"One of the greatest satisfactions in our work here at the studio is the warm relationship that exists within our cartoon family. Mickey, Pluto, Goofy and the whole gang have always been a lot of fun to work with. But like many large families, we have a problem child. You're right, it's Donald Duck."
— Walt Disney, introducing the TV special Donald's Award
"The Duck is the most versatile of all the Disney characters. He can carry off any role with honors—except dumb roles or gentleman parts....He is vain, cocky and boastful, loves to impose on other people and heckle them; but if the tables are turned, he flies into a rage....it is his cockiness that gets him into most of his scrapes, because it is seasoned with foolhardy recklessness....His most likable trait is determination....The Duck never compromises. Regardless of the odds against him, he comes back again and again into the fray. When attacking a problem, he may be either cocky, cautious or cunning—or all three by turns. He seldom flies into a rage at his first rebuffs; usually those defeats serve to bring out his cleverness. He dosen't stay angry for long peroids; even in his wildest rages, he can be completely and instantly mollified with a little gratification. He is easily amused and laughs especially heartily when he thinks he has caused some person or thing discomfort."
—1939 Interstudio memo by a story man.
"Donald is a very outrageous fellow, with bad manners and a worse temper, and everyone is fond of him."
— Walt Disney
"I've had a bellyful of BOTH you eternal fools! Year in, year out, you bring GRIEF on yourselves all for the sake of GETTING rich, STAYING rich, or getting RICHER still! You'll NEVER be happy, because you always worry about what you'll do NEXT to complicate your OWN GREEDY LIVES!"
— Donald Duck, Calling out Magica and Scrooge in The Treasury Of Croesus
.
. "Come on, Uncle Donald! So you have the worst luck in the world. Who cares? No matter how bad things get, like really, really bad, you keep going. It's kind of ridiculous. You never had the common sense to give up before. Why start now?"
— Louie Duck, DuckTales (2017)
"I say go but you say stay,
You can't tell me what to do,
Don't understand a word I say,
So phooey, phooey, phooey on you."
