Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

You’re KNOTT going to believe where “Disney’s America” almost got built

Jim Hill reveals a BERRY interesting story about where the Imagineers were thinking about resurrecting that history theme park that the Walt Disney Company originally had wanted to build in Virginia. (What’s that? You say you don’t like puns? Well, FARM be it from me to keep on torturing you, then. Here’s the article …)

Published

20 years ago

February 2, 2005

Jim Hill

Given that last Tuesday’s story about “Disney’s American Celebration” was such a hit with JHM readers, I thought that it might be fun to reveal yet another piece of the “Disney’s America” puzzle. Tell a part of the story that happened long after most folks thought that the Walt Disney Company had abandoned all plans to build a history-based theme park.

The Search for a New “Disney’s America”

This would be the late Fall / early winter of 1994. Long after Michael Eisner had formally announced that the Disney Corporation would not be going forward with its plans for Prince William County. Long after the “Disney’s America” visitor center in Haymarket, VA. had locked its doors. And long after the folks on the Piedmont Environmental Council had held their victory celebration, thinking that they had successfully driven Mickey out of Old Dominion.

Well, as it turns out, the Mouse hadn’t actually vacated Virginia. At least not yet, anyway. For a few months more, the Imagineers wandered up and down Interstate 95. Checking out other possible construction sites for “Disney’s America.” They even considered one piece of property that was actually located inside the Beltway. A beautiful 1000-acre parcel that sat right at the edge of the historic Potomac.

Given that Disney had always wanted the 19.5 million tourists who annually visit Washington D.C. to also come to “Disney’s America,” it seemed like this waterfront parcel would have been the ideal place to build their history theme park. But — having already been savagely hammered by the press as well as by Washington’s elite for daring to try & bring a little fun to Foggy Bottom — Mickey was a very skittish mouse at that moment. Disney Company execs were concerned that — no matter where they tried to build “Disney’s America” now (Be it in Virginia, the District of Columbia and/or any other state along the Eastern Seaboard) — that DA’s critics would still rise up and loudly decry the project.

Which was why — even though the Mouse would have been able to pick up the property along the Potomac for a very affordable price — the Imagineers eventually abandoned the Beltway. Heading back to the part of the country where they knew that the Disney name was still loved & appreciated: Southern California.

Back to California – Westcot Center

Now you have to understand that — about this same time — that Disney Company executives were starting to get cold feet about Westcot Center, that $3 billion dollar project that was supposed to be built in Disneyland’s old parking lot. That state-of-the-art mix of theme park & hotels that would have turned the Anaheim theme park into a real destination resort.

So, as Westcot’s fortunes waned, Disneyland Resort officials whined. “How are we supposed to become a destination resort like Walt Disney World if we don’t have a second gate?”

Clearly building anything in Disneyland’s old parking lot was going to be an expensive proposition. Then — when you factored in how the construction of a new Disney theme park was going to make it extremely difficult for guests to get in & out of “The Happiest Place on Earth” for 2 or 3 years — Mouse House managers began to wonder if all the cost & hassle involved with building a second Southern California gate was really going to be worth it.

“Wouldn’t it be great,” mused the higher-ups in the Team Disney Burbank building, “If we could just acquire a second theme park in Southern California? Without having to go through all the trouble of actually having to build a new one?”

Disney Buying Knott’s Berry Farm

Well, as it turns out (At this very same moment. Which was mid-to-late 1995), the Knotts family was reportedly getting tired of running their Buena Park-based theme park. Which is why the children of Walter & Cordelia Knott quietly put out the word in themed entertainment circles that they would soon be accepting bids for Knott’s Berry Farm.

And — as soon as Disney got the word that Knotts was officially up for grabs — representatives from WDI drove down to Buena Park to check the place out. To see if there might an affordable / logical way to take the Farm & its hodgepodge of rides, shows and attractions and turn it into a Disney quality theme park.

At first, this challenge seemed rather daunting. As the Imagineers wandered around the Old West Ghost Town, Fiesta Village and the park’s Roaring 20s section, the arrangement of the elements in this theme park seemed so random, so arbitrary. There really didn’t seem to be a way for WDI to turn Knotts into a place that would deliver a Disney-quality guest experience.

