Mickey Rooney: A Long Career

Few Hollywood legends have begun their careers as children and been able to maintain a life-long career. Mickey Rooney, however, first began acting at the age of 6, and remained in the business until he passed away at the age of 93, an 87-year-career! His birth date was on September 23rd, and in recognition, I thought it would be fun to acknowledge his fascinating Disney connections, which go beyond just film and television appearances.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was a cartoon character originated by Walt Disney, though Disney lost the rights to the character because of a copyright infraction with Universal Studios. Universal began producing “Oswald” shorts in 1928 and they added sound to their cartoons also and even decided Oswald should have a voice. (This, however, was just after Disney had invented “sound within cartoons,” in Steamboat Willie (1928)). Mickey Rooney was fortunate enough to be cast as the voice of goodhearted, but clumsy rabbit, voicing him for two shorts, The Hare Mail and The Fisherman, both were released in 1931. Prior to Rooney’s voice, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was also voiced by Pinto Colvig, Disney’s future voice of Goofy, in 1930.

Mickey Rooney made his official Mouse House debut in the original film version of Pete’s Dragon (1977), starring opposite Sean Marshall, Helen Reddy, and Jim Dale. Rooney also appeared in the Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color television movies “Donovan’s Kid,” and “Little Spies,” which aired on television in 1979 and 1986, respectively. In between those television films, Rooney was cast as the voice of the Adult Tod in The Fox and the Hound (1981) opposite Kurt Russell as the Adult Copper and he even made one guest appearance in the third season of The Golden Girls (1985-1992). Three years before he past away, he also made a cameo in the “Life’s a Happy Song,” sequence in The Muppets (2011).

There also was a rumor that Walt Disney named Mickey Mouse after Rooney (later proven false). It was said that Disney ran into Rooney when he was working on Mickey Mouse’s early drawings and the two introduced one another and Disney also asked for his opinion on the drawings. According to IMDB this was proven false, however, because the name Mickey came from the mind of Walt’s wife, Lilian Bounds Disney, who thought Mickey was a better name for a mouse, as opposed to Walt’s original idea, Mortimer. Mickey Rooney’s eldest son, Mickey Rooney Jr., however, later went on to become one of the original Mouseketeers in The Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1958).

Throughout his career, Rooney garnered four Oscar Nominations, winning an Honorary Oscar in 1983, as well as Two Golden Globe wins. He was also known for acting alongside many other legends in the movie It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) and for voicing Santa Claus in Rankin/Bass’s The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974), a role that he reprised twice. He starred alongside Ben Stiller, Dick Van Dyke, and Robin Williams in Night at the Museum (2006) as Gus the Security Guard, a role that he reprised in the film’s second sequel Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014), which was released posthumously after Rooney’s and Williams’s, on December 19th, 2014.

Mickey Rooney had an incredibly long career in show business—including some great Disney connections. It’s inspiring that he was able to continue doing what he loved over the course of many decades entertaining multiple generations in the process!

 

Review: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3"

On April 19th, 2002, IFC Films released My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). The film was a sleeper hit, having been produced on a budget of only $5 million but grossing a total of $368.7 million worldwide. The film spawned a television series, My Big Fat Greek Life (2003), which lasted seven episodes, as well as a sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, released on March 25, 2016. The series latest installment, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, premiered in theaters on September 8, 2023. Here’s my review:

Toula Portokalos’s father, Kostas “Gus” Porokalos, has passed away and the tragedy of his passing hasn’t allowed much "together time” for the family since. That being the case, Toula decides to reunite the family together in Greece and hilarity ensues as they all travel together. In doing so, they also wound up discovering some shocking family secrets.

This film is an emotional tribute to Michael Constantine, who portrayed Gus Portokalos in the first two “Greek Wedding,” films. Constantine passed away on August 31, 2021 due to natural causes. It was originally planned for him to star in the third movie, and when he became ill and unable to do it, Vardalos offered to scrap the whole idea of a third film, but Constantine encouraged her to make it anyway. Vardalos’s real father, Constantine Vardalos and Bruce Gray, who portrayed father-in-law, Rodney Miller in the first two “Greek Wedding,” movies sadly also passed away before the release of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” and there are dedications to all three men at the end credits.

Beyond its emotional story, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” will appeal to all MBFGW fans because unlike the first two films, the third film actually takes place in Greece. The script is choppy in spots, and perhaps a little predictable, but it does a really nice job of portraying family complications, and the various ways individuals deal with the difficulties and tragedies of life. It’s all wrapped in a series of fun adventures that highlight the natural beauty of Greece—all in a fun romp.

