Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Every Dinsney Hero Has a Voice ~ Meet the Robinsons ~ Lewis


Every Disney Hero Has a Voice
Meet the Robinsons
Lewis had 2 voices
Jordan Paul Fry June 7th, 1993
& Daniel Hansen Birthdate unknown

Jordan Paul Fry (born June 7, 1993) is an American actor.

Career

Fry made his film debut in the independent film Raising Flagg, before being cast as the arrogant television and video game addict Mike Teavee in Tim Burton's 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His next role was in the animated film Meet the Robinsons, for which he (along with Daniel Hansen) provided the voice of Lewis.

Filmography

Film

Year
Title
Role
Notes
2003
Raising Flagg
Porter Purdy
The film never had a general theatrical release.
2005
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Mike Teavee
2007
Meet the Robinsons
Lewis (voice)
Nominated - Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role - Young Actor
2012
Gone
Jock

Daniel Hansen


There is little information available for Daniel Hansen. All I was able to find was a list of movies and TV shows he has been in.
2007Meet the Robinsons (Video Game)
Lewis
2007Meet the Robinsons
Lewis(voice)
2007La fille du chef (TV movie)
Paulo
2005Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV series)
– The Storm(2005) (voice)
2003Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown (TV short)
Peppermint Patty(voice)
2002ER (TV series)
Dwayne
– Hindsight (2002)… Dwayne
2002Judging Amy (TV series)
Joel Collins
– Every Stranger's Face I See(2002)… Joel Collins
2002Stuart Little 2
Student
2002Buying the Cow
Spider Kid
2001City Guys (TV series)
Todd
– Mock the Vote(2001)… Todd
2001The Nightmare Room (TV series)
Peter Warner
– Don't Forget Me(2001)… Peter Warner
2001The Big Day
Joey
2001Trust Me (short)
Dan
2001Bette (TV series)
Louis Bracken
– True Story(2001)… Louis Bracken
1999-2000Roswell (TV series)
Young Max
– Four-Square(2000)… Young Max
– The Toy House(2000)… Young Max
– The Balance(1999)… Young Max
– Pilot (1999)… Young Max
1999Being John Malkovich
Boy Malkovich
1998 (short)
Kenny
1998The Pretender (TV series)
Albert Williams
– Bloodlines: Part 1(1998)… Albert Williams
1998Love Boat: The Next Wave (TV series)
Tommy
– True Course(1998)… Tommy
1998The Puppies Present Incredible Animal Tales (TV movie)
Rufus
1997Everybody Loves Raymond (TV series)
Young Ray
– Anniversary (1997)… Young Ray



Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Holiday Decorations at Disneyland


Holiday Decorations at Disneyland



Late September Disneyland was filled with yellow, brown and orange decorations with some black and white tossed in on the side. But wait! There’s more!







On Main Street USA the buildings are festooned with orange, yellow and brown bunting. Pumpkins are all over the place from the second story windows to the display windows. Display windows have beautiful fall displays with leaves and other items that remind you of the season.

New Orleans Square had the Cajun touch to the decor with black garland adorned with Skeleton heads.



Frontierland had orange and black ‘garland’ along with an area housing a display and picture spot for the Day of the Dead. Also over in Big Thunder Ranch there is lots of spooky fun! The friendly cabin is now home to Jack-o-lantern headed scarecrows. Fall colors festoon the area. In the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree location you have Billy Hill and the ‘Haunted’ Hillbillies show along with a carnival and a tent where you can Conjure a Villain!








In Tomorrowland a spectral Galactic Ghost has taken over Space Mountain and turned it into Ghost Galaxy! This is a spooky ride not for the faint of heart! A Galactic Ghost chases you as you twist and turn through space!


The most unique and fun transformation is in New Orleans Square. The Haunted Mansion is taken over by Jack Skellington and crew! The outside is a crazy mix of Halloween decorations with pumpkins and Christmas décor! There is a Jack-o-lantern headed scarecrow dressed as Santa Claus in front of the stately Mansion. Is it Halloween or Christmas?

Mid October things started to change in the park yet again. Some Christmas décor started creeping into the Halloween mix.

