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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

Clarence Charles Nash

(1904-12-07)December 7, 1904

February 20, 1985(1985-02-20) (aged 80)

Ducky Nash

  • Voice actor
  • impressionist

1928–1985

Margaret Seamans
(m. 1930)

2

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]

Personal life[edit]

Nash married Margaret Seamans in 1930, and they were married for over 50 years; they had two daughters, Kay and Peggy.[16][17]

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]

Mickey and the Beanstalk (Capitol, 1947) as Donald Duck

[21]

Donald Duck's Singing Lesson/Pluto, The Pup (Golden, 1949) as Donald Duck

[22]

Cinderella (RCA, 1949) as Lucifer, Bruno, Major, Additional Animal Voices

[23]

Mickey's New Car/Donald Duck at the Opera (Golden, 1950) as Donald Duck

[24]

Donald Duck, Babysitter/Mickey Mouse and Farmer Rush Rush (Golden, 1950) as Donald Duck

[24]

Donald Duck Cowboy (Golden, 1950) as Donald Duck

[25]

Trick or Treat (RCA Victor, 1952) as Donald Duck

[26]

Mr. Television (RCA Victor, 1952) as Donald Duck

[27]

Mr. Animated Cartoon (RCA Victor, 1952) as Donald Duck

[27]

Donald Duck, Fire Chief (Golden, 1953) as Donald Duck

[28]

Mickey Mouse's Birthday Party (Capitol, 1954) as Donald Duck

[29]

School Days (Golden, 1954) as Donald Duck

[30]

Mickey Mouse's Christmas Party (Golden, 1954) as Donald Duck

[30]

Happy Birthday to Mickey Mouse/Donald Duck's Unbirthday (Golden, 1955) as Donald Duck

[31]

Walt Disney's Song Parade from Disneyland (Golden, 1956) as Donald Duck

[32]

Goofy's Dance Party (Disneyland, 1959) as Donald Duck

[33]

Donald Duck and His Friends (Disneyland, 1960) as Donald Duck

[34]

Chipmunk Fun (Disneyland, 1963) as Donald Duck

[35]

Mickey and the Beanstalk (Disneyland, 1963) as Donald Duck

[21]

Dickens' Christmas Carol Presented by the Walt Disney Players (Disneyland, 1975) as Donald Duck

[36]

Yankee Doodle Mickey (Disneyland, 1980) as Donald Duck

[37]

Goin' Quackers (Disneyland, 1980) as Donald Duck

[34]

Pardners (Disneyland, 1980) as Donald Duck

[38]

Merry Christmas Carols (Disneyland, 1980) as Donald Duck

[38]

(Disneyland, 1982)[38] as Donald Duck

Mousercise

Mickey Mouse Splashdance (Disneyland, 1983) as Donald Duck

[39]

Donald Duck talk

at IMDb

Clarence Nash