Donald and the Wheel
Encyclopedia
Donald and the Wheel is a Disney animated short released in 1961.
. These spirits are never seen aside from their aura
s. One of these spirits is an adult (voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft
) and is accompanied by his beatnik
-talking son (voiced by Max Smith). The elder is trying to explain the importance of the wheel to his son. They observe a caveman
(portrayed by Donald Duck
) trying to haul his supply sled up a hill and into a cave. Donald is then chased out of the cave by a tiger
. He gets away, but the tiger tumbles down a hill wrapped around a rock. The spirits tell Donald that this should be the inspiration for his invention of the wheel.
The cartoon then goes into the evolution of uses for the wheel, including those used by the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, and Ancient Romans, leading up to the horse drawn vehicles of the Middle Ages
until the 19th century. They also explain all the various devices that use wheel-based parts. The last few segments enter the twentieth century and the rise of factories and the automobile
, including an explanation of how gear
s work, until finally reaching the present, wrapping up with satellites and a space station
prototype. They also explain that the world itself is a wheel, and that the sun
, The Moon, and orbits are wheels. After seeing his future, Donald decides against inventing the wheel, claiming that it is "too much trouble". The Spirits of Progress accept that Donald may not be the true inventor of the wheel, but that "somebody did".
, who also composed Donald in Mathmagic Land
.
Story
Two "spirits of progress" are observing the potential inventor of the wheelWheel
A wheel is a device that allows heavy objects to be moved easily through rotating on an axle through its center, facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Common examples found in transport applications. A wheel, together with an axle,...
. These spirits are never seen aside from their aura
Aura
-Science and medicine:*Aura , a symptom experienced before a migraine or seizure*Aura , a satellite in the NASA Earth Observing System series*1488 Aura, a main-belt asteroid*Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy...
s. One of these spirits is an adult (voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft was an American voice actor and singer best known as the deep voice behind Tony the Tiger's "They're grrreat!" in Frosted Flakes television commercials for more than five decades. Ravenscroft was also known, however uncredited, as the vocalist for the song "You're a Mean...
) and is accompanied by his beatnik
Beatnik
Beatnik was a media stereotype of the 1950s and early 1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement of the 1950s and violent film images, along with a cartoonish depiction of the real-life people and the spiritual quest in Jack Kerouac's autobiographical...
-talking son (voiced by Max Smith). The elder is trying to explain the importance of the wheel to his son. They observe a caveman
Caveman
A caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
(portrayed by Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
) trying to haul his supply sled up a hill and into a cave. Donald is then chased out of the cave by a tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
. He gets away, but the tiger tumbles down a hill wrapped around a rock. The spirits tell Donald that this should be the inspiration for his invention of the wheel.
The cartoon then goes into the evolution of uses for the wheel, including those used by the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, and Ancient Romans, leading up to the horse drawn vehicles of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
until the 19th century. They also explain all the various devices that use wheel-based parts. The last few segments enter the twentieth century and the rise of factories and the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, including an explanation of how gear
Gear
A gear is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh with another toothed part in order to transmit torque. Two or more gears working in tandem are called a transmission and can produce a mechanical advantage through a gear ratio and thus may be considered a simple machine....
s work, until finally reaching the present, wrapping up with satellites and a space station
Space station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
prototype. They also explain that the world itself is a wheel, and that the sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, The Moon, and orbits are wheels. After seeing his future, Donald decides against inventing the wheel, claiming that it is "too much trouble". The Spirits of Progress accept that Donald may not be the true inventor of the wheel, but that "somebody did".
Music
The music was composed by Buddy BakerBuddy Baker (composer)
Norman "Buddy" Baker was an American composer who scored many of Walt Disney's films, such as The Apple Dumpling Gang, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, The Shaggy D.A., The Million Dollar Duck and The Fox and the Hound.Baker was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, and got his degree in...
, who also composed Donald in Mathmagic Land
Donald in Mathmagic Land
Donald in Mathmagic Land is a 27-minute Donald Duck featurette released on June 26, 1959. It was directed by Hamilton Luske. Contributors included Disney artists John Hench and Art Riley, voice talent Paul Frees, and scientific expert Heinz Haber, who had worked on the Disney space shows. It was...
.