On Main Street Sleeping Beauties Castle has been covered in snow! More is yet to come! This is just the start of the transformation to the Holiday Castle display. In New Orleans Square some of the larger Christmas decorations have started to appear around the area. This area is beautifully decorated at Christmas and I can see it will take weeks to get all of the decorations up.




I love being in the parks at this time of year. The more you come the more you see the little changes as the park is changed into a Holiday Wonderland. As fun as the Halloween decorations are to see I an always in awe of the Christmas decor.


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Where are Billy Hill and the Hillbillies?!?!


Where are Billy Hill & the Hillbillies?!?!



At the beginning of the summer Billy Hill and the Hillbillies were moved out of the Golden Horseshoe and but into the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree area. In my opinion this has one positive and many negative points. I feel this move is a bad thing.



Let me start out with the positive as in general I see positive with little negative about Disney. The positive is the stage and entire area is larger so the Billies can put on a bigger show and more people can come to see them because of the larger seating area.





Now here are the negatives. As you will see in the attached video the Billies have to compete with the train going by, a set of carnival type games, people coloring, the pumpkin carver and his display and at this time during the Halloween season the Conjure a Villain experience and other character meet and greets going on at the back of the Jamboree area.






The group that is now in the Golden Horseshoe is the Laughing Stock Company. The Laughing Stock Company is a fun comedy country guest participation show. It was outside on the street in front of the Golden Horseshoe for years and would go inside to the stage on days the Billies did not perform. I feel this is disrespectful to these wonderful performers and they should go back to the Golden Horseshoe. Laughing Stock would do great in the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree area.

Here is the video of the Billy Hill and the Haunted Billies show:


Laughing Stock does the type of show that lends itself to a noise and distracting environment. They have performed for years with the Mark Twain and Columbia going by and thousands of guests running past yelling and carrying on in excitement as they go past to hit the rides. Don’t get me wrong, I love Laughing Stock as well but the two shows are not the same.

This type of decision is just one of many that I feel show that the current management of Disneyland is not as good as before. I believe this is an example of the decisions that are coming from the Florida management team oversight of Disneyland. I’m sorry that DLR is not WDW and cannot be managed the same way.

If you like the Billies and would like to see them return to the Golden Horseshoe may I request you write a letter to Disneyland and let them know how you feel about the Billies.
Here is the link to where you can send them a message:

Saturday, October 27, 2012

The Green Construction Monster of Disney Parks


The Green Construction Monster of Disney Parks



At the Disneyland Resort when they close off an area, ride or building for refurbishment they put up a green wall that has the nick name, given my many longtime frequent guests the Green Monster. Sometimes it is tan not green but still there.



This ugly green wall allows Disney to keep the illusion going while they make needed repairs, upgrades and even new construction.






In the past few years DLR has gone through many construction phases to add many fun attractions and make needed repairs. During this time they have gotten more creative with the Green Monster. They have put up the wall then covered the buildings behind with screens that have a picture of the building they are hiding on them giving the allusion, at a quick glance only that all is as it should be.

While at Disney California Adventure I found some interesting ‘construction’ going on. It seems that the new walkway around the Carthay Circle Theater needed to be replaced/repaired. Instead of a wooden wall they would normally use they put a wall of shrubs in low green planters.





Thursday, October 25, 2012

Pranking Pixie Update


Pranking Pixie Update



I have had a lifelong love of Disney. I think it comes from growing up in Burbank near the Disney Studio. A good number of my extended family members work or worked in the movie industry while I was growing up, some at Disney. Many of my friends work in the entertainment industry. I’ve played at Griffith Park and ridden the Merry-Go-Round where Walt would watch his girls and dream of a place where parents could have fun with their children. So it is no surprise Disney is where I’d apply for a job.

I’m hoping to get this job to help with the finances of my family. For almost 13 years I’ve spent my time as a stay at home mother raising my daughter. She will soon turn 18 and graduate High School. Because my little girl is becoming a young woman I can now go back into the job market. Considering my love of Disney it only makes since my first choice of employers is Disney.

This crazy Pranking Pixie has applied for a job at the local Disney Store! I had an interview on Tuesday. The interview was long, fun and very interesting. I will know soon if I got the job and will post on both Facebook and here if I got it.

For now, if I get the job it will be a seasonal job lasting into mid-January, 2013. There is a possibility of it turning into a permanent job depending on my performance and the availability of a permanent position at that time.

I’m sharing this information because I consider all of you, my readers my friends. I also want to let you know if I get this job I may have to reduce the number of posts I put up each week as my time will be limited.

I’m also asking for your help. With my time being more limited I could use help coming up with ideas for articles. You can all help by liking the Pixie Pranks Facebook page and posting questions about anything Disney you would like answered. I may not be able to answer all your questions but I will try and find answers to what I don’t know. I would also like to know if you would like me to continue series like the Biographies I’m doing on Wednesdays and Filmstrip Friday’s. Are there any other ‘series type’ sets of information you would like to see? Would you like me to take a day a week and write about rides that are no longer in the parks? How about a ride review/history day each week? Please help me by letting me know. I will take all suggestions seriously and see what I can do. Liking the Facebook page is a great way to keep in touch with what is going on. I always post a link to the days blog article there.

Here is the link to the PixiePranks Facebook page:

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Every Disney Hero Has a Voice ~ Chicken Little


Every Disney Hero Has a Voice
Chicken Little
Zachary I. “Zach” Braff
April 6th, 1975


Zachary I. "Zach" Braff (born April 6, 1975) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, comedian, and director. Braff first became known in 2001 for his role as Dr. John Dorian on the television series Scrubs, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.
In 2004, Braff made his directorial debut with Garden State. Braff returned to his home state New Jersey to shoot the film, which was produced for $2.5 million. The film made over $35 million at the box office and was praised by critics. Braff wrote the film, starred in it, and compiled the soundtrack record. He won numerous awards for his directing work, and also won the Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album in 2005.

Early life

Braff was born in South Orange, New Jersey. His father, Harold Irwin "Hal" Braff, is a trial attorney and sociology professor, and his mother, Anne Brodzinsky (born Anne Hutchinson Maynard), is a clinical psychologist. His parents divorced and re-married others during Braff's childhood. One of his siblings, Joshua, is an author. Braff's father was born into a Jewish family, and Braff's mother, originally a Protestant, converted to Judaism before marrying his father. Braff was raised in Conservative Judaism, and has said that he is "not a huge organized religion guy". Through his mother's New England ancestors, Braff is a distant cousin of politician Mitt Romney.
He has wanted to be a filmmaker since his early childhood, and has described it as his "life dream".
Braff was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder at age ten. He graduated from Columbia High School, in Maplewood, New Jersey, where he worked in the school's television station along with classmate and singer/actress Lauryn Hill.
As a child, Zach Braff also attended Stagedoor Manor, a performing arts "training center" for youth actors and Triple Threats ages 10–18. He fondly remembers his time there, as it was where he won an acting award and had his first kiss. Stagedoor is also where Braff met Josh Charles, with whom he is still friends, and he knows many other SDM alums, including Natalie Portman, Mandy Moore, and Joshua Radin.

Career

Braff began his career doing Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Macbeth (as Malcolm) at New York City's Public Theater, and also appeared in Woody Allen's 1993 film Manhattan Murder Mystery. Braff was briefly on the Disney program The Baby-sitters Club in an episode, "Dawn Saves the Trees".

Breakthrough role

Braff played John "J.D." Dorian on the medical comedy TV series Scrubs which debuted in 2001. The role was Braff's first major role in a television show. Braff was nominated for three Golden Globes and an Emmy for his work on the show. Braff directed several episodes of Scrubs, including its one-hundredth, "My Way Home". For the show's ninth season, Braff was a cast member for the first six episodes and also served as one of the executive producers.

As director

Braff directed several episodes of Scrubs. Braff wrote, directed, produced, and starred in 2004's Garden State, which was filmed in his home state New Jersey, in various towns such as South Orange, Cranford, Maplewood and Tenafly. Producers were initially reluctant to finance the film, which Braff wrote in six months. In February 2005, he won a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for a Motion Picture for the Garden State soundtrack, on which he also served as the compilation producer.
Braff has directed several music videos: Gavin DeGraw's "Chariot", Joshua Radin's "Closer" and "I'd Rather Be With You", Cary Brothers' "Ride", and Lazlo Bane's "Superman", the theme song from Scrubs. His music production has resulted in newfound success for some of the artists featured on his film soundtracks, such as The Shins, who were prominently featured on the Garden State soundtrack and the Scrubs soundtrack, resulting in the expression the "Zach Braff effect".

Other roles

Along with many Scrubs cast members, Braff has a small role playing himself in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.
Braff has done voice acting, providing the voice of the title character in Disney's animated film Chicken Little (2005), a role he reprised in the video game Kingdom Hearts II. Braff has also done voice overs for commercials, including a PUR water campaign, Wendy's TV commercials in 2007 and 2008, and Cottonelle commercials, in which he portrayed a puppy.
In 2005, Braff was featured on Punk'd when he was tricked into chasing a supposed vandal who appeared to be spray-painting his brand new Porsche. He then proceeded to hurl expletives at the young boy, and at one point physically assaulted the 12 year old until Ashton Kutcher, the show's host, appeared. The episode aired March 20, 2005.
Braff was in talks to star in the film Fletch Won and had signed on to play the role eventually played by Dane Cook in Mr. Brooks, but dropped out of both roles to work on Open Hearts, which he adapted from a Danish film and will direct. He has also co-written a film version of Andrew Henry's Meadow, a children's book, with his brother, and was scheduled to direct one of the segments for the film New York, I Love You.
In July 2009, he signed on as an executive producer for the documentary Heart of Stone to "help spread the word about it".
Braff starred in the romantic drama The Last Kiss, which opened on September 15, 2006. Braff tweaked several parts of Paul Haggis' script for the film, as he wanted the script to be as "real as possible" and "really courageous" regarding its subject matter. As with Garden State, Braff was involved with the film's soundtrack, serving as executive producer. The film's director, Tony Goldwyn, compared Braff to a younger version of Tim Allen, describing Braff as "incredibly accessible to an audience... a real guy, an everyman."
In 2007, Braff starred in the film The Ex (2007), which he has described as a "silly comedy".
Braff stars in the Canadian indie film The High Cost of Living with Quebec actress Isabelle Blais in 2010. Directed by Deborah Chow, the film was shot in Montreal and principal photography wrapped on March 9, 2010. Braff stated he enjoyed filming in the country in which The Last Kiss was also shot. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was also shown at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Theatre

Braff has spoken of his love of theater and his desire to return to stage acting in New York City, eight years after playing Sebastian in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night. In mid-2010, Braff took a lead role in Trust, at the Second Stage Theatre, a contemporary Off-Broadway theater company. The play ran from July 23 to September 12, extending its scheduled run by one week. Braff wrote on Facebook that he was "Having so much fun doing Trust". The play co-starred Sutton Foster, Ari Graynor and Bobby Cannavale, was written by Paul Weitz and directed by Peter DuBois. Braff played Henry, a wealthy married man who "looks to find something real in the most unlikely of places".
In early 2011, Braff announced that he had written a play to be performed at the Second Stage Theatre in mid-2011. The play, All New People, is set on Long Beach Island and centers on Charlie, a 35-year-old from Braff's home state New Jersey. The play was directed by Peter DuBois, who directed Braff in Trust the previous year. When announcing the play on Facebook, Braff wrote that 'one of my dreams comes true'. In 2012, Braff moved the play on tour to the UK, playing in Manchester at the Manchester Opera House between 8–11 February, Glasgow at the King's Theatre between 14–18 February, and finally in London for 10 weeks at the Duke of York's Theatre from 22 February.
In June 2012, he announced via Twitter there were plans to create a movie adaptation of the production

Future plans

Braff's next work as director is on the upcoming film Open Hearts, a remake of a 2002 Danish film Elsker dig for evigt (Love You Forever), which was directed by Susanne Bier. The film will focus on a woman who, shocked by her fiance's paralysis in a car crash, has an affair with her husband's doctor, whose wife caused the accident. The original film starred Mads Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, and Paprika Steen. The cast-members for Braff's remake have not yet been announced. It was first revealed that Braff was planning to remake Open Hearts in 2006, at the same time Braff's film The Last Kiss was being released. The film will be produced by Paramount Pictures.
In July 2009, Braff announced via Facebook that he is working on the script of a film to be called Swingles, which he will direct and star in alongside Cameron Diaz.

