Rebecca OConnell – Page 12

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December 23, 2016 – 11:00am

December 23, 2016

21 Things You Might Not Know About ‘Elf’

Kristy Puchko

filed under: christmas, christmas-movies, Lists, Movies

Image credit:

YouTube

Everyone knows the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! But the second best way is to enjoy Elf. Revel in the giddy glow of this modern holiday classic with a slew of secrets from behind the scenes.

1. JIM CARREY WAS INITIALLY EYED FOR BUDDY THE ELF.

When David Berenbaum’s spec script first emerged in 1993, Carrey was pre-Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and attached to front the Christmas film. 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. Carrey would go on to headline his own Christmas offerings—the live-action How The Grinch Stole Christmas and the CGI animated A Christmas Carol.

2. WILL FERRELL WAS ONCE A MALL SANTA.

And his A Night at the Roxbury co-star Chris Kattan was his elf. This was back when the pair were pre-Saturday Night Live, and part of the comedy troupe The Groundlings. Ferrell recollected to Spliced Wire, “I have some experience playing Santa Claus … Chris Kattan was my elf at this outdoor mall in Pasadena for five weeks, passing out candy canes. It was hilarious because little kids could care less about the elf. They just come right to Santa Claus. 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.'”

3. DIRECTOR JON FAVREAU FAVORED PRACTICAL EFFECTS.

Inspired by the Christmas specials he grew up with, Favreau explained in the film’s commentary track that he employed “old techniques” instead of CGI whenever possible. This included stop-motion animation, and using forced perspective to make Buddy look like a giant among his elf peers. For North Pole scenes, two sets were built—one larger scale for the actors playing elves, the other smaller to make Buddy and Santa look big. These elements where then carefully overlaid in camera, using lighting to blend the seams.

4. SNOW WAS OFTEN COMPUTER GENERATED.

Some effects just couldn’t be practical. These included the snowflakes that drift over the opening credits, and many of the snowballs in Buddy’s pivotal fight scene. It’s probably not much of a shocker that much of these were added in post, considering Buddy’s perfect aim. But to further underscore the drama that is a snowball fight in frosty New York, Favreau asked composer John Debney to give this section a Western vibe that would recall The Magnificent Seven.

5. ELF‘S PRODUCTION DESIGN WAS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER.

The classic stop-motion Christmas special from 1964 gave a memorable presentation of Santa’s winter wonderland to which Favreau wanted to pay tribute. The elves’ costumes in Elf were inspired by those worn by Hermey and his peers in the animated film. And Elf’s workshops were modeled after the Rankin/Bass designs, as were the stop-motion animals of the area. The production did secure permission for these allusions, and was even granted the privilege of using the company’s signature snowman.

**6. THERE’S A CHRISTMAS STORY CAMEO.**

Peter Billingsley, who memorably played the Red Ryder-wanting Ralphie in the 1983 holiday classic, popped in to play Ming the elf. It’s an uncredited role, but between the glasses and those bright baby blue eyes, Billingsley stands out as an A Christmas Story Easter egg. This marks just one of many Billingsley and Favreau’s collaborations. Billingsley has been a producer on Favreau’s films Made, Zathura, and Iron Man, as well as his talk show Dinner for Five.

7. FAVREAU PLAYED MULTIPLE PARTS IN ELF.

As a writer/director/actor, Favreau has often appeared in his own films. He fronted Made with friend Vince Vaughn, and later found a sweet supporting role for himself in Iron Man. You may have picked him out as the doctor in Elf, but on the DVD commentary, Favreau reveals 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. He also voiced the rabid raccoon Buddy encounters.

8. BABY BUDDY WAS FIRED.

To play the bubbly baby version of the titular elf, Favreau had initially cast twin boys whose blonde curly hair made them great little doubles for the mop-topped Ferrell. However, the production ran into a problem when the boys couldn’t perform. Instead of smiling and crawling as needed, they cried relentlessly. To replace them, brunette triplet girls were brought in, who were far perkier and more playful, and thereby ready for their close-ups.

9. BUDDY WAS BULLIED IN AN EARLY VERSION.

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. Favreau pushed to take out this element. He preferred to keep the North Pole characters warm, even when Buddy bugs them. In the DVD commentary, Favreau offers, “It explained why Buddy was doing all these good things in New York if he grew up in a world where everybody was so sweet even when he’s obviously screwing everything up and doesn’t fit in at all.”

10. ELF HOCKEY HIT THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR.

Poor Buddy accidentally wreaks all kinds of havoc on his elf community because of his ungainly size. One such scene of his well-meaning mayhem featured Buddy playing hockey on a frozen pond. The friendly game becomes unintentionally violent when the too-big Buddy takes to the ice. Though it was shot, it ended up being chopped from the finished film.

11. ELF WAS SHOT ON LOCATION IN NEW YORK WHEN IT COUNTED.

Like many productions, this one took advantage of the financial benefits of filming in Canada, and much of Elf was shot in sound stages in Vancouver. However, when Buddy comes to New York, it was important to Favreau to shoot on location whenever possible. This includes all the Manhattan exteriors, as well as scenes shot at Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and Central Park West, where Buddy’s dad lives.

12. SOME OF THE SETS WERE BUILT IN A HORROR FACTORY.

Okay, technically it was an abandoned mental hospital, where the production team constructed the interior sets for Walter’s Central Park West apartment, Gimbels’s lavish toy department, and that grim prison cell. The facility is called Riverview Hospital, and it has played host to a long list of film and television productions, including The X-Files, Final Destination 2, Jennifer’s Body, and See No Evil 2.

13. MACY’S STOOD IN FOR GIMBELS.

The sprawling department store that takes up a whole block in Manhattan was digitally altered to transform into Elf‘s Gimbels. A bit awkward: Gimbels was once a real department store, and a noted rival of Macy’s. Though immortalized here and in the 1947 classic Miracle on 34^th Street, the department store closed its doors in 1987, its 100^th year of operation.

14. WILL FERRELL BROKE JAMES CAAN.

The Academy Award-nominated Godfather star was hired to play Walter in part because Favreau wanted a stern persona to play against Ferrell’s giddy Buddy, and Caan took the comedy of Elf seriously. He knew it was crucial for Walter to be annoyed—never amused—by his supposed son’s antics. But when it came to the blood test scene where Buddy bellows when pricked by a needle, Caan cracked. Watch closely and you’ll see he turns away from the camera so as not to ruin the take.

15. THE STUDIO DIDN’T GET A JOKE FROM THE MAILROOM SEQUENCE.

This was the last set piece shot for Elf, and one that filmmakers were wavering on from its conception late in production. Grizzled Mark Acheson’s casting as Buddy’s drinking buddy concerned execs because of the line, “I’m 26 years old.” The studio noted the actor does not look 26, to which Favreau—who had previously cast Acheson in a small role that had been cut before production—responded that this disconnect was part of the joke.

16. FERRELL WENT METHOD WITH THOSE JACK-IN-THE-BOXES.

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. The anxiety etched on Ferrell’s face in these scenes is real. Rather than standard jack-in-the-boxes that would pop at the song’s end, these were remote controlled by Favreau, who purposely manipulated their timing to toy with his star and get authentic reactions.

17. FERRELL FROLICKED ALL OVER NEW YORK CITY IN CHARACTER.

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. Together, this trio traveled around the city, looking for mischief for Buddy to get into with random passersby turned background extras. This included him leapfrogging across a pedestrian walk, happily accepting flyers, and getting his shoes shined, all of which made it into the movie’s cheerful montage.

18. THAT EPIC BURP WAS REAL, BUT OVERDUBBED.

Though uncredited, that lengthy belch came not from Ferrell, but from noted voice actor Maurice LaMarche, who might be best known for Brain of Pinky and the Brain. LaMarche shared his secret to such an impressive burp with The AV Club, saying, “I’ve always been able to do this weird effect, where I turn my tongue, not inside out, but almost. 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.”

19. ELF MADE ITS STAR STICK.

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. But this sugary diet played havoc on Ferrell, who told About Entertainment, “That was tough. I ingested a lot of sugar in this movie and I didn’t get a lot of sleep. I constantly stayed up. But anything for the movie, I’m there. If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I will—if that’s what the job calls for.”

20. FERRELL **REFUSES TO MAKE ELF 2.**

Though the comedian reprised the role of Ron Burgundy for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and returned as Mugatu in Zoolander 2, he flat out rejected the possibility of bringing back Buddy, even after being offered a reported $29 million. 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.”

21. ELF BECAME A HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL.

From November 2010 to January 2011, Elf the musical ran on Broadway, boasting songs like “World’s Greatest Dad,” “Nobody Cares About Santa,” and “The Story of Buddy The Elf.” 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. Plus, The New York Times called it, “A splashy, peppy, sugar-sprinkled holiday entertainment.” A revival hit in time for Christmas 2012, and national tours have been recurring.

December 23, 2016 – 10:00am

December 23, 2016

Hide Your Cold Ones in a Marshall Mini Fridge

Rebecca OConnell

filed under: fun, music, shopping, tech

Image credit:

Marshall Fridge

Worried about sneaky friends stealing all your beer? Put your brews—along with any other food you don’t want pillaged—in the last place anyone would think to look: a Marshall amp, or rather, a convincing mini-fridge that look like one. Real logos, fret cloth, and a brass-finished faceplate help sell the illusion that there is definitely nothing delicious hiding inside. Even the knobs on the front aren’t just for show—they can be used to control the temperature. Musicians will love having the 32-inch pseudo-amp, which also comes with a .4 cubic foot freezer for frozen goods. Now, they can crank up the cold and enjoy some drinks while they play. (And yes, the knobs go up to 11.)

YouTube

December 23, 2016 – 6:30am

December 22, 2016

A ‘Princess Bride’ Coloring Book Is Coming This Month

Rebecca OConnell

filed under: books, fun, shopping

Image credit:

amazon / 20th century fox

There is no shortage of great pop culture coloring books to choose from these days, with more on the way. The latest installment is likely to be treasured by the whole family: The classic 1987 movie The Princess Bride can now found in colorable form. You can add bursts of flames to the Fire Swamps and give young Fred Savage a creatively hued bedspread, as you color your way through 80 pages of illustrations by Rachel Curtis.

The new book is slated to come out December 27, so you won’t be able to snag it before Christmas, but you’ll probably want to keep it for yourself anyway.

December 22, 2016 – 6:30am

December 22, 2016

9 Money Resolutions to Make for 2017

Image credit:

iStock

New Year’s resolutions are a mixed bag: Some are easy to achieve, but most are doomed to fail from the very first day of January. This year, resolve to get your finances in order by tackling one of the below money-related goals—and see things through by following a few simple tips.

1. GET A RAISE.

Sure, that’s far easier said than done, but it’s actually something most people don’t actively seek on their own, instead waiting for their corporate superiors to make the first move with a performance review. Consider it a New Year’s resolution to earn more money through a pay increase, either by developing new skills or taking on new responsibilities.

2. CUT UP YOUR DEBIT CARD.

It might sound extreme, but consider getting rid of your debit card, or at least only carrying it in your wallet when you are traveling. By removing ATMs from the equation, you’ll have to work harder to get cash to spend. Plus, with banks only open during work hours, you’ll surely make fewer rash, late-night spending decisions.

3. HOME-BREW YOUR MORNING COFFEE.

The daily expenditure of buying, say, two cups of coffee adds up. In fact, at $1.85 per cup, that’s roughly $1350 out of your pocket each year. Brewing your own coffee at home, which costs roughly a quarter a cup, will save you a whopping $1170! That’s the value of a nice vacation, and you aren’t even cutting out caffeine!

4. ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

If you’ve spent year after year resolving to “get healthy,” maybe you’ll be more apt to keep it if you knew such a lifestyle could save you money. In the long run, being healthier means fewer doctor appointment copays, prescription fees, and costly treatments.

5. TRACK YOUR NET WORTH REGULARLY.

Net worth—the combination of your accumulated assets and debts over your lifetime—is the single most important financial metric one can record. More than your salary or monthly budget, this easy-to-track number shows you your progress, or digression, in a very tangible way. By keeping an eye on this figure, it will no doubt inspire you to do whatever you can to keep it ticking in the upward direction.

6. PLAN OUT YOUR MEALS.

Every Sunday, make it a ritual to plan out your meals for the week. In doing so, you’ll create a very clear shopping list that avoids waste and mid-week impulse purchases at the nearby convenience store. Better yet, select meals that use in-season produce to save a few extra dollars every week.

7. TRY CUTTING AN EXPENSE YOU NEVER CONSIDERED BEFORE.

If you never considered living without cable television or resisting the urge to hail a cab, try going three months without. You might be surprised at how little you really needed it—or impressed enough at how much you saved that you’ll be inspired to cut the expense permanently.

8. PAY YOURSELF FIRST.

This might very well be considered the most vital rule in personal finance. You most likely already prioritize monthly bills like rent, cell phone payments, and utilities, so make a point of adding yourself to the mix. With every paycheck, set aside a specific amount of money to “pay” to your savings account, to your retirement fund, and to bigger expenditures, like a new TV. This way, you’re never making excuses for why you’ll skip a payment, just as you wouldn’t with your internet provider.

9. SEARCH FOR A “HACK” BEFORE SPENDING MONEY ON A FIX.

Tempted to dip into your savings account to remove the dent in your car door? Try a little dry ice first. About to buy expensive night cream or overpriced laundry detergent? You might not know it, but you can find do-it-yourself recipes for both those products that work as well as the name-brand variety. The lesson: Always research cost-effective ways to do even the most basic tasks, and you’ll likely find some clever alternatives.

For the tools and resources you need to stick to your financial resolutions this new year, head to Allstate.com.

December 22, 2016 – 12:00am

December 21, 2016

10 Warm Facts About Huskies

Rebecca OConnell

filed under: Animals, dogs

Image credit:

istock

Siberian huskies are known for their wolfish good looks, but deep down, they’re all dog.

1. Huskies are born to run.

When the semi-nomadic Chukchi people of Siberia had to expand their hunting grounds some 3000 years ago, they sought to breed the ideal sled dog. These dogs had to have endurance, a high tolerance to cold, and the ability to survive on very little food. The resulting pups could carry loads over long distances without food or warmth. While there is controversy as to how pure the lineage is, Siberian huskies are widely believed to be the closest to the original Chukchi dogs.

2. Their skills impressed Alaskans.

Huskies made their American debut at the second year of the All Alaska Sweepstakes Race in 1909. Rumor had it that these canines were superior sled dogs; they proved the gossip true by dominating the racing competitions in Alaska for the following decade.

3. A lot of features help keep them warm.

Huskies have a thick double coat that keeps them well insulated. Their undercoat is short and warm, while the overcoat is long and water-resistant. Their almond-shaped eyes allow them to squint to keep out snow. Huskies will wrap their tails around their faces while they sleep; their breath warms the tail and keeps the nose and face protected from the cold.

4. A group saved a small town in Alaska.

In 1925, the children of Nome came down with the widely feared disease called diphtheria. The closest anti-toxin was 1000 miles away in a hospital in Anchorage. The train could only take the medicine so far, and it was up to mushers with teams of sled dogs to transport the package the remaining 674 miles.

Twenty mushers and their sled dogs battled the bitter cold in a relay to get the medicine there safely. It took 127.5 hours to complete the mission, but the medicine made it to the village. The final leg was completed by a black Siberian husky and his team. When finally reaching their destination, the dogs were hailed as heroes and appeared in newspapers across the country.

If this story sounds familiar, you might remember it from the animated movie, Balto. You can see a statue of Balto in New York’s Central Park (the real Balto is stuffed and mounted at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History).

5. They’re not great watchdogs.

Huskies are not one-person dogs—they’re unsuspicious and friendly to strangers. This can be charming, but it’s not very helpful when you’re looking for a canine sentry. Of course, their fierce wolf-like features might be enough to deter any intruders.

6. Huskies don’t get fatigued.

Huskies often run long distances on very little food. When humans attempt this, we start to use our body’s glycogen and fat and eventually get fatigued. But huskies burn a lot of calories without ever tapping into these other energy stores—and they do this by regulating their metabolism.

“Before the race, the dogs’ metabolic makeup is similar to humans. Then suddenly they throw a switch—we don’t know what it is yet—that reverses all of that,” animal exercise researcher Dr. Michael S. Davis told the New York Times. “In a 24-hour period, they go back to the same type of metabolic baseline you see in resting subjects. But it’s while they are running 100 miles a day.”

7. You need to watch them closely.

These pups love to run and explore. They’re known to be escape artists and are capable of digging under fences and slipping out of leashes.

8. The army used them.

During WWII, the army employed the pups as search and rescue dogs. They were also used for transportation, freighting, and communication.

9. They’re closely related to wolves.

Studies say that the shiba inu and the chow chow share the most DNA with the grey wolf. Coming in near the top is the Siberian husky. That said, huskies are domesticated dogs and have evolved separately from their wild cousins for thousands of years.

10. Blue eyes make them distinct.

Not many dog breeds can boast piercing blue eyes. Some dogs—like the Australian shepherd or Weimaraner—have them thanks to the merle gene, which results in the loss of pigmentation. But huskies can have bright eyes without that gene.

December 21, 2016 – 1:00pm

December 21, 2016

12 Things You Might Not Know About ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

Mark Mancini

filed under: Lists

Image credit:

getty images

Good luck finding another show with Fiddler’s universal appeal. Audiences of just about every race, religion, and nationality have applauded the timeless, bittersweet musical since it debuted in 1964.

1. Fiddler on the Roof Was Based on a Series of Stories Written by “The Jewish Mark Twain.”

Like Samuel Clemens, Sholem Rabinovich was better known by his pen name. In Hebrew, Sholem Aleichem—an alias that this Eastern European writer adopted during the early 1880s—means “peace be unto you.” Inevitably, his knowing voice and relatable characters drew comparisons with Tom Sawyer’s famous author. Clemens didn’t mind: When the pair were introduced in 1906, Twain was told that he was addressing “The Jewish Mark Twain.” Honored, he quipped, “Please tell him that I am the American Sholem Aleichem.”

Tevye the dairyman is easily his most famous creation. A father who meets tragedy with humor, he narrated eight short tales published between 1894 and 1914.

2. A Black and White Movie Adapted the Same Plot In 1939.

Simply titled Tevye, it’s a more somber take on the hero’s struggle to accept a rapidly-changing world while his beloved daughters leave home one by one. In 1990, this became the first non-English language movie to be selected for preservation by the National Film Registry (the actors use Yiddish).

3. Rejected Titles for the Musical Included Where Papa Came From and The Old Country.

Lyricist Sheldon Harnick and composer Jerry Bock weighed several possible titles for the show during the writing stage. In the end, an oil painting probably helped make up their minds. The Fiddler (1912-1913) is a famous piece by French-Russian painter Marc Chagall in which a green-faced violinist makes music on a rooftop. Though Broadway historians aren’t 100 percent sure about what inspired the show’s current name, consensus implicates The Fiddler.

4. A Huge Number of Songs Were Deleted.

The writers conceived around 50 individual numbers, though all but 15 wound up on the cutting room floor. “A Butcher’s Soul” and “Dear Sweet Sewing Machine” were among those discarded.

5. Zero Mostel (ie: the Original Tevye) Fought to Keep “If I Were a Rich Man” From Getting Drastically Altered.

Harnick had second thoughts regarding the last verse, in which Tevye dreams of being rich enough to spend seven hours at the synagogue every day. “I wondered if it were too serious,” the lyricist said. “I suggested that we cut it and end on a funnier note. Zero screamed. ‘No! These lines—they are this man. You must leave them, you must!’ He was so forceful about it that we decided to go with his instincts.”

6. Mostel and Director Jerome Robbins Once Got Into a Backstage Argument Over an Orthodox Custom.

The two often butted heads during the original 1964 production—and Mostel usually won. Case in point: During one rehearsal, Fiddler’s lead man kissed the mezuzah (a parchment inscribed with Hebrew verses that hangs near the doorway of Jewish homes) before exiting Tevye’s home. Robbins testily ordered Mostel to stop. Though the actor explained that, as an Orthodox Jew, Tevye would never neglect this traditional custom, Robbins was adamant. So, on the next run-through, Mostel crossed himself instead. Upon seeing this simple act of defiance, Robbins backed down.

**7. Bea Arthur of The Golden Girls Fame Originated the Gossipy Matchmaker Role.**

Long before Dorothy Zbornak came along, Arthur landed a spot in Fiddler’s maiden cast as Yente the matchmaker. Two years later, she’d snag another big role as the sharp-tongued, melodramatic Vera Charles of Mame.

8. The 1964 Run Was Nominated for 10 Tony Awards (and Won 9).

Fiddler claimed Best Musical, Actor (Mostel), Book, Choreographer, Costume Designer, Director, Producers, Score, and Featured Actress (Maria Karnilova, who played Tevye’s wife, Golde). However, the show’s Boris Aronson lost out on Best Scenic Designer. But don’t feel too badly for him—he did win six other Tonys.

9. It Was the First Broadway Musical to Surpass 3000 Performances.

As if this feat didn’t say enough about the show’s enduring popularity, theatergoers have also been treated to four Broadway revivals—with a fifth coming this December.

10. Noteworthy Tevyes Include Alfred Molina and Leonard Nimoy.

Two years after Star Trek, Mr. Spock executed this very different gig for a few months in 1971. Molina’s portrayal during the fourth revival sparked a minor outcry, with some critics condemning the decision to place an iconic Jewish role in the hands of a Gentile (insiders began calling his version “Goyim on the Roof“).

11. To Get the Look He Wanted for the 1971 Film Version, Cinematographer Oswald Morris Had a Woman’s Stocking Draped Over His Camera Lens.

This helps give Fiddler a period-friendly vibe. Speaking of the movie, it came in 82^nd on the American Film Institute’s “100 Most Inspiring Films of All Time” list and has been seen by an estimated one billion people (at least, according to Chaim Topol—the picture’s very memorable Tevye).

**12. Fiddler on the Roof Became a Surprise Smash in Japan.**

Since 1967, the musical’s seen hundreds of Japanese revivals. Joseph Stein, who penned the book to Fiddler, was once approached by a Japanese producer who asked, “Do they understand this show in America?”

“Yes, of course,” replied Stein, “we wrote it for America. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” the producer said, “it’s so Japanese.”

December 21, 2016 – 3:00pm

December 21, 2016

8 Holiday Traditions From Around the World

December 21, 2016 – 12:00am

December 20, 2016

Name the Movie With Only One Clue

December 20, 2016 – 2:40pm

GADGETS, TOYS, AND MEDIA

KITCHEN

HOME

HEALTH AND BEAUTY

OFFICE, SCHOOL, AND CRAFTS

OUTDOORS, GARDEN, AND SPORTS

ELECTRONICS

TOOLS

1. JIM CARREY WAS INITIALLY EYED FOR BUDDY THE ELF.

2. WILL FERRELL WAS ONCE A MALL SANTA.

3. DIRECTOR JON FAVREAU FAVORED PRACTICAL EFFECTS.

4. SNOW WAS OFTEN COMPUTER GENERATED.

5. ELF‘S PRODUCTION DESIGN WAS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER.

6. THERE’S A CHRISTMAS STORY CAMEO.

7. FAVREAU PLAYED MULTIPLE PARTS IN ELF.

8. BABY BUDDY WAS FIRED.

9. BUDDY WAS BULLIED IN AN EARLY VERSION.

10. ELF HOCKEY HIT THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR.

11. ELF WAS SHOT ON LOCATION IN NEW YORK WHEN IT COUNTED.

12. SOME OF THE SETS WERE BUILT IN A HORROR FACTORY.

13. MACY’S STOOD IN FOR GIMBELS.

14. WILL FERRELL BROKE JAMES CAAN.

15. THE STUDIO DIDN’T GET A JOKE FROM THE MAILROOM SEQUENCE.

16. FERRELL WENT METHOD WITH THOSE JACK-IN-THE-BOXES.

17. FERRELL FROLICKED ALL OVER NEW YORK CITY IN CHARACTER.

18. THAT EPIC BURP WAS REAL, BUT OVERDUBBED.

19. ELF MADE ITS STAR STICK.

20. FERRELL REFUSES TO MAKE ELF 2.

21. ELF BECAME A HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL.

1. GET A RAISE.

2. CUT UP YOUR DEBIT CARD.

3. HOME-BREW YOUR MORNING COFFEE.

4. ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

5. TRACK YOUR NET WORTH REGULARLY.

6. PLAN OUT YOUR MEALS.

7. TRY CUTTING AN EXPENSE YOU NEVER CONSIDERED BEFORE.

8. PAY YOURSELF FIRST.

9. SEARCH FOR A “HACK” BEFORE SPENDING MONEY ON A FIX.

1. Huskies are born to run.

2. Their skills impressed Alaskans.

3. A lot of features help keep them warm.

4. A group saved a small town in Alaska.

5. They’re not great watchdogs.

6. Huskies don’t get fatigued.

7. You need to watch them closely.

8. The army used them.

9. They’re closely related to wolves.

10. Blue eyes make them distinct.

1. Fiddler on the Roof Was Based on a Series of Stories Written by “The Jewish Mark Twain.”

2. A Black and White Movie Adapted the Same Plot In 1939.

3. Rejected Titles for the Musical Included Where Papa Came From and The Old Country.

4. A Huge Number of Songs Were Deleted.

5. Zero Mostel (ie: the Original Tevye) Fought to Keep “If I Were a Rich Man” From Getting Drastically Altered.

6. Mostel and Director Jerome Robbins Once Got Into a Backstage Argument Over an Orthodox Custom.

7. Bea Arthur of The Golden Girls Fame Originated the Gossipy Matchmaker Role.

8. The 1964 Run Was Nominated for 10 Tony Awards (and Won 9).

9. It Was the First Broadway Musical to Surpass 3000 Performances.

10. Noteworthy Tevyes Include Alfred Molina and Leonard Nimoy.

11. To Get the Look He Wanted for the 1971 Film Version, Cinematographer Oswald Morris Had a Woman’s Stocking Draped Over His Camera Lens.

12. Fiddler on the Roof Became a Surprise Smash in Japan.

**6. THERE’S A CHRISTMAS STORY CAMEO.**

20. FERRELL **REFUSES TO MAKE ELF 2.**

**7. Bea Arthur of The Golden Girls Fame Originated the Gossipy Matchmaker Role.**

**12. Fiddler on the Roof Became a Surprise Smash in Japan.**