Original production animation drawings of Donald Duck, Security Guard, and Autograph Books from "The Autograph Hound," 1939, Walt Disney Studios; Red, blue, green, yellow, and graphite pencils on peg hole paper; Donald Duck numbered D-21 and Security Guard numbered C-21 lower right; Size - Donald Duck & Autograph Books: 7 x 7 1/2", Security Guard & Autograph Books: 7 1/2 x 10", Sheets 10 x 12"; Unframed.
"The Autograph Hound" was directed by Jack King, music by Oliver Wallace, produced by Walt Disney, released on September 1, 1939, and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. Animators for the short included: Johnny Cannon, John Elliotte, Larry Clemmons, Ed Dunn, Ed Love, Ward Kimball, Rex Cox, and Seamus Culhane. This
was the first cartoon where Donald Duck was featured in his blue sailor hat and in this short he portrays an autograph hunter in Hollywood. Clarence Nash was the voice of Donald Duck, Billy Bletcher was the voice of the Security Guard, and Sara Berner provided the voices of Greta Garbo, Shirley Temple, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Martha Raye, and Joan Crawford.
Original production animation drawing of Donald Duck and Autograph Books.
Close up of the production number.
The next three paragraphs are the plot of "The Autograph Hound" from Wikipedia:
"Donald Duck tries to enter a Hollywood studio so he can search for celebrities willing to sign their autograph. A security guard with an Irish accent at the gate prevents him from entering the building. Donald manages to sneak inside by climbing on the limousine with Greta Garbo so that it seems he's riding along with her. The guard discovers he's been fooled and chases Donald, who enters a room with the name "Mickey Rooney" on it. Inside, Mickey Rooney is dressing up in front of the mirror, when Donald ask him for his autograph. Rooney writes his name in Donald's book and makes it disappear and reappear with a magic trick. Donald, who is not amused, tries to impress Rooney by doing a similar trick with an egg. The egg however obviously hidden under Donald's hat and Rooney who is aware of this, curshes it, laughing loudly. Donald gets extremely angry and starts waving his fists, while Rooney manages to put a violin in Donald's hands and starts dancing an Irish jig Donald is playing. When Donald discovers he has been tricked for the third time he throws the violin at Rooney. Rooney ducks and the instrument lands in the face of the security guard.
Alarmed Donald runs away and hides under a bell-jar carried by actor Henry Armetta. When the guard discovers Donald's hiding place the duck runs to another film set full with ice. There he meets Sonja Henie and asks for an autograph. Henie signs her name by skating it in ice, so that Donald has to carry it with him. While walking in a desert setting Donald discovers the ice has melted. He notices a tent wiht silhouettes of three belly dancing Arabic women, who turn out to be the Ritz Brothers. Excited, he asks them for their autographs, but behaving like screwballs they jump on Donald and sign their group names on his buttocks. An enraged Donald throws a paint can at their heads, but it hits the face of the guard instead.
Again Donald has to flee and he runs to a castle with the sign "The Road to Mandalay," which turns out to be just a model. After bumping his head into it and realizing his mistake he runs into another direction. On a pair of stairs he bumps into Shirley Temple. She, too, recognizes him and asks for an autograph. The both sit down to sign each other their autographs and Donald, excited he has his first real autograph, jumps with joy. Then suddenly the guard finally grabs him and intends to beat him with his night club. Shirley tells him to leave Donald alone and he drops him on the floor in surprise. "Donald Duck? Did you say "
Donald Duck"?". Other Hollywood actors hear his comment and enthusiastically rush to Donald to ask him to sign his autograph for them. (In chronological order: Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, The Andrew Sisters, Charlie McCarthy, Stepin Fetchit, Roland Young, the Lone Ranger riding his horse Silver, Joe E. Brown, Martha Raye, Hugh Herbert, Irvin S. Cobb, Edward Arnold, Katharine Hepburn, Eddie Cantor, Slim Summerville, Lionel Barrymore, Bette Davis, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Misha Auer, Joan Crawford, and Charles Boyer). When the police officer asks Donald to sign his autograph book and offers him his pen, Donald squirts ink in the policeman's face. While the ink drips from the officer's face and writes Donald's name on his chest, Donald laughs hysterically."
Original production animation drawing of the Security Guard and Autograph Books.
Close up of the production number.
This
is a fantastic pair of original production animation drawings of Donald Duck and the Security Guard each surrounded by autograph books. The drawings are from the very end of the short when all of the stars of Hollywood hand over their autograph books to Donald Duck wanting his autograph. Even the Security Guard now realizes that Donald is a star and pulls out a large fountain ink pen wanting Donald's signature. A rare and wonderful drawing of an eyes open Donald Duck, surrounded by lots of Hollywood stars autograph books, and sporting his usual grimace. There is also a great drawing of the antagonist of the short, the Security Guard. He is also surrounded by Hollywood stars autograph books and you can see the end of his large fountain ink pen just to the left of his face. Both drawings have extensive color notations and timing references making these key drawings used in the cartoon. A rare and great addition to any animation art collection!
