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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. Favreau pushed to take out this element. However, he has also become more involved in more dramatic projects, such asThe Shrink Next Door, which was released in 2021. James Caan during "Elf" New York City Premiere at Loews Astor Plaza in New York City, New York, United States. The production department even changed the stitching on Caan's chair to his new nickname overnight. Initially elated when Caan took the part, the rookie producers were also a little intimidated at the thought of working with the man who played The Godfather's Sonny Corleone. This was back when the pair were pre-Saturday Night Live, and part of The Groundlings comedy troupe. Not only is the real Santa played by the late Ed Asner, who voiced Lou Grant from Pixars Up, but if you feel like youve seen Asners Santa before, thats because you probably have. Favreau's hugely popular (yet unknown) cameo. '", 17. 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. 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. Buddy's iconic costume was modeled off of the elves from the 1964 Rankin/Bass film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Revel in the giddy glow of this modern holiday movie classic with a slew of secrets from behind the scenes. In the credits, Ray Harryhausen is listed as the Polar Bear Cub. Elf (2003) - IMDb That character was supposed to be played by comedian Wanda Sykes, but Love got the part when she became unavailable. Walter, a selfish workaholic who seems to care about nothing other than . Aside from his acting career, Faizon is also a comedian. Because were using a Santa, of course, everybody thinks Macy's. The first one is a little bit slow, but the second two are really good." . Club, "I know Will was attached to an Elf 2. Artie Lange played the Santa who sat on a throne of lies at Gimbels. 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. 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! Amy played the secretary Deb, who was the perfect opposite of Walters grouchy personality. The Lite-Brite "welcome" sign caused a similar headache since they had to source extra red and blue light pegs. I had never been involved with it." "So we had one take to destroy it. He also made a cameo in another of his brothers movies, The Other Guys, in 2010, this time as one of two precinct detectives. He didnt bring a bag with him from the North Pole. ", ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty, Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection, Byron J. Cohen/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection, The Cast of 'Only Murders in the Building': Everything to Know, Nathan Lane Recalls How Robin Williams Supported Him When He Didn't Want to Publicly Come Out, Billy Crystal Recreates His 'When Harry Met Sally' Pose on 75th Birthday: 'Thank You All', Every Best Actor Winner in the History of the Oscars, Where the Oscars 2023 Nominees Got Their First Big Breaks, from Soap Operas to Disney Channel Shows, Scott Caan Recalls Final Conversations with Dad James Caan: 'I'm Lucky for That', James Caan, 'The Godfather' and 'Elf' Acting Legend, Dead at 82, Sylvester Stallone Pays Tribute to 'Good Friend' James Caan After His Death: 'A Man's Man', Samuel L. Jackson Curses in a Never-Before-Seen Post-Credits Scene for 2008's 'Iron Man' : Watch, James Caan's Cause of Death Revealed as a Combination of Heart Problems, Alec Baldwin Says 'Sweetheart' Friend James Caan's Health Was 'Not Great' Over 'Last Five Years'. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. He might not play the main character in either, but hes one of the most important in both. On the first watch, you notice Will Ferrells Buddy the Elf. I would try to offset anything he could throw at me, Ferrell told Blackfilm. Eventually, something just clicked in Jimmy and he just went with it. He then voiced Professor Proton in the shows spinoff,Young Sheldon. To replace them, brunette triplet girls were brought in, who were far perkier and more playful, and thereby ready for their close-ups. 2. Both Berenbaum and director Jon Favreau were inspired by the studio's colorful, quirky Christmas movies. File photo of actor James Caan at his home in Los Angeles, Calif. On 9/29/88. James Caan, veteran 'Godfather' and 'Elf' actor, dies at 82 Although his role is uncredited, Peter Billingsley plays Ming Ming and the actor is best known for being Ralphie in 1983s A Christmas Story. Casting him as the lead in a family Christmas movie was a risk, but Ferrell saw doing something different as a great opportunity. 'Elf' Cast: Where Are They Now? Will Ferrell, More - Us Weekly "And they said, 'No, you have to keep your hair what it was in the meeting.' James Caan's wife Linda Stokes, Director of the movie "Holy Lands" Amanda Sthers, Actor James Caan and . Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, James Caan and More. Notably, in the North Pole sequences, they used forced perspective to make Ferrell look much taller than his co-stars. Why did you do that one about the elf? Jon was the director of Elf, but he also played the doctor who sees Buddy. Same thing with the 59th Street Bridge," Favreau told Rolling Stone. (But people in those scenes did have to sign releases.) According to Favreaus DVD commentary special, The Godfather star broke because Ferrell often made him laugh. 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 is the untold truth ofElf, including the story of building Santaland, the scene Jon Favreau added for Zooey Deschanel, the lawsuit that nearly canceled everything, what James Caan was like on set, and why there won't be a sequel no matter how much Christmas cheer we spread. 'Elf' Cast: Where Are They Now? - People 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. 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? 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. But anything for the movie, I'm there. Zooey was new on the scene back in 2003 when she was just 23, but shes quickly become one of Hollywoodsfave girls. 'Elf' showcased James Caan's soul - MSN Buddy's biological father, Walter, is the workaholic, stone-faced foil to his eternally peppy personality. I was really lucky that my job in the film was to try to drive him crazy, and I would. But Will would bust his balls a lot. Free shipping for many products! So every take was different. Despite Elf's success, there's a lump of coal to go with the Christmas joy. "He said he wasn't a singer," Deschanel said, adding, "I should've known he'd be secretly good!" This is either going to be a home run or people are going to go, Whatever happened to you? The Godfather (1972) Caan immortalized himself in what would become his signature role as lovable hothead Santino "Sonny" Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's Mafia epic. Great job,'" Ferrell recalled during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2018. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. But when it came to the blood test scene where Buddy bellows when pricked by a needle, Caan cracked. But while trying to do a rewrite, he had an epiphany. "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.'". Macys has since been the go-to Christmas department store destination of late, with its extravagant holiday window displays attracting lots of onlookers. 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. Raised as an oversized elf, Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit. 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 "We shot right up until we destroy the place," Lange told ABC News. James Caan, Oscar-nominated actor of 'The Godfather,' 'Misery' and 'Elf 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. Caan drew on the rigid, hardened and sometimes explosive tough guys for which hed become known, toning it down to fit a holiday film. The Best James Caan Movies - MSN Favreau also liked that the old-school technique made the movie feel more like one of the Christmas classics he'd loved as a kid. We look back at a career which included classics such as El Dorado, The Godfather, Misery and Elf Another theme Berenbaum wanted to explore was a son looking for an absent father. She told Entertainment Weekly that Favreau wanted to tailor the character to whoever played her. If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I will, if that's what the job calls for.". Its easily one of his best performances in a career in which each seemed to best the last. Whats going on? And his A Night at the Roxbury co-star Chris Kattan was his elf. Favreau realized Deschanels Doris Day-type voice would help break her cold character, who spends much of the film not feeling the Christmas spirit. Both are now closed. 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. He was an executive producer forF is for Familyon Netflix. For that role, he earned an Emmy nomination. Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel singing Baby, Its Cold Outside was a last-minute add. This was the last set piece shot for Elf, and one that filmmakers were wavering on from its conception late in production. 1. Paul also happens to be the name he gives to Santa, so no acting was required. 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.". "If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I will if that's what the job calls for.". However, it took another 10 years to get the project in motion, at which time Saturday Night Live star Will Ferrell was signed to star. 15. Obituary: James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, dies at 82. According to Variety, Jim Carrey was the first pick, likely thanks to his roles in PG-13 movies such asAce Ventura and The Mask. According to James, it never happened becausethe director [Jon Favreau, who also played Buddys doctor] and Will didnt get along very well. "I ingested a lot of sugar in this movie and I didn't get a lot of sleep," Ferrell told The Sun. Life & Style is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. It didnt sweep at Cannes; ponderous documentaries wont be made about it. 11. 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. 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.. Meanwhile, Buddy is . 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. Santaland took weeks to make but minutes to destroy. The director and WiIl didn't get along very well," he told sports radio show 92.3 The Fan. James Caan Remembered by Adam Sandler, Rob Reiner and More - Yahoo In the scene at Walters office where Buddy answers the phone, he says, Whats your favorite color? Though his career was already impressive, he has only continued to cement himself as a comedy legend! It's disappointing, but it makes the one and only Elf all the more special. Buddy sure has the same stride as the mythical creature. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. "We were gonna do it, and I thought, 'Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. My goal is to do good work and not quit trying.". TV credits included Back in the Game, Magic City and a starring role on . "We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing. Voice actorMaurice LaMarche, best known forgiving life toThe Brainon Pinky and the Brain, provided the dinner table belch. Will Ferrell and Bob Newhart in "Elf,"2003. So, the Chiodos ramped up their schedule. Movies. Some effects just couldn't be practical. The first two weeks of shooting were kind of all the exteriors in New York. Fun fact: Redbone also sings Baby, Its Cold Outside with Deschanel during the credits. 14. "[Caan's] like, 'Hey, I've gotta tell you something. "I'll see pictures online of people saying, 'Hey I'm introducing my son or my daughter to this movie for the first time.' 'Sleepless in Seattle' Cast: Where Are They Now? In an interview with EW 25 years after the film's release, Caan recalled sitting in the theater with Reiner and Stephen King, who penned the story, at the premiere. Grizzled Mark Acheson's casting as Buddy's drinking buddy concerned execs because of the line, "I'm 26 years old." An earlier version of this article referred to James Caan as an Oscar winner. But to be clear, Caan wasn't talking about Favreau. Even comedian Chris Farley was suggested before Ferrell. For more, watch the special "20/20 Presents: Lights, Camera, Christmas: Inside Holiday Movie Classics," on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 10 p.m. James Caan: 10 memorable roles - BBC News 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. That's no coincidence. But the people making the film had a clear and strong vision, inspired by the holiday specials of their childhood. And, in some ways, Elf highlights a certain natural progression of his career. Lets talk about Walter Hobbs. Im not the least bit embarrassed by this, nor should you be if youre in the same camp. 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. So Favreau says, Just go nuts, but we got one take., 4. Macys declined to be the featured in the film. And as it turns out,Elf was his second screenplay the first, Christmas in New Jersey, was a Christmas rom-com. He was 82. However, Simon and Garfunkels concert in Central Park actually occurred in 1981, with the musicians releasing an album of it in 1982. Fortunately, her reflexive grimace at the too-sweet dish worked for her character. But he admitted to Rolling Stone that the sight of Ferrell in his elf costume on the side of the 59th Street Bridge did "cause a few minor traffic accidents.". Unfortunately, it was in [Jons] contract to direct any sequels, so it was just one of those things, lamented James. Somehow, this film just became even more charming. 4. James Caan Linda Caan Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images The elves' costumes in Elf were inspired by those worn by Hermey and his peers in the animated film. Elf was also initially intended to be a bit more sinister, withdirector Jon Favreaurevealing to Rolling Stone, "He was a darker character.". The crew carefully made sure the two always matched. However, the production ran into a problem when the boys couldn't perform. 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. Talking about Sonny makes sense, but it might not be what he wanted. He had it in his contract. Billingsley also made a cameo in 'Elf'. Here are eight things you might not know about the movie "Elf.". TIL: After filming ELF, Will Ferrell gave James Caan the GODFATHER trilogy with a note saying "Great working with you. James Caan says there wont be a sequel to the hit Christmas fantasy-comedy "Elf" because headliner Will Ferrell and director Jon Favreau . 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. most people who have seen it would be, too. and "You sit on a throne of lies! For allElf's Christmas magic, Berenbaum's most important scene is watching Walter hug Buddy at the end. "If you could make him laugh, all the tension disappears," Favreau said. So it was very painstaking.. He didn't like his movies," he said of King. The boots that are curled up," Lange said, laughing. . The laugh is from the hyena in the zoo in Lady and the Tramp, which someone was kind enough to share on YouTube to confirm. 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 . She'd bleached her brown hair for another audition and wanted to change it back, but the Elffilmmakers decided blonde worked better. Will Ferrell and Faizon Love in "Elf," 2003. He was portrayed by the late James Caan in the film and is voiced by Mark Hamill in Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. The stop-motion North Pole scenes in Elf were Jon Favreau's idea. Favreau explained in the Rolling Stone interview that he chose to make it look like Buddy grew up in the stop-motion animated TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer a well-established Christmas classic. A natural brunette, Zooey Deschanelsported light blonde locks as Jovie, Buddy's fellow Gimbels elf and love interest. 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. "The costume was important," Favreau told ABC News. Favreau told Rolling Stone that Caan "always felt like he was being treated right on the set. "were improvised by Ferrell in the moment. In the first preview screening, the movie ended with Buddy and Santa (Edward Asner) flying away from Central Park, with no Central Park singalong or reunion between Buddy and Walter. 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. "And we made the deadline, made the screening, positive reviews, the stop-motion sequences tested through the roof, really popular, so they stayed in the movie!" They added the signage and nutcrackers to that building for shooting and filmed the interior scenes of Gimbels inside a department store in Vancouver. 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. We approached the person that had the rights to Gimbels. The purity of her singing, I thought, was really nice," the director added. "[But] he got so into that. If you could line up the lighting and you could line up the sets with a smaller set closer to you and a larger set further back that perfectly blend, the person in the closer set will appear to be larger than the person in the set further back, Favreau explained. ' he explained. And then he just walked past. In 2006, Favreau told The A.V. 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. But now I see what you're doing. Remembering James Caan: 1940-2022 (1) Movie and TV Santas We Love (1) Holiday Movie Posters We Love (1) Elf Photo & Video. Deschanel quickly made Jovie her own, with help from Jon Favreau. 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. This included stop-motion animation, and using forced perspective to make Buddy look like a giant among his elf peers. Peter does a lot more producing than acting these days. The following year, Caan married actress and costume designer Linda Stokes, with whom he had two more sons, James and Jacob. The classic stop-motion Christmas special from 1964 gave a memorable presentation of Santa's winter wonderland to which Favreau wanted to pay tribute. Actor James Caan at home playing a guitar on April 16,1970 in Hollywood, California. He was a lot of fun.". The actors literally only had one shot to bust it apart. 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. 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. Although Caan lived up to his self-appointed name, he struggled to match Ferrell's relentless Christmas energy and improvising skills which was exactly the dynamic their characters needed. 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. 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. Thats who you notice on the second watch. 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. 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. 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. But the second best way is to enjoy Elf. Anyone else notice that Michael and Buddys water glasses were empty at dinner? 18. These elements where then carefully overlaid in camera, using lighting to blend the seams. Elf is just like The Godfather, really: It doesnt work without James Caan. Playing the doctor wasnt the directors only cameo. Buddy works at the department store Gimbels with Jovie. Costume designer Laura Jean Shannon,tasked with finding the perfect look, revealed it wasn't accommodating Ferrell's 6-foot-3 frame that was the hardest part of her job. "I was raised in a Jewish family, and we celebrated Hanukkah but also had a Christmas tree. she explained to Feel Christmassy. I mean, the fun of being an actor is being somebody else for three months, you know?" In first drafts of Berenbaum's Elf script, Buddy's decision to seek out his dad was in part because he was being hassled by the actual elves for being different. 13. All rights reserved. What seems craziest to fans is the fact that despite the films success, there was never a sequel. Favreau explained to Rolling Stone that the original script was much darker, and that didn't gel with him. -- 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.. "Overnight I was a genius," Caan told PEOPLE in 1975 of his early string of hits. "I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it's bad and they say, 'He did the sequel for the money?'" James Caan Remembered by Adam Sandler, Rob Reiner and More: 'Best of the Best', All About James Hong, 94-Year-Old 'Everything Everywhere' Star Who Got Standing Ovation at SAG Awards. James Caan, 'The Godfather' and 'Elf' Actor, Dies at 82 Elf has the ability to make you laugh and cry and be filled with holiday wonder, just as any good Christmas flick should. Greg Doherty/Getty Images for The Salvation Army. "I was really lucky that my job in the film was to try to drive him crazy, and I would," Ferrell explained to Blackfilm. If you look closely at the scene where Buddy gets a blood test, his onscreen biological father, Caan, can be seen smiling while looking to the side and then turning away after Buddy gets pricked. But hey, everyone knows the sequel is never as good as the original, so maybe it was for the best. James Caan Dies: 'The Godfather' Oscar Nominee, 'Brian's Song' & 'Elf Needless to say, we did have a fair amount of fittings to be sure we struck the right balance between absurd and adorable.". American actor James Caan has died at the age of 82. The studio noted the actor does not look 26, to which Favreauwho had previously cast Acheson in a small role that had been cut before productionresponded that this disconnect was part of the joke.
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