This film reunites the all-star cast of Nia Vardalos as Toula Portokalos, John Corbett as her husband Ian Miller, Louis Mandylor as brother Nico Portokalos, Tony-Award-Winner Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula, Joey Fatone and Gia Carides respectively as Cousins Angelo and Nikki, and Lainie Kazan as Toula’s mother Maria Portokalos. The film also brings back Elena Kampouris as Toula and Ian’s daughter, Paris Miller, and Alexis Georgoulis, who co-starred with Vardalos in My Life in Ruins (2009) also appears. The film is once again produced by Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Gary Goetzman, and is written and directed by Vardalos, who also wrote the first two films.

All in all, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, is an entertaining movie! It’s probably not quite as exceptional as its predecessors, but it’s a touching way to close the trilogy. 

The Walt Disney Company Veterans: Actors

The year 2023 marks 100 years since the Walt Disney Company was founded. It’s incredible to believe that it’s been a whole century (the official anniversary date is October 16th). There have been countless people since then who have made legendary contributions to the studio, and there are a few who were born around the same time the studio was originally founded. Now in their 90s, I thought it would be nice to acknowledge them and their contributions, beginning with actors: 

• David Frankham (97): Frankham’s most iconic Disney contribution is undoubtedly voicing the courageous Sergeant Tibbs the Cat in One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). Prior to that film Frankham also appeared in the live-action Disney Films Johnny Tremain (1957) and Ten Who Dared (1960), where he had the rare of privilege of getting to meet Walt Disney himself while shooting on location in Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah, a privilege that Disney voice actors in general, didn’t get.
• Bob Newhart (93): Newhart’s most iconic Disney contribution is voicing the shy, but soft-hearted mouse Bernard in The Rescuers (1977), a role that he reprised in the film’s sequel The Rescuers Down Under (1990). While it was an important one, it remains Newhart’s only Newhart’s only Disney role. Though, in addition to be a television icon for sit-coms such as The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978) and Newhart (1982-1990), he is also children’s/family movie icon for having voiced Leonard the Polar Bear Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998) and for portraying Papa Elf in Elf (2003).
• Dick Van Dyke (97): Van Dyke’s iconic Disney role is portraying Bert the Chimney Sweep and Mr. Dawes Sr. in the blockbuster Mary Poppins (1964). Van Dyke also starred in the films Lt. Robinson Crusoe (1966) and Never A Dull Moment (1968) and cameoed as Mr. Dawes Jr. in Mary Poppins Returns (2018). He also portrayed himself, hosting the television special Donald Duck’s 50th Birthday (1984) and narrated the documentary Walt: The Man Behind the Myth (2001).
• Glynis Johns (99): Johns is currently the oldest surviving Disney Legend at 99. Her best-known Disney performance is playing Mrs. Winifred Banks, mother of Jane and Michael and wife to George Banks in Mary Poppins (1964). Prior to that film, however, Johns also starred in the live-action Disney films The Sword and the Rose and Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue, both of which were released in 1953. Three years after those films, Johns made The Court Jester (1956) starring Danny Kaye and future Disney legend Angela Lansbury, and in 1995 Johns appeared in While You Were Sleeping released by the Disney-owned Hollywood Pictures Company and starring Sandra Bullock.
• Nancy Olson (95): Olson was fortunate enough to star in five live-action films for Disney. The most popular is probably when she played the love-interest-turned-wife of Fred MacMurray in The Absent-Minded Professor (1961), because “Absent-Minded Professor,” was the very first live-action Disney film to spawn a sequel, Son of Flubber (1963) released two years later. Olson also starred in Pollyanna (1960), which was the feature film debut of Hayley Mills, Smith! (1969), and Snowball Express (1972), opposite Dean Jones. She made a cameo in Disney’s remake of “Absent-Minded Professor,” Flubber (1997), which starred Robin Williams. Besides her Disney roles, Olson was the inspiration for the song “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” in the Original Broadway Production of My Fair Lady (1955) written by Frederick Lowe and Alan Jay Lerner, having been married to Lerner at the time. 
• Mary Costa (93): Costa’s best-known Disney performance is voicing Princess Aurora, aka Sleeping Beauty in Sleeping Beauty (1959). While that is Costa’s only Disney role, as well as the most popular role of her entire career, she had a brief stint in movies, including the romantic comedy Marry Me Again (1953), which was written and and directed by her future husband, Frank Tashlin, who at the time was a former employee of Disney’s. She also voiced to the radio series The Great Gildersleeve (1941-1954) and the radio-turned-television series The Voice of Firestone (1928-1963). As of 2023, Costa remains one of two surviving voice actress of Disney Leading Ladies from films that Walt Disney personally produced. (The other is Kathryn Beaumont who voiced Alice in Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Wendy Darling in Peter Pan (1953)).

I think we have enough legends to close this week, but we will look at more next week. Hope you enjoyed this introduction!