But then one Imagineer saw that exact replica of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall that sits out toward the theme park’s parking lot. And then — in a flash — it all came to him. The way to “fix” Knott’s Berry Farm was to — over the course of several years — slowly turn it into “Disney’s America.”

Turning Knott’s Berry Farm into “Disney’s America”

The plan — as this Imagineer laid it out — was nothing short of ingenious. It called for starting out by radically expanding the area around Knott’s Independence Hall recreation. Building many other colonial-style buildings around that hall until this area would then begin to resemble Liberty Square at WDW’s Magic Kingdom.

This expanded part of the theme park would then become Knott’s Berry Farm’s new entrance area. Acting much as Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. does to set the stage for the rest of that Anaheim theme park, KBF’s Presidents Square would now be where the new Knott’s Berry Farm / “Disney’s America” story would get started … And then gradually unfold over the next several years.

Disney’s “Presidents Square”

“Why would this part of the theme park have been called Presidents Square?,” you ask. Because the big attraction for this area was supposed to be a radically revamped version of that old Disney World favorite, “The Hall of Presidents.” An attraction that Walt Disney himself had once dreamed of bringing to Disneyland. Pretty cool, huh?

Using Knott’s Existing Rides and Structures

Anyway … Once theme park guests had grown tired of exploring Colonial America, they could have walked across an old covered bridge (which would have taken them above the theme park’s main entrance road over to where the bulk of Knott’s Berry Farm’s rides, shows & attractions were actually located) and then … Several existing parts of the Buena Park favorite would have been pressed into service to help tell the stories that the Imagineers had already wanted to tell at the Virginia version of “Disney’s America.”

Converting “Old West Ghost Town” to “Native American Territory”

Take — for example — that trio of attractions located to the back of the Old West Ghost Town (I.E. “Mystery Lodge,” “Indian Trails” and “Bigfoot Rapids”). That part of the theme park was to have become “Disney’s America” ‘s “Native American” territory. (To explain: “Disney’s America” wasn’t going to be like “Disneyland.” It wouldn’t have had “lands.” DA was supposed to have had “territories.”)

Anyway … This part of Knott’s Berry Farm was now supposed to pay tribute to America’s native people and how they lived so close to the land during the years of 1600-1810. And — as for “Bigfoot Rapids” — that whitewater raft ride would have acquired a much more serious sounding name: “The Lewis & Clark River Expedition.”

Turning “Roaring 20s” into “Enterprise”

Knott’s Roaring 20s section? … That was (over time) to have been reconfigured as “Enterprise,” a factory town that celebrated American ingenuity. This part of theme park would have eventually become home to “The Industrial Revolution,” a high speed thrill ride that was to have taken guests through a recreation of a working steel mill. Including a far-too-close encounter with a huge vat that seemed to be filled with molten metal!

Additional Themed Lands

As for the rest of Knott’s Berry Farm … With little or no change, the theme park’s Old West Ghost Town would have told the tale of our nation’s western expansion. Reflection Lake was eventually slated to become Freedom Bay. On whose shores a recreation of the Ellis Island immigrant reception center was going to be built.

One Section at a Time – Keeping the Park Open During Construction

It really was a rather clever sounding plan, don’t you think? And the best part of it was that — as the Imagineers slowly transformed Knott’s Berry Farm in a west coast version of “Disney’s America” — Disney would have still been able to keep most of that Buena Park theme park up & running, making lots of money for the Mouse. WDI would deliberately have done the project in a somewhat piecemeal fashion, working on just one section of the theme park at a time. In order to keep the operational disruptions to an absolute minimum.

Why Didn’t Disney Purchase Knott’s Berry Farm?

“So — if this was such a clever plan — why didn’t the Walt Disney Company actually go forward with it?,” you query.

Well, for one reason, Michael Eisner wasn’t all that keen on the idea of taking someone else’s old theme park and then trying to turn it into a newish Disney-style theme park. Back then, Uncle Mikey had a healthy enough ego that he wanted to make sure that whatever Disney built in Southern California had to have his own personal stamp on it.

