Fortunately, even New Line had to admit that its version didn't work, and the ending was restored. The following year, Caan married actress and costume designer Linda Stokes, with whom he had two more sons, James and Jacob. But she didn't dye her hair for this role. 'Elf' Cast Then & Now: See How Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel & More 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. He might not play the main character in either, but hes one of the most important in both. One Elf element Deschanel isn't a fan of is her character's blonde hair. Ferrell turned down a reported $29 million paycheck to reprise the role of Buddy for a sequel, telling The Guardian in 2006 that it "wasn't difficult at all" to pass on the opportunity. It didnt sweep at Cannes; ponderous documentaries wont be made about it. 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. 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. And the third. Poor Buddy accidentally wreaks all kinds of havoc on his elf community because of his ungainly size. "Overnight I was a genius," Caan told PEOPLE in 1975 of his early string of hits. Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. James Caan says there wont be a sequel to the hit Christmas fantasy-comedy "Elf" because headliner Will Ferrell and director Jon Favreau . Mines octarine. The color is a nod to Terry Pratchetts novel The Color of Magic from the Discoworld series. "Thankfully, we had some pretty smart people who could figure it out," Boyter coyly put it to Netflix. Charlotte says how the Central Park Rangers used controversial tactics during the Simon and Garfunkel concert of 85. 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. Will wanted to do it, and he didnt want the director.. 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. 2023 E! Another mystery: Where did he get all his sugary breakfast treats from? Its hard to believe Will was only 36 when he starred as Buddy. 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. Peter Billingsley, who memorably played the Red Ryder-wanting Ralphie in the 1983 holiday classic, popped in to play Ming the elf. When he moved to Los Angeles, hoping to write movies himself, that love for Christmas followed and even intensified. James Caan Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images My goal is to do good work and not quit trying.". "were improvised by Ferrell in the moment. He was 82. Will Ferrell, Jon Favreau, and Joe MacLeod in "Elf," 2003. "[Caan's] like, 'Hey, I've gotta tell you something. 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. I surrounded him with a lot of improvisers, like Andy Richter and Kyle Gass and Amy Sedaris. But Macy's didn't like the idea that there was a fake Santa working there," Favreau said. ", 5. But she told Variety that she was the backup choice to play the part, stepping in when the first-choice actress dropped out. While most people know Favreau had a small role as the pediatrician who examines Buddy and confirms he's Walter's son, the director also had another part: He voiced the Narwhal who infamously said, "Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad!". He clarified to Jewish Journal, "It was never about Jesus, it was about Santa Claus.". Even though its already nearly 20 years old, Elf sits firmly in the classic Christmas film canon. 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. Actor James Caan at home playing a guitar on April 16,1970 in Hollywood, California. This was back when the pair were pre-Saturday Night Live, and part of The Groundlings comedy troupe. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. 1. In a 2020 Rolling Stone interview, director Jon Favreau recalled Caan's "great sense of humor" on set. ELF (InfiniFilm DVD, 2003) CHRISTMAS COMEDY WILL FERRELL JAMES CAAN People recognizing me from Saturday Night Live going, You OK? However, he also touched on the pair's "dysfunctional" relationship: the elder Caan had five children with four wives and split from Scott's mom when he was a baby. The film also stars Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, and Edward Asner. In the scene at Walters office where Buddy answers the phone, he says, Whats your favorite color? Unfortunately, it was in [Jons] contract to direct any sequels, so it was just one of those things, lamented James. 8 photos. Deschanel quickly made Jovie her own, with help from Jon Favreau. One such scene of his well-meaning mayhem featured Buddy playing hockey on a frozen pond. If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I will, if that's what the job calls for.". The director eventually cast him in 1972's The Godfather, earning Caan his sole Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. 1. So if you could make him laugh, all the tension disappears. Instead of smiling and crawling as needed, they cried relentlessly. But it sort of backfired. Favreau recruited the Chiodo brothers to film the sequences, whose resume included effects for the Gremlins movies and sequences in The Simpsons. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. Favreau pushed to take out this element. You're going to read an . Will Ferrell and Bob Newhart in "Elf,"2003. The production did secure permission for these allusions, and was even granted the privilege of using the company's signature snowman. I can make some money, let my kids do what the hell they want to do,'" he said on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. Macys has since been the go-to Christmas department store destination of late, with its extravagant holiday window displays attracting lots of onlookers. As he told The Washington Post some 42 years ago, Everyplace I go, I spend half my time undoing Sonny Corleone.. Speaking to The Guardian about his decision the following year, Ferrell admitted that it was a lot of money but said he had no regrets. "If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I will if that's what the job calls for.". Elf has the ability to make you laugh and cry and be filled with holiday wonder, just as any good Christmas flick should. They gutted an old insane asylum and made it a sound studio, Lange said of the Vancouver shooting location. 