Other pursuits

In 2009, Zach Braff opened up the restaurant Mermaid Oyster Bar in New York City with chef and high school friend, Laurence Edelman.

Personal life

Braff's brother is author Joshua Braff; his stepsister is Jessica Kirson, a New York stand-up comedian.
Braff is currently dating model Taylor Bagley whom he has been in a relationship with since 2009. Braff is best friends with his former Scrubs co-star Donald Faison.
In November 2008, Braff earned his pilot's license flying a Cirrus SR20.
Braff was spotted attending the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Filmography

Actor

Film credits
Year
Film
Role
Notes
1993
Manhattan Murder Mystery
Nick Lipton
1999
Getting to Know You
Wesley
2000
Endsville
Dean
2000
Blue Moon
Fred
2000
The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
Benji
2002
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
Himself/John "J.D." Dorian
TV film
2004
Garden State
Andrew Largeman
Central Ohio Film Critics Association for Breakthrough Film Artist (also for writing and directing)
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss
(shared with Natalie Portman)
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Male Performance
Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Drama Actor
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Blush Scene
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Breakout Performance - Male
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Liplock
(shared with Natalie Portman)
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Love Scene
2005
Chicken Little
Chicken Little
Voice only
2006
The Last Kiss
Michael
2007
The Ex
Tom Reilly
2011
The High Cost of Living
Henry
2013
Oz: The Great and Powerful
Frank and Finley
Filming
Dual role
TBA
Open Hearts
Niels
TBA

Television credits
Year
Show
Role
Notes
1993
The Baby-Sitters Club
David Cummings
1 episode
1994
CBS Schoolbreak Special
Tony / Tammy
1 episode
2001–2010
Scrubs
John "J.D." Dorian
Main character and narrator (175 episodes)
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy
(2005, 2006, 2007)
Nominated—Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
(2005, 2006)
Nominated—People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Television Star
(2005)
Nominated—People's Choice Award for Best Leading Star
(2005)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
(2005)
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy
(2005)
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Comedy Actor
(2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
2002
Clone High
Paul Revere / X-Stream Mike
2 episodes (voice only)
2005–2006
Arrested Development
Phillip Litt
2 episodes
2009
Scrubs: Interns
John "J.D." Dorian
1 webisode
2010
Cougar Town
Himself/Phone App/Pizza delivery guy
2 episodes
2012
The Exes
Chuck Feeney
1 episode
2013
Do You Heard What I Said?
Nall Mansen
1 episodes

Director

Film and television director
Year
Film
Notes
1997
Lionel on a Sunday
Short film. Also writer
2004
Garden State
Also writer and actor
Central Ohio Film Critics Association for Breakthrough Film Artist
(also for acting)
Central Ohio Film Critics Association for Best New Director
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Filmmaker
Crystal Image Award
Florida Film Critics Circle's Pauline Kael Breakout Award
Hollywood Breakthrough Award for Breakthrough Directing
Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature
(shared with producers Pamela Abdy, Gary Gilbert, Dan Halsted and Richard Klubeck)
National Board of Review Award for Best Directorial Debut
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Filmmaker
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Breakout of the Year - Behind the Camera
Nominated—Empire Award for Best Newcomer
Nominated—Humanitas Prize for Sundance Film
Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay
Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Screenplay
Nominated—Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize
Nominated—Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
2004–2009
Scrubs
7 episodes
2008
Night Life
TV film

Discography

Year
Album
Notes
2004
Garden State
Compilation producer
Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media


http://en.wikipedia.org