Donald Duck's early comicstrip co-stars: Donna & Mac

xephyr@cwnet.com xephyr at cwnet.com
Fri Oct 11 23:17:23 CEST 2002


Something mentioned to me by David Gerstein about four (or more?) years ago
has been nagging the back of my mind ever since.

We know a bit about many of Donald's co-stars in comics, such as Daisy, the
Nephews (HDL), even his goat (name? Billy?), his donkey Basil, and his
ostrich Hortense, and his dogs Bolivar (Bornworthy), Behemoth (Behe) &
Fido, his cat Tabby, the Bee Spike (Buzz-Buzz), Chip 'n Dale, Little Gum,
Peter Pig, along with more familair characters like Gladstone, Fethry, and
others.

However, we know little or NOTHING about his first two co-stars: Donna &
Mac.

Well, honestly, we know what was depicted in the cartoon "Don Donald"
(1937)which featured the Senorita Donna Duck.  Although it's been
speculated, even at Disney, that Donna was/is really Daisy before they
renamed her Daisy.  We do know that early Disney characters did change
their names, such as Carolyn Cow becoming Clarabelle Cow and Henry Horse
becoming Horace Horsecollar or the famous case of Mortimer Mouse renamed to
Mickey Mouse, though that was before his first film.  Perhaps the best case
was Dippy Dawg becoming Dippy the Goof and finally just plain ol' Goofy! 
Still, if you look at the film there is very little that reminds one of
Daisy in Donna.  I know at least one List member has speculated that Donna
is actually Daisy's sister and the mother of the triplets April, May &
June.  This would obviously mean that Donald dated Donna before moving on
to her sister Daisy.  While  it is possible, it might not be probable.

As was told to me, Donna was Donald's comic-strip co-star, especially in the
British magazine "Mickey Mouse Weekly" from May to August 1937.  It was
insinuated, though I may have misunderstood, that Donna was NOT believed to
have been the same character as Daisy who didn't actually appear in comics
until Nov. 4, 1940 in the "Donald Duck" Sunday comic strip which followed
the theatrical release of "Mr. Duck Steps Out" inwhich Daisy first appeared
earlier that same year.


In any case, as freverent Disney comics fans, does this list have an
official or even unofficial stand on exactly WHO Donna Duck is?

Then there is the case of Donald's second comics co-star.  Donna was
replaced as Donald's co-star by a sailor named Mac until May 1940 when, I
presume, Donald's Nephews took over, followed by Daisy.

Who was Mac?  What was his species?  If he was a sailor, can we assume that
the adventures he shared with Donald took place during Donald's time in the
Navy?  Does anyone have a picture of Mac that they could share with the
rest of us?

I'd like to add some of this information to Donald's revised HooZoo entry
when I get everything reposted to the Net.

Thanks,

Rich Bellacera
xephyr at cwnet.com

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