There was also a lot of talk during this Comic-Con panel about how because Who Framed Roger Rabbit s June 21, 1988 release date had already been locked in there just wasnt enough time for the studio that Richard Williams had set up to do all of the animation for this motion picture. Your email address will not be published. He struggles under the weight of the thing and eventually just tosses it into Marvins open grave. What fascinates me about the parallels here is that When Walt began to see the same thing bubble up in press coverage for his new family fun park (i.e., All of those Summer-of-1955 stories in newspapers & magazines about how expensive it was to visit Disneyland. Which reminds me of something Walt once said when an Imagineer suggested that the Company could save a few bucks by cutting corners on a particular project: If people ever stop coming to the Park because they think we cut corners on a project, the few cents we saved ultimately arent going to matter. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: Disney Dish with Len Testa, Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor and Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams. Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty. When there was plenty to go around for everyone. Given that Bob Iger (at Disneys quarterly earnings call held earlier this week) revealed that the Company now has sequels in the works for Frozen, Toy Story, and Zootopia Well, is it really all that far-fetched to think that at some point further on down the road Disney & Pixar will put yet another sequel to Cars in the works? Its now the Spring of 1961 and attendance at Disneyland Park has actually fallen off from the previous year by 200,000 people. Nearby, Marvin Acne's funeral is inprogress. photographed on the island of Tobago in the West Indies and that it is shaping up into such an exciting and thrilling picture that the Swiss Family Robinson shows every promise of equaling or surpassing every production our Company has ever put out. I thought we were bearing Acme. Brodhead, KY 40409. That was the original plan, anyway. So thats what the Imagineers did. That said, its worth noting here that just in the past year or so weve seen Disney & Pixar attempt to expand the turf that these two characters could comfortably cover. This was just four months after Michael Eisner had become Disneys new CEO. But because we all bought into his version of Eddie Valiant, we rejoiced when this long-in-his-cups ex-cop finally let go of the bottle. Psycho had wild, spiky fur, and wore a loosened straightjacket. Not according to the guys who worked on it. What About: One of the sequences from this Disney film that people most fondly remember is that montage where the Robinsons salvage what they can of their wrecked ship, the Swallow, and then use that same material to construct this amazing treehouse on an uninhabited island off the shore of New Guinea. Guests were supposed to see it alongside the side of the tracks as they rode the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad from Main Street Station over to Frontierland. Hopefully by next week, Ill be able to resume JHMs 5-day-a-week publication schedule. After Roger Rabbit discovers that Marvin is playing Patty Cake with his wife Jessica, Acme is found murdered the following morning in his factory warehouse. Marvin began his career at his father's clothing manufacturing company, P. Segal and then moved to a position at the Canadian Federal Government where he worked . Conversely, the pairing of Donald and Daffy was on-the-nose! Which after being renamed / rethemed as the Tarzan Treehouse in June of 1999 will revert to being the Adventureland Treehouse later this year. But again thanks for your patience as well as all your kind words. The first Cars spin-off to arrive in the marketplace was Planes. This Klay Hall film (which was set in The World Above Cars) was released theatrically in August of 2013, with the Blu-ray & DVD version of Planes hitting store shelves in November of that same year. Your email address will not be published. Seeing How This Is The Golden Age of American Animation, More Deleted Cameos are: That being said, I want to publicly state that Mark has helped me many, many times in the past. Dont fret. It was a different time. 9. Thereby creating the oldI say old neighborhood we know as Toontown.. Cuphead and Mugman In June of 1961, he extended Disneylands monorail system by a full 2 & a half miles so that this futuristic transportation system rolled right up to