A New and Improved Toolbox

A New and Improved Toolbox

Computer animation had come a long way in the few short years since “Toy Story” made motion-picture history as the first feature-length undertaking of its kind. Pixar had devoted considerable resources and manpower to creating and improving tools and applications to support the needs of the animators. The 1998 film “A Bug’s Life” made great strides in the art form that informed and influenced “Toy Story 2.”

Supervising technical director Galyn Susman explains, “From the very beginning, our real challenge was figuring out how to preserve the charm of the first ‘Toy Story’ while incorporating the attention to detail and the rich visual imagery that was introduced in ‘A Bug’s Life.’”

Among the most impressive technological and artistic advances on display in “Toy Story 2” was the way the human characters were designed and animated. New software made it possible for the characters to interact with objects and each other in a way that was previously difficult or impossible. As a result, the characters were more fully integrated into the world around them.

A special team of experts was assembled to work on Al McWhiggin, the Cleaner, Andy and his mom, as well as the host of other humans who populate the “Toy Story 2” world. Advancements in the depiction of skin and hair made the characters appear more real, although the art direction and style of the film still opted for a more stylized version of reality.

“Since the beginning of computer graphics, the Holy Grail has been to create a human that looks realistic,” says Mitch Prater, the lead technical director in charge of creating the human skin shader. “In ‘Toy Story 2,’ all of the humans basically have my skin. I actually stuck my face on the scanner as a starting point. I studied it up close in very fine detail. From there, I had to write a lot of code for the shaders—controls for how the skin would be applied, what coloration it would have, whether it had stubble or blotches or not.”

Another innovation came in the depiction of both human and animal hair. Andy’s dog, Buster, has nearly four million hairs. “Animators finally had a fairly simple procedure for moving hair,” adds modeling supervisor Eben Ostby. “That was a really big breakthrough and added to the believability.”

Animation cinematography improved as well, allowing the filmmakers to use camera motion and depth of field to tell their story. “In the original ‘Toy Story,’ we tended to opt for cutting versus a moving camera,” says director of photography Sharon Calahan. “The second time around, we did the opposite. The result is more similar to techniques used by live-action filmmakers.”

“Toy Story 2” takes its principal characters well beyond the secure confines of Andy’s room to dangerous and uncharted territories. In the film’s opening sequence, the audience even gets a glimpse at Buzz Lightyear’s intergalactic travels. Production designers Bill Cone and Jim Pearson oversaw the ambitious creation of 18 different sets, including a 10-block-square section of the downtown area, the interiors of Al’s Toy Barn and his Art Deco apartment, and the labyrinthine interior of the airport baggage area. Art direction for the film included inventing an entire line of merchandise for the “Woody’s Roundup” TV show, complete with 1950s vintage lunchboxes, thermoses and mechanical banks.

“We learned a lot about lighting and shading from ‘A Bug’s Life,’” Cone says. “We spent a lot of time making the world bumpier and dirtier.”

Pearson observes, “Another thing that ‘A Bug’s Life’ did so successfully, and which helped us immeasurably on this film, was the definition of organic objects. ‘Toy Story 2’ has such a rich look because we were able to give new life to things like rocks and pebbles and grass.”

Lasseter’s philosophy, then and now, is to hire the best talent and let them do what they are really good at. “I don’t tell them how to do their jobs,” he says. “I tell them what is needed and then let them put their own creativity into it. That’s the way to get people invested and really enjoy what they’re doing.

“I love what I do,’ he adds. “I have the best job in the world. And I believe that the corporate culture of any place—the morale, the emotion—comes down from the top. So that gives me license to be the biggest nut, the biggest kid here because I have so much fun with what I do. If you’re having fun and you love what you’re doing, the work that ends up on the screen is going to reflect that.”
ABOUT THE VOICE CAST
TOM HANKS (Woody, “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2”) holds the distinction of being the first actor in 50 years to be awarded back-to-back Best Actor Academy Awards^®—in 1993, as the AIDS-stricken lawyer in “Philadelphia,” and the following year, in the title role of “Forrest Gump.” He also won Golden Globes^® for both of these performances, along with his work in “Big” and “Cast Away.”

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Hanks became interested in acting during high school. He attended Chabot College in Hayward, California, and California State University in Sacramento. At the invitation of Artistic Director Vincent Dowling, Hanks made his professional debut portraying Grumio in “The Taming of the Shrew” at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival in Cleveland, Ohio. He performed in that company for three seasons.

Moving to New York City in 1978, Hanks performed with the Riverside Shakespeare Company until getting his big break when he was teamed with Peter Scolari in the television comedy series “Bosom Buddies.” This led to starring roles in Ron Howard’s “Splash,” “Bachelor Party,” “Volunteers,” “The Money Pit” and “Nothing in Common.”

In 1988, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association recognized Hanks’ performances in both “Big” and “Punchline,” giving him their Best Actor Award. Roles followed in films such as “A League of Their Own” and “Sleepless in Seattle.”

In 1996, Hanks made his feature-film writing and directing debut with “That Thing You Do!” The film’s title song not only reached the Top 10 on many contemporary music charts, it was also nominated for an Academy Award^® for Best Original Song.

After re-teaming with Ron Howard to make “Apollo 13,” Hanks served as an executive producer, writer, director and actor for HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon,” an Emmy^®-winning, 12-hour dramatic film anthology that explored the entire Apollo space program.

In 1998, Hanks starred in Steven Spielberg’s war drama “Saving Private Ryan,” for which he received his fourth Oscar^® nomination. The following year, he starred in “The Green Mile,” which was written and directed by Frank Darabont and is based on the six-part serialized novel by Stephen King.

In 2000, Hanks reunited with director Robert Zemeckis and screenwriter William Broyles Jr. in “Cast Away,” for which he received yet another Oscar^® nomination.

Also in 2000, he worked with Steven Spielberg again as executive producer, writer and director for another epic HBO miniseries, “Band of Brothers,” based on Stephen Ambrose’s book. The miniseries aired in the fall of 2001 to wide critical acclaim, leading to an Emmy Award^® and Golden Globe^® for Best Miniseries in 2002.

In 2002, Hanks starred in “Road to Perdition,” opposite Paul Newman and Jude Law, under Sam Mendes’ direction. It was followed by Spielberg’s stylish caper, “Catch Me If You Can,” opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, which was based on the true-life exploits of international confidence man Frank Abagnale Jr.

Hanks teamed with Spielberg for a third time in “The Terminal,” opposite Catherine Zeta Jones. He followed this role with the Coen brothers’ dark comedy “The Ladykillers.”

In 2004, Hanks starred in the film adaptation of the Caldecott Medal-winning children’s book “The Polar Express,” by Chris Van Allsburg, which reunited him once again with director Robert Zemeckis.

In 2006, Hanks played Robert Langdon in the film adaptation of Dan Brown’s novel “The Da Vinci Code,” helmed by Ron Howard and also starring Audrey Tautou, Paul Bettany, Ian McKellen and Jean Reno.

With his production company, Playtone, Hanks executive produced the critically acclaimed HBO miniseries “John Adams,” staring Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson. The series went on to win an Emmy^® for Outstanding Miniseries and a Golden Globe^® for Best Miniseries.

In 2008, Hanks starred in “Charlie Wilson’s War,” opposite Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman, directed by Mike Nichols, which Playtone also produced. In 2009, he starred in “Angels & Demons” for Ron Howard, reprising his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon.
TIM ALLEN (Buzz Lightyear, “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2”) recently wrapped production on his feature-film directorial debut, the indie comedy “Crazy on the Outside,” in which he also stars opposite Ray Liotta, Sigourney Weaver, Julie Bowen, Jeanne Tripplehorn, J.K. Simmons and Kelsey Grammer. Allen plays a newly released prisoner who tries to persuade a single mom / parole officer (Tripplehorn) to date him. His struggle to rebuild his life is further complicated by his loving sister (Weaver) and her sarcastic husband (Simmons). The film is scheduled for release in January 2010.

Allen also completed shooting the comedy “The Six Wives of Henry Lefay,” in which he plays a man whose wife and five ex-wives fight over his will when they believe he is dead. Elisha Cuthbert stars as his daughter, and Jenna Elfman, Andie MacDowell and S. Epatha Merkerson also star.

Allen was last seen on screen in the critically acclaimed drama “Redbelt,” written and directed by David Mamet. In 2007, he starred opposite John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy in the hit comedy “Wild Hogs.” The movie revolves around a group of frustrated, middle-aged suburban biker-wannabes who hit the open road in search of adventure, only to encounter a group of real Hell’s Angels. 

Allen honed his talents as a stand-up comic throughout the ’80s, providing the perfect lead-in to his highly successful ABC television series, “Home Improvement.” For his work on the show as Tim Taylor, Allen garnered a Golden Globe^® Award and an Emmy^® nomination while being honored with the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a Television Series for an unprecedented eight years in a row. While passionately ensconced in his hit sitcom, Allen still found time to expand his talents.

While the Taylor family was still at the top of the prime-time charts, Allen revisited his comedy roots with a successful national concert tour that finished with a sell-out performance at Caesar’s Palace. He found time to pen his first book about the male perspective, “Don’t Stand Too Close to a Naked Man,” which topped The New York Times’ Best Seller List. This was followed by his second bestseller “I’m Not Really Here,” which focused on midlife, family and quantum physics.

Allen made his film debut in 1994, playing the holiday icon in the blockbuster hit “The Santa Clause,” which earned him another People’s Choice Award. Allen next starred in “Jungle 2 Jungle” with Martin Short and “For Richer or Poorer” with Kirstie Alley.

In 1999, during the eighth and final season of “Home Improvement,” Allen was honored with the TV Guide Award for Favorite Actor in a Comedy Series, and in a tearful farewell, hung up his tool belt to shift his film career into high gear.

To the delight of moviegoers, Allen next starred in the popular comedy “Galaxy Quest,” opposite Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman. Representing the average Joe, Allen next starred in “Joe Somebody” opposite Jim Belushi in 2001. That same year, he partnered with Rene Russo in the Barry Sonnenfeld ensemble comedy “Big Trouble.”

In 2002, in an interesting departure from playing mythical icons and everyman figures, Allen took on the role of Critical Jim, a professional hit man, in the comedy “Who Is Cletis Tout?” opposite Christian Slater. He helped kick off the holiday season that year by reprising his role as the big man in red in the long-awaited sequel “The Santa Clause 2.”

In a brief return to television in 2003, Allen’s old “Tool Time” pals, Debbe Dunning and Richard Karn, joined him on stage for the live ABC special event “Tim Allen Presents: A User’s Guide to Home Improvement.”

In 2004, Allen starred opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in the family comedy “Christmas with the Kranks.” The film, directed by Joe Roth, was an adaptation of John Grisham’s bestselling novel “Skipping Christmas.”

In 2006, Allen starred in Disney’s “The Santa Clause 3,” in which he once again reprised his titular role in the “Santa Clause” series. That same year, Allen starred in the family comedy “Zoom” as a former superhero who is called back to work to transform an unlikely group of ragtag kids into superheroes at a private academy. He was also seen in Disney’s update of the family classic “The Shaggy Dog,” in which Allen played a lawyer whose devotion to his career comes at the expense of his family.

Cusack recently appeared in “My Sister’s Keeper,” starring Cameron Diaz and Alec Baldwin; “Acceptance,” based on the Susan Coll novel; and “Mars Needs Moms!,” an animated film co-starring Seth Green. She is currently working on “Progress Notes,” an NBC comedy that she will produce and star in.

Most recently, Cusack appeared in “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.” She has starred in such films as “Friends with Money,” “Ice Princess,” “Raising Helen,” “School of Rock,” “Arlington Road,” “High Fidelity,” “Cradle Will Rock” and “Where the Heart Is.” She has also starred in three films with her brother, John Cusack: “War, Inc.,” “Grosse Point Blank” and “Martian Child.”

Her filmography includes comedic femme fatale roles in “Addams Family Values,” “Nine Months,” “The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez,” “Corrina, Corrina,” “Toys,” “Hero,” “My Blue Heaven,” “Men Don’t Leave,” “Broadcast News,” “Say Anything” and “Sixteen Candles,” among others. She made her screen debut in “My Bodyguard” at age 15.

Cusack’s appearances on the small screen include a regular role on “Saturday Night Live” during the show’s 1985-86 season and a starring role alongside Anne Bancroft in the BBC production of Paddy Chayefsky’s “The Mother.” She also starred in the sitcom “What About Joan.”

Cusack’s theatrical work includes the premiere of “Brilliant Traces” at New York’s Cherry Lane Theatre, “The Road” at La Mama and “Cymbeline” at the Public Theatre in New York. She portrayed Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and was directed by Joanne Akalitis in “’Tis a Pity She’s a Whore.”

Cusack studied acting at the Piven Theatre Workshop. While at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where she graduated with a degree in English, she appeared with the improvisational group “The Ark.”
KELSEY GRAMMER (Prospector, “Toy Story 2”) has excelled at the highest levels in theater, television and film as an actor, producer, executive producer and director. His role as Dr. Frasier Crane on “Cheers” developed into the cornerstone of the Juilliard-trained actor’s career. Grammer continued playing the celebrated character in two different television series (“Wings” and “Frasier”) over a span of 20 years, tying the record for longest-running character on television.

Portraying Crane, Grammer has won four Emmy Awards^®, two Golden Globes^® and a SAG Award. He has received an unparalleled 16 Emmy nominations, eight Golden Globe nominations and 16 SAG nominations.

This fall, Grammer stars and serves as executive producer in the new ABC comedy “Hank.” In his latest film project, a remake of “Fame,” Grammer stars as the orchestra maestro at the prestigious New York City High School of Performing Arts.

Grammer’s upcoming releases include the comedy “Crazy on the Outside” and the animated feature “Bunyan and Babe,” an independent film based on the popular American folktale of the same name.

About 15 years ago, Grammer created Grammnet, a television production company that has produced such hit shows as the Emmy^®-winning “Medium” for NBC and “The Game” and “Girlfriends” for the CW. Other Grammnet producing credits include the NBC productions “The Innocent,” “Kelsey Grammer Salutes Jack Benny,” “Fired Up,” “In-Laws” and “Gary the Rat.” For PAX, he produced “World Cup Comedy.” For FOX, he starred in and produced “Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show.” Most recently, he took on the roles of director and executive producer on the just-finished comedy pilot “Alligator Point,” for Lifetime.

Grammer has directed single episodes of “Everybody Hates Chris,” “My Ex Life” and “Out of Practice.” He also directed several episodes of “Frasier,” one of which earned him a DGA nomination.

Also an accomplished voice-over artist, Grammer plays the character Sideshow Bob on “The Simpsons,” a role for which he won an Emmy^® in 2006. He has also lent his voice to the feature films “Anastasia” and “Teacher’s Pet,” the television series “Father of the Pride” and “Gary the Rat,” and the Emmy-nominated telefilm “Animal Farm.”

Grammer’s other feature film credits include “An American Carol,” “Swing Vote,” “15 Minutes,” “Down Periscope,” “Even Money” and “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

Grammer starred on FOX’s “Back to You,” for which he also served as executive producer. Other made-for-TV movie credits include “A Christmas Carol” for NBC, “Benedict Arnold” for A&E and “Mr. St. Nick” for ABC’s Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Grammer was born in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was raised in New Jersey and Florida. As a teenager, he began acting in plays at Pine Crest Preparatory School in Fort Lauderdale, where his stage success inspired him to apply to Juilliard. He developed an interest in Shakespeare and began his professional acting career at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. He spent three years performing in “Shakespeare and Shaw.”

Grammer continued in regional theatre and finally made his way to New York with roles in the Off-Broadway productions “Sunday in the Park with George,” “A Month in the Country” and the Obie Award-winning “Quartermaine’s Terms.” He also scored on Broadway in “Macbeth” and “Othello.”

Before long, Grammer had appeared in two miniseries, first as Stephen Smith in “Kennedy” and next as Lieutenant Stewart in “George Washington.” He then landed the role of Dr. Frasier Crane in “Cheers.” The show’s creators originally wanted John Lithgow for the brief recurring role, but the actor was unavailable. Grammer’s former Juilliard classmate Mandy Patinkin suggested him to the New York casting director and he got the job, parlaying six episodes into a career that would span two decades.

After “Frasier,” Grammer would return to the stage and receive critical acclaim as Professor Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady.” He also performed the title role in “Richard II” and played Lucio in “Measure for Measure” at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

Grammer lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Camille, and their two children, Mason and Jude.

Throughout his career, Rickles has been highly visible on television. In addition to frequent appearances with such TV talk show hosts as Larry King, Jay Leno, David Letterman and Regis Philbin, he was awarded an Emmy^® in 2008 for his performance in the highly acclaimed, John Landis-directed documentary “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project,” which debuted on HBO in December 2007. The show itself was also honored with an Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special and is now available on DVD.

Rickles has also made his mark in theatrical motion pictures such as the Martin Scorsese-directed “Casino,” which starred Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci. He also appeared in the cult classic “Kelly’s Heroes” after roles in “Run Silent, Run Deep” and “Rat Race.” Rickles was recently seen in the TNT television movie “The Wool Cap,” which starred William H. Macy. Additionally, he has starred in live stage productions and, along the way, had two bestselling comedy albums.

After meeting Rickles in a small Los Angeles nightclub in 1957, Frank Sinatra became one of the comic’s biggest boosters. Rickles soon became the “in” comedian among the Hollywood stars, who flocked to his nightclub engagements to become the targets of his “insults.”

In 1959, Rickles signed on for his first Las Vegas appearance. He clicked immediately and has headlined there every year since. In the mid ’60s, even though he had attained some success in nightclubs, Rickles was still far from a national name. He had been working in clubs and doing television and motion picture acting assignments for more than 15 years.

All that changed on the night of October 7, 1965, when Rickles made his first appearance on Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show.” His freewheeling performance that night became the talk of the show business industry and caused nationwide comment among the press and public.

Until then, Rickles’ TV appearances had been limited to acting assignments on situation comedy and dramatic shows. A fine actor who graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Rickles had frequently received rave reviews for his acting ability. But now the door was wide open for him to appear on TV as a comedian.

The next important breakthrough for Rickles occurred during the summer of 1967 when he appeared on “The Dean Martin Show.” Rickles, in his first guest appearance on a major primetime variety show, scored a big success. Immediately after taping his first appearance, Rickles was signed for a second guest shot on that program. Celebrities were invited to sit in the audience to become the targets of Rickles’ barbs. As he walked onstage, the comedian did not know exactly whom he would be confronting. Among others he faced that night were Danny Thomas, Jackie Cooper, Bob Newhart, Lena Horne, Dean Martin, Ernest Borgnine, Don Adams, Ricardo Montalban and Pat Boone. Rickles proceeded to ad lib for an hour, which was eventually edited down to 20 minutes for the show. For weeks afterwards, people throughout the country repeated his lines.

Rickles has since starred in primetime series for ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. During the ’70s and ’80s, he also hosted or co-hosted seven television specials.

In 1980, Rickles became the toast of British society as a result of an appearance at Grosvenor House in London during a fundraising gala. The guest of honor was Princess Margaret, who laughed heartily at the barbs directed at her, as did many other British theatrical, political and social leaders when it came their turn to be zinged. Afterward, the Princess invited Rickles and his wife to her table so that they could become better acquainted. The British press for days afterwards headlined what Rickles said and did.

Another TV appearance of note came in 1984 when Rickles received one of the highest honors an entertainer can be afforded. He was invited by President Reagan to perform at the televised Inaugural Gala, where he poked fun at the President, the Vice President and other dignitaries gathered for the occasion.

Over the course of his career, Rickles has received numerous accolades and awards, including Caesar’s Palace’s first-ever Laurel Award and the U.S. Comedy & Arts Festival’s 2007 Pinnacle Award, acknowledging his body of work. In April 2009, TV Land honored him with the “Legend Award.”

Rickles was born in New York City. As a teenager, he performed in high school plays and at neighborhood dances before starting to work in small nightclubs. His “insult” style of comedy evolved naturally. Two years after his discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1946, he was working in nightclubs. Never a great joke teller in the traditional sense, Rickles suddenly found himself talking directly to the audience and throwing off-the-cuff lines at them. The laughs came and the rest, as they say, is history.

Rickles is also well known for his many charitable involvements. Among his proudest moments was the dedication on February 7, 1982 of the Barbara and Don Rickles Gymnasium at Sinai Temple in West Los Angeles. The gymnasium was built with funds raised by Rickles and many of his star friends during a special performance at the Ahmanson Theater in the Los Angeles Music Center.

Rickles and his wife, Barbara, live in the Los Angeles area. They have a daughter, Mindy, a son, Lawrence, and two grandchildren.
Jim Varney (Slinky Dog, “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2”)

provided the easygoing country drawl for this flexible fellow. Always ready to spring into action, Woody’s loyal puppy pal is the first to volunteer for Buzz’s rescue mission. After all, his friendship with Woody stretches back a long time.

Varney began entertaining at a young age because his remarkable ability to memorize poems and entire passages from books delighted his family. It was not a surprise when just prior to graduating high school, Varney was offered an acting apprenticeship by the prestigious Barter Theater, a nationally acclaimed professional company whose former players included Helen Hayes, the Barrymores and Gregory Peck. He did later earn his G.E.D. though. At age 18 he left for New York City to seek fame and fortune, and spent time performing stand-up comedy at clubs and playing a variety of featured roles in dinner theater productions.

In the early 1970s, he auditioned for a local commercial and won the part of “Sgt. Glory,” a character created by the Nashville-based Carden & Cherry Advertising Agency. The series of commercials that followed proved to be extraordinarily popular and ran for almost five years in Tennessee. Varney continued to pitch spots and work the comedy club circuit. Then in 1980 he got another call from Carden & Cherry Advertising. This time they wanted him for a new character—Ernest P. (for Powertool) Worrell. The public’s response to this characterization was immediate and positive. Before long, Ernest became a pitchman for everything from dairy products, soft drinks and car dealerships.

His major motion picture breakthrough came in 1987 when he starred in Touchstone Pictures’ “Ernest Goes to Camp.” He went on to star in the successful sequels, “Ernest Saves Christmas,” “Ernest Goes to Jail,” and “Ernest Scared Stupid.” He also appeared in “Daddy and Them” and provided the voice of Jebidiah Allardyce ‘Cookie’ Farnsworth in Walt Disney Pictures’ “Atlantis: The Lost Empire.”

Varney won an Emmy Award^® for his television series “Hey Vern, It’s Ernest!” In 1992, the Tennessee State Senate honored Varney for his outstanding contributions to the State, particularly to children’s charities.

The actor passed away in 2000.
WALLACE SHAWN (Rex, “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2”) is one of the film industry’s most recognizable character actors with a long list of movie and television credits. He has appeared in more than 50 films in a career that began, and continues, as a writer. Shawn, a New York City native, was once a schoolteacher who taught Latin and drama in New York and English in India. A lifelong writer whose playwriting career began in 1967, Shawn translated Machiavelli’s play “The Mandrake” for a Joseph Papp production in 1977 and was asked by the director to appear in it, marking his acting debut. Since then, he has appeared in “Uncle Vanya,” “Carmilla” and many other plays.

In 2005, Shawn co-starred opposite Ethan Hawke in the enormously successful Off-Broadway run of David Rabe’s “Hurlyburly.” In 2007, he starred in an Off-Broadway production of his play “The Fever.”

The National Theater in London produced Shawn’s “The Designated Mourner,” featuring Mike Nichols and Miranda Richardson. Those two stars reprised their roles in the BBC Films adaptation released to critical acclaim in the summer of 1997. Shawn’s play “The Fever” was produced as a cable film for HBO starring Vanessa Redgrave, which premiered in 2007. His play “Marie and Bruce” was produced as a feature film starring Matthew Broderick and Julianne Moore. Other playwriting credits include “Aunt Dan and Lemon.”

In the spring of 2006, Shawn had two plays open in New York: Off Broadway was “The Music Teacher,” an operatic play co-written with composer brother Allen Shawn, and on Broadway, his translation of Bertolt Brecht’s “Threepenny Opera,” which was staged with stars Alan Cumming and Cyndi Lauper.

Shawn’s most recent play, “Grasses of a Thousand Colors,” premiered in the summer of 2009 at the Royal Court Theatre in London, starring himself, Jennifer Tilly and Miranda Richardson. This original production was the centerpiece of the theater’s yearlong celebration of Shawn’s work, during which all of his plays were performed.

Casting director Juliet Taylor saw Shawn in “The Mandrake,” then recommended and ultimately cast him in Woody Allen’s “Manhattan.” Allen later used Shawn in “Radio Days,” “Shadows and Fog,” “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion” and “Melinda and Melinda.” He also appeared in four films by Louis Malle: “Vanya on 42nd Street,” “My Dinner with Andre,” “Atlantic City” and “Crackers.”

Shawn was seen in Amy Heckerling’s “Clueless,” Rob Reiner’s “The Princess Bride,” Blake Edwards’ “Mickey and Maude,” Stephen Frears’ “Prick Up Your Ears,” James Ivory’s “The Bostonians” and Rebecca Miller’s “Personal Velocity.” Other film credits include “The Haunted Mansion,” “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl,” “My Favorite Martian,” “Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills,” “The Hotel New Hampshire” and “The Moderns.”

In addition to having a very recognizable face, Shawn has a distinctive voice that he’s lent to roles in the animated feature films “The Incredibles,” “The Goofy Movie” and “Teacher’s Pet” as well as the animated television series “Family Guy.”

Shawn has appeared regularly on such highly regarded television series as “Murphy Brown,” “The Cosby Show” and “Taxi,” along with special appearances on “Desperate Housewives,” “Sex and the City” and “Ally McBeal.” He’s played recurring roles on “The L Word,” “Gossip Girl,” “Crossing Jordan,” “Clueless” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” Shawn’s movies made for television include “Monte Walsh,” starring Tom Selleck; “Mr. St. Nick,” starring Kelsey Grammer; and “Blonde,” with Poppy Montgomery playing the legendary Marilyn Monroe.
JOHN RATZENBERGER (Hamm, “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2”) was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and as a masterful improvisational actor gained international fame in the role of Cliff Clavin on the NBC phenomenon “Cheers.” During more than three decades of moviemaking and theater, Ratzenberger has enjoyed success as a screenwriter, director, producer and multi Emmy^®-nominated actor. He is also an accomplished entrepreneur and longtime philanthropist.

His career began in earnest in the early 1970s when he formed the improvisational theatre duo “Sal’s Meat Market,” which performed to standing-room-only crowds throughout Europe for 634 straight performances.

In between his theater touring in Europe, Ratzenberger was a producer and screenwriter for the BBC, Royal Court Theater, Hampstead Theater Club, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and Granada TV. Projects he wrote include “Five Minutes in America,” “The Golden Dreamboat,” “Friends in Space,” “Crown Court” and “Winner Take All.”

On the silver screen, his first motion picture role was in the Golden Globe^®-nominated film “The Ritz” (1976), directed by Richard Lester and starring Rita Moreno and Jack Weston. He went on to appear in over 22 major motion pictures over the next few years, including “Gandhi” and “The Empire Strikes Back.” He also starred in the Granada TV series “Small World.”

In all, Ratzenberger has acted in 38 major motion pictures, including “Determination of Death,” “Superman,” “Superman II,” “One Night Stand,” “Tick Tock,” “That Darn Cat,” “She’s Having a Baby,” “Protocol,” “The Falcon and the Snowman,” “Ragtime,” “Reds,” “Outland,” “Yanks” and “A Bridge Too Far.”

In 1982, Ratzenberger accepted a writing assignment for CBS in Los Angeles. On the day he was scheduled to return to London, he auditioned for a role on the upcoming series “Cheers.” At the time of his audition, the character of the postal carrier did not exist. “Do you have a bar know-it-all?” he asked the series’ creators. They didn’t know what that meant, so the actor gave them five hilarious minutes of improv. They loved what they saw and thus was born the lovable mailman and trivia king Cliff Clavin, now an American icon.

In the history of television, only a handful of series have achieved the worldwide success of “Cheers,” on which Ratzenberger portrayed Cliff for the show’s entire 11-year run. To this day, thanks to daily syndication, Cliff continues as one of America’s most loved characters.

As one of Hollywood’s most versatile vocal talents, Ratzenberger is the only actor to voice a role in all of the Pixar films: P.T. Flea, the excitable circus ringmaster in “A Bug’s Life”; the lovable snow monster Yeti in “Monsters, Inc.”; the ever-changing school of Moonfish in “Finding Nemo”; the philosophical character Underminer in “The Incredibles”; Mack the truck in “Cars”; Mustafa, headwaiter in “Ratatouille”; John, a human in “WALL•E”; and the construction worker in “Up.”

Ratzenberger has appeared in numerous TV movies, including a starring role as miner Tom Foy in “The Pennsylvania Miners’ Story” and roles in “A Fare to Remember,” AMC’s award-winning “Remember Wenn,” and “How I Spent My Summer,” “Going to the Chapel,” “Combat Academy,” “Under Pressure,” “Timestalkers,” PBS Masterpiece Theatre’s “The Good Soldier” and the BBC’s “Song of a Sourdough” and “The Detectives.”

Ratzenberger has guest-starred on a variety of series, including “8 Simple Rules … for Dating My Teenage Daughter,” “That ’70s Show,” “Touched By an Angel,” “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “Caroline in the City,” “Sister, Sister,” “Murphy Brown,” “The Love Boat,” “Magnum P.I.” and “Hill Street Blues.”

He portrayed Cliff Clavin in a guest spot on “Frasier,” in eight NBC specials as well as “The Simpsons,” “Blossom,” “Wings,” “The Tortellis” and “St. Elsewhere.”

Ratzenberger executive produced and created “The World’s Most Incredible Animal Rescues.” He integrated life and art in Home and Garden TV’s series “American Hobbies and Pastimes with John Ratzenberger,” serving as host, creator and executive producer. One of the first reality shows, it gave an adventurous look at unusual hobbies while visiting with “regular” Americans in their homes. He also created, executive produced and starred in Fox’s situation comedy pilot “Locals.” Ratzenberger executive produced the series “And Now You Know,” in which he focused his camera on “people who know how to fix things.”

Ratzenberger continues to direct, produce and write. He currently heads up his own production company, Fiddlers Bay Productions, located in Los Angeles. He has directed more than 50 episodes of various series, including multiple episodes of “Cheers,” “Down Home,” “Madman of the People,” “Pearl” and “Sister, Sister.” Ratzenberger also directed single episodes of “Evening Shade” and “Sydney.”

The actor enjoyed a great run on “Dancing with the Stars” during the spring of 2007. He continues to dance when he can, but has given up his dreams of becoming a professional ballroom competitor!

Ratzenberger wrote “We’ve Got It Made in America: A Common Man’s Salute to an Uncommon Country.” His philosophy—“Wake up in the morning, put your hand to something useful, and take care of yourself and your family”—is at the heart of each selection in the book. It’s a collection of essays and remembrances that come from his years on the road, visiting factory towns throughout the country for “John Ratzenberger’s Made in America.” In 2004, Ratzenberger began starring in this Travel Channel series, which was an immediate hit. He created the show to bring viewers the stories of the best products made in the U.S.A. It honors American men and women who invent and build the goods that are the backbone of our economy. The series reached a milestone in television with the launch of its fifth and final season in 2008.

In his latest live-action feature film, “Village Barbershop,” written and directed by Chris Ford, Ratzenberger stars as a barber who has given up on life, but then meets a young cocktail waitress who rekindles his desire to live.

Through his charity, Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs Foundation, Ratzenberger has committed his resources to introducing America’s youth to the pleasures of “tinkering,” getting away from their video games and TV sets and into the backyard to build things. The goal is to create the next generation of artisans, inventors, engineers, repairmen and skilled workers—in short, a self-sufficient, self-sustaining society. His tag line has become “Little hands build big dreams. Give children tools and watch them build America.”

Nuts and Bolts recently merged with the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association of America, which works on multi-level platforms to promote American manufacturing, including grants and scholarships to nonprofits that provide day or overnight camps to children who want to learn the manual arts.

Ratzenberger is an outspoken advocate for American-made products and the companies that keep Americans working. In 2007, he embarked on a year-long commitment with the Association for American Manufacturing and U.S. Steelworkers to create a Presidential Town Hall Tour. The Town Hall series brought attention to issues that American voters were demanding to hear about—a real commitment from presidential candidates to ensure a strong manufacturing industry. During the town hall events, Ratzenberger encouraged voters to ask the presidential candidates what specific policies they would enact to strengthen the American manufacturing base, which he sees as vital to the nation’s economic and national security.

That same year, the actor was invited to address Congress and its Manufacturing Caucus, for which he prepared his oft-quoted speech “The Industrial Tsunami Heading Our Way.” He continues to work with politicians on both sides of the aisle to ensure that the American manufacturing industry has a voice in Washington.

During his free time, Ratzenberger is an avid sailor, fisherman and billiards player. He enjoys international travel, fencing and collecting antiques. He plays the drums and belongs to a bagpipe band, as part of the Emerald Society. Sports such as karate, yoga and skeet shooting keep him active. He has one son and one daughter and lives outside of Los Angeles, but spends as much time as possible on his boat, cruising up and down the East Coast.
Annie Potts (Bo Peep, “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2”), widely known for her role as Mary Jo Shively on “Designing Women,” has starred in many television shows and series, including “Two and a Half Men,” “Any Day Now,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Ugly Betty,” “Joan of Arcadia,” “Boston Legal,” “Men In Trees,” “Huff,” “Dangerous Minds” and “Love and War.”

Her film credits include Larry McMurty’s “Texasville,” “Ghostbusters,” “Pretty in Pink,” “Who’s Harry Crumb?” and of course “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.”

The actress won three Emmy Awards^® for her role as Jackie Harris on the television series “Roseanne.” She was recently nominated again for her work on “Desperate Housewives.” Film credits include “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “Leaving Las Vegas,” “Bulworth,” “JFK,” “Internal Affairs” and “Uncle Buck.”

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ESTELLE HARRIS (Mrs. Potato Head, “Toy Story 2”) is best known as George Costanza’s cranky mother on the popular sitcom “Seinfeld.” She is also a highly respected theater actor, which is how she got her start. Harris began her professional career in the early 1970s performing in dinner theatres while she and her husband, Sy, were raising their children in Long Island, New York. Her vitality, perseverance and talent paid off, and she started doing numerous television commercials while continuing to sharpen her skills in theaters all over the country.

Her critically acclaimed stints as Lola in “Come Back Little Sheba,” Miss Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls,” Mrs. Strakosh in “Funny Girl” and Yente in “Fiddler on the Roof” led to a bicoastal career in the mid-1980s that furthered her progress in television and films. She played Easy Mary in “Night Court” and appeared on several other TV shows including “Married with Children” and “Mad About You.”

In 1993, Harris auditioned for the part of George Costanza’s mother in “Seinfeld” and was immediately hired. Her first appearance was in the infamous Emmy Award^®-winning episode entitled “The Contest,” which made her an immediate hit. Harris was soon paired up with Jerry Stiller and went on to become one of the most hilarious mothers on television.

Harris recently acquired a whole new fan base of children when she played the recurring character Muriel on “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” She has also been seen in television series such as “The Parkers,” “Half and Half,” “Cybill,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Moesha,” “Providence” and “ER.”

On the feature film side, Harris starred in the mockumentary “The Grand,” starring Woody Harrelson and Dennis Farina; “Good Advice,” opposite Charlie Sheen and Angie Harmon; “What’s Cooking,” with Alfre Woodard, Julianna Margulies and Mercedes Ruehl; and “Playing Mona Lisa,” with Elliot Gould and Marlo Thomas. She’s been seen in television movies such as Showtime’s “Fallen Angels,” directed by Peter Bogdonavich, and “The West Side Waltz,” co-starring Shirley MacLaine, Liza Minnelli and Kathy Bates.

Other feature film credits include “Out to Sea,” “Odd Couple 2,” “Lost and Found,” “My Giant,” “Once Upon a Time in America,” “Stand & Deliver,” “This Is Your Life,” “Perfect Alibi” and “Addams Family Reunion.” Her distinctive voice has also brought Harris considerable success in animated films such as “Brother Bear,” “Tarzan 2,” “Teacher’s Pet” and “Home on the Range.” She’s been heard on many cartoon series and specials, including “Dave the Barbarian,” “The Proud Family” and “Kim Possible.”

On stage, Harris recently appeared in “Pippin” and “The Vagina Monologues” in Los Angeles. She recently completed a production of “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” which was recorded and will be syndicated on National Public Radio. Her Off-Broadway credits include “Enter Laughing” and “The Prisoner of Second Avenue.”

Raised in a small coal-mining town in Pennsylvania, Harris has been married for more than 40 years. She is the proud mother of three and has three grandchildren, all boys. She enjoys “garage sale-ing” and adores her dogs, ZsaZsa and Valentino.

Ermey served 11 years’ active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. He rose to the rank of staff NCO, served two years as a drill instructor and a tour of duty in Vietnam. Medically retired in 1971, he used his G.I. Bill benefits and enrolled at the University of Manila in the Philippines, where he studied drama. Francis Ford Coppola was filming “Apocalypse Now” in the area and cast Ermey in a featured role. He has since gone on to star or appear in approximately 60 films.

Ermey is no stranger to prestigious television, either. He has starred in numerous telefilms including HBO’s “Weapons of Mass Distraction,” TNT’s “The Rough Riders” and “You Know My Name,” starring Sam Elliot, as well as Showtime’s “The Apartment Complex.”

Ermey co-starred in the feature “Saving Silverman” with Jason Biggs, Jack Black, Steve Zahn and Amanda Peet. He appeared opposite Jeff Bridges in “Scenes of the Crime” and Harvey Keitel in “Taking Sides.” Ermey appeared in “Run Ronnie Run” and was seen in the remake of “Willard” with Crispin Glover. He starred in both the remake of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and its prequel “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning,” playing his now-infamous character, Sheriff Hoyt. More recently, Ermey appears in the feature film “Solstice.”

The actor has a primetime cartoon in development about a banished drill instructor who moves to San Francisco with his liberal family for a new job as a Marine recruiter. Ermey plays the drill instructor, who is a modern-day Archie Bunker type. Ermey also hosts his own History Channel show, “Mail Call,” which focuses on military technology past, present and future, and recently completed its 100th episode. He is now working on a new show for the History Channel called “Lock ’N Load with R. Lee Ermey.”
JODI BENSON (Barbie, “Toy Story 2”) has given voice to immortal characters in such animated classics as “The Little Mermaid” and “Thumbelina,” playing the title role in each. Her film credits include “Enchanted,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Lady and the Tramp II,” “Flubber” and “101 Dalmations II.” She has voiced characters in major video games such as “Kingdom Hearts,” “Onimusha 3” and “A Bug’s Life.”

On stage, Benson played Polly Baker in “Crazy for You,” receiving a Tony Award^® nomination for Best Actress. Other major theatrical credits include “Smile,” “Welcome to the Club” and “Marilyn: An American Fable.”

On the small screen, Benson has lent her vocal talents to such animated series as “Batman Beyond,” “Grim & Evil,” “Camp Lazlo,” “The Wild Thornberrys” and “Hercules.”