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Santa Ana Zoo stars in new Disney movie, ‘Old Dogs’
November 20th, 2009, 9:03 am · 16 Comments · posted by Doug Irving
Actors John Travolta, center, and Robin Williams, right, talk with New York Mets Shawn Green while filming the movie 'Old Dogs' at Shea Stadium before the Mets play the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday, July 26, 2007 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
This is a story about a handful of penguins, a giant gorilla head, the Santa Ana Zoo and the new Disney movie, “Old Dogs,” which opens next week.
You may have seen commercial trailers for the movie. They show stars Robin Williams and John Travolta sneaking into a zoo … a very familiar zoo. They also show actor Seth Green cradled in the lap of a gorilla, but we’ll get to that.
The scenes were filmed last summer at the Santa Ana Zoo. Set workers changed the sign at the front entrance to make it the “Burlington Zoo” and transformed an exhibit that usually houses howler monkeys into a gorilla enclosure.
They also brought in three or four live penguins and turned the zoo’s Tierra de las Pampas exhibit into a penguin-perfect snow scene.
And that gorilla holding Seth Green in the commercials?
Hollywood magic. Zoo employees got used to seeing its animatronic head and other parts lying around between shoots. A few also saw it in action – flinging a tire at stunt doubles for the lead actors.
Cathi Decker, the executive director of the Friends of the Santa Ana Zoo, chatted with Robin Williams for a few moments at a goat paddock during the filming. He joked that he liked the goats so much he might take one home, she said.
“He’s just like he is on camera,” she said. “He is really entertaining, all the time. Such a nice guy.”
The filming shut down the zoo for four days. The production company paid about $13,000 to compensate the zoo for lost ticket revenue, concessions, staff overtime and security.
The zoo also received some Frisbees, t-shirts and other promotional tie-ins that it will be giving away in the coming days.
The movie tells the story of two friends and business partners whose lives are turned upside-down when they find themselves caring for two 7-year-old twins, according to the film site imdb.com. It is scheduled to open Nov. 25.
Click here for the official movie site.
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13K????????????? Disney should have paid more!!!!! This movie will make alot of money! It could have helped give the S.A. Zoo a facelift
I hope they gave credit at the end of the movie for the Santa Ana Zoo.
Movie credits always list locations. It’s one of the reasons I usually stay.
$13,000 to shut the zoo down for FOUR days? Sheesh! What a bargain.
I completely agree with Stephanie!! The zoo could use a few more animals as well.
SAZOO is limited by space and contract as to what animals it can have and then there is the 51 monkey rule. But, $13, 000 a day? What moron thought that was a suitable stipend for use of the Zoo by a major player in film production? The conversation was likely; ‘Hey lets use SAZOO I know a monkey there and he says we can get off cheap.’ Less than $25,000 a day would be highway robbery at best, but $13, 000 for four days is just plain ‘ol GRAND THEFT!!!
Not $13,000 a DAY - $13,000 for the four days! I agree - what a rip off for the santa ana zoo!
We haven’t seen the movie yet, so we only know that the zoo is heavily featured in the trailer. If they only filmed there for 4 days, it’s NOT the star of the movie. Also, the zoo signed the contract. They received an amount that was agreed upon. Not everything is scandal.
I like pickles on my sandwiches!!!!
“I like pickles in my mouth!”
Just finishing the declaration for you, mike. You missed that part.
“…Cathi Decker, the executive director of the Friends of the Santa Ana Zoo, chatted with Robbin Williams ”
Robbin?
“Editor! Copy check!” Oh, I forgot, the OC Register editing went to India.
We should be happy that they even picked SA ZOO… That is extra money that they would have never had. Come on do you really think the Zoo makes 13k in 4 days.
I do agree it is not the main focus of the movie. I do agree it is probably more then the zoo makes in 4 days. But lets face the facts Disney picks these little hole in the wall places to get a great price. They could have paid more or left the sign Santa Ana Zoo in the movie. THAT woud have been priceless 2 a long time resident.
Call me dumb.. but I really dont get it… got used to what, NO I am not making fun of any editing… I really dont get it… WHAT???? I know when someone breaks it down for me Im gonna laugh.
And that gorilla holding Seth Green in the commercials?
Hollywood magic. Zoo employees got used to seeing its animatronic head and other parts lying around between shoots. A few also saw it in action – flinging a tire at stunt doubles for the lead actors.
hahahahahah santa ana zooo wow i just went there yesterday
The Santa Ana Zoo is not a premier zoo. If Disney wanted the San Diego Zoo..they would need to pay twice what they paid Santa Ana.