Walt Visits (Walt) Disney World

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Dis-LEE

“Quality will out… Keep the place as clean as you can keep it… keep it friendly.. and I think that will hang on after… Disney (indicating himself).” – Walt Disney

From Project X to The Florida Project to Disney World and finally ending at Walt Disney World, we know that it wasn’t only the name that went through many changes before the property in Florida became The Vacation Kingdom we know today.

The Florida Project

But what changes may have taken place if Walt had lived to open the park himself? And what might Walt change if he were given just one visit to his dream as it is presently envisioned by Imagineering? Well, I will attempt to wear Walt’s shoes for one audacious moment, as I try to guess what Walt would recommend after just such a visit:

Change Number One – Take ‘Walt’ Off the Marque

Disneyland wasn’t called Walt Disney Land and I don’t think Walt wanted, or would have felt completely comfortable with, his first name being used for his Florida Project (of course, he no doubt would have been deeply moved by Roy O Disney’s heart-felt tribute). He was known to point out that all of the ‘Disney’ magic created was a team effort. And although he admitted that his name was coming to represent more than himself as a man, I wonder just how prominently he would have tolerated his full name being used.

No Walt in the World

Besides, just think of the possibilities if the pattern was followed: Disney Land. Disney World. Disney Universe. Disney Infinitum!

Change Number Two – Use Dead Lands/Space

It’s one thing to remove an attraction and re-imagine the space, or simply replace it with landscaping. But to close and shutter an attraction and then let years go by as the structures decay and collapse… this is something I can’t imagine Walt tolerating!

River Country in Decay

The Florida Project was exciting to Walt because of its ability to grow and accommodate any idea he, or the Imagineers, could dream up. To see space wasted would have gone against the very advantage of The Vacation Kingdom! So areas like River Country, which could be used to provide an expanded recreational area for Fort Wilderness, or Discovery Island, which could be used for almost any self-contained wilderness experience, would not sit unused under Walt’s watch!

Change Number Three – Bring Back Cast Members on Rides

I’ve ridden Living With the Land both with and without a Cast Member as a guide. And I must say I much preferred the personal touch of a smiling face uttering all of those interesting factoids! I guess if I wanted an impersonal experience, I’d read a book. But think of, or better yet ride for yourself, The Great Movie Ride (or Storybook Canal Boats in Disneyland) and you’ll appreciate what I mean.

Walt wanted a direct connection between his attractions and his guests, and that is no better served than when a Guide accompanies you!

Change Number Four – Plus the Transportation Experience

The infamous bus ride back to the Resort after a long day at the Parks. Is there anything more draining or less magical? I love all of my Disney friends, but that doesn’t mean I want to be crammed into a bus with 50-75 sweaty examples of you!

Video Screen Prototype

Video Screen Prototype

Could this experience be plussed? On Disney’s Magical Express, the bus that brings guests from the airport to Disney properties, a better job is done than on the standard Disney bus. It does it with nothing more than a TV screen. Sit back and watch an introductory video to make the time fly by and you’re at your Disney Resort before you know it! Each shuttle bus could be fitted with a TV screen which could  show advertising for new movies or opening attractions, or new shows. Sing-a-longs? Trivia? Something?

I must admit though, if you get a good bus driver, the trip can be magical!

Change Number Five – Maintenance

Ah, the maintenance debate. I don’t feel this is as big a problem as some sites/writers make it out to be. In a property as big as Walt Disney World, there will always be a piece of paper somewhere, a bulb out in a marque, or some fading paint on a beloved attraction. But if these things are regularly dealt with, I see no reason to bash a hard-working staff! It’s when we can see a lack of care over a long period of time that it becomes something that Walt would never tolerate! And then it’s time to bash a lackadaisical management.

In the opening quote above, Walt himself said ‘keep the place as clean as you can keep it’. I don’t see this as a suggestion but as a mission statement that he intended to be followed long ‘after… Disney‘.

Conclusion

These five things are my personal opinions only. I can’t presume to represent the mind of Walt Disney and certainly this post is not an attempt to do so. But we all have taken a moment to wonder what Walt would have thought or done.

So in that vein, do you agree with my wonderings? Or do you think of other issues? How do you think things would go if Walt visited (Walt) Disney World tomorrow?

