Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Ruminations

Got Vacation? Roger is back with some fine places worthy of a night or two for your enjoyment.

Published

22 years ago

July 10, 2003

Hopefully, sometime in the next month or so, you and yours are off on a no doubt well-deserved vacation. Lots of great places to go and see with all of the things to do. And lots of great places to stay as well.

So… let me share some of my favorite lodgings with you!

Disney’s Grand Californian is my hotel of choice at the Disneyland Resort. AAA awarded it four diamonds and it’s easy to see why. One can easily spend hours enjoying the Craftsman style architecture and design touches throughout this place. Suffice to say, you haven’t heard the last about this place from me.

The Claremont Resort and Spa is one of the hidden treasures of the San Francisco Bay Area. Just outside Berkeley, nestled in the Oakland hills, the classic structure was finished in 1915, just in time for the Panama Pacific Exposition. Served by the electric trains of real estate magnate Francis Marion (or Borax — as in Twenty Mule Team Borax) Smith, visitors came from around the world. Spectacular views of the City and the bay along with the 22-acre garden setting continue to make this a special place. With the addition of European-style spa facilities, it has become a favorite destination for the weekend getaway.

Some properties of similar vintage have had their moments of glory in the cinema. San Diego’s Hotel Coronado was one of the star’s of “Some Like It Hot”. Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis spent weeks here in 1958 for this classic Billy Wilder comedy.

And although author Richard Matheson stayed at the Coronado while writing his novel, “Bid Time Return”, it just wasn’t possible to use the hotel for the location of filming when it became the movie, “Somewhere In Time”. Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve (and the rest of the cast and crew) enjoyed their stay at the Grand Hotel on Michigan’s Mackinac Island. The classic structure and grounds were well used as locations for filming of both modern day and period settings. (I heartily recommend the DVD of the film for some great stories from cast and crew, and the director’s commentary!)

Another Hollywood connected hotel is the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Blvd. It was the site of the first Academy Awards ceremony on May 19, 1929. The page from the above link tells many of the tales you want to know. I had the pleasure of enjoying an afternoon there on February 29, 1992 when Dean Stockwell was recognized with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (as Dean himself proudly announced, “…I’m very lucky to be between two very beautiful women – Liza Minelli and Donna Summers…”). The hotel is undergoing a restoration as part of the revitalization of the entire area of Hollywood Blvd, but is still well worth a visit.

A friend of mine once described a weekend at Yosemite’s Awahnee Lodge as her idea of camping. This isn’t tents and sleeping bags, not by any dream of the imagination. “The Ahwahnee is a National Historical Landmark and one of the most distinctive resort hotels in North America. It’s well known for its great granite façade, striking beamed ceilings, massive stone hearths, richly colored Native American appointments, and finely appointed rooms. Named for the original Native word for Yosemite Valley, The Ahwahnee offers a perfect balance of refinement, grandness and hospitality. It’s no wonder that for generations this grand hotel has been the destination of queens and presidents alike.”

What you get is one of the most beautiful places on the planet on the floor of the Yosemite Valley, and that’s true all year round. Christmas time is one of the most popular with the Bracebridge Dinner, “… a unique Ahwahnee Christmas tradition of grand proportion. Held annually since 1927, the event transforms the Ahwahnee Hotel into a 17th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth. The inspiration for this ceremony was Washington Irving’s Sketch Book that described Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of that period.” This extremely popular event is usually booked well in advance, but it never hurts to check for that last minute cancellation. Other special events throughout the year also include the Vintner’s Holiday dinners, Chef’s Holiday dinners and a New Years Eve dinner dance.

California’s North Coast has some places worth the visit as well. In the small town of Gualala, the Old Milano Hotel was once a stop for stagecoaches travelling to and from San Francisco. Today, it’s a restful place to escape. Another favorite is in the Pacific Lumber Company town of Scotia. With the mill right here, it is no surprise that redwood was used for so many of the town’s structures. One in particular is the Scotia Inn. This hotel features a great art deco bar and a fine dining room with some of the most magnificent redwood you will ever see. If you love the Grand Californian, then this structure will find you right at home with it’s own Arts and Crafts touches.

