An Interview with Actor Daniel Roebuck
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(c) Disney

LP: I know you're a big Disney fan, is this a project you really wanted to do? How did this come about?

DR: Well like many things, they're presented to me, I go meet on them, sometimes read, sometimes not. In this one I think everybody was in Canada so they just videotaped an audition and - I've been trying for years to get a Disney - the only Disney thing I've ever done was Disorganized Crime [released by Touchstone]. And although that does have me mentioned in Disney A to Z, and what more could somebody want, I've been waiting patiently - or not too patiently - to do something else for the organization. This was a really nice opportunity. And my kids have the Disney Channel on all the time and it's nice to know that this is the kind of movie that families can watch which I don't generally get to make. This is a movie where parents can sit down with their kids, no one will be offended and it's a good time. That's how I got in it. I just also completed another Touchstone film called Double Take so know I've got two recent Disney projects.

LP: Is it something you're especially proud of?

DR: Well sure. Anytime I get to work, that's a good thing. George Gallo wrote and directed this movie [Double Take]. He wrote Midnight Run which I've been quoting for years - what a talent and a funny guy, a guy who knows movies. One night he was reciting War of the Worlds - every line, every special effect, every shot - so that'll be out in January on the big screen. Sure I'm proud of it - I'm glad that at the end of the day I can say I'm part of this. It's funny, ya know, they have such a reputation for paying so little and ya know, which may be true actually (laughs), but it's something I still wanted to do

LP: Working on a Disney production, is there a sense you're doing something for Disney or is it pretty much like any other shoot?

DR: Well that depends. For the Disney Channel there was clearly a sense that we were doing something unique and something, ya know, that had to live within a particular parameter so the humor had to be a certain way and the story a certain way. One would say cookie-cutter. But I see the movies, I've seen some of the skateboard movie and some of the surfer movie and some of the rollerblade movie and this isn't that exactly. It's as much or more about the relationship with the family as it is about the other kids. So it lets you know you're doing something you can be proud of and I can finally tell the nuns who taught me for 12 years they can watch me in something other than Matlock. Because, you know, "sister, yes. I just did a movie called Stir. Well I'm in bed with Traci Lords, maybe you shouldn't see that one. Or I did River's Edge. Oh no, I killed a girl, maybe you shouldn't see that one. And I'm sitting next to her naked corpse on the river, maybe that's not the right one for you sisters to see." Even way back when I did a film called Project X and I was so happy, it was a nice family movie, and the director goes "here read this Penthouse." So in the whole scene I'm holding a Penthouse. I know the nuns are just wearing their fingers off praying rosaries for me. So there was a sense. As for the other movie (Double Take) - not really. It just happened to be Touchstone.

LP: I've seen you around Disneyland many times.

DR: Yeah, it's pathetic, isn't it?

LP: Are you just another Annual Passholder? Are you big on collecting? What is your personal interest in Disney?

DR: Well, ya know, it's so funny, because when you're there, aren't you afraid to mention you're a Passholder sometimes?

LP: To an extent, yes.

DR: To an extent. Like if you have a question, or especially a complaint, you never want to say you're a Passholder because they just put that in the looney bin file. We all know it's true, let's not even pretend it doesn't happen. You know how it came about, me being a Disney fanatic? I used to go to Disneyland - this was the old Dan Roebuck - I'd go to Disneyland and I would - we're going to be there when it opens, we're going to be there at 8am. we'll be done by 3, and we would. We'd bring people from out of town, we'd be there from 8-3 and beat the traffic. And I'm so stupid because I thought I was so smart. And one day when our daughter was born, all I wanted was a nice ice cream cone at a nice ice cream cone shop, not a 31 Flavors. I just  wanted something a little unique. And we drove all around Burbank and all around Valencia and we couldn't find one. So I  said that's it, we're going to down to Disneyland. Then once we went down there we realized - you know what it is for me? It's a fun family time. Although I sometimes need to take a phone and deal with a little business, generally it's just me and Kelly and the kids, Grace and Buster, having a good time. I do collect - cause you'll see me at Disney shows too - I do collect the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean specifically. Those rides make me happy. But that is kind of a sideline to the collection I've had since I was a kid, monster movie memorabilia.

LP: So that's your real passion?

DR: That's my passion, yeah, But there's certainly a big space in the cases where the Haunted Mansion and Pirates stuff will go too.