Posted in Cast Members, Lists, Theme Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Movie Review: Greyfriars Bobby

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Dis-LEE

GB Movie Poster

Picture from Wikipedia

“Greyfriars Bobby is a 1961 Walt Disney Productions feature film starring Donald Crisp and Laurence Naismith in a story about two Scottish men who compete for the affection of a Skye Terrier named Bobby. The screenplay by Robert Westerby was based upon the 1912 novel Greyfriars Bobby by Eleanor Atkinson which was based, in turn, upon an incident in 19th century Edinburgh involving a dog that came to be known as Greyfriars Bobby.” At least, this is what Wikipedia says. And they are right about the Disney movie, but the details of the story are more under contention.

Bobby VHS 001     Bobby VHS 002

Many of these old Disney live-action films, predominantly made in the UK to use up money the company couldn’t export from the country, are not or never will be released on disc. So the only way to see them is to find the VHS releases at a flea market, which is how I got my copy. Don’t throw out your old VHS players people if you ever want to see this movie!

Greyfriars Bobby is Volume Four of The Animal Adventure Series which included, in order, Old Yeller, The Legend of Lobo, and Big Red. So by ‘animal’ they meant ‘dog’.

Greyfriars Bobby Statue

Picture from Wikipedia

The contention over the story is discussed in a book by Jan Bondeson. The “book advances the view that fundamental facts about the dog and its loyalty are wrong. Bondeson states as background that in 19th-century Europe there are over 60 documented accounts of graveyard or cemetery dogs. These were stray dogs which were fed by visitors and curators to the point where the dogs made the graveyards their home, people coming to believe that they were waiting by a grave, and the result being that the dog was looked after. Bondeson claims that after an article about Bobby appeared in The Scotsman, visitor numbers to the graveyard increased, which supposedly created a commercial benefit for the local community. Bondeson also believes that in 1867 the original Bobby died and was replaced with a younger dog, and that this explains Bobby’s supposed longevity.” (Wikipedia.)

But hey, since when has Hollywood let a few mistaken details ruin a good movie?

Bobby's headstone

Picture from Wikipedia

But details right or wrong, this little dog did exist, and did have an impact on one small town in Scotland. And if a few tourist dollars are spent because of him, who does it hurt really?

The movie isn’t one of Disney’s best. It moves rather slowly and doesn’t tug at that heart-string the advertising eludes to until quite late in the story, and then only briefly. The acting is good. It’s a basic feel-good story. I would give it a 2.5 stars out of 5 but a non-Disney viewer would likely rate it lower.

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People: Jeffrey C. Sherman Interviewed

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Dis-LEE

PEOPLE – JEFFREY C. SHERMAN

Jeffrey Sherman

BIO: Jeffrey C. Sherman is a writer, producer, director and composer/lyricist for film and television. A UCLA Film School graduate, Jeff wrote the feature films “The Soldier” and “Up the Creek.” He wrote the screenplays “Vine Street” and “Revenge of the Nerds III” for Interscope, “Summer Job” for Universal, “Teen Tour” for Paramount, “Respectable” for Norman Lear and Disney, “Rest Stop” for Hollywood Pictures, “The Late Robert Hampton” for Fildebroc (Paris), “Hot Deliveries” for ABC Motion Pictures, “Film School” for Rastar and many others.

In television, Jeff created, produced and wrote songs for one of the very first Disney Channel programs, “The Enchanted Musical Playhouse” which also boasted original songs by his Academy Award-winning father and uncle, The Sherman Brothers. Jeff has produced and written on several popular network series including ABC/Touchstone’s “Boy Meets World” and “You Wish,” UPN/Jim Henson’s “Family Rules” and Buena Vista Partners’ “Stick With Me, Kid.” Jeff’s TV pilots include “Turner & Hooch,” “The Secret Life of Girls,” “Post Game,” “Virtual Dad,” “Family Tree” and the independently produced comedy “Katie Sullivan” starring Larisa Oleynik, Will Friedle, Alex Desert and Orson Bean. Jeff’s Fox/ABC Family film trilogy “Au Pair,” “Au Pair II” and “Au Pair III” are among the highest rated programs to ever air on the network.

With his cousin, Jeff directed and produced the 2009 Walt Disney Pictures feature doc, “the boys: the sherman brothers’ story.” The film chronicles the unparalleled career of the sibling songwriting team while taking an intimate look at the brothers’ influences, dynamics and secret family rift. The film premiered at the 2009 San Francisco International Film Festival and has been selected for dozens of international festivals.

