Scrooge McDuck and Money facts for kids

Scrooge McDuck and Money is an animated short film from 1967. It was made by Walt Disney Productions and directed by Hamilton Luske. The film features the well-known characters Scrooge McDuck and his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. It was released on March 23, 1967, and teaches viewers about money.

Understanding Money with Scrooge McDuck

The cartoon starts with Huey, Dewey, and Louie visiting their rich Uncle Scrooge McDuck. They are in his huge bank vault and want to deposit their money, which is $1.95. Scrooge decides to teach them about money's long history.

The History of Money

Scrooge explains that in ancient Rome, soldiers were sometimes paid with salt. This salt was called "salarium." This is where we get the phrase "worth his salt" and the word "salary" today.

He also shows them a Spanish piece of eight coin. He explains that this coin was made of smaller "bits." Ancient Greek obols were tiny coins that people could carry in their mouths. Scrooge even shows his nephews a giant stone wheel from the Island of Yap, which was also used as money long ago.

From Bartering to Bills

Scrooge goes back even further in time. He explains that the earliest cavemen tried to trade things directly with each other. This is called bartering. But they soon realized they needed a better way to value different items. They needed a stable standard, which is how money began.

Over time, people used many different objects as currency. These included pieces of silver, copper, bronze, and gold. Eventually, coins and paper bills were invented. Later, cheques and credit cards came along. These made it easier to pay for things without carrying lots of cash.

Why We Can't Just Print More Money

The nephews then suggest simply printing "a few billion more dollars." Scrooge explains that a billion is a much larger number than they think. He also warns that making too much money would cause dangerous inflation. Inflation means that money loses its value, and things become more expensive.

Scrooge teaches them that what you can buy with your money is what truly matters. This is part of economics, which is about how money and goods are made and used. He explains that you must balance your budget like pieces of a pie to live comfortably. He adds that income tax helps pay for important things like schools and roads.

The Flow of Money

Scrooge tells his nephews that his enormous vault holds only "petty cash" compared to all the money in the world. He explains that money must move around, "like ocean currents," to keep the world working. He advises them to invest their money wisely so it can grow.

Finally, Scrooge agrees to deposit their $1.95 for a small fee of 3 cents. He concludes by saying that investing money wisely is a skill, almost like an art.

Voice Actors

• Bill Thompson as Scrooge

Film History

Scrooge McDuck and Money was a special film because it was Scrooge McDuck's first main animated appearance. Before this, he only had a very brief cameo on the Mickey Mouse Club TV show. It was also the only time he appeared with Huey, Dewey, and Louie until the DuckTales TV show started twenty years later. This short film was also one of the first cartoons released by the studio after Walt Disney passed away.

For a long time, people thought this short film was shown in theaters with The Jungle Book. However, animation expert Jerry Beck has said this is unlikely. Scrooge McDuck and Money came out in March 1967, while The Jungle Book was released in October. It was more likely shown with other films released earlier that year, such as The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin or The Gnome-Mobile.

See also

• List of American films of 1967