Clarence Nash
Clarence Charles "Ducky" Nash (December 7, 1904 – February 20, 1985) was an American voice actor and impressionist. He is best remembered as the original voice of the Disney cartoon character Donald Duck. He was born in the rural community of Watonga, Oklahoma, and a street in that town is named in his honor.[2] In 1993, he was posthumously made a Disney Legend for his contributions to Walt Disney films.[3]
Clarence Nash
February 20, 1985
Ducky Nash
- Voice actor
- impressionist
1928–1985
2
Inkpot Award (1978)[1]
Career[edit]
Radio career[edit]
Nash made a name for himself in the late 1920s as an impressionist for KHJ, a Los Angeles radio station, on their show, The Merrymakers.[4] He later was employed by the Adohr Milk Company for publicity purposes. Dubbed "Whistling Clarence, the Adohr Bird Man", Nash rode the streets with a team of miniature horses and gave treats to the children.[4] In 1932, Nash happened by the Disney Studio with his team of horses, and decided to leave a copy of his Adohr publicity sheet with the receptionist.[4] As it turns out, his name was recognized from a reprise appearance on The Merrymakers a few days previous, and Walt Disney had been impressed by Nash's vocal skills. He was asked to make an informal audition.[4]
Successor and upcoming biography[edit]
After Nash's death, Donald's voice has been taken up by Disney animator Tony Anselmo, who was trained under Nash personally. Anselmo is also among the many voiceover artists to have voiced Huey, Dewey and Louie over the years. Later characters whose voices owe considerable credit to Nash's duck voice have been voiced by actors such as Jimmy Weldon, Frank Welker, Luba Goy and Red Coffey. The most prominent of these is Weldon's Yakky Doodle for Hanna-Barbera.
It was announced in 2020 that Disney historian J.B. Kaufman was working with Margaret Barnes, Nash's granddaughter, on a biography of Nash.[5]