Well, Eisner got what he wished for. Like it or not, Disney’s California Adventure and the public’s not-all-that-enthusiastic response to the Disneyland Resort’s newest theme park are now part of Michael’s legacy. One that (I’d imagine) he’d just as soon forget.

Transportation to the Park

Anyway … Getting back to the Knott’s Berry Farm / “Disney’s America” saga … Another factor that ultimately derailed this deal was that the Imagineers could never quite figure out was how they were going to safely transport those thousands of Disneyland Resort guests back and forth between the two theme parks each day.

Building a new monorail line to take guests the 7.9 miles between DL & DA would have been prohibitively expensive. Not to mention all of the right-of-way and clearance issues. The more affordable alternative was to just run buses back & forth from Anaheim to Buena Park. But (as you might imagine) the very idea that Disney was thinking about taking busloads of tourists out onto the 5 & the 91 gave the people who handled Mickey’s insurance absolute fits.

Knotts Rejected the Bid

But you want to know what really sank this plan? The Knotts children actually rejected Disney’s bid to buy the property. Not because the Mouse wasn’t offering enough money. But — rather — because Walter & Cordelia’s kids were worried that, as part of the proposed “Disney’s America” retheming, the Imagineers would wind up destroying much of what their parents had personally put into that theme park.

Knott’s Berry Farm Sold to Cedar Fair

Of course, those who know about what has happened to Knott’s Berry Farm ever since Marion, Toni, Virginia and Russell Knott sold the theme park off to Cedar Fair, L.P. in December of 1997 will appreciate the irony of that concern … Given that the Cedar Fair folks have already ripped up and/or closed down many more quintessential pieces of this Buena Park favorite that the Imagineers were ever planning to.

Of course, by the time the Knotts finally announced that they selling the Farm to Cedar Fair, L.P., the Walt Disney Company had long since committed to the construction of DCA. Then-Disneyland president Paul Pressler unveiled plans for Disney’s California Adventure in a press conference back on July 17, 1996. And the rest of that story … you know.

“Disney’s America” in California

Still, every so often, you’ll hear disgruntled Disneyana fans saying things like: “This whole California theme thing isn’t really working for me. I wish that the Imagineers would just give it up and make DCA tell a stronger, more exciting story … Like Disney’s America!”

To which I reply: “Jeese, you don’t know how close that wish came to actually coming true.”

“How close?,” you ask.

“Just 7.9 miles to the northwest,” I say.

Anyway … That’s another part of the “Disney’s America” saga that (to date) hasn’t really been told in public before.

Your thoughts?

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Jim Hill

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. 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. 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.

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Television & Shows

The Untold Story of Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM Studios: How Daytime TV Took Over the Parks

Published

3 weeks ago

April 24, 2025

Jim Hill

Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios

A long time ago in a galaxy that … Well, to be honest, wasn’t all that far away. This was down in Florida after all. But if you traveled to the WDW Resort, you could then experience “Star Wars Weekends.” Which ran seasonally at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Disney World from 1997 to 2015.

Mind you, what most folks don’t remember is the annual event that effectively plowed the road for “Star Wars Weekends.” Which was “Super Soap Weekend.” That seasonal offering — which allowed ABC soap fans to get up-close with their favorite performers from “All My Children,” “General Hospital,” “One Life to Live” and “Port Charles” — debuted at that same theme park the year previous (1996).

So how did this weekend-long celebration of daytime drama (which drew tens of thousands of people to Orlando every Fall for 15 years straight) come to be?

Michael Eisner’s Daytime TV Origins and a Theme Park Vision

Super Soap Weekend was the brainchild of then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner. His career in media began with short stints at NBC and CBS, but it truly took off in 1964 when he joined ABC as the assistant to Leonard Goldberg, who was the network’s national programming director at the time.

Eisner quickly advanced through the ranks. By 1971, he had become Vice President of Daytime Programming at ABC. That meant he was on the scene when One Life to Live joined the lineup in July 1968 and when All My Children made its debut in January 1970. Even after being promoted to Senior Vice President of Prime Time Programming in 1976, Eisner stayed close to the daytime division and often recruited standout soap talent for ABC’s primetime shows.

Fast forward nearly two decades to July 31, 1995. The Walt Disney Company announced that it would acquire ABC/Cap Cities in a $19 billion deal. Although the acquisition wasn’t finalized until February 1996, Eisner was already thinking ahead. He wanted to use the stars of All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital to draw people to Disney’s theme parks.

He had seen how individual soap stars were drawing huge mall crowds across America since the late 1970s. Now he wanted to bring dozens of them together for something much bigger.

Super Soap Weekend Takes Over Disney-MGM Studios

The very first Super Soap Weekend was announced in June 1996, just a few months after the ABC deal closed. The event was scheduled for October 19 and 20 at Disney-MGM Studios and was a massive success.

The weekend featured panel discussions, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities with the stars of ABC’s daytime dramas. Thousands of fans packed the park for the chance to meet their favorite actors. Due to the overwhelming response, the event became an annual tradition and was eventually moved to Veterans Day weekend each November to better accommodate attendees.

Longtime fans like Nancy Stadler, her mom Mary, and their close friend Angela Ragno returned year after year, making the event a personal tradition and building lifelong memories.

West Coast Events and the ABC Soap Opera Bistro

Disney even tried to recreate the event out west. Two Super Soap Weekends were held at Disneyland Resort, one in April 2002 and another in June 2003.

At Disney’s California Adventure, Eisner also introduced the ABC Soap Opera Bistro, a themed dining experience that opened in February 2001. Guests could dine inside recreated sets from shows like General Hospital and All My Children, including Kelly’s Diner and the Chandler Mansion. The Bistro closed in November 2002, but for fans, it offered a rare opportunity to step into the world of their favorite soaps.

SOAPnet, Port Charles, and the Expansion of Daytime TV at Disney

Eisner’s enthusiasm for soaps extended beyond the parks. In January 2000, he launched SOAPnet, a cable channel dedicated to prime time replays of ABC’s daytime dramas.

During his time at Disney, General Hospital also received a spin-off series titled Port Charles, which aired from June 1997 to October 2003. The show leaned into supernatural plotlines and was another example of Eisner’s commitment to evolving and expanding the soap genre.

The Final Curtain for Super Soap Weekend

In September 2005, Eisner stepped down after 21 years as head of The Walt Disney Company. Bob Iger, who had previously served as President of ABC and Chief Operating Officer of ABC/Cap Cities, took over as CEO. While Iger had deep ABC credentials, he didn’t share Eisner’s passion for daytime television.

In the fall of 2008, Disney hosted the final Super Soap Weekend at what was then still called Disney-MGM Studios. That same year, the park was rebranded as Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney began shifting away from television-focused experiences.

Within the next five years, the rest of Eisner’s soap legacy faded. One Life to Live was canceled in January 2012. SOAPnet was rebranded as Disney Junior in February 2013. Later that year, All My Children ended its 41-year run on ABC.

Only General Hospital remains on the network today, the last standing soap from the golden age of ABC Daytime.

A New Chapter for Daytime TV and Super Soap Fans

The soap genre may have faded from its former glory, but it’s not gone. On February 24, 2025, CBS premiered a brand-new daytime drama called Beyond the Gates, marking the first new soap launch in years.

Meanwhile, All My Children alum Kelly Ripa has been actively working on a revival. In September 2024, she mentioned a holiday-themed movie set in Pine Valley that would bring back many original cast members. The project was in development for Lifetime, though its current status is unclear.

And what about Super Soap? Fans like Nancy and Angela still hope Disney will bring it back. Even if it only featured the cast of General Hospital, it would be a welcome return for longtime viewers who miss that one weekend a year where the magic of Disney collided with the drama of daytime TV.

If you want to hear firsthand what it was like to be part of Super Soap Weekend, be sure to listen to our I Want That Too podcast interview with actor Colin Egglesfield. He shares behind-the-scenes memories from his days as Josh Madden on All My Children and what it meant to be part of one of the most unique fan events in Disney park history.

History

The Super Bowl & Disney: The Untold Story Behind ‘I’m Going to Disneyland!’

Published

3 months ago

February 6, 2025

Jim Hill

One of the highlights of the Super Bowl isn’t just the game itself—it’s the moment when the winning quarterback turns to the camera and exclaims, “I’m going to Disney World!” This now-iconic phrase has been a staple of post-game celebrations for decades. But where did this tradition begin? Surprisingly, it didn’t originate in a stadium but at a dinner table in 1987, in a conversation involving Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and aviation pioneers Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager.

The Unlikely Beginning of a Marketing Sensation

To understand the origins of this campaign, we have to go back to December 1986, when the Rutan Voyager became the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. Pilots Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager completed the nine-day journey on December 23, 1986, flying over 26,000 miles before landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Their historic achievement earned them national recognition, and just days later, President Ronald Reagan awarded them the Presidential Citizen Medal at the White House.

Meanwhile, Disney was gearing up for the grand opening of Star Tours at Disneyland, set for January 12, 1987. Following its usual playbook of associating major theme park attractions with real-world pioneers, Disney’s PR team invited astronauts Gordon Cooper and Deke Slayton to the launch event. But in a twist, they also invited Rutan and Yeager, who were still making headlines.

A Dinner Conversation That Changed Advertising Forever

After the Star Tours opening ceremony, a private dinner was held with Disney CEO Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and Eisner’s wife, Jane. During the meal, Eisner asked Rutan and Yeager, “You just made history. You traveled non-stop around the planet on a plane without ever refueling. How are you ever going to top that, career-wise? What are you two gonna do next?”

Without hesitation, Jeana Yeager replied, “Well, after being cramped inside that tiny plane for nine days, I’m just glad to be anywhere else. And even though you folks were nice enough to fly us here, invite us to your party… Well, as soon as we finish eating, I’m gonna go over to the Park and ride some rides. I’m going to Disneyland.”

Jane Eisner immediately recognized the power of Yeager’s statement. On the car ride home, she turned to Michael and said, “That’s a great slogan. I think you should use that to promote the theme parks.” Like many husbands, Michael initially dismissed the idea, but Jane persisted. Eventually, Eisner relented and pitched it to his team.

The Super Bowl Connection

With Super Bowl XXI just around the corner, Disney’s PR team saw an opportunity. The game was set for January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena—just miles from Disney Studios. What if they convinced the winning quarterback to say, “I’m going to Disneyland” live on-air?

Disney quickly struck a deal with both quarterbacks—Phil Simms of the New York Giants and John Elway of the Denver Broncos—offering each $75,000 to deliver the line if their team won. Simms led the Giants to victory, making history as the first athlete to say, “I’m going to Disney World!” on national television.

A Marketing Triumph

That year’s Super Bowl had the second-highest viewership in television history, with 87 million people watching Simms say the famous line. The next day, Disney turned the clip into a national commercial, cementing the phrase as a marketing goldmine.

Since then, “I’m going to Disneyland” (or Disney World, depending on the commercial) has been a staple of championship celebrations, spanning the NFL, NBA, and even the Olympics. What started as a casual remark at dinner became one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history.

A Lasting Legacy

Jane Eisner’s keen instinct and Disney’s ability to act quickly on a great idea created a tradition that continues to captivate audiences. The “I’m going to Disneyland” campaign remains a testament to the power of spontaneous inspiration and smart marketing, proving that sometimes, the best ideas come from the most unexpected places.

To learn more about Disney’s ties to the world of sports, check out I Want That Too: A Disney History and Consumer Product Podcast.

Television & Shows

How the Creators of South Park Tricked A-List Celebrities to Roast Universal – “Your Studio & You”

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2025

Jim Hill

Universal Studios has a rich and storied history, but few moments are as peculiar—and as hilariously cutting—as the creation of Your Studio & You. This 14-minute parody film, commissioned in 1995 to celebrate Universal’s new ownership under Seagram’s, brings together an all-star cast, biting humor, and the unmistakable comedic fingerprints of Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Long before South Park debuted on Comedy Central in 1997, Stone and Parker were already carving out a reputation for their irreverent style, and Your Studio & You perfectly encapsulates their knack for turning even the most corporate project into something delightfully subversive.

