Clara Cluck

Clara Cluck is a character who was created by The Walt Disney Company. She debuted in the 1934 Mickey Mouse cartoon Orphan's Benefit. She is an operatic chicken and an old friend of Mickey Mouse.

1930s-1940s


It is possible that Clara Cluck played the title role in The Wise Little Hen (June 9, 1934), as both characters were voiced by the same person, Florence Gill, and there is more than just a passing physical resemblance. However, by the time she made her big debut in the original version of Orphan's Benefit, she had changed into an over-sized operatic diva; a role that she would continue throughout the rest of her appearances. Clara's singing is meant to be a caricature of the Bel Canto style of Opera singing popular at the time of her appearance. Some of her arias are clearly modeled on those of Tosca. Her last major appearance was as one of the musicians in Symphony Hour. Curiously, although she is seen in the rehearsal scenes at the beginning, she is not seen in the performance scenes at the end.

Although she did not make a physical appearance in the film, one segment in The Reluctant Dragon showed a voice recording session for Clara (Florence Gill), singing with Donald (Clarence Nash).

1980s-present
Clara makes a non-speaking cameo at the end of Who Framed Roger Rabbit along with the other classic cartoon characters joining in singing "Smile Darn Ya Smile", celebrating Roger's innocence as they parade back to Toontown.

In Mickey's Christmas Carol, she can be seen dancing at Fezziwig's party.

Clara made various appearances in Mickey Mouse Works, where she is presented as Daisy Duck's neighbor, and develops a crush on Donald. She also made occasional appearances among the guests at the House of Mouse.

In the new Mickey Mouse shorts, Clara appears during the theater performance that Mickey and Minnie attend at the end of "Bad Ear Day", resuming her classic role as an opera singer (although her feathers are colored white instead of their usual brown). She later appeared in the final segment of the series' Halloween special, "The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular".

Clara also appears in the Disney Junior series Mickey and the Roadster Racers. She lives on a farm, and is also the proud mother of twin chicks Clifford and Cleo, who are hatched in the episode "Egg-xasperating".

Comics
Despite Clara's departure from most other Disney media, Clara has remained a major supporting character in the Disney comic stories, among the other classic animated Disney characters. In most adaptations, she is seen speaking properly rather than her usual clucks from her appearance in Disney cartoons. She has been seen dating Panchito Pistoles in one story, printed in Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #38. She also appeared in a couple of Disney comics by Carl Barks, most notably in The Double Date, where she invites her pen pal, Rockhead Rooster to accompany her on a double date with Donald and Daisy. Rockhead later appeared as Clara's boyfriend in a number of more recent Disney comics.

Kingdom Hearts II
Clara made a cameo appearance in the Timeless River world of Kingdom Hearts II with many other classic Disney characters, like Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar, as one of the world's citizens.

Disney Parks
Clara Cluck appears in the Disney parks as a meetable character. She is also seen in shows and parades.

Disneyland Resort
During the Disney California Adventure expansion, Clara was seen as a construction worker on a mural with other Disney characters.

In Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade, Clara can be seen with all the original Disney characters in this parade. In it, she sings from the top of the barn float window in the Frontierland unit and waves to the guests.

Tokyo Disney Resort
Clara can be seen twice in One Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives On!. First is during Donald's segment. She was one of the actors and actresses for Donald's film.

Theatrical films

 * Orphan's Benefit (1934)
 * Mickey's Grand Opera
 * Mickey's Amateurs
 * The Fox Hunt (1938 short) (cameo)
 * Orphan's Benefit (1941)
 * The Reluctant Dragon (heard by voice only)
 * Mickey's Birthday Party
 * Symphony Hour
 * Mickey's Christmas Carol (cameo)
 * Who Framed Roger Rabbit (cameo)

Television
Have a Laugh!
 * Mickey Mouse Works
 * Daisy's Big Sale
 * Double Date Don
 * Locksmiths
 * Minnie Visits Daisy
 * House of Mouse
 * Everybody Loves Mickey
 * Daisy's Debut
 * The Three Caballeros (House of Mouse episode)
 * Mickey Mouse
 * Bad Ear Day
 * The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular
 * The Birthday Song
 * Mickey and the Roadster Racers
 * Egg-xasperating
 * Smarty Goof
 * Stop That Heist!
 * Adventures in Buddysitting!
 * Alarm on the Farm!
 * Happy Holiday Helpers!

Discography

 * Walt Disney's Story of Clarabelle Cow

Trivia

 * Aside from voicing her in all of her classic animated appearances, Florence Gill also provided Clara's voice in the short-lived radio show, The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air.