As well as Donald, himself this cartoon also features his nephews (Huey, Dewey and Louie) and girlfriend (Daisy). These characters were fairly new at this time. Huey, Dewey and Louie had first appeared only two years earlier in Donald's Nephews. Daisy had appeared in the first cartoon of the Donald Duck series (Don Donald (1937)). In that film she was named Donna Duck. Three years later, she made her second appearance in this cartoon. Mr. Duck Steps Out also marked the first time, her name was Daisy. With this being an early appearance here Daisy's voice sounds more like a female Donald, than her later more human sounding voice.
This cartoon features a great extended sequence in which Don and Daisy perform a jitterbug dance. Interestingly used as a live action reference for these scenes was Virginia Davis, who had earlier played Alice in Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies.
The following is a review in Showman's Trade Review.
"It's a vital certainty that if one Disney Technicolor cartoon has more laughs than another, this one has the most, for it doesn't let up in mirth-provoking situations until it's over. It deals with the attempt for Donald Duck to call on his girlfriend Daisy without his three nephews. They're already there of course, and the rivalry for jitterbug honor is responsible for many of the laughs. Walt Disney produced. This cartoon deserves your best playing time and should be well sold."
The following is an article from Photoplay magazine.
"The month being September and the second Friday falling on the thirteenth, we recall that this shunned day is Donald Duck's birthday. The quacker celebrates a birthday every Friday the thirteenth, since he came into this world via a paint pot and brush six years ago on that date.
"This is the Donald Duck year we hear from the Disney studio. Ten out of the eighteen Walt Disney shorts will star Donald. Most stars would perk up about this preferential treatment, but Donald is by this time blasé.
"Dan Cupid has been busy with Donald this year. In his new short, 'Mr. Duck Steps Out' Donald rivaling Fred Astaire in a jitterbug sequence, falls for Daisy Duck. But romance or no, Donald is letting nothing come between him and cherished ambition to play Hamlet sometime. While not at the Disney studio, he practically lives in front of his Duck-sized mirror."
AnimationLes Clark (Photograph of Daisy; Don brushes hair to rhythm; 3/4ths view of Don who flips hat on head; Don picks Daisy's picture up and starts kissing it; Don puts Daisy's picture back on the dresser. Hits cane knocking candy box and cane into air; Don trucking down hall; Kids coming out of door; Don and kids following him on pan. Don opens door, kids start out; Arm with cane hooks kids and pulls them through door; Don pulls kids with cane into hallway)
Paul Allen (Don questions kids; "Where Do 'YA Think Your Going?"; Huey, Dewey and Louie say "Why with you Unc'a Donald"; Don says "well, well you don't say"; Don and kids fall into line. Don marches kids back into closet and locks door; Don "trucks" out front door and down steps; Don walking and whirling his cane to rhythm, going up to the front of the house; Pan with Don SuzyQing up the steps of Daisy's house; Don steps up to the front door to rhythm, rings doorbell with cane, nephews open door, take candy, Don chases kids; Nephews in door, wink at each other, take candy box from Don's hand and say, "Thank You Unca' Donald"; Don senses wrong voice, starts to turn on o.s. dialogue, "Unca' Donald"; Don bashful, turns, sees kids, goes into blubbery take, lunges at kids says "You little squirts I'll tear you apart" and starts to chase kids through the door; Don says: "That's the last straw!" Hits radio first Radio starts to play. Don says "P-S-S-T …. Daisy..."; Don beckons to Daisy, then starts to dance out of scene to left; Don and Daisy dance into scene. Huey hands Don ice cream cone; Don holding ice cream cone. Dances around in circle, looks o.s. to left; Daisy dancing with Huey; Don goes into take at seeing Daisy and nephew o.s. then goes into take at seeing ice cream cone in his hand; Don in pushes Huey out the scene. Starts dancing with Daisy; Don dancing with Daisy. Nephews enter scene in blue streak - upset Don - start to dance with Daisy; Daisy and Don dancing. Daisy yells "Oh Boy!" Grabs Don by hand they start to dance together; Don and Daisy dance thru and over archway)
Phil Duncan (Back (exterior) of the house, kids saw way out)
Ray Peterson (Nephews being chased thru hall by Don. Don corners nephews; Don about to strike kids goes into take, changes expression into embarrassed laugh; Don tips his hat says "Hello - I brought my nephews with me."; Kids in huddle, get into formation speed out of scene; Don lying on rug in burn tapping fingers; Don and Daisy dance over to rug. Rug is jerked thru door with nephews on it; Louie and Dewey on top of piano playing candelabra, pan over to left, Huey picks up frog; Huey playing frog; Huey at piano; Dewey playing on drums; Daisy jitterbugging. Don shoots thru scene & off in distance, returns, circles around Daisy, spins in axis, spins her out of scene; Daisy spins into scene yells: "Yipp-e-e-e!" Then unwinds and spins out of scene)
Edward Strickland (Daisy opens curtains says, "Hello Donald"; Daisy coyly waves says "Oh
Donald how considerate of you")
Larry G. Clemmons (Kids run in blue streak thru door)
Don Towsley (Don laughs. adjusts tie. Jumps onto end of couch; Daisy on rear end of couch. Slides over to Daisy; Don says "Come on Toots how about a little kiss" as he walks his finger around edge of couch)
Judge Whitaker (Kids knock Don off couch. With puckered lips Don goes into take. Pan over to Daisy on rear end of couch. Huey hands her ice cream. Daisy says "Oh thanks boys. I'll fix the ice cream.")
Lee Morehouse (Don lands on fanny. Somersaults with feet up against radio. Settles into position Burns; Nephews & Daisy on couch eating ice cream cones)
Rex Cox (Nephews lying on the floor. truck down to Huey with bag of popcorn on his head. He grabs it, starts to throw it when he gets an idea; Huey pulls corn out of bag, surprised take, big smile; Louie and Dewey looking o.s. at Huey holding corn. They then turn and look o.s. to left, then look back in direction (Right) of Huey and wink)
Volus Jones (Corn popping on stove)
Dick Lundy (Don singing "yes yes" Corn goes into Don's mouth - gulps - corn starts popping; Don popping on heels; Don on floor bouncing on fanny, starts to pack thru rug, Daisy enters scene, Daisy turns and comes up to camera; Don plowing thru rug. Bangs against hearth. truck down to fanny popping; Don's fanny by fireplace, fanny starts popping, Don popping)
Ken Muse (Nephews run in with utensils and put them in piano; Nephews at piano, anticipate playing; Don anticipates hot dancing; Nephews playing on piano; Nephews playing piano; Louie on top of piano with plumber's friend)
Jim Armstrong (Louie riding bronco)
Story: Donald is preparing for a big date with Daisy. However as he heads out his nephews follow him. Don tries to get romantic but the boys keep interrupting. Don tries to do some jitterbug dancing, but the boys each want to dance with Daisy. This turns into a full on coemption. The boys give Donald some un-popped popcorn. Don starts dancing with Daisy and the popcorn begins popping. This causes Don to move like crazy, Daisy thinks that Don is pulling off amazing dancing moves. She says "What a jitterbug" and covers Donald with kisses.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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