Huey, Dewey, and Louie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Huey, Dewey, and Louie |
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From left to right: Louie, Huey, and Dewey
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| First appearance | In print: Silly Symphonies featuring Donald Duck Sunday newspaper strip (October 17, 1937) In animation: Donald's Nephews (1938) |
| Created by | Al Taliaferro Carl Barks |
| Designed by | Carl Barks |
| Voiced by | Clarence Nash (1938–1965) Dick Beals (1967) Russi Taylor (1987–2019) Tony Anselmo (1987, 1999–2003, 2012) In Quack Pack: Huey: Jeannie Elias Dewey: Pamela Adlon Louie: Elizabeth Daily In DuckTales (2017): Huey: Danny Pudi Dewey: Ben Schwartz Louie: Bobby Moynihan |
| Information | |
| Species | Pekin |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Students (trained scouts) |
| Family | Duck family |
| Relatives | Donald Duck (maternal uncle, legal guardian) Scrooge McDuck (maternal grand-uncle) Della Duck (mother) Ludwig Von Drake (maternal granduncle) Gladstone Gander (first cousin once removed) Quackmore Duck (maternal grandfather) Hortense McDuck (maternal grandmother) Daphne Duck (maternal grand-aunt) Matilda McDuck (maternal grand-aunt) Eider Duck (maternal great-uncle) Humperdink Duck (maternal great-grandfather) Elvira Duck (maternal great-grandmother) |
| Nationality | American |
Huey, Dewey, and Louie are three cartoon duck brothers. They are the nephews of Donald Duck and the grand-nephews of Scrooge McDuck. These famous characters were created by Carl Barks for The Walt Disney Company, based on an idea from Al Taliaferro.
The boys are white ducks with yellow-orange bills and feet, just like their uncles. You can often tell them apart by the color of their shirts and baseball caps: Huey wears red, Dewey wears blue, and Louie wears green. They have appeared in many Donald Duck cartoons and in the TV show DuckTales. However, they are most famous for their adventures in comic books.
At first, the boys were known for causing trouble and making Donald Duck lose his temper. But later, especially in comic books by Carl Barks, they became heroes. They often help Donald and Uncle Scrooge on their exciting adventures. All three brothers are members of the Junior Woodchucks, a fictional scouting group.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie are among the most popular comic book characters in the world. They are second only to Donald Duck in how often they appear in comics.
How Huey, Dewey, and Louie Started
The idea for Huey, Dewey, and Louie came from Al Taliaferro. He was an artist for the Silly Symphony comic strip. He suggested the idea for a cartoon called Donald's Nephews. This way, Donald would have nephews, just like Mickey Mouse had his nephews, Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse.
Disney recognized Taliaferro's idea in a memo on February 5, 1937. The cartoon was already being made before the boys first appeared in the Silly Symphonies comic strip on October 17, 1937. The comic strip often used ideas from cartoons that were still being made.
Carl Barks, who wrote the cartoon Donald's Nephews, came up with the idea that the nephews are triplets who finish each other's sentences. This special trait first appeared at the end of the cartoon. It was then used in the comic strip a week later.
The names Huey, Dewey, and Louie were thought up by Disney writer Dana Coty. He got the names from famous people: Huey Long, Thomas Dewey, and Louis Schmitt, who was a Disney animator. In other languages, their names often sound similar to their English names, like Tupu, Hupu, and Lupu in Finnish.
Their Family Story
Huey, Dewey, and Louie are the sons of Donald's sister, Della Duck. In the early cartoon Donald's Nephews, their mother was called Dumbella.
In the first cartoons, the boys were sent to visit Donald for just one day. In the comics, they were sent to stay with Donald temporarily. This was because their father was in the hospital after they played a trick on him with firecrackers. After these first visits, their parents were never mentioned again. So, the boys ended up living permanently with Donald. They all live in the fictional city of Duckburg.
