The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh "Donkey for a Day" |
|
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode 2b, Overall 3 | |
 | |
| Production Information | |
| Director |
Karl Geurs David Block (Animation Director) |
| Writer |
Mark Zaslove (story and teleplay) Dev Ross (story) Bruce Talkington (teleplay) |
| Prod code | 102b |
| Airdate | January 24, 1988 |
| Episode Chronology | |
| Previous | Friend, In Deed |
| Next | There's No Camp Like Home |
Donkey for a Day is the second segment of the second episode of the first season of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It was originally broadcast on January 24, 1988. To date, it remains one of the most popular and well-reviewed of all installments in the series.
Synopsis[]
When Piglet shows sympathy for Eeyore always being so sad, Rabbit, Pooh, Tigger, Owl, Roo and himself decide to do various activities to cheer him up but their attempts repeatedly get Eeyore into trouble. Piglet is upset by the fact that there is nothing he can do to try to cheer Eeyore up, but it turns out that Eeyore is not as gloomy as they all thought.
Plot[]
| This article/section features spoilers. Continue reading at your own risk. |
On a dark and stormy night, Piglet notices Eeyore watching the sky atop the lonely hill and is feeling sympathetic. He calls a meeting with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Owl and Roo and proposes they cheer him up. As a suggestion by Tigger, they decide to each take turns the next day trying different methods, though Piglet is unsure what to do. The next day, Piglet goes to visit Pooh to ask for help, but Pooh is already taking his turn. He tries feeding Eeyore honey and shoves some into his mouth. Eeyore tries to explain that he does not like honey, but Pooh thinks that he is asking for more and gives him the whole jar. Piglet looks through the window at that moment and thinks that the two are having a wonderful time. He walks away before Eeyore is able to finally explain his distaste. Pooh climbs a tree to get him some apples, which fall and hit his head wherever he moves. They eventually fill themselves up and Pooh feels satisfied, but Eeyore is stuffed and runs away when Pooh mentions lunch and dinner.
Owl tries teaching Eeyore to fly by strapping balloons to his legs while Piglet thinks that they are having a great time. When Owl thinks that he is flying well, he proceeds to pop the balloons, but this causes Eeyore to fall to the ground. Rabbit tries to teach him how to garden by strapping him to a plow. However, Eeyore’s tail falls off and Rabbit pins it back with too much force, which causes Eeyore to run with extreme speed with Rabbit still holding onto the plow. They pass Piglet, who was about to settle on teaching Eeyore to run. While he continues thinking of ideas, Tigger and Roo try to cheer Eeyore up by strapping springs to his legs so he can bounce. Unfortunately, things go wrong when Eeyore is unable to stop after a very high bounce. Tigger and Roo try to stop him by grabbing his springs, but they come off Eeyore is sent up into the air again, so Tigger and Roo put a mattress to break Eeyore’s fall. However, they place it over the edge of a lake, which Eeyore crashes into.
That evening, Piglet comes to Eeyore when he’s sitting on the top of the lonely hill. Eeyore, expecting something really painful, takes out a football helmet and puts it on. However, Piglet apologizes as everybody else did such a good job of cheering him up and that he can't think of anything. Eeyore then realizes that they were only trying to cheer him up, and then thanks them, even if they almost killed him. Eeyore then reveals that he doesn't come to the hill because he's sad, but because he's happy. He has Piglet watch the sky as beautiful multicolored lights start to fill it up, to Piglet's amazement. Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Owl and Roo join them and are just as amazed. Piglet names this “cloud painting” and credits Eeyore for inventing it. He thanks Eeyore for this wonderful time, to which Eeyore says he is just returning the favor.
Characters[]
Locations[]
Interval Title Card[]
Cast[]
| Voice actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Jim Cummings | Winnie the Pooh |
| John Fiedler | Piglet |
| Paul Winchell | Tigger |
| Ken Sansom | Rabbit |
| Peter Cullen | Eeyore |
| Hal Smith | Owl |
| Nicholas Melody | Roo |
Quotes[]
- Pooh: "Now the way to stay the happiest, you just have to let your tongue lickle, and keep your tummy tickled!"
- Tigger: (as they’re falling) "Abandon donkey!"
- Eeyore: (to Piglet) "So that’s what this is all about. Well, I’m grateful to you all, even if you almost killed me. But I don’t come up here because I’m sad. I come up here because I’m happy."
- Piglet: "No?"
- Eeyore: "Nope. Let me show you something, because you are a good friend."
- Roo: (when bouncing) “Look at us go!”
Credits[]
Produced by
WALT DISNEY
TELEVISION ANIMATION
Producer/Director
KARL GEURS
Story Editor
MARK ZASLOVE
“FRIEND, IN DEED”
Story by
MARK ZASLOVE
Teleplay by
JYMN MAGON
“DONKEY FOR A DAY”
Story by
MARK ZASLOVE
& DEV ROSS
Teleplay by
BRUCE TALKINGTON
MARK ZASLOVE
With the Voice Talents of
JOHN FIEDLER
KEN SANSOM
HAL SMITH
PETER CULLEN
MICHAEL GOUGH
NICHOLAS MELODY
FRANK WELKER
JIM CUMMINGS
as Winnie the Pooh
and
PAUL WINCHELL
as
Tigger
Animation Director
DAVID BLOCK
Assistant Producer
KEN TSUMURA
Associate Story Editor
BRUCE TALKINGTON
Storyboard Designer
Art Director
Character Designer
Additional Character Design
Background Stylist
Additional Background Styling
Color Stylist
Additional Color Styling
Timing Directors
DAVE BRAIN
BOB ZAMBONI
TERENCE HARRISON
Artwork Coordinator
KRISTA BUNN
Overseas Animation Supervisor
Post Production Coordinator
Production Assistants
Track Reader
Managing Film Editor
Supervising Editor
Editor
Assistant Editor
Songs Written and Produced
by
Music by
&
“Buzz Buzz”
Performed by
Animation Production by
*.
©1988 THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
All Rights Reserved
Walt Disney
Television
Distributed by
Buena Vista International, Inc.
Trivia[]
- This episode was recorded on January 5, 1988.
- This episode marks the first appearances of Owl and Roo in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
- Various scenes from this episode are used in versions of the show's opening sequence:
- Pooh force-feeding honey to Eeyore (1988).
- Pooh pulling a honey pot out of his mouth.
- Eeyore flying on balloons with Owl.
- Eeyore running with Rabbit holding onto the plow he is pulling.
- Tigger and Roo trying to stop Eeyore bouncing.
- Pooh and the others racing atop Eeyore’s hill and joining in the cloud-painting.
- In Sing Along Song Video, Piglet’s lines are modified.
- This is the first episode of Frank Welker, Hal Smith, Bruce Morris, Jymn Magon, Dev Ross and Nicholas Melody.
- Roo mentions the episode's title when he says, “Yeah! He'll be A DONKEY FOR A DAY”
Gallery[]
Releases[]
- The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Volume 3: Newfound Friends
- Growing Up With Winnie the Pooh Volume 1: All For One And One For All
- Birds of a Feather (UK)
- Forgiving Each Other