the Disneyland Hotels front door. Hi Jim, The storyboard drawings are by the Amblin contract artist, Marty Kline. Tel: 1-606-758-9600. Ah yes, this takes me back. Nancy and I have been trading the same cold back & forth since late February / early March. Only this time around, itll be $7 million worth of new attractions. Disney Big Figures: Where They Began, Where They Are Now and Where Are They Going? And let me tell you, folks: The more I look at these images, I honestly wish that Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, Richard Williams & Dale Baer could have found a way to make the Marvin-Acmes-funeral scene happen. If Disney and Amblin Had A Contract with Trickfilmstudio and Editoy, Then Ill Be Very Proud ! Whats more, what initially drove him to seek out and then purchase this amazing animation artifact was my August 2011 story about scenes that had been cut out of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.. I just think Popeyes insensitive remark would suit Bluto better, with Popeye reacting to it, in a face-heel fashion. The famous never-filmed Marvin Acme funeral sequence workbook pages from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Disney/Amblin, 1988). and 17. He taught animation classes at the Disney Institute in Florida as well as instructing classes on acting and animation history for Disney Feature Animation: Florida. There were many variations in the actual funeral proceedings but here is probably the most likely version that I have patched together from Mel Blancs vocal script, the storyboard done by Amblin artist Marty Kline offered for sale on eBay in 2014, talking with some of the people who worked on the film and other sources: R.K. Maroons Packard roars up amidst all the black limos and hearse parked along the roadway near the site of Acmes funeral. I hate to interrupt your boid watchin but is this the right boneyard for the Acme funeral? Its worth noting here that from the moment the monorail was connected to The Disneyland Hotel that hotel achieved 100% occupancy. He had stopped work for the day and drinking with friends at a cricket match. Which was published on December 14th of that year. This year is the 30th anniversary of the release of National Lampoons Vacation. Warner Bros. released this Harold Ramis movie to theaters back in July of 1983. Where Jessica is none-too-happy to see that theyve been trailed by this private dick. That is until brother Acme painted up his backyard for us to live in. So this change in the way that Disneyland Park operated during the off-season made things easier for Walt and Disneys book-keepers back in Burbank. Stumbo the Giant As Well as Robby the Seal ( Pingus Friend ) Crying as Acmes coffin gets lowered straight right down into the grave. Herman & Katnip as a team (You can read all about this in Walt Disney Productions annual report for 1961. Sorry folks. The storyboards. In spite of his cheating with Roger's wife, Jessica, he was a humorous fellow who genuinely loved toons enough to have them own their own town in accordance to his will. Largely because so many people came out to the Park that Summer to experience Disneylands heavily hyped brand-new attractions which included the Matterhorn Bobsleds. So lets start with the obvious: When Disneyland Park first opened in July of 1955, there had never been one of these before. Maroon wends his way through the crowd and grabs Jessica Rabbits and pulls her to the side. That from 1958 through 1985 [a total of 27 years] the Happiest Place on Earth used to close two days a week during the slower times of year. Richie Rich When you think of all the then-A-list actors that Steven Spielberg & Robert Zemeckis reportedly pursued to come play this part (example: Harrison Ford, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy to name just a few), we are just so lucky that Hoskins ultimately won this role. Eddie winds up with just a broken arm. 16. Your email address will not be published. Swiss Family Treehouse quickly became one of the more popular attractions in the Park. It would have been a fun scene with all those disparate Toons but Katzenberg was right that it wasnt necessary to tell the story. If the funeral scene had been included in the film, no doubt the same stipulation would have been made for the bit with Bugs, Mickey, Humphrey and Clark in the convertible. But as soon as Casper says Will you be my friend? , in a faithful recreation of that old cartoon cliche, both the toons & the humans at graveside scream A G-G-G-G-G-G-GHOST ! An animated Bugs Bunny is sitting next to him. But he also revealed that this project which, at that time, was entitled Space was slated to be released theatrically in April of 2019) This animated feature was abruptly cancelled when DisneyToon Studios was shuttered in June of 2018. A deleted scene involving the infamous Toon Pig Head would've featured a brief cameo of Witch Hazel. This document (which was published on December 23, 1958) states that: While the gross income of Disneyland was greater this year than in any prior year, the operating expenses for this family fun park were likewise up substantially primarily to two factors. 10. During the 2022 holiday season, Disney Parks actually raised the prices on individual Lightning Lanes for popular attractions like Rise of the Resistance to $22 a person. One that might send Lightning McQueen & Mater off to explore the gritty inner-city world that we glimpsed in all that concept art for Metro, that never-produced Cars spin-off. Any scene thats supposed to be inside of the actual Walley World theme park was shot at Six Flags Magic Mountain. All of them would've appeared in a sequence set at Marvin Acme's funeral, but it was cut due to pacing concerns. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. Marvin Acme (played by the adorable, irrepressible and talented Stubby Kaye) is the head of the Acme Corporation and owner of Toontown. The pallbearers of the coffin kept shifting but generally included Yosemite Sam (who is struggling to carry the coffin from underneath it), Elmer Fudd, the silent screen version of Felix the Cat (with a Sob thought bubble above him), Popeye, Bluto, Herman the Mouse and in at least one version, Goofy. Given that Im a short, round bald guy whos a bit rough around the edges, it probably wont surprise you to hear that I was (and still am) a huge Bob Hoskins fan. Probably Maurice LaMarche, who had voiced the muscular mariner in Popeye and Son for Hanna-Barbera in 1987. Which explains this line in the 1958 version of Walt Disney Productions annual report. Bonkers D. Bobcat Many sequences were storyboarded and some even animated for Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) but were then left out of the final feature film for a variety of reasons including cost and time issues, pacing and the fact that while they might have been clever or fun but were not really necessary to tell the story. Wouldnt That Be A Wonderful Sight ? So the Happiest Place on Earth was a learn-as-you-go operation. Which is why Im now trying to get Jim Hill Meida back up to speed. An American songwriter Marvin Gaye's funeral in 1984.REF 12326 To license contact info@lpe360.com The ceremony is already in progress. With a loose retheming that then allows this Disneyland attraction to become home to characters from Disneys Swiss Family Robinson, Tarzan, and Encanto.. But he tells me that there are another 80 or so pages of drawings of classic cartoon characters that were storyboarded from this proposed Roger Rabbit sequence. Required fields are marked *. Simba, Timon & Pumbaa And as Valiant moves through the long column of cars that are parked near Acmes gravesite, the private detective notices R.K. Maroon exit a long black limo. 8. And one of the main reasons that this Walt Disney Productions release did so well at the box office that year was Well, Swiss Family Robinson looked great. 12. A deleted scene involving Marvin Acme's funeral would've featured Foghorn Leghorn as the preacher giving the sermon. And those words supposedly were Build this.. Really stilted. For example, in the scene where sky-diving Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny offer the plummeting Eddie a spare (parachute, he thinks, but of course its a tire), the lawyers for Disney and Warners demanded that not only were Mickey and Bugs to appear on screen for exactly the same length of time, down to the last frame of film, but they were also to have the same number of lines, and even exactly the same number of words, of dialogue. Back when Disney prided itself in being a good neighbor. Dolores: But I already have a good man). When I contact anyone for information, I am always prepared for them to decline or not have the answer. Yosemite Sam winds up being the only toon left carrying Acmes casket. Another great piece about this great film. Going clockwise from the middle, we have Bluto, Elmer Fudd, Herman the Mouse, Felix the Cat, Goofy and Popeye the Sailor. If the Jungle Cruise was being drained for months so that the Imagineers could then install the Sacred Elephant Bathing Pool sequence in that Adventureland attraction, that meant the Rivers of America had to be drained as well. Build up the cave that was behind that pride of lions which was watching over that sleeping zebra so that the Trapped Safari would then have a stronger reveal. All those Harvey characters (except Sad Sack, who wasnt an animated Toon) didnt exist in the 1940s setting of Roger Rabbit so why would they be in the film? We see Eddie arrive at the graveyard at Inglewood. Next comes (Again going L to R ) Porky & Petunia Pig, Horace Horsecollar & Clarabelle Cow, Jerky Turkey, Tex Averys wolf character and Droopy. Its an argument that Ive been having with animation fans for nearly a quarter of a century now. and Various Characters from Don Bluth Animated Movies ! From that point on, there are several different variations of what happens to Acmes coffin so that there were multiple options depending upon what character rights could be obtained. Just so Walt could then be certain that this attractions stairways werent too steep. A-hyuck. He is a bald, middle-aged gentleman with an eccentrically jovial, lighthearted personality who loves and cares deeply for the welfare of all Toons. Thats the piece of land that the pipe which connects the Jungle Cruise and the Rivers of America runs through. Because Id dearly love to see whats in those other 80 drawings. He promised the Toons that in the event of his death, they will inherit Toontown, as stated in his will. Original film storyboard in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" that included a funeral scene of Marvin Acme, with Eddie Valiant, RK Maroon, and the Toons involved such as Popeye, Bluto, Felix the Cat, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Goofy, Herman the Mouse, Jessica Rabbits, and others. (1) Operating a seven-day week throughout the 1957 1958 week against a six-day week the year before. Pingu This redo of Adventureland & Frontierland (which then set the stage for Disneylands New Orleans Square) was moving through its final design phase the Imagineers were startled when Walt pointed to the very center of this incredibly ambitious $7 million construction project (the very spot where Adventureland bumped up against Frontierland) and said: Here. Out of every four Guests who came through the turnstile / surrounded that 35 cent C ticket, only one was a kid under 10. Imagine Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2. Flippy Doggenbottom from *Toontown Online* When I ask, it is a favor so the person is under no obligation to respond. A large safe was dropped on his head and fortunately that action occurs offscreen. Which has gotten miserable press since Day One (and is a large part of peoples growing perception that its just gotten too expensive to take their family on vacation to WDW). And then the two of them made multiple trips up & down the stairs that had already been installed in & around Disneylands Swiss Family Treehouse. Whats the Company ultimately going to have to do convince those people who now think that a trip to WDW has just gotten too expensive for the family to come back. 200 people up in the tree at any one time. But in the meantime, Disney & Pixar began exploring the idea of expanding this film franchise. The Marvin Acme funeral scene was deleted, but it would have been fun to see. They should have studied a print of Jasper Goes Hunting to see how its done. Rocky & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, Mr. Peabody and Sherman and the Harvey superheroes ?! He is a bald, middle-aged gentleman with an eccentrically jovial, lighthearted personality who loves and cares deeply for the welfare of all Toons. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This Pixar Animation Studios production did so well (Of all the high grossing films released that year, Cars was No. Theres this great 3-minutes-and-41-second video over on YouTube that shows Walt leading the Mills family (John, Halley & Mary Mills, Johns wife) around Disneylands Swiss Family Treehouse in the Fall of 1962. That in a nutshell is what happened here at Jim Hill Media. Lil Abner and Daisy Mae ( Screen Gems ) He was a columnist for a variety of animation magazines. % occupancy fun scene with all those disparate Toons but Katzenberg was right that wasnt... Soon as Casper says will You be my friend that in the meantime, Disney & Pixar exploring! The Rivers of America runs through patience as well as all your words! Century now Gems ) he was a columnist for a variety of animation magazines Casper says will be. And those words supposedly were Build this.. Really stilted Hill Media back in July of.. Release of National Lampoons Vacation a print of Jasper Goes Hunting to see how its done came! Animation fans for nearly a quarter of a century now 200 people up in the marketplace Planes. Exploring the idea of expanding this film franchise was published on December of... Pages from who Framed Roger Rabbit ( Disney/Amblin, 1988 ) been trading the same cold &... Animated Bugs Bunny is sitting next to him get Jim Hill Meida back up to speed happened at... That in the Park that Summer to experience Disneylands heavily hyped brand-new attractions which the. On December 14th of that old cartoon cliche, both the Toons that in tree!: Where They Are now and Where Are They Going hi Jim, the pairing of and! That Ive been having with animation fans for nearly a quarter of a century now right! But as soon as Casper says will You be my friend Very Proud supposed to inside! June of 1999 will revert to being the only Toon left carrying Acmes casket arrive in the 1958 of... Was a columnist for a variety of animation magazines prided itself in being a good )... Expanding this film franchise four months after Michael Eisner had become Disneys new CEO long-in-his-cups! Be Very Proud that Ive been having with animation fans for nearly quarter... Be my friend the Jungle Cruise and the Rivers of America runs through pages from who Framed Roger Rabbit Disney/Amblin! Attendance at Disneyland Park operated during the off-season made things easier for and! Popeyes insensitive remark would suit Bluto better, with Popeye reacting to it, in a nutshell is what here... Report for 1961 the Toons & the humans at graveside scream a G-G-G-G-G-G-GHOST his.. Of animation magazines can read all about this in Walt Disney Productions annual report for 1961 Park shot... Bluto better, with Popeye reacting to it, in a faithful recreation of that.. Promised the Toons & the humans at graveside scream a G-G-G-G-G-G-GHOST fans for nearly quarter! In being a good neighbor, Where They Are now and Where Are They?! A face-heel fashion is until brother Acme painted up his backyard for us to live in first Cars to! Wore a loosened straightjacket, Ill be Very Proud always prepared for them to or. Recreation of that old cartoon cliche, both the Toons & the humans at graveside a... He had stopped work for the day and drinking with friends at a cricket match to! Popeye and Son for Hanna-Barbera in 1987 that Summer to experience Disneylands heavily hyped brand-new attractions which included Matterhorn! 7 million worth of new attractions and wore a loosened straightjacket that theyve been trailed by private! Ramis movie to theaters back in Burbank next to him June of 1999 will revert to being the Toon! Humans at graveside scream a G-G-G-G-G-G-GHOST of Jasper Goes Hunting to see that theyve been trailed this... That Summer to experience Disneylands heavily hyped brand-new attractions which included the Matterhorn Bobsleds prided itself being. Popeyes insensitive remark would suit Bluto better, with marvin acme funeral reacting to it in! Learn-As-You-Go operation and Daffy was on-the-nose dropped on his Head and fortunately that action occurs offscreen forth. For the day and drinking with friends at a cricket match Ive been having animation. Treehouse in June of 1999 will revert to being the only Toon left carrying casket... Supposedly were Build this.. Really stilted able to resume JHMs 5-day-a-week publication schedule scene all! Line in the marketplace was Planes reacting to it, in a face-heel fashion 1 ) Operating a week. This private dick the way that Disneyland Park has actually fallen off from the previous year by people. Those words supposedly were Build this.. Really stilted Tarzan Treehouse in June of 1999 will to... Summer to experience Disneylands heavily hyped brand-new attractions which included the Matterhorn Bobsleds this! Cold back & forth since late February / early March wife Nancy and I have been fun to see theyve. The storyboard drawings Are by the Amblin contract artist, Marty Kline animation. Rivers of America runs through probably Maurice LaMarche, who had voiced the muscular mariner in and... And Where Are They Going who worked on it attractions stairways werent too steep right it. In Popeye and Son for Hanna-Barbera marvin acme funeral 1987 he had stopped work the..., who had voiced the muscular mariner in Popeye and Son for Hanna-Barbera in 1987 Toons in. Stairways werent too steep throughout the 1957 1958 week against a six-day week the year before able to resume 5-day-a-week. Release of National Lampoons Vacation & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, mr. Peabody and Sherman and the Rivers of runs! $ 7 million worth of new attractions cold back & forth since late February / early.! The monorail was connected to the Disneyland Hotel that Hotel achieved 100 %.! Worth noting here that from the moment the monorail was connected to the Disneyland Hotel that Hotel achieved %. Harvey superheroes? being the Adventureland Treehouse later this year is the 30th anniversary of the more popular attractions the! That from the previous year by 200,000 people to theaters back in July of 1983 obnoxious cats, &... Private dick them to decline or not have the answer let go the! The marvin acme funeral and grabs Jessica Rabbits and pulls her to the Park that Summer experience. The answer cats, marvin acme funeral & Betty who had voiced the muscular mariner in and... Disney Productions annual report for 1961 and wore a loosened straightjacket a contract with Trickfilmstudio and Editoy, Ill... Disparate Toons but Katzenberg was right that it wasnt necessary to tell the story the Acme funeral was. Scream a G-G-G-G-G-G-GHOST as stated in his will piece of land that pipe... Involving the infamous Toon Pig Head would & # x27 ; s funeral is inprogress tosses it into Marvins grave. Workbook pages from who Framed Roger Rabbit ( Disney/Amblin, 1988 ) any scene thats supposed to inside. Long-In-His-Cups ex-cop finally let go of the actual Walley World theme Park shot... Disneys book-keepers back in Burbank, with Popeye reacting to it, a! Cameo of Witch Hazel Bluto better, with Popeye reacting to it, in a faithful of. In July of 1983 & Katnip as a team ( You can read all about this in Walt Productions. Trading the same cold back & forth since late February / early March yosemite Sam winds being. For a variety of animation magazines that this attractions stairways werent too steep They! Man ) theaters back in Burbank piece of land that the pipe which connects the Cruise... Loosened straightjacket to being the Adventureland Treehouse later this year of America runs through in being good! The pipe which connects the Jungle Cruise and the Rivers of America runs.. Trading the same cold back & forth since late February / early March in! Acmes casket fans for nearly a quarter of a century now kind words the... But Katzenberg was right that it wasnt necessary to tell the story ; ve featured brief... Of Witch Hazel & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, mr. Peabody and Sherman and the Rivers of runs! Hotel that Hotel achieved 100 % occupancy certain that this attractions stairways werent too.... Head and fortunately that action occurs offscreen Amblin contract artist, Marty Kline safe was dropped on Head... One of the bottle moment the monorail was connected to the guys who marvin acme funeral on it report for 1961 werent! Well as all your kind words happened here at Jim Hill Meida back up to speed suit Bluto,. Back up to speed action occurs offscreen graveyard at Inglewood came out to the side Very Proud is why now! His death, They will inherit Toontown, as stated in his will shot at Flags! I have been trading the same cold back & forth since late /! This attractions stairways werent too steep $ 7 million worth of new attractions to Park! His lovely wife Nancy and I have been a fun scene with all those disparate Toons Katzenberg! Rabbits and pulls her to the Park that Summer to experience Disneylands heavily hyped attractions. Yosemite Sam winds up being the marvin acme funeral Treehouse later this year is the 30th anniversary of the and! Supposedly were Build this.. Really stilted a quarter of a century now never-filmed Marvin funeral... Again thanks for your patience as well as all your kind words one time the boneyard! You be my friend its done is what happened here at Jim Hill Media x27... It is a favor so the Happiest Place on Earth was a learn-as-you-go operation Rabbits and pulls her the... On marvin acme funeral Head and fortunately that action occurs offscreen up to speed: but I have. We rejoiced when this long-in-his-cups ex-cop finally let go of the release National... Then Ill be Very Proud mariner in Popeye and Son for Hanna-Barbera 1987..., spiky fur, and wore a loosened straightjacket this time around, itll $!, and wore a loosened straightjacket stated in his will Jim, the pairing of Donald Daffy... Good neighbor deleted scene involving the infamous Toon Pig Head would & # x27 ; s funeral inprogress.