In the early cartoons, Huey, Dewey, and Louie were often wild and caused trouble. Sometimes, they would even get revenge on Donald. But in the comics by Carl Barks, they became much better behaved. This was thanks to their membership in the Junior Woodchucks and the good influence of Grandma Duck. As they grew up, they often helped Donald and Scrooge on their adventures.
What Makes Them Special
Outfit Colors
In early comic books and cartoons, the colors of Huey, Dewey, and Louie's caps were often chosen randomly. Sometimes, all three nephews wore the same color outfits, usually red.
It wasn't until the 1980s that their specific colors became fixed. Huey wears red, Dewey wears blue, and Louie wears green. Disney's archivist, Dave Smith, shared a helpful way to remember: "the brightest hue of the three is red (Huey), the color of water, dew, is blue (Dewey), and that leaves Louie, and leaves are green (Louie)."
Sometimes, in old Disney toys or books, you might see them in other colors like orange or yellow. Or, you might see Huey in blue, Dewey in green, and Louie in red. In the stories, this is sometimes explained by saying the boys borrow each other's clothes. They are also often shown wearing identical dark shirts.
The comic story An Eye for Detail by Don Rosa is about Donald trying so hard to tell his nephews apart that he develops super-sharp eyesight.
Their Voices
Clarence Nash, who was Donald's voice actor, also voiced the nephews in the early cartoons. This made their voices sound very duck-like and sometimes hard to understand.
Later, Russi Taylor voiced Huey, Dewey, and Louie in the original DuckTales TV show. In the show Quack Pack, they were voiced by Jeannie Elias (Huey), Pamela Segall (Dewey), and Elizabeth Daily (Louie). Tony Anselmo also voiced them in some projects like Mickey Mouse Works. Russi Taylor continued to voice them in video games and direct-to-video movies until she passed away in 2019.
In the 2017 DuckTales series, the brothers have new voices and distinct personalities. Huey is voiced by Danny Pudi, Dewey by Ben Schwartz, and Louie by Bobby Moynihan.
Phooey Duck
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Sometimes, by mistake, an artist would draw four nephews instead of three, and this error would be published. This extra nephew has been named Phooey Duck by Disney comic editor Bob Foster.
A Danish comic story from 1999, Much Ado About Phooey, even used Phooey as a character. It explained his rare appearances as a strange natural event. Phooey also made a brief appearance in a dream sequence in the 2017 DuckTales animated series episode, "A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill!".
Huey, Dewey, and Louie in Comics
In the comics, Huey, Dewey, and Louie are very important characters. They often go on adventures with their "Unca Donald" or their great-uncle Scrooge McDuck.
A big part of their comic book lives is their membership in the Junior Woodchucks. This group is like the Boy Scouts. They have a special book called the Junior Woodchucks Guidebook. This book is full of amazing information about science, history, and how to survive in the wild. This youth group helped change the three brothers from mischievous kids into good young ducks.
According to Disney comic writer Don Rosa, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck were born around 1940 in Duckburg. In his famous comic series, Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, Rosa shows how sad the boys were about losing their parents. When Scrooge first meets Donald and his nephews, he says he's not used to having relatives. Huey, Dewey, and Louie reply, "We know how that feels, Unca Scrooge!"
In a story by Carl Barks called Some Heir Over the Rainbow, Scrooge McDuck tests Huey, Dewey, and Louie, along with Donald and Gladstone Gander. Scrooge wants to choose someone to inherit his money. He secretly gives each of them $1,000 to invest. Donald spends his money on a new car. Gladstone hides his money, thinking he's too lucky to need it right away. Huey, Dewey, and Louie lend their money to a man who says he needs it to find treasure. Even though Scrooge first thinks the boys were tricked, the man actually finds the treasure and pays them back. Because of this, Scrooge decides that Huey, Dewey, and Louie will be his heirs.
