February 5 - Peter Pan

Image copyright Disney

On this day, in 1953, Walt Disney Productions 14th animated feature, Peter Pan, debuted in theaters. Peter Pan is notable for being the last Disney film in a couple of categories. First, it's the last movie that RKO Radio Pictures distributed. A few months later, Walt created his own distribution company, Buena Vista Distribution. Pan is also the last picture that all of Walt's Nine Old Men would work on together as directing animators.

As early as 1935, Walt wanted to make Peter Pan as his second animated feature. Unfortunately, Paramount owned the film rights at the time and was unwilling to cut a deal. He was able to get the rights in 1939 and began production. By mid-1940, the story had been pretty well decided on and characters were being assigned to animators. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, starting World War II, work on both Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, also in production, ground to a halt. The government had the Disney Studio working on propaganda and training films for the duration of the war and then the studio struggled through its financial problems immediately following. It wouldn't be until May 1949 that production on Pan started again in earnest.

Image copyright Cannes Film Festival

Not only was Peter Pan released in theaters in 1953, but it was also entered in the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. The film itself didn't win any awards in Cannes, but Walt was honored twice during the festival. During the opening ceremony, the French Minister of Information awarded him the Legion of Honour (he'd also been given one in 1936) and he was awarded the Jury Special Prize for "his contributions to the prestige of the festival."

The critical reception for Peter Pan was fairly positive. Several critics didn't think much of the film's music, but since it had been written over a period of 14 years by several different people, that's not surprising. It retains a decent score even today, although the movie's handling of Native Americans is justly panned. Even Disney Legend Marc Davis admitted years later that he didn't know if the Indians would have made it into the picture if done today, and if they did, they certainly wouldn't have been portrayed the same way. And who can forget that Michael Jackson called Peter Pan his favorite movie, going so far as to name his estate the Neverland Ranch (which brings up a whole other set of controversies we won't discuss here).

Image copyright Disney

Although it took so long to get the silver screen, Peter Pan manages to enjoy a healthy legacy. Peter Pan's Flight is easily one of the most popular rides at Disney Parks around the world. Peter, Wendy, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee all make appearances in parades daily. And the movie has spawned several sequels. Could you argue that all of this attention really belongs to the original play's creative author, JM Barrie? You could (and probably should). But you can't deny that Disney not only keeps Mr. Barrie's vision alive, but helps us all forget that Mary Martin fiasco (don't even get me started).

December 25 - Candy Candido

Image courtesy of wikia.com

On this day, in 1913, Jonathan Joseph Candido was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Considering Candy (as he was known) did literally hundreds of voiceovers for pretty much every major studio in Hollywood and was partnered with several stars over the years, it’s surprisingly hard to find even a few nuggets of information about his life. Here’s what I could scrape together.

He was famous for his four octave speaking voice. Candy would frequently start talking in a normal, mid-range voice and then suddenly sound either like a mouse on helium or the lower notes of a tuba. It was this quality that made him perfect for voice work. He spent a few years on the radio program The Jimmy Durante Show. Every week he would utter the phrase “I’m feeling mighty low.” Those four words became so popular with audiences that Candy and Jimmy would record a song with that title and they appeared in a Bugs Bunny cartoon (a sure sign you'd made it, and we’re talking about the words here, not Candy and Jimmy).

Image copyright Decca Records

Before his radio career, Candy had played bass (not guitar, the actual big giant bass) and sung for Ted FioRito’s big band and even made an appearance with them in a 1933 Soundie (think of it like an early version of a music video) singing  Ma, He’s Making Eyes at Me. A couple of years after that, he sang a duet with Fred Rogers in the film Roberta. Following his radio career, we learn that Candy was funny as he started touring the country with the great straight man, Bud Abbott, after Bud’s first partner, Lou Costello, passed away.

Image copyright Disney

For Disney, Candy made a number of roles his own over the course of a few decades.  Several of them were, like many of his roles, uncredited. He began with the Indian Chief in Peter Pan in 1953. His last role would be Fidget the Bat in 1986’s The Great Mouse Detective. In between, Candy lent his voice to one of Maleficent’s goons in Sleeping Beauty, some trees in Babes in Toyland, the crocodile Captain of the Guard in Robin Hood, and Brutus and Nero, the crocodiles in The Rescuers. He can also be heard on a handful of Disney attractions. On Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, listen to the devils; pay attention to the goons throughout the Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through; he’s the graveyard executioner and a low pitched prisoner in the Haunted Mansion; he reprises his role of Indian Chief for Peter Pan’s flight.

After a long career that covered performances in films as diverse as The Wizard of Oz and Heavy Traffic, Candy passed away quietly in his sleep at his home in Burbank, California on May 19, 1999. He was 85 years old.