Matt Stone & Trey Parker Before South Park

Stone & Parker were already known out in Hollywood as funny guys. Thanks largely to “The Spirit of Christmas,” which was this video greeting card that they’d crafted for a Fox executive – who then distributed this infamously funny thing (which had Our Lord Jesus Christ & Santa Claus literally duking it out for the holiday affections of Cartman, Kenny, Stan & Kyle) to friends & family.

This was the early 1990s. No internet. Each copy of “The Spirit of Christmas” was made on VHS tape and then mailed. Went viral the old-fashioned way. It’s rumored that George Clooney made over 300 copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” and passed these VHS taps along to friends and family.

Things didn’t move as fast as they do today. “The Spirit of Christmas” still became a sensation out West.

Zucker Brothers

Matt & Trey also had other supporters in the entertainment industry. Among them David Zucker, who was one of the members of ZAZ (i.e., Zucker Abrahams Zucker), the talented trio that made “Airplane!” in 1980, “Top Secret!” in 1984 and the three “Naked Gun” movies.

The original “Naked Gun” in 1988
“Naked Gun 2 & 1/2 : The Smell of Fear” in 1991
and “Naked Gun 33 & a 1/3: The Final Insult” in 1994

All five of these parody films had been made for Paramount Pictures. But in the Late Winter / Early Spring of 1995, Universal had persuaded the Zucker Brothers to come over and set up shop in a bungalow on their lower lot. With the hope that – at some point further on down the line – David & his brother Jerry would start making funny films for Universal.

Zucker Brothers featured in "Your Studio and You"

And it’s during this same window of time (We’re now talking April of 1995) that news breaks that Seagrams (Yep, the adult beverage company. Who – at the time – was making an absolute fortune on the sales of wine coolers) was about to buy a majority stake in MCAUniversal. We’re talking control of 80% of that company’s stock. Which would effectively make Seagrams the new owners of Universal Studios.

Edgar Bronfman

And Edgar Bronfman – the owner of Seagrams – knew that Universal had had a tough time with its previous owners – which had been the Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. of Japan. Matsushita had bought MCA back in November of 1990 for $7.5 billion but had never really understood the entertainment industry.

This is why – after repeatedly butting heads with Lew Wasserman & Sidney Sheinberg (i.e., the heads of Universal Studios & the Universal theme park respectively) when it came to creative control of this company – Matsushita decided to wash it hands of the entire enterprise. Agreeing to sell their holdings in MCA to Seagrams for $5.7 billion (effectively taking a nearly $2 billion loss on this investment).

And Bronfman … He knew that some bad feeling had developed between Hollywood’s creative community and the Japanese owners of Universal. The thinking was that executives at Matsushita Electric had just not gotten what it took to make movies & TV shows.

And Edgar? Right from the get-go, he wanted to show that Seagrams was NOT going to be Matsushita Electric Redux. Bronfman was looking for a way to send a clear message to Hollywood’s creative community that Universal’s new owners got it. That they were willing to work with Hollywood to make the best possible movies & TV shows at Universal.

And how did Edgar decide to get this message across? By making a funny movie.

Zucker Commissions Trey Parker for “Your Studio & You”

Mind you, Bronfman himself didn’t make this film. The owner of Seagrams reached out to David Zucker. Who – after initially agreeing to produce this introduction-to-Universal film – then farmed out the production of the actual project to Trey Parker. Who – just two days before shooting was supposed to star on the Universal Lot – persuaded Matt Stone to come help him on this project.

Which brings us to “Your Studio and You.” Which is a parody of an educational film from the 1950s, right down to being shot in black & white and featuring a very generic soundtrack.

Now what’s amazing about watching “Your Studio and You” today is that this 14-minute-long film features some of the biggest names working in Hollywood back in the mid-1990s. We’re talking about people like recent Golden Globe winner Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Michael J. Fox and Angela Lansbury. Not to mention two of the most powerful men in all of Hollywood, Steven Spielberg & Jeffrey Katzenberg.

And what’s especially interesting about watch “Your Studio and You” is that – as you watch these performers go through their paces in this motion pictures (which – most of the time – involves doing some innocuous task while holding a Seagram’s wine cooler) – you often get the feeling that this star is not in on the gag.

So how did Matt & Trey get away with this? Simple. There was never actually a script for “Your Studio and You.”