In a 1994 interview, Carl Barks was asked who would inherit Scrooge's money. He said, "Probably Donald's nephews." He explained that the boys were more practical than Donald. He felt they would use the money to do good in the world, especially through their Junior Woodchucks organization.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie in Television
Huey, Dewey, and Louie were main characters in the 1987 animated TV series DuckTales. In this show, they lived with their great-uncle, Scrooge McDuck, and went on adventures with him. Donald Duck left them with Scrooge to join the U.S. Navy. The boys' personalities in this series were based more on their comic book versions.
In the 1996 series Quack Pack, the three brothers were shown as teenagers. They each had different personalities: Huey was the leader, Dewey was good with computers, and Louie loved sports. After Quack Pack, the boys went back to their original younger ages for most shows, including Mickey Mouse Works in 1999. In the 2001 series House of Mouse, they were the house band, playing in many different styles.
In the 2017 DuckTales series, the brothers again have distinct looks, voices, and personalities. Huey is smart and logical. Dewey is adventurous and excited. Louie is relaxed and clever. The boys move into Scrooge's mansion with Donald and travel the world on adventures. They also have different roles: Huey is a Junior Woodchuck, Dewey loves adventures, and Louie wants to be rich like Scrooge, but he prefers easy ways to get there. This version also changed Dewey's real name to Dewford and Louie's to Llewellyn. In the second season, they meet their long-lost mother, Della. She tells them she planned to name them "Jet, Turbo, and Rebel" before she disappeared. Donald named them instead.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie in Video Games
Huey, Dewey, and Louie have appeared in many video games over the years. Their first game was DuckTales (1989) for the NES. In this game, they help Uncle Scrooge find treasure.
In The Lucky Dime Caper (1991) for Sega's Game Gear and Master System, the nephews are kidnapped by Magica De Spell. Donald has to find Scrooge's lucky dime to get them back. The trio also appear in the game Quackshot (1991) for Sega Genesis and Sega Saturn. In this game, they fly Donald's plane as he searches for a lost treasure around the world. In Disney's Magical Quest 3 Starring Mickey & Donald (1995), the goal is to rescue the nephews from the evil King Pete.
Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers (2000) was released for many gaming systems. In this game, the boys help Donald rescue Daisy and their toys. The nephews are also playable characters in Mickey's Speedway USA (2000) for Nintendo 64. In Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix (2000), they appear as DJs for some music tracks. They are also playable characters in Disney Magic Kingdoms (2016), a game about Disney Parks.
Kingdom Hearts Series
Huey, Dewey, and Louie often appear as shopkeepers in the Kingdom Hearts video game series. In the first game (2002), they work in the item shop. In Kingdom Hearts II (2005), they each run a different shop: Huey runs the item shop, Dewey the accessory shop, and Louie the weapon shop.
In Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (2010), the nephews are in Disney Town. They help make ice cream flavors and have speaking roles. In Kingdom Hearts χ (2013), they are on special medals that give players' other medals experience points. They appear in Kingdom Hearts III (2019) where they take turns running the gummi shop. In all their Kingdom Hearts appearances, the nephews look like they did in the original DuckTales show.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie in Parks and Attractions
Huey, Dewey, and Louie have often appeared at Disney theme parks.
Tokyo Disney
The nephews appeared in seasonal parades during Easter, Halloween, and Christmas in 2011 after not being seen for a long time. They also appeared in the Countdown Party Parade in 2011.
Disneyland Paris
Huey, Dewey, and Louie are often seen in Paris. They appeared during the Christmas season in 2010 in parades like "Disneyland Paris's Magic Kingdom", Disney's Once Upon a Dream Parade, and the Disney's Fantillusion Parade. They also met guests at the Disneyland Hotel on April 2, 2011. They appeared in special outfits for the Disney's Once Upon a Dream Parade and in director outfits for the Disney's Stars 'n' Cars Parade.
The nephews also appeared at Disneyland Paris for Halloween in 2011. They had their own show called Huey, Dewey and Louie's Trick or Treat Party. They also met guests at Disney's Halloween Party on October 31, 2011. They were part of the Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve celebrations at the Disneyland Hotel in 2011–2012.
List of Appearances
Theatrical Shorts
| # | Short film | Date | Shirt Colours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donald's Nephews | April 15, 1938 | Red, Green, Orange | |
| 2 | Good Scouts | July 8, 1938 | All scout uniforms | |
| 3 | Donald's Golf Game | November 4, 1938 | Red, Yellow, Orange | |
| 4 | The Hockey Champ | April 28, 1939 | Red, Green, Orange | |
| 5 | Sea Scouts | June 30, 1939 | All Red | |
| 6 | Mr. Duck Steps Out | June 7, 1940 | Yellow, Green, Red | Also starring Daisy Duck |
| 7 | Fire Chief | December 13, 1940 | Red, Yellow, Blue/All Red | |
| 8 | All Together | January 13, 1942 | All Red | A WWII Cartoon |
| 9 | The Nifty Nineties | June 20, 1941 | All Blue | A Mickey Mouse Cartoon |
| 10 | Truant Officer Donald | August 1, 1941 | Red, Green, Orange | |
| 11 | Donald's Snow Fight | April 10, 1942 | Red, Green, Orange | |
| 12 | Home Defense | November 26, 1943 | All Red | |
| 13 | Donald Duck and the Gorilla | March 31, 1944 | Red, Yellow, Green | |
| 14 | Donald's Off Day | December 8, 1944 | All Red | |
| 15 | Donald's Crime | June 29, 1945 | Red, Green, Orange | Also starring Daisy Duck |
| 16 | Straight Shooters | April 18, 1947 | All Red | |
| 17 | Soup's On | October 15, 1948 | All Red | |
| 18 | Donald's Happy Birthday | February 11, 1949 | All Red | |
| 19 | Lion Around | January 20, 1950 | All Red | |
| 20 | Lucky Number | July 20, 1951 | All Red | |
| 21 | Trick or Treat | October 10, 1952 | Various Halloween costumes | Also starring Witch Hazel |
| 22 | Don's Fountain of Youth | May 30, 1953 | All Red | |
| 23 | Canvas Back Duck | December 25, 1953 | All Red | Also starring Peg Leg Pete |
| 24 | Spare the Rod | January 15, 1954 | All Green/Red | |
| 25 | Donald's Diary | March 5, 1954 | All Light Blue | Also starring Daisy Duck; Huey, Dewey and Louie (who are not named) are Daisy's little brothers and not Donald's nephews |
| 26 | The Litterbug | June 21, 1961 | Red, Yellow, Green | |
| 27 | Donald's Fire Survival Plan | May 5, 1966 | All Red | |
| 27 | Scrooge McDuck and Money | March 23, 1967 | All blue |
Feature Films
- Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) (cameo)
- DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)
- Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999)
- Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)
- Mickey's House of Villains (2002)
- Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)
Television Shows and Specials
- Donald Duck Presents (1983)
- DuckTales (1987)
- Sport Goofy in Soccermania (1987)
- Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990)
- Quack Pack (1996)
- Mickey Mouse Works (1999)
- House of Mouse (2001)
- DuckTales (2017)
Video Games
- DuckTales (1989)
- The Lucky Dime Caper (1991)
- Quackshot (1991)
- Disney's Magical Quest 3 Starring Mickey & Donald (1995)
- Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers (2000)
- Mickey's Speedway USA (2000)
- Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix (2000)
- Kingdom Hearts (2002)
- Kingdom Hearts II (2005)
- Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (2010)
- Kingdom Hearts Unchained (2013)
- Disney Magic Kingdoms (2016)
- Kingdom Hearts III (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Huey, Dewey y Louie para niños
- Disney comics
- Junior Woodchucks
- Duck family (Disney)
- Donald Duck universe
- Donald Duck in comics
- Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck
