketch by Homer Brightman
Courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries.

Storyboard sketch from "Donald's Ostrich"
Courtesy of and available to purchase at
Wonderful World of Animation

Click on the thumbnail for the full-sized picture

Comments

From Jerry Edwards : When an ostrich (Hortense) gets free of her shipping crate and swallows everything in sight, including a radio, train station agent Donald is in for a hilarious, hectic day. A cute idea but the gags get old real fast for me.

From Ryan : It's been quite awhile since I have seen this short. I used to own it on a video that I received for my 7th birthday, but we donated it to the library where my mom used to work at several years ago. I had temporarily lost interest in the Disney shorts, but now I'm crazy about them. There were quite a few fun gags like when Hortense (which is also the nickname my aunt gave to a surly hotel woman)the ostrich swallows the radio and everytime she hiccups, the stations change (from a boxing match to some music). The funniest part was at the end where the boxing announcer on the radio said "What a crackup and no one was hurt!" Donald, who had a black eye from trying to catch Hortense, says "Oh yeah?"

From Baruch Weiss : I enjoyed the musical score during the title presentation of this cartoon, but I guess it is not one of my favorites. That Ostrich just ate up everything in sight and I don't mean food! We do not see Donald's boss in this short, but I am sure that Donald would be fired if the boss saw the big mess that was made!

From Maxwell Morton Goudiss : At about 9 minutes, this is, indeed, the most longest Donald Duck cartoon.