"One actress they were looking at was good at skateboarding," Deschanel said, and when the director found out Deschanel could sing, he added her now-iconic shower duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Buddy. 'Elf' Cast: Where Are They Now? Edward Chiodo credits animator Teresa Drilling with finishing a marathon shoot on the scene with Buddy and Leon the Snowman, which was especially complicated because it involved a human interacting with a stop-motion character. At the end of filming, Favreau said, Ferrell gave his costar a wrap gift. Favreau pushed to take out this element. Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, James Caan and More. Luckily, James Caan, who played Walter Hobbs in the movie, finally revealed why in September 2020. Because were using a Santa, of course, everybody thinks Macy's. 6. He was an executive producer forF is for Familyon Netflix. However, he has also become more involved in more dramatic projects, such asThe Shrink Next Door, which was released in 2021. This included stop-motion animation, and using forced perspective to make Buddy look like a giant among his elf peers. Everyone knows the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! James Caan: A tough guy with range, from 'Brian's Song' to Sonny According to Brick Underground, its the same as Dana Barretts haunted apartment in Ghostbusters. 21 Fun Facts About 'Elf' | Mental Floss The exterior of Walter and Emilys home is only shown briefly, but eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed it has been in a movie before. 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. He chose to wear her "Wanda" nametag anyway. Buddy sure has the same stride as the mythical creature. 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. To replace them, brunette triplet girls were brought in, who were far perkier and more playful, and thereby ready for their close-ups. "People would be on the phone, they'd be sitting at the desk cutting up paper, cutting out little dolls, cutting out little curlicues to make snowflakes," Smith said. As a writer/director/actor, Favreau has often appeared in his own films. They gutted an old insane asylum and made it a sound studio, Lange said of the Vancouver shooting location. The fact that its in rotation is the highest honor that movie can have. Years later, it still holds true. 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. It's probably not much of a shocker that much of these were added in post, considering Buddy's perfect aim. 7. "Overnight I was a genius," Caan told PEOPLE in 1975 of his early string of hits. "Whenever he was out there in his suit, we'd hear screeches and fender-benders and lights smashing. And then they had to source all the bricks specially. 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. He was 82. Elf was also initially intended to be a bit more sinister, withdirector Jon Favreaurevealing to Rolling Stone, "He was a darker character.". Picturing anyone other than Will Ferrell (or an actual elf) pulling off Buddy's unbridled Christmas spirit, hopeless naivete, and yellow tights is almost impossible now. I was really lucky that my job in the film was to try to drive him crazy, and I would. Why did you do that one about the elf? What seems craziest to fans is the fact that despite the films success, there was never a sequel. That character was supposed to be played by comedian Wanda Sykes, but Love got the part when she became unavailable. He landed several acting roles later on, including in DisneysMuppets Haunted Mansion, which premiered in 2021. Amy has since starred in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, BoJack Horseman, No Activity, and tons more! This challenge extended to other scenes. And perhaps its because Buddy excels at transporting you to a time when you believed in Santa Claus that you may have missed some fun details you otherwise would have picked up on, including tons of nods to other beloved Christmas flicks. The friendly game becomes unintentionally violent when the too-big Buddy takes to the ice. It went a whole lot further in undoing Sonny Corleone than, say, Misery.. Great job,'" Ferrell recalled during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2018. Whenever wed go into an Italian restaurant, theyd put on The Godfather soundtrack. Gimbels toy department and the prison cell in the film were also shot there. James Caan's wife Linda Stokes, Director of the movie "Holy Lands" Amanda Sthers, Actor James Caan and . July 8, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT. "We were gonna do it. The Oscar nominee often played it serious, and was beloved by fans because of it. Eventually, something just clicked in Jimmy, and he just went with it. Although no Gimbels existed when Elf was made, Gimbels was a real store that shut down in 1986, and it was featured prominently as Macys competitor in the original Miracle on 34th Street. According to Variety, Jim Carrey was the first pick, likely thanks to his roles in PG-13 movies such asAce Ventura and The Mask. 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. Anyone who grew up watching Rankin/Bass specials will notice similarities with Elf, especially in the North Pole sequences. Will wanted to do it, and he didn't want the director. The production did secure permission for these allusions, and was even granted the privilege of using the company's signature snowman. Mines octarine. The color is a nod to Terry Pratchetts novel The Color of Magic from the Discoworld series. Caan's role of Axel Freed in 1974's The Gambler here with Lauren Hutton earned him his third of four Golden Globe Award nominations. Free shipping for many products! It's an uncredited . Even comedian Chris Farley was suggested before Ferrell. So I had to wait until I was done with that movie. Buddys childlike innocence can get anybody into the holiday spirit, including his Scrooge-like biological dad, Walter Hobbs (James Caan). That's no coincidence. So, still kind of discovering what this movies gonna be and running around New York City in yellow tights. 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. Unless youre living under a rock, you already know that he starred onGame of Thronesas Tyrion Lannister! But while trying to do a rewrite, he had an epiphany. Obviously they couldn't rebuild everything again, which meant Ferrell and Artie Lange, as the Gimbels Santa, had only one take to tear the production team's hard work apart. He told Blackfilm in 2003, "The appeal of it was to be able to shoot a film that would be funny but also heartfelt and be a different type of thing for me to do something that a family audience would see. 6. Obituary: James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, dies at 82. He had it in his contract. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 8. Columbia Pictures. New Line Cinema. 9. James Caan, Oscar-nominated actor of 'The Godfather,' 'Misery' and 'Elf Eventually, something just clicked in Jimmy and he just went with it. And his A Night at the Roxbury co-star Chris Kattan was his elf. There's a Christmas Story cameo in Elf. Buddy's iconic costume was modeled off of the elves from the 1964 Rankin/Bass film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. TIL: After filming ELF, Will Ferrell gave James Caan the - Reddit All rights reserved. "It was very comforting to write a Christmas movie when you miss the snow, and there's a heatwave outside." James Caan Dies: 'The Godfather' Oscar Nominee, 'Brian's Song' & 'Elf He was even given the prestigious Gordon E. Sawyer Academy Award in 1992 for his impact in the motion picture industry. 1. But a good way into production, the New Line legal department panicked. Ferrell even joked (hopefully) that they couldn't afford fake gum for that scene outside the subway station. James Caan and Will Ferrell in "Elf," 2003. ET on ABC. '", 17. And the third. 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. Speaking of Gimbels, although Favreau chose the department store for its ties to another Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street, it had gone out of business by 2003. Before they could even get started, they first had to draw all the buildings and work out how many bricks they would need per building as well as which colors to make them look right. And, in some ways, Elf highlights a certain natural progression of his career. "All of us were a little scared of James Caan," producer Jon Berg admitted to Netflix. 12. A natural brunette, Zooey Deschanelsported light blonde locks as Jovie, Buddy's fellow Gimbels elf and love interest. However, Simon and Garfunkels concert in Central Park actually occurred in 1981, with the musicians releasing an album of it in 1982. Santa, being the frequent sleigh flier that he is, gives Buddy some NYC spots to hit up, including Rays Pizza. However, he has made quick cameos in many Christmas movies. "I had to dye my hair blonde for a screen test for a movie that never happened before I did Elf. Plus, The New York Times called it, "A splashy, peppy, sugar-sprinkled holiday entertainment." Okay, technically it was an abandoned mental hospital, where the production team constructed the interior sets for Walter's Central Park West apartment, Gimbels's lavish toy department, and that grim prison cell. As with all successful family films, the movie manages to delight parent and child alike, partially by introducing the younger generation to an army of Hollywoods elder statesmen. 13. The wardrobe department even mimicked the famous puppet-like costumes with permission for Buddy, Santa and the other elves. Meanwhile, Buddy is . 40 Things We Learned from Jon Favreau's 'Elf' Commentary James Caan, the Oscar-nominated star of The Godfather, Misery and Elf, has died at the age of 82. Its easily one of his best performances in a career in which each seemed to best the last. Fortunately, even New Line had to admit that its version didn't work, and the ending was restored. But he took it all in stride. Billingsley also made a cameo in 'Elf'. While Miles is referring to the ski resort town of Vail, Colorado, Tyrion memorably was kept prisoner at the Eyrie, which is located in the Vale of Arryn also known simply as the Vale in GoT Season 1. "He wrote a note that said, 'Great working with you. In the scene at Walters office where Buddy answers the phone, he says, Whats your favorite color? Les meilleures offres pour ELF - DVD Will Ferrell, James Caan, Ed Asner, Bob Newhart, Jon Favreau sont sur eBay Comparez les prix et les spcificits des produits neufs et d'occasion Pleins d'articles en livraison gratuite! Its hard to make out exactly what Michael says Dirk Lawson, the long-haired man at the biker bar, wants for Christmas, but it turns out he wants a day of pampering at Burke Williams spa. Nothing embarrassing about that, Dirk. James Caan's Biggest Movie Roles [PHOTOS] This woman doesnt age! "We were gonna do it, and I thought, 'Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. Buddy's infamous 12-second long burp wasn't actually performed by Ferrell. 1. "We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing. When asked about the cult-classic success of the film, Will said it was just obviously one of those where the stars aligned and 15 years later, its crazy.. James Caan and Linda Caan during "Elf" New York Premiere at Loews Astor Plaza in New York City, New York, United States. James Caan Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images 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. We were half-joking, saying, 'Maybe someday this will be like [A] Christmas Story where every year you'll watch it, because there are a few movies that get to be part of that cycle, Favreau said. Both Berenbaum and director Jon Favreau were inspired by the studio's colorful, quirky Christmas movies. 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. I would try to offset anything he could throw at me, Ferrell told Blackfilm. But Will would bust his balls a lot. She told Entertainment Weekly that Favreau wanted to tailor the character to whoever played her. The following year, Caan married actress and costume designer Linda Stokes, with whom he had two more sons, James and Jacob. 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. This newfound star status should've been good news for Elf. "So when you watch it, it doesn't feel like it ages the same way that a film that has a lot of digital effects does.. 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. 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. Although his role is uncredited, Peter Billingsley plays Ming Ming and the actor is best known for being Ralphie in 1983s A Christmas Story. But anything for the movie, I'm there. Together, this trio traveled around the city, looking for mischief for Buddy to get into with random passersby turned background extras. 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. . ', Of course, it was the former. Ferrell's Buddy costume was so captivating that the actor actually caused a few traffic incidents while filming in New York City. The first script for Elf was actually written in 1993, with Jim Carreyin mind to play the titular Santa's helper. Faizon Love plays the manager at the department store, and hes simply credited as Gimbels Manager. But his name tag says his name is Wanda, a detail that left many fans confused. But now I see what you're doing. Elf made nearly seven times its $32 million budget at the box office alone, but during the shoot, money was tight. "We had one take to destroy it," Lange told ABC News, "So Favreau said, 'Just go nuts! 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. So every take was different. How could you not, with six-plus feet of manic, hyperactive flesh snug in his elf garb, the definition of exuberance, a sugar high fueled by jelly beans coated in maple syrup? 15. Pitting the capital-S Serious actor against Ferrells manic creation was part of director Jon Favreaus plan, though it made for a nervous crew. Kevin Kane/Getty Images for Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. She can be heard saying shell be declawing eight kittens on the phone. He was 82. But the second best way is to enjoy Elf. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. Instead, they created the window where Buddy sleeps inside the Empire State Building with a very short turnaround time, as Smith told Entertainment Weekly. And yes, that really is Ferrell singing. Playing the doctor wasnt the directors only cameo. And the directors source of inspiration is definitely visible. The hardest part about the mealtime scenes, Steenburgen said, was not laughing at Ferrell. For North Pole scenes, two sets were builtone larger scale for the actors playing elves, the other smaller to make Buddy and Santa look big. James Caan, the tough-guy actor who scored an Oscar nom as mafioso Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and an Emmy nom for playing NFL running back Brian Piccolo in Brian's Song, among a host of It was one of those things.". People recognizing me from Saturday Night Live going, You OK? James Caan during "Elf" New York City Premiere at Loews Astor Plaza in New York City, New York, United States. 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. If youre a child of the 90s and 2000s, it probably feels like just yesterday that you were cracking up watching Will Ferrells hilarious adventure to find his dad in the holidayclassic, Elf, for the first time. American actor James Caan has died at the age of 82. According to Favreaus DVD commentary special, The Godfather star broke because Ferrell often made him laugh. Elf has the ability to make you laugh and cry and be filled with holiday wonder, just as any good Christmas flick should. You know, from my old favorite sitcoms like Lou Grant and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. . ", 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. ", 5. Peter Billingsley, who memorably played the Red Ryder-wanting Ralphie in the 1983 holiday classic, popped in to play Ming the elf. This explains why he's most proud of his cameo as Mr. Narwhal. For more, watch the special "20/20 Presents: Lights, Camera, Christmas: Inside Holiday Movie Classics," on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 10 p.m. If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I willif that's what the job calls for. Patrick Ferrell is listed as one of the security guards, and he appears to be Wills real-life brother. The director eventually cast him in 1972's The Godfather, earning Caan his sole Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. "I took a look at the script, and I wasn't particularly interested," he told Rolling Stone. The interaction between Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf and Artie Lange, as the department store Santa who smells like beef and cheese, was mostly improvised over several takes, Favreau said. he explained. Walter Hobbs is the deuteragonist of Elf and Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas. For example, those cotton balls the character eats in the doctor's office were made from cotton candy. How could you not love the no-bullst Gimbels manager, played by Faizon? Ferrell admitted to Blackfilm, "Yeah, that was tough. The Untold Truth Of Elf - Looper Talking about Sonny makes sense, but it might not be what he wanted. James Caan, veteran 'Godfather' and 'Elf' actor, dies at 82 2. Carrey would go on to headline his own Christmas offeringsthe live-action How The Grinch Stole Christmas and the CGI animated A Christmas Carol. . But even if you recognized him, you probably didnt notice he is also credited as playing Himself. Whatta creep. "I wanted some of the Christmas Story, that good mojo, that was our goal," he told Billingsley on ABC News. It became an architectural project in miniature, production designer Rusty Smith explained to Entertainment Weekly. Other productions that have shot there include The X-Files, The Twilight Zone, Halloween: Resurrection, and Black Christmas. 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. Producer Jon Berg said it was actually comedian Wanda Sykes who was slated to play the manager, but she dropped out at the last minute. He added, [Jon] Favreau knew Faizon Love and called him up and he came in and did us a solid. Mystery solved. Caan might have seemed like an unusual choice for a broad holiday comedy, the seriousness of his career and sternness of his characters almost off-putting. The anxiety etched on Ferrell's face in these scenes is real. 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. Buddy's biological father, Walter, is the workaholic, stone-faced foil to his eternally peppy personality. In 2006, he turned down a $29 million offer nearly the entire budget of the first movie to put Buddy's tights back on. And Elf's workshops were modeled after the Rankin/Bass designs, as were the stop-motion animals of the area. Life & Style has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Jon was the director of Elf, but he also played the doctor who sees Buddy. Zooey has starred in iconic movies like500 Days of Summer, andlater acted in her hit showNew Girlfrom 2011-2018. This development was great for the screenplay, but it's also the reason Elf almost never happened. Its also the sound of the laughing hyenas featured in the Magic Kingdom area at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. With a cast of backups, a relatively small budget, and a plot no one in Hollywood seemed to fully understand,Elflooked like it had about as much chance of succeeding as a grown human who thinks he's an elf searching for his father in New York City. Did Walter or his wife, Emily, shop for Buddys sleepwear and groceries? The classic stop-motion Christmas special from 1964 gave a memorable presentation of Santa's winter wonderland to which Favreau wanted to pay tribute. However, when Buddy comes to New York, it was important to Favreau to shoot on location whenever possible. Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau in "Elf," 2003. 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. 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. Faizon played Al onStep Up: High Waterfrom 2018 to 2019 andcontinues to act in various roles. 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. "[But] he got so into that. These elements where then carefully overlaid in camera, using lighting to blend the seams. I had never been involved with it." Will Ferrell, Jon Favreau, and Joe MacLeod in "Elf," 2003. Remembering James Caan - YouTube The first script for Elf was actually written in 1993, with Jim Carrey in mind to play the titular Santa's helper. So in the interest of spreading holiday cheer, here are 27 things you never noticed in Elf before. Ferrell told Blackfilm it was one of his favorite scenes to film. "Thankfully, we had some pretty smart people who could figure it out," Boyter coyly put it to Netflix. When you watch Elf for the umpteenth time this Christmas season, be on the lookout for these moments you missed. Some effects just couldn't be practical. 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. As Berenbaum told Philadelphia City Paper, "I don't think we'd be talking about the movie now if Will didn't commit to play Buddy the elf, 'cause I can't really imagine anyone else on the planet playing that role at this point.". Remembering James Caan: 1940-2022 (1) Movie and TV Santas We Love (1) Holiday Movie Posters We Love (1) Elf Photo & Video. 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. And Santa is Ed Asner?! 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. "After all, I had to dress a grown man in tights and a cutaway coat. 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. Legendary actor James Caan, best known for his roles in "The Godfather" and "Elf," has died at the age of 82. His specific casting in that role adds to obviously why it works so well., Caan has a great sense of humor. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Knowing that the key was to have Caans Walter bristle against Ferrells Buddy, the former Saturday Night Live actor and improv comedian decided to agitate the Oscar-nominee until he made the journey from annoyance to bemusement. 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. Ferrell later told Rotten Tomatoes that it was when he saw the original ending at the LA premiere that he knew the movie was special. "I don't like sitting around talking about all that acting crap," Caan told PEOPLE in 1975, "but I've always wanted to be respected by the people I respect. People would be looking at him walking on the side and that would cause a few minor traffic accidents.". "It's sort of romantic, but it's sort of weird, too.". And then he just walked past. Same thing with the 59th Street Bridge," Favreau told Rolling Stone. Watch closely and you'll see he turns away from the camera so as not to ruin the take. Needless to say, we did have a fair amount of fittings to be sure we struck the right balance between absurd and adorable.". James Caan: 10 memorable roles - BBC News In 2006, Favreau told The A.V. "Now, we're really best buddies. (AP: Paramount Pictures)Having earlier acted in 1969 Francis . Another theme Berenbaum wanted to explore was a son looking for an absent father. Thats probably my most famous role of anything Ive ever done because thats the one thats on T-shirts and sweaters, Favreau told 20/20 in 2017.
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