Filming “Your Studio & You” at Universal Studios Hollywood

Mind you, David Zucker would always insist that there was. Especially when he’d phone up celebrities on the Universal Lot and say “Hey, I’m sending over a couple of college kids later today. They’re working with me on a new parody film. It’s something that we’re doing for the new owners of Universal. I need just a half hour of your time. We’re shooting something special for the party we’ll be holding when the Seagrams people first arrive at the Studio. Absolutely. You’ll definitely get an invite to that party. So can I count on you to help these kids out? Beautiful. They’ll be over there later this morning.”

And then Matt & Trey would show up and say “… Dang, Miss Lansbury. We’re sorry. We must have left our copy of the ‘Your Studio and You’ script back in our office. Which is clear on the other side of the Lot. So – rather than waste your time – why don’t we do this instead? Follow us over to the Psycho House. Where we’re then going to get footage of you painting the front porch on Mother Bates’ house while you say ‘Gosh, with all of the wonderful improvements going on around here, everyone is going to want to work at Universal.’ Oh, and can we also get you to wear this button on the front of your blazer which reads ‘Universal is A-OK’ ? “

And over & over again, the biggest names who were working for Universal at that time took part in the production of “Your Studio & You” because A) David Zucker vouched for Matt Stone & Trey Parker and B) this was something that was being made for the new owners of Universal. And it’s just natural to want to get in good with the new boss.

Steven Spielberg, Jeffery Katzenberg, and Jaws

But no one at Universal anticipated that “Your Studio & You” would wind up being as sharp edged as the finished product turned out to be. I mean, it’s one thing to bite the hand that feeds you. But “Your Studio & You” ? It doesn’t just bite the hand. It takes the hand off at the wrist.

It’s a brutally funny film. With one of the meanest moments reserved for Steven Spielberg, who plays a driver on the Universal Studio Tour who’s trying to persuade a tram full of bored tourists (one of whom is played by Jeffery Katzenberg) that the “Shark Attack” scene down by Jaws Lagoon is actually exciting.

Spielberg actually says lines like “ … Whoa, whoa. What is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen, this never happens. Look out! It’s a shark! Whoa, that is one big scary shark.”

Mind you, as footage of this mechanical shark repeatedly coming up out of the water is shown, “Your Studio & You” ‘s off-screen narrator (who is voiced by Trey Parker says):

“But what about tomorrow? If we don’t keep in step with the times, things that were once neat and thrilling can become old and stupid.”

“Your Studio & You” Reception

This film was supposed to be shown only once at the welcoming party for Seagrams executive on the Universal Lot. And I’m told that – when Edgar Bronfman saw the finished product at that party – he reportedly turned to David Zucker and said “ … That’s a little more mean-spirited that I think it needed to be.”

And with that, “Your Studio & You” was supposed to go back into the Universal vault, never to be seen again. But when “South Park” debuted on Comedy Central in August of 1997 and then became a sensation for its biting humor, there was suddenly a lot of interest in what else Matt & Trey had done. Which is why copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” began to circulate. And – over time – copies of “Your Studio & You” began to bubble up.

Which – as Stone & Parker have repeatedly pointed out – was just not supposed to happen. Largely because none of the celebrities who appeared in “Your Studio & You” had never signed releases for Universal’s legal department. Because – again – this was for a movie that was only going to be shown once at a private function on the Universal Lot.

Matt mentioned (as part of a career retrospective at the Paley Center in LA back in 2000) that “ … they wouldn’t even let us keep a copy of the finished film.”

It’s a funny but brutal movie. And worth taking a look at today especially if you’re a theme park history buff because it shows Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Jurassic Park: The Ride” still under construction on the Lower Lot. That attraction would finally open to the public in June of 1996.

“Your Studio & You” became a lot easier to see after Seagrams sold off its share of Universal to Vivendi in 2000. Copies began propagating online after that. Though Universal Legal will periodically make an effort to get the latest copy of “Your Studio & You” taken off the Internet because – again – none of the performers who appear on camera ever signed the proper releases and/or were paid for their efforts.

That said, if you’re up for a mean-spirited laugh, “Your Studio & You” is well worth 14 minutes of your time. That said, once you watch this thing, be warned: