Bob Welbaum
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The registration form for the 2005 NFFC National Convention (to be held July 9 – 14 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Garden Grove, CA) came recently, tucked in the middle of the club’s newsletter FantasyLine Express. As I started filling it out, I couldn’t help but think about past conventions. Some months ago, I did a column on my favorite convention memories. Thinking about this year’s gathering has inspired me to go to my video collection and pull out a couple more favorite stories.
So if you don’t belong to the NFFC … and don’t attend this year’s convention … here’s what you could be missing.
Musician/dancer/voice artist extraordinaire Candy Candido on how he got started at Disney (1993 NFFC Convention, “Classic Voices�? with Betty Lou Gerson)
…So [my wife] won’t travel anymore. And I didn’t go anywhere without my children, and my wife.
So I said “What do you want me to do? I play the bass fiddle and I sing songs in funny voices.�?
She said “Well, look, Walt Disney, the Green Sheet. He’s looking for different voices. Why don’t you go try out?�?
Well, I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. But I went over.
You remember Jack Lavin? … He was the Casting Director. … Well, I walked in the office and Jack Lavin said “Hey, Candy Candido!�?
I said “How did you know me?�?
He said “Well, I used to manage Paul Whiteman, and Paul wanted to hire you to play bass in his band….�?
You all know who Paul Whiteman was? That’s right, biggest in the world.
“…and you were with Ted Fiorito. We tried to hire you, but Fiorito wanted $25,000 for [your] contract.�? You hear that, baby? [Laughs] My wife says I’m not worth nothing.
So he says “What are you doing here?�?
I said “Look, the Green Sheet says you’re looking for some different voices.�?
He says “By the way, can you do a raven?�?
Well, I thought that guy was pulling my leg. Who the hell does a musician know about a raven? So I think he’s pulling my leg, I’ll pull his. I said “What do you want, the male or the female?�?
“You mean there’s two?�?
I said “Sure, the female does all the talking. The male never does nothing.�?
So he says “Let’s hear it, Candy.�?
So from the top of my voice I let out “BAWK.�? I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.
He says “Let’s go see the producer.�?
Remember Walt Pfeiffer? … Walt Pfeiffer was the producer. We walked in this beautiful office. He had on this black tam and two-rimmed black glasses. Yes men on that side, yes men on this side.
He says to Jack Lavin, “What do you want, Jack?�?
“I’ve got Candy Candido here, and he does a raven. And incidentally, he says the female does all the talking. The male never does nothing.�?
I found out later that Walt Pfeiffer was no more a producer than you and I. Walt Pfeiffer’s daddy loaned Walt some money. So he made Walt Pfeiffer a producer…
So Walt Pfeiffer says “Candy, let me hear it.�? So again, “BAWK.�?
Takes off his glasses, he wipes them with [his handkerchief], he looks at me, he looks as them, he says “I’ll buy that.�? Thirty-three years I was at the Studio.
Actress/artist Terri Hardin on the frustrations of having your ideas rejected. (2004 NFFC Convention, Artist Panel)
So Brian [Jowers] and I designed a concept for Dragon’s Lair. And we were very, very excited, because we knew they were going to love our idea. They didn’t. They didn’t like it.
Let’s see if you get it. You’re in Dragon’s Lair in Paris. You walk through one of the tunnels. And you see some bones. As you continue to walk, you see what appears to be a giant rib cage. “My goodness, what’s this?�? Now you’re curious. You must go on. What else is in store? As you go further, you see a skull. “Oh, my! It’s a dragon!�? It’s the bones of a dragon! What dragon? Then you look over to the side, and you see the Sword of Truth. Guys, which dragon? HELLO?
They didn’t get it. They didn’t like it. They sent Brian away and made me design it all by myself. It broke my heart. I stood in front of the mirror and said “It’s the dead Maleficent. It’s the dead Maleficent.�?
But it must have come out “Thehumapatethepahol. Thehumapatethepahol. Nahol? Nahol?�?
Crap!
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-- Bob Welbaum
Bob Welbaum has been associated with Tomart Publications for the past fifteen years, and is currently Managing Editor of Tomart’s DISNEYANA Update magazine. He will be attending his eighteenth straight NFFC Convention.
-- May 26, 2005