Review: "Peter Pan & Wendy"

On February 5th, 1953, Walt Disney released the animated adaptation of Peter Pan, a blockbuster hit for the studio. 70 years later, a newly reimagined version of “Peter Pan” was released to Disney+ this week: Peter Pan & Wendy (2023). Here are my thoughts:

Wendy Darling is about to be shipped off to boarding school where she will be separated from her brothers, John and Michael, not to mention from her parents. Distraught, Wendy yearns to stay a child and have fun adventures with her brothers. They get that opportunity one night, when they meet Peter Pan. With a little help from Tinker Bell, Pan and the Darling children travel to Neverland and they begin an epic battle against Pan’s archenemy, Captain Hook and his crew of pirates.

“Peter Pan & Wendy,” pays homage to Disney’s original animated “Peter Pan,” but it can also be compared to Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991) because it tells the same story of the boy who doesn’t want to grow up. Some clever twists in this film provide an in-depth backstory explaining why Captain Hook is cruel and how he and Peter Pan became enemies. In addition to that, the character of Wendy Darling is portrayed as an equal to Peter Pan, a warrior who is just as—if not more—clever and feisty.

Disney’s original animated “Peter Pan,” told us that, while we can’t stop growing up, but we can always hold on to our inner child through the stories we grow up on. They simply play an important role in helping to define our identities. While “Peter Pan & Wendy,” continues that theme, it also gives more inspiration in the sense that kids often fear growing up because they think that once they’re grown up, having fun is over and there’s no more adventure. This rendition brings home the truth that life never stops being an adventure—there’s always fun to be had!

This film’s cast features Alexander Molony making his live-action debut as Peter Pan and Ever Anderson, who previously played the young Natasha Romanoff in MCU’s Black Widow (2017), as Wendy Darling. Jude Law stars as Captain Hook, with Jim Gaffigan as Mr. Smee, Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell and veteran Disney voice-over artist Alan Tudyk as Mr. Darling. Unlike Disney’s original “Peter Pan,” this film does not continue the tradition of having the characters of Captain Hook and Mr. Darling portrayed by the same actor, whereas in the original film, both characters were voiced by Hans Conried. (That was also the case for the original “Peter Pan,” Broadway adaptation with Mary Martin, which premiered the following year in 1954). The film was co-written by Toby Halbrooks and David Lowery and directed by Lowery. Both Halbrooks and Lowery previously collaborated in Disney’s remake of Pete’s Dragon (2016).

All in all, “Peter Pan & Wendy,” is an entertaining movie. It helps us all better appreciate the opportunity to actually be able to grow up because to have that opportunity is better than to not! It also brings hime the importance of being surrounded by people who love you.

             

Burny Mattinson: Yet Another Unsung Disney Legend

Few people are fortunate enough to work for the same company for 70 years. When one works for a company for that long, to say they’ve achieved legendary status is an understatement. Burny Mattinson was employed by the Walt Disney Company for 70 years and throughout that tenure he juggled all kinds of jobs.

Mattinson was inspired to go into animation having been entranced by the craft when he saw Disney’s Pinocchio (1940) as a young boy. When he was old enough to start applying for jobs, he went to the Disney Studios with a portfolio the first chance he got in 1953. At the time, there were no openings in the animation department, but his portfolio managed to impress the then head of personnel, Ken Seiling, and he was fortunate to be given a job in the studio’s mail room as a “traffic boy.”

After working as a “traffic boy” for six months, his first feature job was as an Inbetweener (an artist who sees that every frame of the film is connected together) on Lady and the Tramp (1955). He did character animation on Sleeping Beauty (1959) and The Sword and the Stone (1963) and again worked as an Inbetweener on 101 Dalmatians (1961) and Mary Poppins (1964). Unfortunately, he did not receive screen credit until a few years later, working as an animator on The Jungle Book (1967) and The Aristocats (1970), as well as the first two “Winnie the Pooh” shorts: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966) and the Oscar-winning Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968).

In addition to his “feature” contributions, Mattinson also served as an assistant animator to Eric Larson, a member of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” helping to animate Professor Ludwig Von Drake for the Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color (1961-1969). Mattinson’s talent also caught the attention of Frank Thomas, another “Nine Old Men,” who suggested he design the opening title sequence for The Rescuers (1977). 

By the time the 80’s rolled around, Mattinson listened to a “Disneyland” Album released in 1974 entitled An Adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Performed by the Walt Disney Players. He began to toy with the idea of adapting the album as a short film, Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1982) and pitched idea to the then Disney CEO, Disney’s son-in-law Ron Miller. Miller initially balked at the idea, but later relented when he heard what it meant to make the project to Mattinson and he even agreed to let Mattinson make his directorial debut in the project. The short film was a success and earned Mattinson a Best Short Film, Animated Oscar Nomination. He was later re-hired as a Director on The Great Mouse Detective (1986).

In the 90’s, Mattinson continued to work as a Story Artist on films produced throughout the Disney Renaissance period: Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), and Pocahontas (1995). He was awarded the Disney Legend Award in 2008, and was hired yet again as a Story Artist on Winnie the Pooh (2011), Big Hero 6 (2014), Zootopia (2016), and Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), the middle two of which both won Best Animated Feature Oscars. (“Ralph,” was also nominated). Mattinson’s last credit at Disney was a Story Artist for Strange World (2022) before he passed away at the age of 87 on February 27th, 2023. There will be a dedication to him in Disney’s upcoming animated feature Wish (2023) due for release in November of this year.

Burny Mattinson was beyond lucky to work for Disney for the past seven decades. Not long before “Winnie the Pooh” was released he pitched an idea for a feature-length film with Mickey Mouse as the main protagonist which unfortunately never surfaced. While that project never saw daylight, all the film projects Mattinson contributed to established Mattinson was an exceptional artist who never stopped doing what he loved. He was an inspiration to us all.     

Cinderella Tribute

On February 15th, 1950, Walt Disney’s Cinderella (1950) had it’s pre-worldwide release in Boston, Massachusetts. It would be released worldwide on March 4th, 1950, grossing a total of $182 million dollars at the Box Office and earning three Oscar Nominations: Best Original Song “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” Best Sound, Recording, and Best Music, Scoring of a Motion Picture. This film saved Disney’s animation studio from having to close its doors as the films they released throughout the ‘40s failed to equal the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) i.e.: Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942). “Cinderella,” spawned two direct-to-video sequels: Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2001) and Cinderella III: A Twist in Time and was later re-adapted for live-action by director Kenneth Branagh released on March 13th, 2015, right around the time of the original’s 65th anniversary. In honor of the fact that the original will soon celebrate its 73rd anniversary I thought I would share with you all a picture I drew of Cinderella’s castle. Hope you enjoy! 

Review: "80 for Brady"

Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno are four show business legends. For over half a century, they’ve each starred in every medium of entertainment, and have done it with excellence. As a group, they possess five Oscars, 12 Golden Globes, 11 Emmys, and two Tony Awards. And refreshingly, despite the longevity of their careers, there are no signs of them slowing down. Their newest project is a treat, as they starred in the sports comedy 80 for Brady (2023)—which includes Tom Brady—released on February 3rd, 2023. Here’s my review: 

Lou (Lily Tomlin), Trish (Jane Fonda), Betty (Sally Field), and Maura (Rita Moreno) have a yearly tradition of always watching the Super Bowl together. One day, Lou suggests that they all go to the Super Bowl and to meet Tom Brady. Though the others are skeptical at first, they agree to go and hilarity ensues on the trip, forging an even stronger bond for the group.

Everyone loves a friendship story, but this movie is special because it’s a friendship story about, shall we say “more experienced” people. It’s based on a real-life story on five women from Foxborough, Massachusetts, the home of the New England Patriots: Betty Pensavalle, Elaine St. Martin, Anita Riccio, Pat Marx, and Claire Boardman had the tradition of gathering to watch the Patriots play football—especially Tom Brady. The group was started by Pensavalle, and her grandson Max, who works in Hollywood, is the one who pitched the idea of the film.  

Similar to Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau’s Grumpy Old Men (1993) and its sequel Grumpier Old Men (1995), this movie gives us a peek into friendships as we age. It’s sort of this generation’s “Golden Girls.” With additions of Field and Moreno, it continues the sisterly/BFF’s chemistry Tomlin and Fonda originally formed on the movie 9 to 5 (1980) and continued in Netflix’s Grace and Frankie (2015-2022).

  In addition to Tomlin, Fonda, Field, Moreno, and Brady, the film features cameos by Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, and Julian Edelman as well as Sara Gilbert, Bob Balaban, Billy Porter, Harry Hamlin and Patton Oswalt in supporting roles. The film was directed by Kyle Marvin, making his film directorial debut and was co-written by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern who previously co-wrote Booksmart (2019). The film’s Executive Producers consisted of Marvin, Jeffrey Stott, and Michael Angelo Covino and it’s Co-lead producers were Brady and Donna Gigliotti (who won the Best Picture Oscar for Producing Shakespeare in Love (1998)).

Just when you think it’s all about making you laugh, it tugs at the heartstrings. It’s very well-acted and very well-written, and in addition to being about the blessing if friendship, it inspires one to never let age get in the way of doing what you love, especially if it means having an adventure with your friends. 

All in all, “80 for Brady,” is an exceptional movie. No matter how old you are, it has a touching friendship story that everyone can appreciate. Especially, if you’re a fan of Hollywood, this movie will deepen your admiration for four of its biggest stars.