Quiz of the Day
Classic Cartoons
Tuesday, 9 June 2026
Donald Duck Day — Disney history, animation milestones, cartoon characters
1. What year did Donald Duck make his first appearance in a Disney cartoon?
- 1928
- 1934
- 1940
- 1937
Donald Duck debuted on June 9, 1934 in the cartoon 'The Wise Little Hen'. He was originally a supporting character, but his short temper and hilarious voice made him so popular that he eventually starred in more cartoons than Mickey Mouse.
2. Who provided the original voice of Donald Duck?
- Clarence Nash
- Mel Blanc
- Jim Cummings
- Walt Disney
Clarence 'Ducky' Nash voiced Donald Duck for 51 years, from 1934 until his death in 1985. He discovered his talent by reciting 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' as a duck while working on a milk delivery route, and a Disney talent scout happened to hear him.
3. What was the first full-length animated feature film ever released?
- Pinocchio
- Fantasia
- Bambi
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White (1937) was dubbed 'Disney's Folly' by Hollywood insiders who thought a full-length cartoon would bore audiences. It earned $8 million during the Depression — equivalent to roughly $170 million today — and proved them spectacularly wrong.
4. Which cartoon character's famous catchphrase is 'What's up, Doc?'
- Woody Woodpecker
- Daffy Duck
- Tom Cat
- Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny first used 'What's up, Doc?' in the 1940 cartoon 'A Wild Hare'. The phrase was common slang in Tex Avery's home state of Texas. Bugs was so popular that in 1976 he was voted the most popular cartoon character in the US, beating Mickey Mouse.
5. What is the name of Donald Duck's wealthy uncle?
- Ludwig Von Drake
- Uncle Pennybags
- Gladstone Gander
- Scrooge McDuck
Scrooge McDuck first appeared in a 1947 comic by Carl Barks and is named after Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens. In 2007, Forbes magazine estimated his fictional net worth at $28.8 billion. He famously swims in a vault full of gold coins.
6. Which studio created Tom and Jerry?
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
- Hanna-Barbera
- Walt Disney Studios
- Warner Bros.
Tom and Jerry were created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at MGM in 1940. The series won seven Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film — more than any other cartoon series. The duo later founded Hanna-Barbera and created The Flintstones.
7. What is the name of the sailor who is known for his love of spinach?
- Popeye
- Barnacle Bill
- Captain Hook
- Sinbad
Popeye first appeared in a 1929 comic strip and became so popular that US spinach consumption increased by 33%. The city of Crystal City, Texas — a major spinach-growing region — erected a statue of Popeye in 1937 to thank him for boosting their industry.
8. Which animation technique uses physical objects moved frame by frame?
- Cel animation
- Rotoscoping
- Flash animation
- Stop-motion animation
Stop-motion dates back to 1898. The classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) used 'Animagic' stop-motion with puppets. Each second of footage required 24 individual adjustments. The original puppets were nearly thrown away before being rescued and auctioned for over $360,000.
9. What was the first cartoon to be broadcast on television?
- The Flintstones
- Crusader Rabbit
- Felix the Cat
- Steamboat Willie
Crusader Rabbit debuted in 1950 as the first animated series made specifically for television. Before that, cartoons were made for cinema. The show was created by Jay Ward, who later created Rocky and Bullwinkle.
10. How many nephews does Donald Duck have?
- Four
- Three
- Five
- Two
Huey, Dewey, and Louie first appeared in 1938. Their full names are Hubert, Deuteronomy, and Louis. In the original comic, they were sent to stay with Donald after putting a firecracker under their father's chair. They became stars in their own right through DuckTales.
11. Which classic cartoon features a roadrunner and a coyote?
- Both Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies
- Merrie Melodies
- Hanna-Barbera Cartoons
- Looney Tunes
Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner debuted in 1949. Creator Chuck Jones established strict rules: the Coyote could only be harmed by his own schemes, and the Road Runner could only say 'Meep Meep'. Real roadbirds can run at 20 mph — coyotes can actually run faster at 43 mph.
12. What groundbreaking 1928 Disney cartoon was one of the first to synchronise sound throughout?
- Plane Crazy
- The Skeleton Dance
- Steamboat Willie
- The Barn Dance
Steamboat Willie premiered on November 18, 1928, and was a sensation because its sound was perfectly synchronised with the animation throughout. Walt Disney himself provided Mickey's voice. November 18 is now celebrated as Mickey Mouse's official birthday.
13. What was the first animated TV show to air in prime time?
- Top Cat
- Scooby-Doo
- The Flintstones
- The Jetsons
The Flintstones debuted on ABC in 1960 and ran for six seasons. It was modelled on the live-action sitcom The Honeymooners. It was the most profitable network cartoon franchise for 30 years, until The Simpsons came along in 1989.
14. Which Japanese animation style has become a global cultural phenomenon?
- Ukiyo-e
- Chibi
- Manga
- Anime
Anime emerged in Japan in the early 1900s. Astro Boy (1963) was the first anime TV series to gain international popularity. Today, the global anime market is worth over $25 billion. Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away (2001) won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
15. What colour is Donald Duck's signature bow tie?
- Black
- Blue
- Red
- Yellow
Donald Duck's classic outfit — blue sailor shirt, red bow tie, and no trousers — has remained essentially unchanged since the 1930s. Amusingly, while Donald never wears trousers, he wraps a towel around his waist when he gets out of the shower in several cartoons.