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Tube Thursday: How the Mouse missed out on “Monk”

With Tony Shalhoub up for yet another Emmy on Sunday and the “Monk” season finale due to air on the USA Network tomorrow night, Jim Hill talks about how Touchstone Television originally developed this series as a starring vehicle for “Seinfeld” second banana Michael Richards

Published

18 years ago

on

I wonder what ABC executives will be thinking this Sunday night. Particularly as the winner of the “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series” award is announced on the 59th Primetime Emmys telecast.


Given that no male performers from any of ABC’s sitcoms were nominated this year, I guess that the suits at the Alphabet Network can take some solace in Tony Shalhoub’s Emmy nomination for “Monk.” After all, this NBC Universal Television Group show is produced in association with Mandeville Films and ABC Studios. Which (in theory) should gives ABC execs some bragging rights when it comes to this USA Network smash’s winning streak.


That said, I find it kind of hard to believe that senior officials at the American Broadcasting Company will actually be pulling for Shalhoub to win a fourth Emmy for his portrayal of the defective detective. The way I hear it, “Monk” ‘s success remains a somewhat touchy subject with ABC executives. Seeing as it was this Disney-owned network that originally developed the popular cable television series, only to then let this fan favorite slip right through its fingers.



 Copyright 2007 NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Of course, back when “Monk” was originally in development at Touchstone Television, this hour-long dramedy wasn’t envisioned as a showcase for Mr. Shalhoub’s talents. But — rather — as a starring vehicle for Michael Richards. You know? Of “Seinfeld” fame?


Strange but true, folks. As that super successful sitcom was winding down its 9-year-run on NBC in the spring of 1998, every studio in Hollywood was waiting in the wings. Eager to cut deals with Richards & the rest of the “Seinfeld” cast to appear in brand-new shows.


And Disney … Given that Mickey already had a working relationship with Michael (Richards had recently made a cameo appearance in “Ellen’s Energy Adventure” and was doing voice work for “Redux Riding Hood“), studio execs thought that this might give them an edge when it came to cutting a deal with Kramer. Which is why — even before “Seinfeld” had officially wrapped production — Mouse House officials were already developing concepts for shows that Richards could star in.



 Copyright 1998 Sony / Castle Rock Entertainment.
All Rights Reserved


And given Michael’s gift for slapstick … Well, one of the ideas was a TV series that would be built around this Inspector Clouseau-like character. You know, that inept French detective that Peter Sellers played so brilliantly in all those “Pink Panther” movies?


Anyway … David Hoberman (Who was then head of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Group) heard that ABC execs were looking for Clouseau-like ideas for this Michael Richards project. So Hoberman took a meeting with several development officials over at the network and then pitched his own idea. Which was a television series built around a cop who had OCD.


Seeing plenty of comic potential in Michael Richards playing a character that had obsessive-compulsive disorder, ABC officials immediately bought David’s pitch. So now it was up to this veteran producer to find a writer who could then flesh out his rather thin premise.



“Monk” Co-creator Andy Breckman.
Copyright 2004 NBC Universal, Inc.
All Rights Reserved


Luckily, Hoberman already had someone in mind for the job: Andy Breckman. Best known then for his sketch work on “Saturday Night Live” and “Late Night with David Letterman,” Andy had (by the late 1990s) written several screenplays that had come across David’s desk. And Hoberman had been impressed by Breckman’s comic dialogue. Which is why he hoped that this late night TV vet would be the writer who could find humor in a brilliant detective who was wracked with anxieties and phobias.


Of course, what David didn’t realize is that Andy was a life-long Sherlock Holmes fan. More to the point, that Breckman’s favorite TV show when he was growing up was “Columbo.” So to be handed a writing assignment that combined his two passions — comedy & mystery — was really a dream come true for Breckman.


By his very next meeting with David, Andy already had a name of the lead character (i.e. Adrian Monk) as well as the show’s premise. Which admittedly borrowed quite heavily from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes” stories. Right down to giving Adrian a Dr. Watson-like character (nurse Sharona Fleming) to play off of as well an Inspector Lestrade stand-in (Captain Leland Stottlemeyer).



 (L to R) Lt. Randy Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), Capt.
Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine), Adrian Monk (Tony
Shalhoub) and Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram)
Copyright 2002 NBC Universal, Inc.
All Rights Reserved


Based on a 17-page outline of the show that this late night comedy vet delivered, Hoberman gave Breckman permission to begin working on a pilot script. And when Andy delivered “Mr. Monk Meets the Candidate” … Well, first David went nuts. Then the ABC executives who next read Breckman’s pilot went crazy as well. Everyone just loved the script and thought that “Monk” would quickly become a hit series for the Alphabet Network. Which — at that time — could really use a hit.


The only problem was Michael Richards didn’t like the script. Oh, the sitcom vet liked the idea of playing a detective just fine. Which is why — when Michael finally did settle on a premise for his “Seinfeld” follow-up, “The Michael Richards Show” — he decided to play Vic Nardozza, a bumbling P.I.


But as for “Mr. Monk Meets the Candidate” … Richards supposedly thought that the pilot didn’t give him enough to work with. That the character that David & Andy had created didn’t really offer Michael enough comic possiblities. Which is why this “Seinfeld” veteran passed on “Monk” and eventually opted to go with the show that Castle Rock Television had developed for him. Which wound up airing only eight times before NBC finally pulled the plug in December of 2000.



 (L to R) Tim Meadows, Amy Farrington, William
Devane, Michael Richards & Bill Cobbs.
Copyright NBC / Castle Rock Television
All Rights Reserved


With Richards gone … Well, that meant that ABC had a starring vehicle with no star. More importantly, given that the Alphabet Network had a casting contingency on “Monk,” this meant that ABC had complete control over who got cast in the show’s title role … Thus began two years of almost hellish auditioning. At first every physical comedian in Hollywood was invited to come audition for the role of Adrian Monk. And when none of these guys worked out, Disney then cast a wider net and brought in virtually every male actor in LA. Everyone from Judd Nelson to Danny Bonaduce. All with the hope that somewhere out there there was the perfect performer to play the defective detective.


But after two years of casting problems, the project lost momentum and most executives at ABC had lost hope. With the possible exception of Jackie Lyons, who was then vice president of drama at the Alphabet Network. Which is why — when Ms. Lyons left Disney to become the new senior vice president in charge of original series over at USA Network — she took a copy of the “Mr. Monk Meets the Candidate” pilot script with her. And Jackie began selling executives of that cable channel big-time on the idea of bringing “Monk” over the USA Network.


And — after reading Breckman’s teleplay — these execs immediately saw what Ms. Lyons saw. A quirky new dramedy that would probably work better on cable than it ever would have on network television. So USA Network made an offer to Touchstone Television (i.e. The arm of the Walt Disney Company that originally developed “Monk.” Now known as ABC Studios) and eventually acquired the rights to produce this show.



Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises, Inc.
All Rights Reserved


But then Jackie found herself back at square one. Working with David & Andy, they struggled to find just the right actor to play Adrian Monk. After briefly considering sitcom vets like Henry Winkler & John Ritter for the part, Lyons, Hoberman & Breckman then decided to shoot for the stars. They set their sights on three of the top actors working today: Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci.


Unfortunately, none of these guys were available at that time. Molina & Tucci were out because they’d already signed to work on films, and Shalhoub was unavailable because he’d just committed to shooting a pilot for another network. But Tony so clearly got what “Monk” was about, the sadness & hurt that colors virtually every move that this inherently comic character makes, that the USA Network decided to take a chance. They actually asked Breckman to rewrite his “Mr. Monk Meets the Candidate” pilot script, expanding this teleplay so that it could then serve as the basis for an hour-and-40-minute-long “Monk” TV movie. With the hope that this TV movie might serve as the gateway to a “Monk” television series.


It was then — after nearly 4 years of delay — that Breckman, Hoberman & Lyons finally caught a break. For that other pilot that Shalhoub had shot for that other network did not get picked up. Which meant that Tony was free to devote all of his time, energy & talent to the “Monk” project. Which got shifted back from being a stand-alone TV movie to a full-fledged television series.



Copyright 2005 NBC Universal, Inc.
All Rights Reserved


“Monk” debuted on the USA Network in July of 2002 and almost immediately became a hit. So much so that Disney actually took advantage of language that had been buried down deep in the USA Networks’ acquisition deal with Touchstone Television. That language allowed the Mouse to begin airing reruns of “Monk” on the Alphabet Network four days after these episodes had originally run on USA.


Mind you, ABC stopped airing episodes of “Monk” as soon as it realized that these reruns were exposing this already popular program to a much larger audience. Which meant that Mickey was actually aiding a rival by promoting their programming. And since the Alphabet Network was still struggling to hang onto what little audience it had … Well, ABC execs didn’t like the idea of making their viewers aware of another viewing alternative. Which is why they quickly dropped the “Monk” reruns, making this show an USA Network exclusive.


And over the past five years, USA Network has really built on the success of “Monk.” Which has helped turned this NBC Universal owned-operation into one of the most watched cable channels.



 Copyright 2007 NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Which brings us back to where today’s story started out. With ABC execs really unsure about how they feel about “Monk.” With some folks feeling proud that they actually had a hand in the development of this extremely popular program. While still others continue to grouse because their network spent so much money on the development of this show, only to then let “Monk” slip away from ABC and  find a home at the USA Network.


So what do you folks think? Was it a mistake for Mickey to let “Monk” get away? Or would this quirky dramedy ever really had a chance to thrive and/or survive on the Alphabet Network?

Your thoughts?



FYI: If you have yet to catch an episode of this Emmy Award-winning series … Well, the season finale of “Monk” airs on the USA Network tomorrow night at 9 p.m. Consult your local listings for additional information.

Related Topics:

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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General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

10 years ago

on

June 23, 2015

By

Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.

Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.


Photo by Jim Hill

Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.


Photo by Jim Hill

Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…


Photo by Jim Hill

… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).


Photo by Jim Hill

But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.


Photo by Jim Hill

And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.


Photo by Jim Hill

Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …


Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …


Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …


Photo by Jim Hill


Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …


Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.


Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …


Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …


Photo by Jim Hill

… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …


Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.


Photo by Jim Hill

These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.


Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill 

Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"

Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …


Photo by Jim Hill

… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …


Photo by Jim Hill

… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."


Photo by Jim Hill

But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.


Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around  August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).


Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th. 

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Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

10 years ago

on

June 10, 2015

By

Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.


Photo by Jim Hill

I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.


Photo by Jim Hill

Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.


Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.


Photo by Jim Hill

And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.


Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.


Photo by Jim Hill

That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.


Photo by Jim Hill

And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.


Photo by Jim Hill

Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.


Photo by Jim Hill

I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.


Photo by Jim Hill

I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.


Photo by Jim Hill

Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.


Photo by Jim Hill

Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."


Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with  production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie.  But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.


Photo by Jim Hill

And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.


Photo by Jim Hill

"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.


Photo by Jim Hill

I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.


Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.


Photo by Jim Hill

And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."


Photo by Jim Hill

And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."


Photo by Jim Hill

One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.  


Photo by Jim Hill

Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.

Your thoughts?

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It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

10 years ago

on

June 9, 2015

By

You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?

Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved

Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights
reserved

Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.

Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved

Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.

"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"

Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.


Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."

But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of  Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."

And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.

Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."

So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?


Copyright Lucasfilm / Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015

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