In 2011, Jeff produced with John Landis the original hour comedy special “Wendy Liebman: Taller on TV” which was licensed by Showtime and Image Entertainment. With Landis, Jeff recently adapted Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as a cartoon series. Most recently, Jeff and country music star Chely Wright have co-written the screenplay and song score for an original musical “Dogs of New York.” Vanessa Coffey is producing with acclaimed actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth who co-wrote some of the song score and is also attached to voice a lead character. Jeff currently has set up two half-hour comedy pilots with Relativity Television and is in prep to direct a feature film he wrote.

Interview Header

It’s nice to see such talent span three generations! We all know the story behind the Sherman Brothers, but I hope this interview will introduce you to a Sherman Son, his writing, and his thoughts on… well, let’s find out by going to the first question:

Q1 – What would be your Disney Dream job if you couldn’t be in the film and television departments?

JEFFREY: I always secretly wanted to work for Imagineering. When I was a very young boy, my Dad took me over to see the workshop where the Disneyland rides were dreamed up and created. Specifically, we went to see all the work being done on the upcoming “It’s a Small World” attraction for the New York World’s Fair. I recall all these wonderful artists and dreamers working there were warm and maybe a little quirky, but you could tell these people loved their work. I would especially enjoy helping come up with the stories and songs for the Disney Park rides.

Q2 – What is the greatest lesson you learned from your father, Robert B. Sherman?

JEFFREY: There are of course so many. He taught us all in his way. My late Dad, Robert B. Sherman loved to instill his hard-learned lessons through his songs. “Feed the Birds” is about charity – it only takes tuppence a bag, “It’s a Small World” is a plea in peace – despite cultural differences, there is just one moon and one golden sun and a smile means friendship to everyone… Dad and my Uncle Richard conveyed these important messages mixed with melodies you couldn’t forget. In other words, their spoonful of sugar truly does help the medicine go down. When someone would say something mean to me, Dad would remind me “Consider the source.” He told me that peace was each person’s choice, so “Don’t make waves.” It’s everyone’s duty to remember we are all one and to be good to one another. The wonderful aspect of my late Dad’s lessons is they will live on and be heard long beyond his lifetime, all around this small world. Dad’s and my Grandpa Al Sherman’s gift of music composition and appreciation is a gift I cherish and honor every day.

Q3 – What is the question you get asked the most that you have the hardest time answering?

JEFFREY: People always ask me what my favorite Sherman Brothers’ song is. It’s so hard to narrow it down. They wrote more than a thousand published songs and so many have personal ties for me. Despite what others claim these days, Dad wrote the song “River Song” (from Tom Sawyer) for me. I was a teenager, soon to leave for college. Dad had me come to the John Williams/Charlie Pride recording session of the song at 20th Century Fox. When it was over, Dad turned to me with a tear in his eyes and said, “I wrote that one for you.” He and Richard also say that I unwittingly inspired “A Spoonful of Sugar.” Those are both special as are “It’s a Small World,” “Feed the Birds,” “A Man Has Dreams,” “Mother Earth and Father Time.” Well, see? I could go on and on. It’s a hard question to answer.

Q4 – How would you answer if I asked you for advice on writing something successful?

JEFFREY: Writing success comes in many forms. There’s financial success, career success, critical success, creative success, personal success. I have been a professional screen and television writer since I graduated from UCLA Film School back in 1979. I’m happy to say I’ve experienced a lot of each of those success varieties. For me, as a creative, I generally derive the most joy and satisfaction from when all those points are reached. Not always possible, but it’s the goal I strive for. On a practical basis, I find that if I set out to write something I’m passionate about, something I personally just have to see, that always works out the best for me and for the project. I’ve learned to step away when that’s no longer true. Write what you know, what you love, write it over and over till every moment pushes the story and characters forward, connects to your core and communicates exactly what you feel in your heart and mind. Then give it to two or three trusted friends, really listen to what they say. Analyze it, not for their “fixes” necessarily, but for what the consensus of thought is. Then determine your own fixes and re-write it a few more times. Writing is a powerful tool. Use it to make this world a better place. Success for me is holding the printout of a script I’ve written in my hands, reading through it without feeling compelled to make another mark in it. If I sell it, if it gets made, how it will be made — I have less control over that (why I also sometimes produce and/or direct). While it’s in my hands though, and it works the way I’d hoped, that is true success.

Q5 – How would the Disney Company be different if Walt was alive today?

JEFFREY: That’s a tough one. I had the immense privilege of meeting Mr. Disney at the studio on a number of occasions when I was young. I knew he owned the studio and Disneyland, made all those movies and was my Dad’s boss, but he was always engaging and down to earth. He was also clearly a genius with a deep-set passion for all he did. I’ve written before about the time I was six or seven and Walt took me by the hand to a soundstage on the lot and explained to me about “movie magic.” The curiosity and can-do initiative, the intensive care and love that man put into his work and instilled and fostered in those around him was truly magical. He instigated all those Disney traditions that still live on today in the Disney Corporation. Personally, I would love to see Disney distinguish itself again, even in part, as less of a big tentpole special effects factory and get back into characters and stories for families to watch and enjoy together. Pixar and the other Disney animation groups are true to Walt’s vision for the studio. They create simply beautiful work Mr. Disney would be happy to have his name on. The real truth about Walt, though, was his genius in identifying genius in others and bringing them in to work with him. Teamwork was essential to making dreams come true. Therefore, when he passed away, those traditions were set into the company and for the most part continue on today. It would be wonderful for the company to get back to that kind of synergy Walt employed — where all the departments work in tandem for a common cause. That’s tough in the modern corporate world, but I believe if Walt were still in charge, he would insist on revitalizing that true team spirit and actively fostering the next generation of creative dreamers.

EPILOGUE: OK, I admit that question four was a transparent attempt to get some free advice for my own writing ‘career’! I’m nothing if not shameless. I hope you enjoyed meeting Jeffrey and hearing his thoughts on creativity, writing, and of course, Walt Disney.

RIVER SONG
From the film: “Tom Sawyer” aka “A Musical Adaptation of Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer” – 1973
(Robert B. Sherman / Richard M. Sherman)
Charley Pride & Chorus

(Chorus Singing)
Oh, a river’s gonna flow
‘Cross the land
‘Cross the land
Oh, a river’s gonna flow
To the sea
And a boy is gonna grow
To a man
To a man
Only once in his life
Is he free
Only one golden time
In his life
Is he free

(Charley Pride)
River runs warm in the summer sun
River runs cold when the summer’s done
But a boy’s just a dreamer
By the riverside
‘Cause the water’s too fast
And the water’s too wide

Then the world turns around,
And the boy grows tall
He hears the song
Of the river call
The river song sings,
“Travel on, Travel on”
You blink away a tear,
And the boy is gone

(Charley Pride and Chorus)
Oh, a river’s gonna flow
‘Cross the land
‘Cross the land
Oh, a river’s gonna flow
To the sea
And a boy’s gonna grow
To a man
To a man
Only once in his life
Is he free
Only one golden time
In his life
Is he free

(Transcribed by Carlene Bogle – April 2004)

See previous interview here

Posted in Interviews, People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

DVD Review: No Ordinary Family

Posted on August 1, 2015 by Dis-LEE

I picked this up recently because I liked the concept (superheros are my kryptonite, ha ha) and because it starred Michael Chiklis (who gets super strength and invulnerability) from The Shield and the first two Fantastic Four films.

No Ordinary Family 001

And it has the Disney/abc tie-in

So here, from Wikipedia, is the rundown on this short-lived series:

No Ordinary Family is an American television series that aired on ABC and CTV in Canada. The one-hour science fiction comedy-drama was produced by ABC Studios for the 2010–11 television season. The series ran from September 28, 2010, to April 5, 2011, on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm ET/PT. The show centers on the Powells, a typical American family living in fictional Pacific Bay, California, whose members gain special powers after their plane crashes in the Amazon, Brazil.

Julie Benz (Mom, who gets super speed), Kay Panabaker (the daughter, who can read minds), and Jimmy Bennett (the son, who becomes super smart) complete the family. Guest stars included Lucy Lawless, Cybill Shepherd, Rick Schroder (remember him?) and Robert Picardo (for all you Star Trek fans) to name but a few.

No Ordinary Family 002

This was a fun superhero romp in the vain of The Incredibles with writing reminiscent of Heroes and Lost. The characters try to master their new powers while still balancing their somewhat flawed family. With others trying to learn their secret and more super powered humans popping up every day, most of them bad, the Powells have a lot on their plates!

Will they succeed? Will they keep their secrets? Will they save the world? We’ll never know for on May 13, 2011, ABC announced that No Ordinary Family had been cancelled due to low ratings. Although it was fun, it was a mature theme watered down for a family audience, which was likely why it couldn’t find a larger audience.

However, I still give it a 3.5 stars out of 5. The special effects were surprisingly good for a TV show budget and the acting was top-notch. It did have a sitcom feel at times. But without more episodes to watch, it’s hard to say if the premise would have carried into multiple seasons.

Other places you can find the cast:

  • Julie Benz – played Rita Bennett on Dexter (2006–2010), for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is currently starring as Mayor Amanda Rosewater on the Sci fi series Defiance.
  • Kay Panabaker – breakout role came when she starred in Summerland as “Nikki Westerly”, in the 2004–05 season. Also did voice work in Monsters Inc.
  • Jimmy Bennett – He is known for his roles as a child actor in Daddy Day Care, Hostage, Poseidon, Orphan and as young James T. Kirk in the 2009 film Star Trek. He has been nominated for Young Artist Awards five times.
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Fifer Pig Ash Tray

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Dis-LEE

Walt Disney smoked. Disneyland had a cigar store on Main Street the day it opened. Many Disney characters were depicted smoking in animated features produced as children’s entertainment, such as Pinocchio in the 1940’s and Ratigan from The Great Mouse Detective in the 1980’s.

Walt smoking

But things have changed now and smoking ads are banned, smoking is no longer ‘in style’ in the entertainment industry, and even pictures of Walt have been altered to remove the offending item (but not the one above). Even some prints of vintage Disney movies have been altered to make sure that Disney is far removed from cigarettes and their promotion.

But… they can’t remove stuff like this from history:

Fifer Ash Tray 001

Looks innocent enough…

Fifer Ash Tray 002 Fifer Ash Tray 005

But let’s look a little further…

Fifer Ash Tray 003     Fifer Ash Tray 004

And there it is!

Yes, the picture on the right shows the lip where you would rest your cigarette, with the ashes falling into the small space within the ceramic figure. At least it would be hard to smoke a lot of cigarettes with such a small ash tray!

Whether we feel that a character with a cigarette should or should not be in a Disney film, we can’t deny that many characters have almost been defined by the habit, like Cruella De Ville.

Cruel Habit

So cigarettes may have disappeared like a puff of smoke from Disney movies, but they can’t be erased from history as long as collectors keep buying and selling items like the one above!

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BOOK REVIEW: Toy Wars

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Dis-LEE

G.I. JOE AND BARBIE FIGHT IT OUT

Toy Wars Book 001

I love a good read. But I realize, after recommending many books to friends, that not everyone has the same taste in literature. My taste is so varied that I can’t always be assured of a good response when I gush about my latest greatest read!

This book however, printed in 1998, should appeal to a fairly wide cross-section of readers. It’s a historical account of two large U.S. companies. It’s a tale of family tragedy and triumph. It’s an educational thesis on corporate America and the share holder effect. Ultimately, one could say it’s a basic story of good versus evil. So, it should appeal to a few different types of people!

Toy Wars Book 002

Hasbro (the main company followed in this book) and its rival Mattel rise from small family companies to huge stock-driven toy giants, with both good and bad results. They gobble up just about every other main player in the toy and children’s entertainment markets with only one goal: To become the single biggest, if not the only, toy company on earth!

Some books like this, with such subject matter, are dry and hard to get through. But G. Wayne Miller manages to make it a page-turner by keeping the focus as much on the families who own the companies as he does on the companies themselves, with all of the toy development, successes and failures, brought on by a fickle group of consumers, the children of the world.

And my favorite part of this read was learning just how many of my childhood toys these two companies own the rights too! Here is a basic breakdown of the Hasbro line:

Hasbro Gaming

  • Monopoly
  • Twister
  • Scrabble
  • Yahtzee
  • Clue
  • All Hasbro Gaming

Girls

  • Nerf Rebelle
  • My Little Pony
  • My Little Pony Equestria Girls
  • Littlest Pet Shop
  • Furby
  • All Girl Brands

Boys

  • Nerf
  • Beyblade
  • Star Wars
  • B-Daman
  • Transformers
  • Mr. Potato Head
  • G. I. Joe

Preschool

  • Play-Doh
  • Playskool
  • Furreal Friends
  • Baby Alive
  • Elefun and Friends

Mattel also has many brands under its name. Both companies have bought up various companies to own beloved properties. Below is a partial list of Mattel’s line of products:

Barbie, Hotwheels, Monster and Ever After High, WWE, Disney, and too many more to list here. Please click the links to the official sites for more information and product lines.

Barbie Toy Line

Ever heard of any of these toys? Sure you have! But if you want to hear the stories behind their creation and marketing, you need to read this book. And again, you’ll be surprised at just how many of your childhood favorites came directly from these two bitter rivals.

I’d give this book a 4.5 stars out of 5. A must-read for any true toy fan or collector!

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Disney Movie Rewards – ‘Inside Out’ Funko POP!

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Dis-LEE

Go ahead, just try to figure that title out! DMR stands for Disney Movie Rewards, which we’ve been members of from the beginning. We’ve redeemed points for many great rewards, the latest being these wonderful POP! figures featuring the characters from Disney/Pixar’s hit movie Inside Out:

Inside Out POP 011

Anger, Joy, and Sadness

The POP! line of figures hasn’t appealed to me over all, but this series has caught my interest, mainly because of Anger (me) and Sadness (my wife). Yes, we have a quirky and wonderful home life!

But more about that later, eh? Let’s take a closer look at these figures first:

Inside Out POP 001     Inside Out POP 007

Inside Out POP 008

Dressed like someone in management = Anger Management

Of the five main emotions in Inside Out, Anger is the one I liked the most. So no, I’m not always angry! But I just love this red (my favorite colour) hot head who just wants a chance to say that one swear word he knows. Because it’s a good one!

Inside Out POP 006     Inside Out POP 003

Inside Out POP 010

“OK, I’m positive we’ll get lost!”

For years I’ve thought of my wife as my little Eeyore. Short and cute but a bit of a pessimist. So when another little blue character came along, with glasses no less (which my wife also wears) I just couldn’t help but tease her that I’d found a new Disney character to represent her!

OK, I gave up on getting the ‘Best Husband’ award years ago, so it’s all good!

Inside Out POP 004    Inside Out POP 005

Inside Out POP 009

“Let’s turn this day around!”

Ugh. You’ve got that friend that’s always ‘up’, right? Who can live like that? Well, we learned in Inside Out that sometimes, other emotions need to be in control. A good lesson, but it is better if Joy is front and center most often!

If you are a DMR member, you can redeem 500 points to get one of these figures. As of this writing, only the three figures above are available, with the final three of the series coming soon. And they are:

Inside Out POP 002

Disgust, Fear, and Bing Bong

I’m assuming by the numbering that there has been 137 POP! vinyl figures released since this line of merchandise was introduced by Funko. The line includes non-Disney characters as well.

So will you be adding some emotions to your Disney collection?

Posted in Merchandise, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

People: Brian Sommer Interviewed

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Dis-LEE

PEOPLE – BRIAN SOMMER

Brian Sommer

BIO: Brian has often said, “It all started at Disneyland.” While visiting that magical park, Brian was introduced to Adventure Thru Inner Space (a long since extinct attraction). The narration soundtrack of that ride was performed by the immensely talented voice actor Paul Frees. The dramatic intensity of that performance impressed Brian. He was hooked. Brian began a lifelong journey to learn more about the craft of voice acting. While other kids were planted in front of the TV, Brian was listening to rebroadcasts of old radio dramas on a local station. With a great deal of respect and admiration, Brian was influenced by the incredible voice actors of the Golden Age of Radio. Talents like Paul Frees, Daws Butler, June Forey, Thurl Ravenscroft, Paul Winchell, Elenor Audley and Mel Blanc remain to be Brian’s inspirations.

Brian made the decision to follow his bliss and attended the prestigious voice acting academy “Voicetrax” in San Francisco. There he learned the skills to become a professional voice actor. He was signed by the STARS agency in San Francisco and has been doing what he loves for a living ever since. Fulfilling the ‘circle of life’ Brian is now an instructor at Voicetrax and enjoys mentoring and molding the newest generation of voice actors.

With an impressive vocal range, Brian had brought vocal life to all manner of characters. From sinister to silly, Brian can be heard in over 100 video game titles, voicing nearly 250 characters He enjoys all roles that come his way, but has always been partial to the villains. “The bad guys always have the best lines, and you can get away with so much playing the characters with no morals”, Brian says.

Brian is honored to have contributed his talents to some great projects. His titles include “Diablo III”, “The Walking Dead”, “League of Legends”, “Sam and Max”, “Tales of Monkey Island” and scores more.

Brian has never had any aspirations to act on camera or stage. “I am a voice guy” says Brian. “The acting craft has many different disciplines. Voice over has always been my focus. It has special challenges all it’s own. After all, what does a raised eyebrow SOUND like.”

Interview Header

So many people have a Disney connection. Some are more up front in the eyes of the fans, like the Disney Legends, and others are known by only the über fan. Brian Sommer is somewhere in between. After this interview, I’m sure you’ll add him to your Disney personalities to follow! So let’s get to our first question…

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Q1: What would be your Disney Dream job if you couldn’t be a voice-over announcer/narrator?
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Brian – First of all Lee, thank you for considering me for an interview.  It’s always great to connect with other Disney fans and I am always happy to share my love for Disneyland and offer any information that may be of interest regarding voice over.  My ‘Dream Job’ would actually be a combination of Disney and my current job.  I would consider it an honor and a privilege if I was given the position of park announcer for Disneyland.  I have handled the live announcing duties for private events at the Disneyland Hotel, and the Walt Disney Family Museum.  I am also the announcer at Walt’s Carolwood Barn and have enjoyed all of those jobs. However, to be the official announcer for Disneyland would indeed be my dream job.  It would combine my two favorite things.  Disneyland, and voice work. To make it my ultimate dream job, I would want the imagineers to renovate the second floor of the Haunted Mansion into my studio and office.  That’s not asking too much, right?  Jack Wagner (the original announcer) is certainly one of my idols.  So many great announcers and voice actors came out of that era and their work for Disney has always been among my favorite performances.
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Q2: What is your favorite piece of voice work that you have done to date?
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Brian – That is always a tricky question.  I have voiced nearly 300 different characters over the years and they all had something interesting about them.  However there is a particular type of character that I enjoy voicing more than any other.  That would be, The Bad Guys!  The villains are always so fun.  The evil characters get to do things that normally would get you arrested. They always have the great lines.  Of course your character usually has to die in the end, but that is a small price to pay for great scenes.  I have made a good career out of voicing guys who tie the fair maiden to the train tracks and such (twist mustache).  Disney has always had a great line up of villains and their choices for actors who provide the voice have always been great ones.  I am always humbled and inspired by such talents as Paul Frees, Thurl Ravenscroft, Eleanor Audley, Hans Conried, and so many others.
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Q3: What is the question you get asked the most that you have the hardest time answering?
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Brian – I am often asked “How do you get into voice over?”  It is not always an easy question to answer.  The craft is a misunderstood one.  Too may folks think we read scripts in a voice other than our own.  The ACTING in voice acting is more important than that voice.  Unlike stage or film actors, we only have our voices to carry the emotion of the scene.  Those in front of an audience or camera have the option of props, or facial gestures.  I teach voice over and often challenge my students by asking, “What does a raised eyebrow SOUND like”.  So when folks ask how to get into the biz, I usually tell them to work on their acting primarily.  Taking acting classes, whether they be at an acting school, community college, or a community center, will ultimately serve you much better when getting ready to enter our profession.
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Q4: How do you approach a voice gig? Is there a lot of preparation depending on the topic, subject?
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Brian – When an audition for a character comes in, the producers will send along sample script lines and sometimes an image of the character and bio.  Its most important to figure out what type of character it is.  What makes him tick.  What is his role in the game/show?  Good guy? Bad guy?  The voice will follow once those things have been established.  When the script is written well, a lot of the character is explained in the words they speak.  However, if it is not that evident, then it is the job of the voice actor to interpret the motivation and emotion of each scene.   When a voice actor is auditioning for a role, its important for them to show the emotional range of the character.  This lets the producers know the actor can perform the characters voice in various scenes (happy, sad, angry, inquisitive, etc).  This all goes right back to the previous question regarding what it takes to get into the business.
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Q5: How would the Disney Company be different if Walt was alive today?
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Brian – There are many facets of the Disney company.  My greatest connection to it has always been Disneyland.  So my answer to this question will be based on that.  Since I was a kid, I always viewed the park as the pinnacle of show quality and guest services.  I remember telling people that the park was so clean you could eat off the street.  Of course this is a bit of an overstatement, but fans of the park will know what I mean.  Starting in the late ‘90s there was an unfortunate shift of priorities at the park. Emphasis was placed on merchandise and selling, because of this the upkeep and maintenance of the attractions suffered.  The park started showing the scars of daily usage and neglect.  If Walt had been alive during this time, that never would have happened.  Walt understood that a guest could go anywhere and get a hamburger or a stuffed animal, but there was only one place to experience a swashbuckling band of pirates, a haunted manor house along the river, or a thrilling ride down the icy slopes of a mountain. You could only enjoy those things at Disneyland.  The amazing attractions are what bring people to the parks.  They are the stars.  Luckily, with new management in place, the parks have come back strong.  They understand that the park is a long-term investment, not a quick buck. The money is being spent and the time is being allocated to give the attractions (and the park in general) the care and service they need to shine.  I remember walking into the park soon after the management shift had occurred.  There I saw a maintenance worker down in his hands and knees painting one of the hitching posts on Main St.  I thought to myself, “Walt is back!!!”
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EPILOGUE: This is a man I’ve listened to on many Extinct Attractions DVD’s and thought deserved to be Disney’s main announcer! It was great to have the privilege of interviewing him for Disney Nouns. But who knew such a nice man secretly yearns to be a villain (insert maniacal laughter here)? Oh well, each to his own!
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I’d like to thank Brian for taking the time out of his busy schedule to grant this interview!
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Brian Sommer Credit

See previous interview here

See next interview here

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Zaini Big Hero 6 Trinkets

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Dis-LEE

I love Big Hero 6. I’ve bought many products based on the Big Hero 6 characters. I love chocolate. My wife loves chocolate more. So I bought these:

Big Hero 6 Choco 002     Big Hero 6 Choco 001

Which after removing the wrappers, quickly turned into this:

choco 007

And my wife is systematically working her way through the chocolate. I, on the other hand, am working my way through this post. Not a bad deal because I get the toys/trinkets!

Big Hero 6 Choco 004     Big Hero 6 Choco 005

Hiro erasers

Big Hero 6 Choco 003

Baymax vinyl figure

Big Hero 6 Choco 006

Baymax key chain (?)

These trinkets are very small but still a lot of fun! As always, Zaini has sculpted some pretty nice figures. Here are the rest of the set, as seen on the advertising paper included in each egg:

choco 006

Thankfully, I found these at the local dollar store, so trying to complete the set won’t be too expensive. What would be your favorite?

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Places: The Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Dis-LEE

Today we are discussing a wonderful zoo that your family needs to visit:

Brevard Zoo Sign

It seems funny for me to be a part of this loop because I don’t usually enjoy zoos. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a rare exception, and the Brevard Zoo in Florida is another. The reason is that they are quite similar in their approach to displaying the animals and birds within, a way that I feel is more humane. As I share some details about the zoo, and some awesome pictures, what I mean should become clear.

So, ‘All Aboard!’ for a quick trip around the Brevard Zoo:

Brevard Zoo Train

Yes, it has a train! Put me in an observation car being pulled by a train (steam preferred) and I’ll even watch paint dry for hours! But this train takes you past some more interesting things than Sherman Williams latest color selections.

While we were on this trip, a camel walked beside us, and we saw several other free-roaming animals. A nice cut above simply seeing animals in cages!

Brevard Zoo Birds

When animals were in enclosures, there weren’t any chain link fences, which is what reminded me of Disney’s efforts in DAK. This zoo in Brevard simply cut out large chunks of space from the natural Florida landscape and used berms and wooden barriers to give a more natural feel. It was also easy to see that the animals were more content as they moved around in that natural environment.

Brevard Zoo Lake     Brevard Zoo Landscape

How many zoos can boast environments like this?

Seriously, although you walked along pathways, you truly felt like you were just passing through the State of Florida and coming across wildlife! A very organic experience.

Brevard Zoo Flamingo

To read more about this zoo, please see my earlier post entitled Trip Report: Brevard Zoo. you’ll find many more details and some great pictures not included here.

It would be impractical to list in one post all of the features and animals you will enjoy by visiting this progressive zoo. Suffice to say it is worth the trip!

8225 North Wickham Road
Melbourne, Florida, U.S

Posted in Places, Trip Report, Zoos | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments