– The outdoor scenes shot in New York City feature real people so many of the reactions you see are genuine! – In fact, several minor traffic accidents occurred when Will Ferrell walked through the Lincoln Tunnel in his costume, because people were so surprised and distracted to see a grown man wearing an elf outfit.

What notable scene in Elf was unscripted?

Some of Buddy's most iconic lines—"You smell like beef and cheese!" and "You sit on a throne of lies!"—were improvised by Ferrell in the moment. 16. The big fight scene between Buddy and the fake Santa, played by comedian Artie Lange, was filmed in one take because it took the art department weeks to decorate Gimbels.

Were the people on the street in Elf actors?

All of the scenes were “real,” everything from Ferrell walking through traffic to interacting with people on the street.

Why didn't they use Macy's in Elf?

As Favreau revealed to ABC News, the Elf team asked Macy's if they could use the store for the movie, but Macy's declined. He told the publication: "Because we're using a Santa, of course, everybody thinks Macy's. "But Macy's didn't like the idea that there was a fake Santa working there.

Was the Empire State Building in Elf?

ESB Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of 'Elf'

The beloved Christmas comedy features Buddy the Elf, who in the famous 2003 film travels to meet his father at his office in the Empire State Building.

How They Made Elf | The Holiday Movies That Made Us

Was Elf actually filmed in New York?

Buddy at the North Pole scene in Elf

Interestingly, while the movie is set in New York City and the North Pole, many interior shots were filmed in an abandoned mental hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Riverview Hospital, located in Coquitlam, east of Vancouver, served as the backdrop for these scenes.

Was Elf filmed at Macy's?

Fun fact: Producers wanted to feature the famous Macy's 34th street location, the largest store in the world, but Macy's refused to have their name used. So they settled on Gimbels, a now defunct NY department store–the exterior was shot at 5th Avenue and E 30th St and decorated with CGI.

What replaced Gimbels in NYC?

The mall replaced the former flagship store of the Gimbels department store chain, which operated from 1910 to 1986. It opened in 1989 as a shopping center called A&S Plaza and was rebranded Manhattan Mall in 1995.

Is Gimbels still in New York City?

Gimbels, where Buddy (the elf the movie is about) works, used to be a real department store in NYC, but it closed in the '80s; the Textile Building was used as the exterior of Gimbels in the movie instead.

When did Gimbels close in NYC?

Due to such easy access, by the time Gimbels closed in 1986, this store had the highest rate of "shrinkage", or shoplifting losses, in the world. Doors also opened to a pedestrian passage under 32nd Street, connecting Penn Station to the 34th Street (New York City Subway) and 33rd Street (PATH) stations.

What actor turned down the role of Elf?

Jim Carrey as Buddy the Elf in Elf. The script for Elf was first written in 1993, and at the time, Carrey was attached to star in it. However, the movie did not immediately go into production, and by the time it did in 2003, Carrey was no longer interested in the role.

How much did Will Ferrell get paid for Elf?

Elf was Will Ferrell's second box office hit. He reportedly received a whopping salary of $17 million for that film alone, more on par with what his talents would dictate in the mid-2000s. He was allegedly offered $29 million to act in an Elf sequel, but couldn't get his heart into it, so he turned it down.

Who was the first choice actor for Elf?

Jim Carrey was reportedly the first choice to play Buddy

Though it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Buddy, Ferrell wasn't the first choice for the titular character. When the script for the movie first emerged in 1993, Jim Carrey was attached to star, per Vulture.

How old was Will Ferrell when he filmed Elf?

This actually makes Buddy a fair amount younger than Will Ferrell himself, who was 35 years old at the time of Elf's filming, and 36 when the movie was released to theaters.

Was the guy in the elevator in Elf an actor?

Elf (2003) - John Murray as Man in Elevator - IMDb.

Why did Gimbels close down?

By 1986, Batus Inc the company that had bought Gimbels couldn't find a buyer. The only value Gimbels had was it's real estate. Department stores are a brutal business to be. In an earlier era, it made sense to go to a store that sold everything.

Was Gimbels across the street from Macy's?

Gimbel relocated to Milwaukee in 1887 and rapidly expanded his operations, acquiring the Granville Haines store in Philadelphia in 1894 and opening what would ultimately become his flagship store on Herald Square across from Macy's in 1910.

When was Elf filmed in New York?

Filming. Principal photography began on December 9, 2002, and wrapped on March 7, 2003. Filming took place in New York City, as well as in Vancouver and at Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Are there still Gimbels stores?

By the late 1980s, all of the Gimbel's stores were shuttered, representing the end of a retail empire. BAT later got out of the retail business, and today Saks Fifth Avenue continues as a major retailer, owned by Canada's big retailer Hudson's Bay Company, the oldest company in North America (founded in 1670).

Is Gimbels in Elf a real store?

Warner Bros. When the security guards at Walter's office throw Buddy out, they suggest he go back to Santaland at Gimbels. The highly festive store is heavily featured throughout the rest of "Elf," but viewers may not have realized that Gimbels was a real department store in New York City that closed in 1986.

Who bought out Gimbels?

Gimbels was acquired in 1973 by Brown & Williamson, the American subsidiary of British-American Tobacco , a diversified conglomerate. Brown & Williamson also owned Marshall Field's (purchased in 1982), Frederick & Nelson , The Crescent stores, and Kohl's (purchased in 1972).

Were the people in NYC in Elf actors?

– The outdoor scenes shot in New York City feature real people so many of the reactions you see are genuine! – In fact, several minor traffic accidents occurred when Will Ferrell walked through the Lincoln Tunnel in his costume, because people were so surprised and distracted to see a grown man wearing an elf outfit.

What toy store was Elf filmed in?

'Gimbels Dept Store', where Buddy redecorates the toy department overnight, is the Textile Building, 295 5th Avenue at the northeast corner of East 30th Street, embellished with CGI. Gimbels was a real department store chain – at one point the largest in the USA – until its stores closed in 1987.