Buddy's biological father, Walter, is the workaholic, stone-faced foil to his eternally peppy personality. I can make some money, let my kids do what the hell they want to do,' he told theBull & Fox show on Clevelands 92.3 FM radio station. 1. As a kid growing up in Philadelphia, future Elf screenwriter David Berenbaum loved Christmas despite being Jewish. "We shot right up until we destroy the place," Lange told ABC News. Elf was also initially intended to be a bit more sinister, withdirector Jon Favreaurevealing to Rolling Stone, "He was a darker character.". authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Ive got houses in LA, Paris, and Vail, Miles says when hes angry at Buddy for calling him an elf. According to Brick Underground, its the same as Dana Barretts haunted apartment in Ghostbusters. 10. Jason LaVerisGetty Images. Santaland took weeks to make but minutes to destroy. She plays Gail inThe Last Man On Earth, has appeared inThe Connersas Marcy, andmadeher Christmas movie return inHappiest Seasonon Hulu. Favreau's hugely popular (yet unknown) cameo. Inspired by the Christmas specials he grew up with, Favreau explained in the film's commentary track that he employed old techniques instead of CGI whenever possible. Hes prickly, but not a complete jerk, tough but vulnerable. Mines octarine. The color is a nod to Terry Pratchetts novel The Color of Magic from the Discoworld series. Elf (2003) photos, including production stills, premiere photos and other event photos, publicity photos, behind-the-scenes, and more. This run was a huge success, taking in more than $1.4 million in one week, a record for the Al Hirschfield Theater where it debuted. Will Ferrells Buddy the Elf is an expert in spreading Christmas cheer, whether its by singing loudly for all to hear, crooning Baby, Its Cold Outside with Zooey Deschanels Jovie in private, or even by getting hit by cabs on the streets of New York City. But while youve probably seen this movie hundreds of times since it came out in 2003, you still likely missed these things while watching Elf. And yes, that really is Ferrell singing. James Caan and Linda Caan during "Elf" New York Premiere at Loews Astor Plaza in New York City, New York, United States. Ferrell's brother Patrick Ferrell played one of the security guards that drags Buddy out of the Empire State Building. Ferrell's Buddy costume was so captivating that the actor actually caused a few traffic incidents while filming in New York City. Favreau panicked that if he showed a cut of the movie without the as-yet-incomplete stop-motion scenes, the studio wouldn't let him add them in later. Favreau realized Deschanels Doris Day-type voice would help break her cold character, who spends much of the film not feeling the Christmas spirit. A titan in the film industry, Caan's movie and TV career stretches back over 60 years, with some of his most notable roles being in The Godfather (1972), Misery (1990) and Elf (2003). The director eventually cast him in 1972's The Godfather, earning Caan his sole Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. But hey, everyone knows the sequel is never as good as the original, so maybe it was for the best. 6. I had never been involved with it." This development was great for the screenplay, but it's also the reason Elf almost never happened. The facility is called Riverview Hospital, and it has played host to a long list of film and television productions, including The X-Files, Final Destination 2, Jennifer's Body, and See No Evil 2. Ming Ming the elf is played by A Christmas Story star Peter Billingsley in a cameo role, a casting move Favreau made for a specific reason. That's no coincidence. And, in some ways, Elf highlights a certain natural progression of his career. That meant they could buy the license to the brand, but there was no Gimbels store to shoot in. Talking about Sonny makes sense, but it might not be what he wanted. James Caan, the veteran screen actor known for his work in such films as "The Godfather," "Misery" and "Elf," has died, his family said in a statement on his verified Twitter account. He was . You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. No wonder Buddy feels the need to drink a whole 2-liter of Coke at dinner at his dads house hes thirsty. Like many productions, this one took advantage of the financial benefits of filming in Canada, and much of Elf was shot in sound stages in Vancouver. Though uncredited, that lengthy belch came not from Ferrell, but from noted voice actor Maurice LaMarche, who might be best known for Brain of Pinky and the Brain. So lets talk about something else. Movies. Voice actorMaurice LaMarche, best known forgiving life toThe Brainon Pinky and the Brain, provided the dinner table belch. The Lite-Brite "welcome" sign caused a similar headache since they had to source extra red and blue light pegs. But he said the actual fight between the characters had to be done in one take. So every take was different. Billingsley has been a producer on several of Favreau's film and television projects. Watch closely and you'll see he turns away from the camera so as not to ruin the take. 2023 E! "We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing. But to be clear, Caan wasn't talking about Favreau. What I'm more proud of actually is the narwhal when it comes up out of the water, when Buddy's leaving the North Pole, that's my voice: Bye, Buddy. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. He knew it was crucial for Walter to be annoyednever amusedby his supposed son's antics. Walter, a selfish workaholic who seems to care about nothing other than . 8 photos. It's this spirit that gave Elf its candy cane-sweet center. Some of Buddy's most iconic lines"You smell like beef and cheese!" "I just love the thought that there we were, working every day and he was going back to his hotel room going, 'Please get me outta this one.'". However, when Buddy comes to New York, it was important to Favreau to shoot on location whenever possible. He also later revealed he voiced the character of Mr. Narwhal. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. Video: James Caan, The Godfather and Elf Acting Legend, Dead at 82 (People) As with all successful family films, the movie manages to delight parent and child alike, partially by introducing the . Favreau's hugely popular (yet unknown) cameo. All Rights Reserved, Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google, The Most Iconic Christmas Movie Quotes Will Have You Feeling Festive, Merry ~Kristmas~! "It looks almost like he's a puppet and the tights and the boots and the hat and he was extremely brave wearing that costume.". He was 82. ', Of course, it was the former. Elves thrive on the four main food groups (candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup, of course), but one of the dumb things we all ignored in Elf was that Buddy, as a human, would probably be very ill, if not dead, on this diet. I'm proud that he's grown up so well. Nowadays, Favreau is a big-time director with films like Iron Man and The Jungle Book under his belt. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Big Tech news and how to take control of your data and devices, Oscar nominee Angela Bassett did the thing and heres what that means, Suddenly, Jamie Lee Curtis is everything everywhere all at once, In the Spotify era, many musicians struggle to make a living, How Mark Zuckerberg broke Metas workforce, Elon Musk describes Starship flight as roughly what I expected, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey says Musk wasnt an ideal leader after all. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. He chose to wear her "Wanda" nametag anyway. According to Favreaus DVD commentary special, The Godfather star broke because Ferrell often made him laugh. Needless to say, we did have a fair amount of fittings to be sure we struck the right balance between absurd and adorable.". But he managed to make it work for most of the interior locations you see in the movie. Peter does a lot more producing than acting these days. But when it came to the blood test scene where Buddy bellows when pricked by a needle, Caan cracked. This includes all the Manhattan exteriors, as well as scenes shot at Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and Central Park West, where Buddy's dad lives. Ferrell admitted to Blackfilm, "Yeah, that was tough. Dont do it, Deb! It took him a while to get with the programming. This was back when the pair were pre-Saturday Night Live, and part of The Groundlings comedy troupe. Although his role is uncredited, Peter Billingsley plays Ming Ming and the actor is best known for being Ralphie in 1983s A Christmas Story. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It turned the lead from SNL alumnus into a movie star. In the scene where Buddy suffers as a toy tester, he's subjected to popping open an endless stream of menacing jack-in-the-boxes. Plus, The New York Times called it, "A splashy, peppy, sugar-sprinkled holiday entertainment." Ferrell told Blackfilm it was one of his favorite scenes to film. According to Pratchetts lore, octarine is the color of magic, so of course Buddy loves it! She explained to Variety, "There are worse things in the world to eat than that, but we had been doing it for hours." 'Sleepless in Seattle' Cast: Where Are They Now? He was even given the prestigious Gordon E. Sawyer Academy Award in 1992 for his impact in the motion picture industry. Free shipping for many products! Life & Style is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. "The costume was important," Favreau told ABC News. Fun fact: Redbone also sings Baby, Its Cold Outside with Deschanel during the credits. 16. The big fight scene between Buddy and the fake Santa, played by comedian Artie Lange, was filmed in one take because it took the art department weeks to decorate Gimbels. How could you not love the no-bullst Gimbels manager, played by Faizon? "When we had Will in the Lincoln Tunnel, the tunnel was open. The boots that are curled up," Lange said, laughing. "I ingested a lot of sugar in this movie and I didn't get a lot of sleep," Ferrell told The Sun. While reporter Charlotte is interviewing people about seeing Santas sleigh in Central Park, a man takes over the interview by complimenting her. "I decided I wouldn't be able to. He had it in his contract. Another mystery: Where did he get all his sugary breakfast treats from? (AP: Paramount Pictures)Having earlier acted in 1969 Francis . The crew carefully made sure the two always matched. Known for his turn in dramas like The Godfather and Misery, James Caan was concerned early on that Ferrell's performance was, um, a little too much. For example, the man in the red jogging suit he mistakes for Santa wasn't a paid actor. "I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it's bad and they say, 'He did the sequel for the money?'" The director and WiIl didn't get along very well," he told sports radio show 92.3 The Fan. Favreau used the "forced perspective" technique while filming so that Buddy the Elf appeared larger than his surroundings and counterparts. Walter Hobbs is the deuteragonist of Elf and Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas. He fronted Made with friend Vince Vaughn, and later found a sweet supporting role for himself in Iron Man. Among the many Hollywood heavy hitters he has inspired are Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, and James Cameron, according to the British Film Institute magazine Sight & Sound. Rather than standard jack-in-the-boxes that would pop at the song's end, these were remote controlled by Favreau, who purposely manipulated their timing to toy with his star and get authentic reactions. It was one of those things.". "I had to dye my hair blonde for a screen test for a movie that never happened before I did Elf. The sprawling department store that takes up a whole block in Manhattan was digitally altered to transform into Elf's Gimbels. Favreau said the team approached Macy's asking to use their store, which he thought seemed like be a natural fit for the movie, but Macy's declined. Fortunately, her reflexive grimace at the too-sweet dish worked for her character. "He really never came to any of his movies. Going to go out on a limb here and say that Patrick is the taller security guard on the left in the above photo. But before Elf, he was better known for being an actor and he appears as the doctor who does the paternity test for Walter. Buddy used his elf training to construct it overnight, but it took the production team two weeks. That includes those that lend themselves to being shot in an abandoned mental institution, such as the orphanage, the police station, the mail room, and the offices of Greenway Press. When Im working with improv people, I give them the green light to just bring it and try things. Unless youre living under a rock, you already know that he starred onGame of Thronesas Tyrion Lannister! Sadly, Ed died on August 29, 2021. Will wanted to do it, and he didn't want the director. According to Berg, on his first day on set, he gave a speech in which he asked to be called Jimmy the Dream. 1. James Caan, the Bronx-born, Queens-raised actor who starred in "The Godfather," "Elf," "Brian's Song," "El Dorado" and "Misery," among countless other films, has died. The Oscar nominee often played it serious, and was beloved by fans because of it. Among his many enduring roles which include Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo in 1971s Brians Song, the debt-ridden English professor in the original 1974 version of The Gambler and the heroic Staff Sergeant Dohun in 1977s World War II epic A Bridge Too Far Sonny is the one average filmgoers will probably remember 50 years from now. crooning Baby, Its Cold Outside with Zooey Deschanels Jovie, declawing kittens in New York has been made illegal, he appears to be Wills real-life brother, 1960s movie from Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin, concert in Central Park actually occurred in 1981. He also made a cameo in another of his brothers movies, The Other Guys, in 2010, this time as one of two precinct detectives. I would try to offset anything he could throw at me, Ferrell told Blackfilm. Just leave it to Ferrell. It went a whole lot further in undoing Sonny Corleone than, say, Misery.. Zooey has starred in iconic movies like500 Days of Summer, andlater acted in her hit showNew Girlfrom 2011-2018. She told Entertainment Weekly that Favreau wanted to tailor the character to whoever played her. Some of the movie's coziest, most Christmassy scenes were shot in a location that was neither cozy nor Christmassy Riverview Hospital, an abandoned mental institution in British Columbia. This marks just one of many Billingsley and Favreau's collaborations. In 2012, Caan joined son Scott on an episode of Hawaii Five-0, playing a retired NYPD bomb expert who becomes a private investigator in Oahu. We know now that Elf was a massive success, and it's become a welcome addition to the Christmas canon just like Favreau and Berenbaum wanted. Favreau told Rolling Stone that Caan "always felt like he was being treated right on the set. At this point, every Game of Thrones fan should know that Tyrion Lannister (actor Peter Dinklage) plays author Miles Finch. The shot where Buddy is caught by NY1 cameras in Central Park is most likely a reference to the 1960s movie from Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin that allegedly featured Bigfoot, according to the website Zinzin. Ed played the REAL Santa, the one who Buddy helps fly away at the end. Ferrell recollected to Spliced Wire, "I have some experience playing Santa Claus Chris Kattan was my elf at this outdoor mall in Pasadena for five weeks, passing out candy canes. The hardest part about the mealtime scenes, Steenburgen said, was not laughing at Ferrell. Elf made nearly seven times its $32 million budget at the box office alone, but during the shoot, money was tight. In a 2003 interview with TV Guide, Asner said, This is about the eighth time Ive [played Santa], adding, It is really old hat. Both are now closed. He might not play the main character in either, but hes one of the most important in both. Eventually, something just clicked in Jimmy and he just went with it. In the DVD commentary, Favreau offers, It explained why Buddy was doing all these good things in New York if he grew up in a world where everybody was so sweet even when hes obviously screwing everything up and doesnt fit in at all.. Even the paper decorations were time-consuming. "I wanted some of the Christmas Story, that good mojo, that was our goal," he told Billingsley on ABC News. He was a lot of fun.". He then voiced Professor Proton in the shows spinoff,Young Sheldon. 4. Will Ferrell, Jon Favreau, and Joe MacLeod in "Elf," 2003. But anything for the movie, I'm there. In an interview with Rolling Stone for the 10-year anniversary of Elf, director Jon Favreau said it was his hope from the start that the film would become a holiday classic. The couple divorced in 2009. Leon the Snowman was another character inspired by the 1964 animation, and he looks very much like Rudolphs Sam the Snowman with his mustache, goatee, hat, and all-around dapper appearance. "Now, we're really best buddies. Details, Why Did Taylor and Joe Break Up? He was an executive producer forF is for Familyon Netflix. (But people in those scenes did have to sign releases.) Apparently, one of the hospital buildings was still operational and had patients at the time of filming. And Elf's workshops were modeled after the Rankin/Bass designs, as were the stop-motion animals of the area. But it sort of backfired. "I was really lucky that my job in the film was to try to drive him crazy, and I would," Ferrell explained to Blackfilm. In a 2020 Rolling Stone interview , director Jon Favreau recalled . Elf is just like The Godfather, really: It doesnt work without James Caan. Life & Style has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Before he was asked to come in to rewrite the script and transform the movie into a PG friendly-family affair, Favreau initially turned down the job. Meghan Markle's Mom Doria Reportedly Won't Be Spending Christmas With The Royals, Cheer or Fear? Hanukkah is great but there's kind of nothing like rushing down on Christmas morning and opening up presents," he told Philadelphia City Paper in 2013. Turns out, Charlottes reporting isnt as stellar as she thinks. The fact that its in rotation is the highest honor that movie can have. Years later, it still holds true. Everyone knows the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! When Buddy yells at Artie Langes Santa at Gimbels for not being the real North Pole OG, a child is sitting with Santa. Although he has passed since Elf came out, Harryhausen is a legend when it comes to stop-motion animation. The anxiety etched on Ferrell's face in these scenes is real. And the directors source of inspiration is definitely visible. Alan Markfield/New Line Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock. But they even managed to use Riverview for the Hobbs' chic Manhattan apartment and the Gimbels department store interior, which was in the former cafeteria. The first one is a little bit slow, but the second two are really good." . I create a huge echo chamber with my tongue and my cheeks, and by doing a deep, almost Tuvan rasp in my throat, and bouncing it around off this echo chamber, I create something that sounds very much like a sustained deep burp. Throughout "Elf," James Caan is constantly and exasperatedly brushing off Buddy's need for a father figure and his childish attempts at bonding with his estranged father. According to James, it never happened becausethe director [Jon Favreau, who also played Buddys doctor] and Will didnt get along very well. Somehow, this film just became even more charming. Favreau chose that location so that Ferrells character would be kicked out of the Empire State Building and stumble directly into the store decorated like the North Pole. Their daughter is Susie and Buddys moms name was Susan Wells, so shes most likely named for her grandmother. Mary Steenburgen, who played Buddy's stepmother, had to eat a bite of syrup-covered spaghetti and pretend to like it for Buddy's sake. They added the signage and nutcrackers to that building for shooting and filmed the interior scenes of Gimbels inside a department store in Vancouver. The cotton balls Buddy can't stop eating in the doctor's office were actually pieces of cotton candy that had yet to be dyed. Jon Favreau and Artie Lange share behind-the-scenes secrets about the film. We remember Favreau on screen as the doctor that administers Buddys DNA test and tells him to stop eating cotton balls, but he also talked about his voiceover work in the movie. It was hilarious because little kids could care less about the elf. Peter Billingsley, who memorably played the Red Ryder-wanting Ralphie in the 1983 holiday classic, popped in to play Ming the elf. And Santa is Ed Asner?! In a 2020 Rolling Stone interview, director Jon Favreau recalled Caan's "great sense of humor" on set. Scroll through the gallery to see what the cast looks like now! Production designer Rusty Smith told Netflix, "It is one of the creepiest places I've ever been in my life." A bit awkward: Gimbels was once a real department store, and a noted rival of Macy's. The stop-motion North Pole scenes in Elf were Jon Favreau's idea. You probably have never paid attention to Amy Sedaris characters phone conversation when Buddy first arrives at his fathers office, but Deb has some truly questionable weekend plans. The final day of Elf's New York shooting was pared down from a massive crew to just three people: its star, its director, and one cameraman. Now, hes a hunk who does a bit of voice acting, though he doesnt appear on the big screen anymore. She can be heard saying shell be declawing eight kittens on the phone. However, Simon and Garfunkels concert in Central Park actually occurred in 1981, with the musicians releasing an album of it in 1982. As Favreau explained to Rolling Stone, they made two sets, with Favreau on the one positioned closer to the camera, and lined them up so that it looked like Ferrell was sitting right next to the people on the other set. But Caan alleged it was tension between Ferrell and Favreau that possibly squashed any plans for a follow-up. After filming wrapped on Elf and before the movie reached preview audiences, Old School premiered. He goes, 'Hi Artie.' Revel in the giddy glow of this modern holiday movie classic with a slew of secrets from behind the scenes. He is Buddy and Michael Hobbs's father, Emily Hobbs's husband, Jovie's father-in-law, and Susie's paternal grandfather. "We were gonna do it, and I thought, 'Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. . He was a lot of fun. After the show ended, Peter landed the principal role in theCyrano, which is scheduled to premiere in January 2022. According to him, Rays has a lot of imitators but the real ones on the 11th. Actually, while there was a Famous Rays Pizza on 11th street, the first and original Rays Pizza opened in 1959 on Little Italys Prince Street. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "We had one take to destroy it," Lange told ABC News, "So Favreau said, 'Just go nuts! the New Girl star told Stylecaster. Why did you do that one about the elf? Buddy works at the department store Gimbels with Jovie. The elf Ming Ming oversees toy production and unintentionally helps Buddy realize he's a human. Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) comforts Brian Piccolo (James Caan) in 1971's "Brian's Song." Caan died July 6, 2022, at the age of 82. This was also the case for Faizon Love, who played the stressed-out Gimbels manager. But when Elfwas moving into production, he was considered a wildly improbable choice for the character. Here are eight things you might not know about the movie "Elf.". He also voiced the rabid raccoon Buddy encounters. she explained to Feel Christmassy. One year prior, he starred in the wildly popular TV movie Brian's Song, which followed the final years of a terminally ill football player. 3. Born in New York City on March 26, 1940, to Sophie and Arthur Caan, Jewish immigrants from Germany, James Caan went to Michigan State University on an athletic scholarship before turning to Off-Broadway, according to a 1975 PEOPLE profile. Its great to see Jimmy in a way that were not used to seeing him in and it adds to the effect. "I was raised in a Jewish family, and we celebrated Hanukkah but also had a Christmas tree. But [my Elf character] is the ne plus ultra Santa, and all of the others were [in] preparation for this!. 11. Their main concern was Buddy's green costume, which looked strikingly similar to an elf uniform from Rankin/Bass and was in almost every scene. Youll shoot your eye out! . The first one is a little bit slow, but the second two are really good.' Smiling's my favorite! The New York Times called his presence "a lunatic bonhomie that lights a welcome spark.". Movie tough guy James Caan, whose work spanned generations in such big-screen classics as "The Godfather," "Misery" and "Elf," died Wednesday, his family said. But now I see what you're doing. On top of that, in 2020, James Caan shed more light on why, unlike Santa's sleigh, Elf 2 never made it off the ground. Though it was shot, it ended up being chopped from the finished film. Luckily, James Caan, who played Walter Hobbs in the movie, finally revealed why in September 2020. ", Though the comedian reprised the role of Ron Burgundy for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and returned as Mugatu in Zoolander 2, he flat out rejected the possibility of bringing back Buddy, even after being offered a reported $29 million. Obituary: James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, dies at 82. Buddy's iconic costume was modeled off of the elves from the 1964 Rankin/Bass film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. My goal is to do good work and not quit trying.". 2. When I realized that she had such a wonderful singing voice, we wrote that whole sequence in, Favreau said, adding that Ferrell was pretty good too. 'Elf' Cast: Where Are They Now? Part of why I asked you to cameo in the film was because I wanted some of 'The Christmas Story,' that good mojo, Favreau said to Billingsley, who has gone on to have a successful career as a producer and worked with Favreau on the "Iron Man" movie. James is still acting into his 80s with films like Redemption and Never Too Late. That character was supposed to be played by comedian Wanda Sykes, but Love got the part when she became unavailable. Especially since declawing kittens in New York has been made illegal. Both Berenbaum and director Jon Favreau were inspired by the studio's colorful, quirky Christmas movies. Caan met a new generation of fans when he played the straight-and-narrow biological father to Will Ferrell's Buddy in 2003's Elf. Following a theater apprenticeship, he moved on to television guest spots and a role in The Rail People that earned him the eye of one Francis Ford Coppola. Remembering James Caan: 1940-2022 (1) Movie and TV Santas We Love (1) Holiday Movie Posters We Love (1) Elf Photo & Video. 15. Elf: Directed by Jon Favreau. Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau in "Elf," 2003. We ended up hanging out a lot off-set. Originally, Favreau wanted to use Macy's, but the brand refused to show a Macy's Santa being unmasked (unbearded) as a fake. Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel singing Baby, Its Cold Outside was a last-minute add. "Overnight I was a genius," Caan told PEOPLE in 1975 of his early string of hits. Notably, in the North Pole sequences, they used forced perspective to make Ferrell look much taller than his co-stars.
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