How 'Toy Story 4' Brought Back Mr. Potato Head After Don Rickles' Death
By TheBlast Staff on June 20, 2019 at 7:17 AM EDT
Disney
Though Don Rickles died in 2017, he will still be heard as the cantankerous Mr. Potato Head in the upcoming Disney Pixar movie, Toy Story 4. There's a fun, sweet story behind this development.
Los Angeles Times reports that editors gathered up 20 years of Don Rickles' voice files and extra scenes from movies, TV, theme parks and more, and catalogued all of it to make sure they didn't miss anything.
đ˝ď¸ #ToyStory4 is keeping Don Ricklesâ legacy alive, 2 years after his death.
The Mr. Potato Head actor agreed to join the 4th movie before he passed away in April 2017 at age 90 https://t.co/JruifBdMVC
â LAT Entertainment (@latimesent) June 19, 2019
Then director Josh Cooley worked with the screenwriters to create lines for Mr. Potato Head that would be compatible with the voice sessions they already had.
When the #ToyStory4 team asked Don Rickles' family if they wanted him to be included posthumously, they were honored.
âHe always said, âKeep my name alive. Let them know who I am.â So he would be thrilled by all of this,â said his daughter @MindyRickles. https://t.co/CZuau2fgOu pic.twitter.com/29bway0WMm
â LAT Entertainment (@latimesent) June 19, 2019
According to Cooley, the editorial team âlogged every word, every cough, every hum, just so weâd know what we had.â
Director @JoshCooley collaborated with writers @AndrewStanton and @StephanyFolsom to write general lines for Mr. Potato Head. Then, they searched the archives for the best fit.
Some that made the cut for #ToyStory4:
âYou got to be kidding me"
âI knew it"
âHey, watch it, buddy" pic.twitter.com/lg3YU9uF5yâ LAT Entertainment (@latimesent) June 19, 2019
Los Angles Times says a couple of lines Toy Story fans will hear in this fourth installment are "You got to be kidding me" and "I knew it."
But the process was far from easy.
Bit by bit, an editorial team mined more than 2 decadesâ worth of Don Ricklesâ voice sessions and outtakes recorded for movies, shorts, theme parks, toys and other projects. https://t.co/CZuau2fgOu #ToyStory4 pic.twitter.com/AxvyZ6JsuB
â LAT Entertainment (@latimesent) June 19, 2019