Obituary: James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, dies at 82. However, he has also become more involved in more dramatic projects, such asThe Shrink Next Door, which was released in 2021. 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? And dont feel bad Buddy would have missed these subtleties, too. It was hilarious because little kids could care less about the elf. Sadly, Ed died on August 29, 2021. I didn't want to wander into an area that could erase all the good work I've donebut you watch, I'll do some sequel in the future that's crap.". 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. He landed several acting roles later on, including in DisneysMuppets Haunted Mansion, which premiered in 2021. In 2006, he turned down a $29 million offer nearly the entire budget of the first movie to put Buddy's tights back on. Did Walter or his wife, Emily, shop for Buddys sleepwear and groceries? They also saved money on the sequence showing Buddy exploring New York by sending Ferrell out in costume to interact with people. Kevin Kane/Getty Images for Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. 8 photos. ET on ABC. James played Buddys dad Walter, the cold businessman who had a change of heart and realized family is more important than everything by the end. Santa, being the frequent sleigh flier that he is, gives Buddy some NYC spots to hit up, including Rays Pizza. Some department store scenes were shot in an old insane asylum. Ferrell even joked (hopefully) that they couldn't afford fake gum for that scene outside the subway station. "After all, I had to dress a grown man in tights and a cutaway coat. It turned the lead from SNL alumnus into a movie star. LaMarche shared his secret to such an impressive burp with The A.V. They wanted to make the kind of Christmas movie that families gather together to rewatch every year in the holidays. It's an uncredited . 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. And Santa is Ed Asner?! This man is actor and comedian Matt Walsh, best known for playing Mike McLintock on Veep. 8. Favreau recruited the Chiodo brothers to film the sequences, whose resume included effects for the Gremlins movies and sequences in The Simpsons. "I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it's bad and they say, 'He did the sequel for the money?'" "If you could make him laugh, all the tension disappears," Favreau said. Browse 304 james caan linda caan photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. I mean, the fun of being an actor is being somebody else for three months, you know?" 5. 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. Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. "We had one take to destroy it," Lange told ABC News, "So Favreau said, 'Just go nuts! To play the bubbly baby version of the titular elf, Favreau had initially cast twin boys whose blonde curly hair made them great little doubles for the mop-topped Ferrell. For example, those cotton balls the character eats in the doctor's office were made from cotton candy. On your next Elf rewatch, take a second to pause and admire the scale Lego model of the New York skyline that Buddy builds for the Gimbels Santaland. 11. James Caan, as Buddy's biological father Walter, often seems uncomfortable as if he felt ill at ease on the set and used that feeling in his . 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. 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. So if you could make him laugh, all the tension disappears. Even the paper decorations were time-consuming. Beyond that, the snowmans name comes from his voice actor, Leon Redbone and Leon coincidentally spells Noel (aka Christmas in French) backward. Meanwhile, Buddy is . 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. 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. He then voiced Professor Proton in the shows spinoff,Young Sheldon. So, the Chiodos ramped up their schedule. 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~! He was 82. Whenever wed go into an Italian restaurant, theyd put on The Godfather soundtrack. According to Pratchetts lore, octarine is the color of magic, so of course Buddy loves it! 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 wrote a note that said, 'Great working with you. And I went in for the meeting for Elf, and then I asked them, 'Could I dye my hair back to my natural color?'" The department store Santa actor said one day he was sitting in wardrobe when Ferrell walked by in his Buddy costume and, knowing the building's history, Lange had a good laugh about it. 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. Some effects just couldn't be practical. Ferrell admitted to Blackfilm, "Yeah, that was tough. I knew it was driving him crazy on one level. Everyone knows the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! "He really never came to any of his movies. And we decided to set it in a building catty-corner to the Empire State Building, he said. Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel singing Baby, Its Cold Outside was a last-minute add. She plays Gail inThe Last Man On Earth, has appeared inThe Connersas Marcy, andmadeher Christmas movie return inHappiest Seasonon Hulu. Will wanted to do it, and he didnt want the director.. "It's sort of romantic, but it's sort of weird, too.". It took him a while to get with the programming. As he explained to Jewish Journal, his dad died when he was nine, so that father/son relationship or the searching for one is a common theme in his work. and "You sit on a throne of lies! James Caan (left) portrayed Sonny Corleone, song of gangster patriarch Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) in the celebrated 1972 film. We were going to do it, and I thought, Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing, Favreau told Rolling Stone. You're going to read an . He also voiced the rabid raccoon Buddy encounters. Both are now closed. What seems craziest to fans is the fact that despite the films success, there was never a sequel. The purity of her singing, I thought, was really nice," the director added. We ended up hanging out a lot off-set. Other productions that have shot there include The X-Files, The Twilight Zone, Halloween: Resurrection, and Black Christmas. And the directors source of inspiration is definitely visible. That's no coincidence. "That's probably my most famous role of anything I've ever done because that's the one that's on T-shirts and sweaters," he told ABC. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Watch closely and you'll see he turns away from the camera so as not to ruin the take. The actors literally only had one shot to bust it apart. Favreau's hugely popular (yet unknown) cameo. No explanation is given. ", In hindsight, it's clear that casting Ferrell was key to the movie's success. Did you know that Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie, made a sneaky appearance in Elf? 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. Macys declined to be the featured in the film. Patrick Ferrell is listed as one of the security guards, and he appears to be Wills real-life brother. But she told Variety that she was the backup choice to play the part, stepping in when the first-choice actress dropped out. Fortunately, even New Line had to admit that its version didn't work, and the ending was restored. 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. This marks just one of many Billingsley and Favreau's collaborations. There's a Christmas Story cameo in Elf. Bob enjoyed a long run inThe Big Bang Theoryas recurring character Arthur Jeffries before the series ended. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "Now, we're really best buddies. 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. They have to smash the whole [thing] -- so we dont really have a lot of resets, Favreau said, laughing. Ive got houses in LA, Paris, and Vail, Miles says when hes angry at Buddy for calling him an elf. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. "I constantly stayed up. Thats who you notice on the second watch. 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. 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. As a kid growing up in Philadelphia, future Elf screenwriter David Berenbaum loved Christmas despite being Jewish. It went a whole lot further in undoing Sonny Corleone than, say, Misery.. Why did you do that one about the elf? Originally, Favreau wanted to use Macy's, but the brand refused to show a Macy's Santa being unmasked (unbearded) as a fake. 2018!). For example, the man in the red jogging suit he mistakes for Santa wasn't a paid actor. TIL: After filming ELF, Will Ferrell gave James Caan the GODFATHER trilogy with a note saying "Great working with you. And Elf's workshops were modeled after the Rankin/Bass designs, as were the stop-motion animals of the area. Favreau's hugely popular (yet unknown) cameo. "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.". Aside from the jokes, the singing, the nostalgia and the quotable scenes, Favreau and producer Peter Billingsley spoke with "20/20" about some of the behind-the-scenes antics and stories from the set. To replace them, brunette triplet girls were brought in, who were far perkier and more playful, and thereby ready for their close-ups. Fortunately, her reflexive grimace at the too-sweet dish worked for her character. See How the Kardashians Are Decorating for the Holidays, Heidi Klum Admits She Loves Going Topless: See Her Sexiest Photos Ever, Streaking, Nude Selfies, Oh My! Carrey would go on to headline his own Christmas offeringsthe live-action How The Grinch Stole Christmas and the CGI animated A Christmas Carol. In Elf, he was able to channel a workaholic publishing executive who refuses to reprint a childrens book missing a couple of pages in the name of the almighty dollar, and who is annoyed if not terrified to learn he might unknowingly have a son from a previous relationship. Walter, a selfish workaholic who seems to care about nothing other than . Here are eight things you might not know about the movie Elf., 1. 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.. Dont do it, Deb! "We were gonna do it. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Buddys childlike innocence can get anybody into the holiday spirit, including his Scrooge-like biological dad, Walter Hobbs (James Caan). This newfound star status should've been good news for Elf. Ferrell's brother Patrick Ferrell played one of the security guards that drags Buddy out of the Empire State Building. Another mystery: Where did he get all his sugary breakfast treats from? It didnt sweep at Cannes; ponderous documentaries wont be made about it. All of the elves outfits are designed to look like those seen in Rudolph, with Buddys costume matching the Head Elfs. The director eventually cast him in 1972's The Godfather, earning Caan his sole Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. "He saw me when I was a little rough around the edges," James told PEOPLE at the time. 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. 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. Amy has since starred in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, BoJack Horseman, No Activity, and tons more! "[Caan's] like, 'Hey, I've gotta tell you something. New Line executives worried that the Old School audience wouldn't want to see an earnest family Christmas movie. Here are eight things you might not know about the movie "Elf.". But the people making the film had a clear and strong vision, inspired by the holiday specials of their childhood. Elf proved to be a big break for Zooey Deschanel, who played down-on-Christmas department store elf Jovie, whom Buddy falls in love with. 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. James Caan, the Academy Award-nominated actor best remembered for his roles in classics like The Godfather, Thief, Misery, and Brian's Song, passed away on July 8, 2022, leaving behind a body of . And so forth until you cant remember how many times youve watched it. Berenbaum also loved experiencing Christmas on the silver screen, and he counts It's a Wonderful Life as one of his all-time favorite films. Will Ferrell, Kristian Ayre, Peter Billingsley, and David Avalon in "Elf," 2003. Its easily one of his best performances in a career in which each seemed to best the last. Ming Ming The Elf Is A Holiday Movie Star. "I ingested a lot of sugar in this movie and I didn't get a lot of sleep," Ferrell told The Sun. For more, watch the special "20/20 Presents: Lights, Camera, Christmas: Inside Holiday Movie Classics," on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 10 p.m. After filming wrapped on Elf and before the movie reached preview audiences, Old School premiered. — -- Its been 14 years since Elf hit theaters as an instant Christmas classic, and for director Jon Favreau, fulfilling that goal was his greatest joy.. Jon was the director of Elf, but he also played the doctor who sees Buddy. Plus, The New York Times called it, "A splashy, peppy, sugar-sprinkled holiday entertainment." 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. The elf Ming Ming oversees toy production and unintentionally helps Buddy realize hes a human. In 2006, Favreau told The A.V. Its hard to believe Will was only 36 when he starred as Buddy. ", Caan appeared in Wes Anderson's very first feature film in 1996 as Mr. Henry, a bad guy with a wild streak. Free shipping for many products! But Caan soon put their fears to rest. But a good way into production, the New Line legal department panicked. 16. 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. 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. While the film became an instant classic thats still featured in movie marathons, holiday events and drive-ins today, Will admitted to James Corden on The Late Late Show in 2018 that There were moments he thought the now-beloved film would be the downfall of his entire acting career. Our goal, even then, was to make a movie that could be part of that pantheon, he said. A revival hit in time for Christmas 2012, and national tours have been recurring. Favreau explained to Rolling Stone that the original script was much darker, and that didn't gel with him. This was the last set piece shot for Elf, and one that filmmakers were wavering on from its conception late in production. New Line Cinema. "We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing. (But people in those scenes did have to sign releases.) But when it came to the blood test scene where Buddy bellows when pricked by a needle, Caan cracked. 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. But the director said lining up a large set and small set required extremely precise lighting to control continuity between the appearance of both the background and foreground. Hope you find your dad." Favreau said, laughing. But it sort of backfired. Just cruel enough to end up on the naughty list, but just empathetic enough to pull himself off it after a little help from the family he loves, often despite himself. You know, from my old favorite sitcoms like Lou Grant and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. . In the 2020 Netflix special The Holiday Movies that Made Us, the story behind the name was finally revealed. Of course. '", 17. With Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Edward Asner. The film also stars Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, and Edward Asner. 