"A Donald Duck Cartoon"

Release Date June 11, 1941

Running Time 7:50

Synopsis

The annoyingly loud ticking of an alarm clock is all it takes to keep Donald up for most of the night.

Characters

Donald Duck

Credits

Director : Jack King

Animation

Ed Love

Paul Allen

Jim Armstrong

Story

Jack Hannah

Carl Barks

Videos

Germany

Lachkonzert in Entenhausen

Laserdiscs

Japan

Disney Cartoon Jubilee

DVD

United States

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

Television

Mickey's Mouse Tracks : Episode 29

Donald's Quack Attack : Episode 17

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.

Comments

From Ryan : Here we have Donald Duck going to bed early (as we see that the sun is still up). He's quoting one of Benjamin Franklin's principles: "Early to bed. Early to rise. Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." While this short is funny for the first few minutes, it gets rather old after poor Donald is kept awake by the alarm clock's pesky ticking and the bed that won't cooperate with him.

From Brad Bethel : One of the funniest bed-time cartoons. I thought the better part of this cartoon was when Donald was having trouble with a stubborn mattress, including a part where Donald is awaken from a sound, but can't figure out what it was (we later discover that one of the springs came loose). Seems like something as natural as going to sleep can be a big chore for Donald.

From Dino Cencia : It's too bad that Donald couldn't get any sleep with lots of noise from his alarm clock. Maybe next time Donald should buy an electric alarm clock and set the alarm time to when he needs to get up early and his electric alarm clock won't tick tock loudly.

From Matthew Cooper : This cartoon is kind of like A Good Time For a Dime and The Clock Watcher where Donald is the only character. I just can't forget any of it with its great humor! I love the part where the overhead Iight folds up in Donald's bed and hangs inside it making beams of light come out like a disco ball! Or what about when Donald gets his head stuck through the painting "Whistler's Mother"! That is my favourite part next to the closing gag where everything comes off the bed and Donald is sitting there on the remains with his blanket on his head. Then a green and orange sock falls on the remaining spring and sways making Donald look like a snake charmer! The cartoon Sea Scouts (also Donald Duck) has a similar thing wher Donald is on a ship and some flags plus a sphere fall of a flagpole and land on him. One forming a turban just like in Early To Bed. The only thing that makes the two parts different from one another is the sphere which lands in Donald's hand making him look like a fourtune teller!

From Baruch Weiss : I do not know why Donald went to bed early, but that is what he appears to be doing in this cartoon. Perhaps an inference can be drawn that his boss told him that if he was late again he would be fired just like in the 1944 Looney Tune "Tick Tock Tuckered" where Daffy and Porky are told by their boss "NOW GET THIS. IF YOUR LATE ONE MORE TIME YOURE FIRED, GET TA WORK!" Once again this short does not interest me because it gets stale after the first few minutes.

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