When we do our private car excursions to Reno, Nevada, we often stay at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel and Casino. It has grown from humble beginnings as a coffee shop to now being one of the area’s favorite places. The Nugget has all kinds of events throughout the year, but my favorite is their Rib Cook-off, held over Labor Day weekend. Last year, I was chef on a private car trip to Reno while this was going on. Stepping off the car in Sparks, all you could smell was great barbecue. Yumola!

Now Nevada also has Las Vegas and all of its unique hotel properties. I’ve been to stay at a few, but found that rooms in the Luxor may have been among the most interesting, but not for the reasons one might suspect. It is said that the light from the beacon atop the pyramid is one of the few things you can see from orbit with the naked eye. What I found most interesting were the elevators to go to and from the hotel rooms. Not really elevators, more of inclinators as they travel on an incline up and down the levels of the pyramid, a very unusual sensation…

The Lake Tahoe area straddles the border between the California and Nevada, and one hotel took that point to the inevitable conclusion. The Cal-Neva Resort in Crystal Bay, Nevada, is built right atop the stateline running through the Indian Room — separating a large stone fireplace. The hotel has lots of history including a period of ownership by Frank Sinatra with lots of visits by the Rat Pack and company including Marilyn Monroe. And there is the usual Nevada style gaming just across that line as well…

Ever wonder where those Imagineers get inspirations? How about the Grand Floridian in Orlando? Can you say “Coronado?” Or take a look at the new Tokyo Disney Sea. The S.S. Columbia was most definitely inspired by Long Beach’s Hotel Queen Mary. Once the pride of the Cunard Fleet (which will soon see the Queen Mary II!), this proud ship has served as a floating hotel halfway around the world from her home in the British Isles since 1972. Michele and I have stayed aboard her several times including during Disney’s years of operation (1988 to 1992). We enjoyed a First Class room overlooking Long Beach, as well as some great meals (Sir Winston’s and Chelsea) during our honeymoon in April of 1986. I’ve also been aboard for several New Years Eve parties as well as a killer Sunday brunch (in the Grand Salon — the ship’s original First Class Dining Room) or two that made me wish I did have a room aboard to sleep it off! There are a number of special events held during the year, so check it out before you go.

Speaking of crossing the pond… When we visited Germany and Austria in September of 2001, we enjoyed some interesting hotels. Our first surprise was where we stayed on our first few nights. Having flown into Frankfurt, we were off to explore the area where my parents had lived and worked way back in 1958 and 1959. Our destinations would be only a short trip across the Rhine as we traveled back and forth between Wiesbaden and Mainz. Things changed a whole bunch right before we left (9/11) and the hotels all were very willing to change reservations for us. We ended up staying in Mainz — Finthen at the Atrium Hotel Mainz only a short drive from either city. The hotel offered a great breakfast each morning (included in the room rate), that spoiled us for the rest of the trip! The rooms were all very modern and comfortable. The hotel has a great little bar/café that had all we needed after our first night and the long airline flight from San Francisco.

On the other end of our trip was the Hotel Elefant in Salzburg, Austria. It’s name goes back to a local story (from their web page): “Once upon a time when King Max was riding through Salzburg he had an elephant with him. Passing this building the elephant looked into one of its windows. Since then the people call it the “Elephant-inn”.”

The 700 year-old building is located in the heart of the old city. It is right around the corner from Mozart’s birthplace (a fact we discovered by accident wondering why all these people were taking pictures of this place!). It was very convenient to all of the sights and opportunities we could imagine including great shopping along the Getriedegasse. It also has a great dining room with wonderful meals. We never went away hungry from a meal on that trip.

Look for another tale from that trip coming in the next few weeks as part of that series on things you’ve always wanted to do, but didn’t think you could!

One place I’ve always wanted to visit is the famed Greenbrier Resort in White Suplhur Springs, West Virginia. In years gone by, it was not uncommon for the private railroad cars of the rich and famous to travel here for a fine vacation away from all the responsibilities of the world. It was once owned by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, and was a much promoted travel destination. Today Amtrak does stop directly across from The Greenbrier’s Main Entrance, and special trains have called here occasionally in the last few years.

But what really fascinated me is that this was to be the location of a secret government relocation center. The hotel offers tours of what was of “Project Greek Island” — a bunker to protect the members of Congress in the event of a nuclear strike on Washington, DC, that thankfully was never activated.

A bit less threatening, but none the less interesting is the Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Way before Disney discovered the state, Henry Flagler created this Italian Renaissance structure and the surroundings. Flagler pushed his Florida East Coast Railway on down to Key West with the railroad that went to sea, only to meet it’s fate during one of the strongest hurricanes yet seen during Labor Day of 1935. The Breakers continues today as a landmark to those days and the vision that Flagler had for the state.

You might recall that in another column I mentioned the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. It’s still there and greeting guests for all kinds of events as well as for room nights. Brunch in the famed Garden Court or even a smart cocktail in the Pied Piper Lounge with it’s famed Maxfield Parish “Pied Piper of Hamlin” mural are must do’s on any visit.

How about a Victorian bed and breakfast with a difference? Try the East Brothers Light Station! Located on an island in the middle of the straits between the San Francisco and San Pablo bays, it is a step (okay, how about a boat ride instead?) back to an less complicated time. If you don’t have time to spend the night, they do offer an outstanding dinner or brunch, right around the corner from Point Richmond (now home to the Lucas CGI animation unit in the former Pixar location). Point Richmond is also home to the Hotel Mac (Sorry, no web page link, but a Yahoo Yellow Pages search offers both information for the hotel and the restaurant/bar. A fine place and outstanding meals and or beverages. Oh for earlier, less informed days…

California can lay claim to having the world’s first motel in San Luis Obispo (another hotbed of Colton family history, but that is another column entirely!) and it opened at 2223 Monterey Street in 1925. Originally called the “Milestone Motel”, the Spanish revival structure was later renamed the “Motel Inn” but went out of business long ago and now stands, forlorn but not forgotten, next to US-101 on the grounds of the Apple Farm restaurant and motel. But best the known accommodation in town is the Madonna Inn. Affectionately known as the “Pink Palace”, it features 109 differently themed rooms. Everything from the American Beauty room to the Yosemite Rock room can be yours! Some include a fireplace or even a rock waterfall for your shower. Whoever says Disney has a monopoly on themes in lodging hasn’t been here yet!

Lest you think I would pass up an opportunity to mention trains or cats, you are correct! I have a bit of both. First is the Red Caboose Motel in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. Here’s a place where you can stay in one of the twenty-five railroad cabooses, in the same neighborhood as two of the nations finest railroad destinations — the Strasburg Railroad — recognized as the nation’s oldest continually operating steam shortline railroad and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. The museum tells the history of railroading in the state and the nation, with manufacturers of locomotives and equipment that went throughout the world from the Keystone State.

And Cruiser has his favorite place to stay when we take off and abandon him for a Disneyland visit. The Feline Medical Center of Pleasanton lets him bring along his favorite blanket, toys (oh, those catnip mice!) and his Iams food — dry and wet — to make him feel all the better. And if he needs it, they also do grooming along with other tasks like nail clipping. Better them than us, you bet!

So there you have it. A sample of some interesting places to spend a few nights. I’m sure there are plenty more waiting for you to discover, so warm up those search engines and take off for that long weekend to recover from it all!

Coming up next in the series of things you’ve always wanted to do? Roger has us all set for a ride at the speedway! So, NASCAR fans, buckle up and get ready for all those left turns!

And if you are among the kind folks who have contributed to the Amazon Honor System Pay Box, Roger thanks you! If not, why not drop a buck or two and show your support? Honest! It doesn’t hurt a bit!

Television & Shows

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

Published

1 week 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: