Three for Breakfast

Three for Breakfast is a 1948 American animated short film directed by Jack Hannah. Part of the Donald Duck film series, the film was produced in Technicolor by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures on November 5, 1948. The cartoon stars Donald Duck cooking himself a pancake breakfast at home. Donald is confounded by two chipmunks living in his stovepipe, Chip and Dale, who eventually succeed in stealing Donald’s pancakes. Clarence Nash stars as Donald while James MacDonald and Dessie Flynn voice Chip and Dale, respectively. The film includes original music by Oliver Wallace.

Synopsis

Donald Duck is cooking pancakes in his kitchen, singing "Shortnin' Bread," when two chipmunks, Chip and Dale, get wind of the smell wafting through their home in the stovepipe. Chip and Dale attempt to steal Donald's pancakes;^[2] Donald devises various ways to rid himself of the unwanted guests, including slipping Chip and Dale a pancake made of rubber cement instead,^[3] but Chip and Dale eventually make off with all the pancakes, much to Donald's chagrin.^[4]

Alternate version

In the final scene of the original film, Donald chases Chip and Dale up his stovepipe and bangs his head, causing Donald to wear the chimney cap as an Asian conical hat while grimacing in an Asian stereotype.^[5] In response, Dale puts a pancake on his head and imitates Donald with the same stereotype, to the chipmunks' laughter.^[6] Current showings of the film omit this sequence.^[7]

Errors

The film contains multiple continuity errors.^[8] The number of pancakes in Donald's stack fluctuates, as do the appearance of utensils on the table, syrup on the pancakes, and the presence of items in Donald's kitchen.^[9] In the film's final scene, when Donald has chased the chipmunks up to his roof, Dale spreads butter on some of the roof tiles; however, when Donald begins to slip on the butter, it disappears.^[10]

Releases

• 1948 – original theatrical release

Notes