| QUACK PACKOriginal Medium: TV animationProduced by: Disney First Appeared: 1996 Please contribute to its necessary financial support. Amazon.com or PayPal In the wake of the success of DuckTales, followed by that of Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, the Disney organization, quite naturally, combed the archives for existing properties they could modify into half-hour television shows. The Little Mermaid, Timon & Pumbaa and … |
| … several others were straightforward transfers of movie characters from the big screen to the small one, while TaleSpin completely re-imagined the cast of The Jungle Book into a radically new setting. Goof Troop merely updated a character from the 1930s and added some new background. Quack Pack followed in the latter's footsteps, re-casting Donald and Daisy Duck as a TV news crew (cameraman and reporter, respectively), with Donald's nephews aged into teenagers and given individual personalities.
Ostensibly, the focus was on Donald and Daisy, and their jobs with the news show What in the World?. When they had assignments in exotic places, the Nephews always tagged along and "helped out" — but not as competently as back in their Junior Woodchucks days; in fact, ineptly enough to drive funny plots. Donald talked a little more clearly, but was still given to incomprehensible bursts of temper, and Daisy was still aggressive enough to get her own way most of the time. By far, the biggest personality updates were those of the Nephews. Huey (wearing red, as has become standard) was a charismatic "leader" type; Dewey (blue) was a computer geek and given to practical jokes; and Louie (green) was an environmentally-aware martial arts expert, and as such, sometimes uttered nonsensical pearls of pseudo-wisdom that sounded vaguely Asian. New characters included Kent Powers (egotistical anchorman of What in the World?), Moltoc (a would-be world conqueror), and Gwumpki, Donald's foreign-born next-door neighbor. Finally, Ludwig von Drake, Donald's learned but whacky uncle, was a regular character. Donald's voice was provided by Tony Anselmo (who has done the character in Mickey's Clubhouse, Fantasia 2000 and everywhere else since 1987). Daisy's was first done by Kath Soucie (Mom in Dexter's Laboratory) and later by April Winchell (Cruella DeVil). Huey, Louie and Dewey were Jeannie Elias (Margaret in 1980s Dennis the Menace), Elizabeth Daily (Tommy in Rugrats) and Pamela Adlon (Spinelli in Recess), respectively. Kent Powers was Roger Rose (The Vision in 21st century Marvel Comics animation). Moltoc was Tim Curry (Nigel Thornberry). Gwumpki was Pat Fraley (Krang in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Von Drake was Corey Burton (Brainiac in Superman: The Animated Series). Quack Pack debuted Monday, September 2, 1996, as part of The Disney Afternoon (a compilation that has, over the years, included Bonkers, Gargoyles, Gummi Bears and quite a few others. It lasted 39 episodes. After it was dropped from that line-up, it was shown in the cable station Toon Disney, but was later dropped from that, too. It's since been released on DVD; however, the Nephews, when seen elsewhere, have mostly reverted to normal. — DDM BACK to Don Markstein's Toonopedia™ Home Page
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