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. 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. However, when Buddy comes to New York, it was important to Favreau to shoot on location whenever possible. Anyone with any sort of positive relationship with Elf i.e. The first script for Elf was actually written in 1993, with Jim Carrey in mind to play the titular Santa's helper. 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. 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. 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. The first time I met him I just put him in a bear hug and yelled Dad! I thought that would break the ice, he told the entertainment website Blackfilm in 2003. Instead of smiling and crawling as needed, they cried relentlessly. A natural brunette, Zooey Deschanelsported light blonde locks as Jovie, Buddy's fellow Gimbels elf and love interest. Will Ferrell and Bob Newhart in "Elf,"2003. Remembering James Caan: 1940-2022 (1) Movie and TV Santas We Love (1) Holiday Movie Posters We Love (1) Elf Photo & Video. When you watch Elf for the umpteenth time this Christmas season, be on the lookout for these moments you missed. However, he had some fun alongside Molly Sims and Josh Duhamel on Las Vegas, starring as casino bigwig Ed Deline from 2003 to 2007. This included him leapfrogging across a pedestrian walk, happily accepting flyers, and getting his shoes shined, all of which made it into the movie's cheerful montage. They gutted an old insane asylum and made it a sound studio, Lange said of the Vancouver shooting location. In a 2003 interview with TV Guide, Asner said, This is about the eighth time Ive [played Santa], adding, It is really old hat. the New Girl star told Stylecaster. "It was less a challenge dressing Will due to his size and more a challenge to make sure nothing seemed off-putting or in bad taste." most people who have seen it would be, too. So it was very painstaking.. Buddy used his elf training to construct it overnight, but it took the production team two weeks. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Great job,'" Ferrell recalled during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2018. And yes, we heard that. "We were gonna do it, and I thought, 'Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. Amy played the secretary Deb, who was the perfect opposite of Walters grouchy personality. 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. So in the interest of spreading holiday cheer, here are 27 things you never noticed in Elf before. The first one is a little bit slow, but the second two are really good.' That meant they could buy the license to the brand, but there was no Gimbels store to shoot in. 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. So, still kind of discovering what this movies gonna be and running around New York City in yellow tights. Will walks by in the outfit, the elf outfit, which he tried to stay in character. 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.". Yes, even if youve seen it a million times. Her Inner Circle Is Not Surprised. You may have picked him out as the doctor in Elf, but on the DVD commentary, Favreau revealed he also tapped in to his inner narwhal and provided the voices for some of the stop-animation critters who see Buddy off from the North Pole. James is still acting into his 80s with films like Redemption and Never Too Late. Although his role is uncredited, Peter Billingsley plays Ming Ming and the actor is best known for being Ralphie in 1983s A Christmas Story. We remember Favreau on screen as the doctor that administers Buddy's DNA . He fronted Made with friend Vince Vaughn, and later found a sweet supporting role for himself in Iron Man. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ELF (InfiniFilm DVD, 2003) CHRISTMAS COMEDY WILL FERRELL JAMES CAAN ZOOEY at the best online prices at eBay! It's probably not much of a shocker that much of these were added in post, considering Buddy's perfect aim. "I was raised in a Jewish family, and we celebrated Hanukkah but also had a Christmas tree. "[But] he got so into that. 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. TV credits included Back in the Game, Magic City and a starring role on . "All of us were a little scared of James Caan," producer Jon Berg admitted to Netflix. Will Ferrell and Faizon Love in "Elf," 2003. Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, James Caan and More. Anyone else notice that Michael and Buddys water glasses were empty at dinner? "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. Walter Hobbs is the deuteragonist of Elf and Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas. dcf background screening disqualification,
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