In 1982, on my very first visit to the Walt Disney
Studio in Burbank, California, I was wandering round the Archives in a
state of bleary-eyed wonderment, when I suddenly heard an outburst of
spluttering and squawking and turned to find myself face to face – or, perhaps I should say, nose to beak – with Clarence Nash (1904-1985): the man responsible
for the impenetrable vocal tirades of Donald Duck!
'Ducky' Nash, as he was always referred to, was a delightfully wacky character and – after fifty years in the role –
thought nothing of holding a conversation with you in 'duckese'!
Wanting a memento of such an unexpected encounter, I asked him to sign a Donald comic book that happened to be in my bag, but the 'busy' cover design didn't leave much space for anything other than a rather cramped inscription. Subsequently, through the good offices of the then Archivist, the late David R Smith, I succeeded in getting this 1938 vintage Donald book inscribed ––– by both man and bird!
1 comment:
It's great to get a book inscribed and autographed, isn't it? You once very kindly inscribed a copy of The Wind In The Willows to which you had written an introduction, which I still have today. This was in Waterstones (might've been called Ottakars at the time) in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street when you were there giving a talk about your involvement in a Lord Of The Rings project (I think). It would've been around early 2000s if I recall correctly. Thanks again - great book, great introduction.
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