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. Some of Buddy's most iconic lines"You smell like beef and cheese!" Did Walter or his wife, Emily, shop for Buddys sleepwear and groceries? A Buzzfeed employee picked up on an adorable fact about Buddy and Jovies babys name at the end of the film. In the years following Elf, Caan acted in films like Get Smart (2008), For the Love of Money (2012) and Holy Land (2019). Elf was also initially intended to be a bit more sinister, withdirector Jon Favreaurevealing to Rolling Stone, "He was a darker character.". Sadly, Ed died on August 29, 2021. 19. 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. But he managed to make it work for most of the interior locations you see in the movie. "Christmas movies are about spirit winning . 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. In December of 2013, he told USA TODAY, "I just think it would look slightly pathetic if I tried to squeeze back in the elf tights: Buddy the middle-aged elf.". Unless youre living under a rock, you already know that he starred onGame of Thronesas Tyrion Lannister! "I ingested a lot of sugar in this movie and I didn't get a lot of sleep," Ferrell told The Sun. But before Elf, he was better known for being an actor and he appears as the doctor who does the paternity test for Walter. Now, hes a hunk who does a bit of voice acting, though he doesnt appear on the big screen anymore. I liked the notion of being involved with Will in his first solo movie after SNL, but it wasn't quite there.". Originally cast as Michael . 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. "He wrote a note that said, 'Great working with you. This man is actor and comedian Matt Walsh, best known for playing Mike McLintock on Veep. So by the second weekend, Kattan had dropped the whole affectation he was doing and was like (Ferrell makes a face of bitter boredom), 'Santa's over there, kid.'". Dont do it, Deb! 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., 2. ", In the movie, Buddy is happy to gobble down an endless supply of sweets, including maple syrup-coated spaghetti and cotton balls made of cotton candy. Meghan Markle's Mom Doria Reportedly Won't Be Spending Christmas With The Royals, Cheer or Fear? Buddy's biological father, Walter, is the workaholic, stone-faced foil to his eternally peppy personality. 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. It turned the lead from SNL alumnus into a movie star. 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. She plays Gail inThe Last Man On Earth, has appeared inThe Connersas Marcy, andmadeher Christmas movie return inHappiest Seasonon Hulu. 2018!). she explained to Feel Christmassy. 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. We take a look back at his life. Subscribe to . He even landed a role inSpiderMan: Far From Homein 2019. With Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Edward Asner. Fortunately, her reflexive grimace at the too-sweet dish worked for her character. 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. Elf (2003) - IMDb Peter does a lot more producing than acting these days. Buddy used his elf training to construct it overnight, but it took the production team two weeks. You know, from my old favorite sitcoms like Lou Grant and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. . He was portrayed by the late James Caan in the film and is voiced by Mark Hamill in Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas. Pitting the capital-S Serious actor against Ferrells manic creation was part of director Jon Favreaus plan, though it made for a nervous crew. Even comedian Chris Farley was suggested before Ferrell. Obituary: James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, dies at 82. He was a lot of fun.". And, in some ways, Elf highlights a certain natural progression of his career. Favreau told Rolling Stone that Caan "always felt like he was being treated right on the set. 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. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! Everyone knows the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! 1. 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! He then voiced Professor Proton in the shows spinoff,Young Sheldon. It became an architectural project in miniature, production designer Rusty Smith explained to Entertainment Weekly. 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. So I had to wait until I was done with that movie. Their ultimate goal was not box office glory (although that would be nice.) In a 2003 interview with TV Guide, Asner said, This is about the eighth time Ive [played Santa], adding, It is really old hat. "It's sort of romantic, but it's sort of weird, too.". 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. New Line executives worried that the Old School audience wouldn't want to see an earnest family Christmas movie. "We were going to do it, and I thought, 'Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. Some effects just couldn't be practical. he explained. 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. Santa, being the frequent sleigh flier that he is, gives Buddy some NYC spots to hit up, including Rays Pizza. 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." "So we had one take to destroy it.

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