Fred the Ostrich & His Friends Take Manhattan

Fred the Ostrich & Friends Take Manhattan is a 2014 animated musical-comedy film directed by voice actor Tara Strong. It is the third of a series of animated musical feature films starring Fred the Ostrich and the gang. The film was produced by Sony Pictures and was on August 26, 2014. It is, in fact, the first movie to be directed by Tara Strong (Julie's voice actor, who has also voiced Batgirl, Twilight Sparkle, Ember McLain, Star, Spectra, Timmy Turner, Princess Clara, Toot Braunstein...). Danny Fenton and Sam Manson of Danny Phantom and Owen of Total Drama make an uncredited cameo in this film, and each have a line of dialogue. All the songs and lyrics were originally written for 1984's "Muppets Take Manhattan" by Jeff Moss, and later recycled for this movie. It was rated PG.

Plot[]

As the film opens, Fred, Julie Simpson, and their friends are graduating from college and are performing in a variety show, Manhattan, on campus ("Together Again"). Fred believes that there is "something missing" from the script, but his friends suggest that the group take the show to Broadway. Julie, in particular, hopes to make enough money to marry Fred as he has promised. Fred and the others are so confident in the show that they anticipate on becoming instant stars. First they start with New York producer Martin Price who at first seems to be willing to produce the show until he tells them the cost of the show ($300 a piece, which is what he really wants). Just then Martin's secretary Nancy comes in with an elderly woman and two police officers where the elderly woman identifies Price as con artist Murray Plotsky. Plotsky tries to use Clara and Darnold as hostages to get out only to be subdued by Anthromorph and Clara. The gang try other theatrical producers with no success ("You Can't Take No For An Answer").

As the months pass and the group runs out of money, its members are forced to get jobs throughout the United States ("Saying Goodbye"). Fred stays in New York to work on the script and gets a job at a diner befriending the owner Pete and his daughter Samantha, a waitress and aspiring fashion designer. Also working at the restaurant are D'Abruzzo the Squirrel who secures employment for the other squirrels Kazooie, Henderson, Lester, and Veronica. Earlier that night, Fred climbs to the top of the Empire State Building and shouts from the top that he and his friends will soon be on Broadway. Unknown to Fred, Julie also stays behind. Fred later gets letters from some of his friends. Peter Olsen gets a job as a house manager at a Showcase Cinemas movie theater in Randolph, Massachussetts, where he finds the Italian Chef as the popcorn server and Lou Hampshire as a dedicated viewer of a 3D movie. David is unable to find a job so he joins some other ducks for migration within the swamps of Louisiana where he has a hard time surviving. Dr. Tusks and the Generation Society have a gig in St. Paul, Minnesota performing in a polka-themed restaurant.

Fred, Samantha, and D'Abruzzo try to find a way to promote Fred's play. First Fred enters the Winesop Theatrical Agency to see producer Leonard Winesop. Pretending to be a fellow producer, he bluffs his way through an impromptu meeting praising the play, but Winesop later discards the unread script soon after Fred leaves the room. Then Fred tries to get his caricature picture on the wall of other famous people who dined at Sardi's Restaurant, ending up replacing a picture of Daphne Rubin-Vega. The squirrels assist Fred by creating a whispering campaign amongst patrons. However, Rubin-Vega eventually enters and ends up asking the owner why her portrait was taken down. D'Abruzzo and Veronica end up giving themselves away by causing havoc as the other squirrels come out of their hiding place. The owner discovers Rubin-Vega's portrait near the table where Fred was sitting. This causes Fred, his portrait, and the squirrels to be ejected from the restaurant.

While in Central Park, Samantha comforts Fred with his loss in the first two attempts. Julie, jealous of Samantha and Fred's friendship, secretly spies on them before a purse snatcher steals her purse causing her to borrow some rollerblades from a roller-blader. When Julie catches up to the purse snatcher, a police officer arrests him just as Fred and Samantha catch up with her. While Fred and Julie argue about Fred's relationship with Samantha, the roller-blader tries to reclaim his rollerblades from Julie but then allows her to keep them since he never actually uses them. After making amends and taking a ride around Central Park with Fred ("I'm Gonna Always Love You"), Julie also takes a job as a waitress at the same diner as Fred. Fred reads more letters from his friends while Henderson handles a customer (Megan Hilty) that Julie was with and starts flirting with her. The letters from Fred reveal that Darnold and Clara are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin trying to make a successful water act. Ralph is in Charlotte, North Carolina working at an animal sanctuary where the wealthy Mr. Skeffington leaves his red fox for the weekend. Another letter that Fred got was from Bernard Crawford, a Broadway producer who is interested in producing Fred's play.

Fred meets with Ronnie Crawford, the actual writer of the letter, who is willing to fund Manhattan in order to prove himself to his father, Bernard. Despite his doubts, he agrees to help with it. In his excitement over having finally sold the play, Fred fails to notice a "Don't Walk" sign and is hit by a car when making his way back to the restaurant. When Ronnie comes to the diner to bring up his father's approval to Julie, Samantha, and Pete, he, Samantha, and Julie go out to look for him. Pete sends a telegram to the rest of Fred's friends informing them to get to New York as quickly as they can.

David ends up bringing the ducks with him, Darnold brings along some chickens, Ralph brings along all the captive wild animals, Peter brings Italian Chef and Lou Hampshire along, and the Generation Society bring Professor Bunscombe, Sneeker, and Bozark along. Fred awakens in the hospital with no memory of his name, friends, or past. His doctor tells Fred to find a new life for himself. As "Phil", he finds a job at Mad Ave Advertising with fellow ostriches Bill, Gil, and Jill while his friends, Samantha and Ronnie search the city for him ahead of the show's opening at the Biltmore Theater where one of the attempts to find him has Darnold trying to ask the mayor for help.

After Fred visits the diner with the ostriches and plays the Manhattan theme 'Together Again' with a spoon and glasses of water, his friends recognize him. Julie restores his memory by throwing him out of the dressing room and onto the backstage floor on the head after Fred mocks the idea of romance between a human and an ostrich. Fred realizes that what the script needs is more "ostriches and ducks and chickens and animals and whatchamacallit", not less, and adds the cast members' many friends from around the country to the show as supernumeraries.

With the expanded cast and Samantha's costumes, Manhattan is very popular ("Right Where I Belong"/"Somebody's Getting Married"/"Waiting For The Wedding"). On opening night, Julie substitutes a real minister for Darnold in the wedding scene finale where the other characters, more of other characters from The Fred the Ostrich Show, many animals from around the world, many of the characters from Total Drama, some from Danny Phantom, Kim Possible, and American Dragon: Jake Long, and Dr. Heinz Doofensmirtz and Perry the Platypus from Phineas & Ferb attend. Fred is surprised, but willingly says "I do" and he and Julie are happily wed ("He'll Make Me Happy"/"The Ceremony"). Wacky Barry, Gramps, the News Anchorman, George the Rhino, Danny Fenton, Sam Manson, and Owen are in the wedding finale waiting for Fred and Julie to arrive. And as soon as Fred and Julie finally get married, the film ends after the part: "What better way can anything end, hand in hand with a friend."

Voice Cast[]

Jim Ward as Fred the Ostrich
Tara Strong as Julie Simpson
Dee Bradley Baker as David and Anthropomorth
Jeff Bennett as Darnold and The Italian Chef
Tom Kenny as Gil (Ostrich), Clara, and Lou Hampshire
Greg Cipes as Peter Olsen
Kevin Michael Richardson as Ralph and Dr. Tusks
Carlos Alazraqui as Lloyd
James Arnold Taylor as Janet
Phil LaMarr as Scoot
Richard Horvitz as D'Abruzzo the Squirrel
Drew Massey as Ramada
Victor Yerrid as Hilton
Benjamin Diskin as Lester the Squirrel
Mark Hamill as Kazooie the Squirrel
Kate Micucci as Veronica the Squirrel
Rob Paulsen as Bill (Ostrich) and Henderson the Squirrel
Jennifer Hale as Jill (Ostrich)
Cree Summer as Daphne the Duck
Tom Kane as Pete
Mae Whitman as Samantha
Yuri Lowenthal as Ronny Crawford

with

Maurice LaMarche as Martin Price
Rickey D'Shon Collins as the Rollerblader
Chris Edgerly as Mr. Skeffington
Susanne Blakeslee as Julie's Co-Worker Eileen
Kath Soucie as Fred's Doctor
Ed Asner as Bernard Crawford
Daphne Rubin-Vega as Herself
Megan Hilty as Herself
Bill de Blasio as Himself

Additional Voices

Pamela Adlon
Diedrich Bader
Kimberly Brooks
Cathy Cavadini
Danny Cooksey
Keith Ferguson
Jess Harnell
Kelly Hu
Erica Lindbeck
Scott Menville
Candi Milo
Daran Norris
Cristina Pucelli
Jason Spisak
Fred Tatasciore
Alanna Ubach
Kari Wahlgren
Hynden Walch
Patrick Warburton
Billy West

Characters[]

Fred the Ostrich, Julie Simpson, David the Duck, Darnold, Anthropomorth, Dr. Tusks, Lloyd, Janet, Scoot, Ralph the Bear, Peter Olsen, D'Abruzzo the Squirrel, Clara, Hilton, Ramada, Italian Chef, Lou Hampshire, Kazooey Squirrel, Henderson Squirrel, Lester Squirrel, Veronica Squirrel, Daphne Duck, Bill (ostrich), Gil (ostrich), Jill (ostrich), Ducks, Animal Sanctuary Captives, Chickens, Seals, Professor Bunscombe, Sneeker, Bozark

Fred the Ostrich Babies[]

Baby Fred, Baby Julie, Baby David, Baby Donald, Baby Peter, Baby Ralph

Notes[]

The teaser trailer for the film was composed entirely of footage created independently of the film. A breathless announcer describes the excitement and spectacle of Broadway, and the many hopefuls who come to New York seeking stardom. Fred and Julie only make a cameo at the end of the trailer.
Baby Ralph can be seen "operating" on a plush Sam Manson toy during the Fred the Ostrich Babies dream sequence. Behind him, on the shelf is a Perry the Platypus inaction toy from a Phineas and Ferb episode "Toy To The World".
The only Fred the Ostrich Babies who appear in this film are Baby Fred, Baby Julie, Baby David, Baby Donald, Baby Peter, and Baby Ralph. Baby Anthromorph and Baby Petra weren't introduced until Fred the Ostrich Babies.
The names on the labels on most animals at a Charlotte animal shelter are named after their voice actors; for example:
- Jeff, a coyote, is named after Jeff Bennett.
- Jennifer, a kangaroo, is named after Jennifer Hale.
- Kevin, the Nile crocodile, is named after Kevin Michael Richardson.
- Rob, the American beaver, is named after Rob Paulsen.
- Tom, the mandrill, is named after Tom Kenny.
- Keith, the warthog, is named after Keith Ferguson.
- Jess, the Komodo dragon, is named after Jess Harnell.
- Greg, the capybara, is named after Greg Cipes.
- Richard, the binturong, is named after Richard Horvitz.
- Fred, the lion, is named after Fred Tatasciore.
- Jason, the Bengal tiger, is named after Jason Spisak.
- Maurice, the jaguar, is named after Maurice LaMarche.
- Scott, the spider monkey, is named after Scott Menville.
- Danny, the sun bear, is named after Danny Cooksey.
- Kimberly and Kate, the pair of African penguins, are named after Kimberly Brooks and Kate Micucci.
- Diedrich, the North Chinese leopard, is named after Diedrich Bader.
- Patrick, the Amur leopard, is named after Patrick Warburton.
- Carlos, the maned wolf, is named after Carlos Alazraqui.
- Phil, the cheetah, is named after Phil LaMarr.
- James, the squirrel monkey, is named after James Arnold Taylor.
- Victor, the snow leopard, is named after Victor Yerrid.
- Drew, the Persian leopard, is named after Drew Massey.
- Billy, the serval, is named after Billy West.
- Benjamin, the dingo, is named after Benjamin Diskin.
- Alanna, the ocelot, is named after Alanna Ubach.
- Chris, Reeve's muntjac, is named after Chris Edgerly.
- Kelly, the caracal, is named after Kelly Hu.
- Kari, the coati, is named after Kari Wahlgren.
- Candi, the emu, is named after Candi Milo.
This is not the first Fred the Ostrich feature film to not break the fourth wall (not even mentioning the movie's title).
Grey Delisle, David Kaufman, and Scott McCord are not credited for this film. This was most likely prerecorded later since Keith Ferguson voiced Danny Fenton, Kari Wahlgren voiced Sam Manson, and Ben Diskin voiced Owen since their original cast members were not available; David, Grey, and Scott would later redub their characters for the final version of the film, but when Danny says "yeah" after Owen's line, he speaks with Keith's voice. Keith also voiced his dialogue in a video game "Nicktoons MLB" on Nintendo Wii and XBOX 360.
Both storybook and comic book adaptations include some scenes that weren't in the movie, possibly indicating that some scenes were deleted from the film. Scenes in both of these include a sequence where Hilton and Ramada attempt to cure Fred's amnesia, and a scene where Darnold told Fred that the minister at the wedding was a real one. Both of these books also reference Bozark taking The Generation Society to New York.
Approximately 200 people as extras and a handful that were voice actors voiced during the wedding finale sequence. The crowd sequence took one day to be drawn and then animated.
Although he appeared in Fred the Ostrich in The Great Diamond Caper, this film marks the first major role of D'Abruzzo the Squirrel in a Fred the Ostrich movie.
The wedding finale features many of Fred's friends from Danny Phantom, Kim Possible, American Dragon: Jake Long, and Total Drama, although only Danny, Sam, and Owen have dialogue. The only Total Drama characters who do not appear with them include Chris McLean, Chef Hatchet, Blaineley, Sasquatchinakwa, and the second generation cast of "Total Drama Revenge of the Island" and the most-recent generation cast of "Total Drama Pahkitew Island". Unusual for what happened to him currently, Ezekiel appears in human form but not in his feral state. Suffice to say that the original TD contestants no longer cameo after "Total Drama All-Stars", since they visited New York for their movie cameo in the wedding finale.
Cameos include Kari Wahlgren and Mae Whitman (in the audience at the beginning of the film), Andrea Romano (escorting Rubin-Vega to Sardi's), Jennifer Hale (as one of the women who help Julie with her pocketbook), Jim Ward (as a horse carriage driver), Tara Strong (as a businesswoman in a conference room for Sunburst Cookies), and Grey Delisle Griffin (as one of the reporters who interviews the mayor).
Photos of Harold (picking his nose), Izzy (with a monstrous face), LeShawna (looking sideways angrily), Katie and Sadie (both in the same picture, hugging), Lindsay (hers has XOXOXOXO written on it, while appearing to be laying down), and the other thirteen contestants from TDI's "I Triple Dog Dare You!" appear on the inside locker doors as the gang stay for the night before heading to Broadway.
The audience cheering and applauding sounds, the train whistle sounds, the frog croaking sounds, and the horse neighing sound, which are used occasionally in this movie, are taken from old 1980's sketches of Sesame Street.
Posters at the airport terminal featured as the gang arrived on New York City include those of Amity Park (Danny Phantom), Middleton (Kim Possible), Pahkitew Island (Total Drama Pahkitew Island), and Danville (Phineas & Ferb).
Fans of the short-lived animated Fraggle Rock series will hear Bill who sounds like Boober.

DVD Chapters[]

Start
"Together Again"
A place to stay
Martin Price
"You Can't Take No For An Answer"
Pete's Luncheonette
"Saying Goodbye"
Part-time job
Winesop Theatrical Agency
Julie gets jealous
A complete makeover
Cooking in rhythm
Mail call
Sardi's
Messing with a woman
Huggies
"I'm Gonna Always Love You"
More mail
Crawford and son
DON'T WALK
"It's time!"
Amnesiac patient
Mad Ave Advertising
One week to go
Power lunch
A miraculous cure
MANHATTAN
Wedding of the year

Wedding Finale[]

See Wedding Seating Chart

Characters (in alphabetical order):

Aardvark, African Wild Dog, Agent P, Agoutis, Alejandro, Alvin, Amur Leopard, Anteater, Anthropomorth, Aoudad, Armadillo, Babies, Bavoogs, Beaver, Bengal Tiger, Beth, Bighorn Sheep, Bill (ostrich), Binturong, Birds, Bison, Bozark, B. P. Mosse, Bridgette, Bud, Caimans, Camel, Capuchin, Capybara, Caracal, Cassowary, Cheetah, Chickens, Chinese Leopard, Civet, Clara, Coati, Cody, Courtney, Coyote, Crocodile, D.J., D'Abruzzo, Danny Fenton, Daphne Duck, Darnold, Dash Baxter, David, Deer, Delisle, Dingo, Dr. Doofensmirtz, Dr. Tusks, Ducks, Duncan, Echidna, Ed the Janitor, Elderly, Elk, Emu, Ernie Monster, Eva, Ezekiel, Fennecs, Fifi Terrier, Flamingo, Flying Foxes, Forest Hog, Fred's Family, Frieda Cat, Gab, Gary the Green Elephant, Gecko, Geoff, George Rhino, Gharial, Giant Salamander, Gil (ostrich), Girl Monster, Glare, Gorilla, Gramps, Ground Hornbill, Guan, Gwen, Harold, Heather, Helga, Henderson, Herbert, Hippopotamus, Hyena, Ibex, Iguana, Impala, Indian Rhino, Italian Chef, Izzy, Jaguar, Jake Long, Janet, Jazz Fenton, Jill (ostrich), Johnny Johnson, Julie's Family, Justin, Kangaroo, Katie, Kazooey, Kim Possible, Koala, Komodo Dragon, Kudu, Kwan, Larry the Dairy Monster, Lavender Creep, Lemurs, Leshawna, Lester, Lindsay, Lion, Llama, Lloyd, Longmont Lew, Lou Hampshire, Lynx, Macaque, Macaws, Mah Na Mah Na, Mandrill, Maned Wolf, Marabou, Marlon Sluggs, Marmosets, Mips, Moose, Mountain Goat, Mr. Gruesome, Muntjac, Nathsmicians, News Anchorman, Nilgai, Noah, Ocelot, Octopus, Okapi, Orangutan, Otters, Owen, Patas Monkey, Paul the Purple Rabbit, Paulina, Peacock, Pelican, Penguins, Persian Leopard, Peter Olsen, Pigs, Polar Bear, Porcupine, Proboscis Monkey, Professor Bunscombe, Ralph, Red Panda, Red River Hog, Reindeer, Ron Stoppable, Rose, Rufus, Sadie, Saiga, Sam Manson, Scoot, Seals, Serval, Sierra, Slim Jim, Sloth, Sloth Bear, Sneeker, Snorkes, Snow Leopard, Spider Monkey, Spud, Spurred Tortoise, Squirrel Monkey, Star, Sun Bear, Tamarins, Tapir, Tayra, Tommy Downhill, Tortoises, Toucan, Trent, Trixie Carter, Tucker Foley, Tyler, Undergrowth, Velma, Veronica, Wacky Barry, Wade Load, Walrus, Warthog, Whatnots, White Tiger, Wild Boar, Wildebeest, Yak, Yancy the Yellow Dog, Zebra

Quotes[]

(The workers are setting up the Manhattan signs and promotions at the Biltmore Theater for the new musical Manhattan, which is about to open in just one week. Hilton and Ramada come across on the other side watching them.)
Ramada: Well, Hilton, they've finally made it to Broadway!
Hilton: Yep, and I've already purchased tickets. (Reveals he has tickets.)
Ramada: You did? Are they good seats?
Hilton: They sure are. They're for the next train out of town.
(They both laugh.)

(Bill, Gil, Jill, and "Phil" in Pete's Luncheonette are seated in an unclean table complete with glasses of water.)
Bill: This time I'll take the bill, Gil.
Gil: Something on the grill, Jill?
Jill: No, meat makes me ill, Gil.

(Fred, disguised as a fellow polite producer with mustache enters Sardi's.)
Reservationist: Good afternoon, sir.
Fred: (In polite gentleman's voice) Fred the Ostrich. My reservation secretary has made a reservation for me.
(Lester sneezes from behind Fred's overcoat.)
Reservationist: God bless you. This way, sir.
(Fred follows the man to a table, as he greets the customers.)
Fred: Afternoon, all. Don't get up. Keep eating.
(He is about to sit at his table.)
Reservatinist: May I take your coat, please?
Fred: (Normal voice) No...! (Clears throat and changes his voice to a polite gentleman's voice) That is, no, thank you very much, indeed.
(Just as the reservationist exits, Fred thinks the coast is clear, so he crawls under the table, removing his overcoat and letting D'Abruzzo, Veronica, Lester, Kazooie, and Henderson out.)
D'Abruzzo: That's the closest I've ever wanted to be to an ostrich.
Fred: Okay, guys, do your stuff.
Squirrels: Right.
(As the squirrels scurry to the tables which the patrons are eating, Fred peeks out from under the table, then reveals he has his drawn caricature which he's about to replace Daphne Rubin-Vega's portrait with.)

(Hilton and Ramada, riding on a horse carriage, noticing Fred and Julie riding by)
Ramada: Hey, Hilton, look over there. It's an ostrich and a woman.
Hilton: Yeah, it looks like they're such a cute couple.
Ramada: Yeah.
Hilton: Kinda makes you sick, doesn't it?
(They both laugh)

Pete: Ostrich want job. Squirrels want job. What else… seals?
(Several seals enter from the back door)
Seal: Do you have any jobs available?
All: No!
Seal: Well excuse us for living! (They exit)

David: (Notices D'Abruzzo's a waiter) Hey, I didn't know the waiter's a squirrel!
Lloyd: I'm glad we've got no money. Now we got no appetites.

(The Generation Society and the orchestra play the instrumental version of "Together Again" (which will be heard during the end credits) before the musical starts. Cut back to the dressing room.)
Samantha: Julie, what are you gonna do?
Julie: (turns to Fred, still suffering from amnesia and not remembering his name, friends, and past, then stares and points at him) Look at me. Your name is not Phillip Phil; you're Fred the Ostrich. That's David the Duck, Donald, Peter Olsen, and Ralph the Bear. They're your friends, and you wrote the show for them. That's Ronny Crawford and Samantha. They're your friends, too. And my name is Julie Simpson. (grabs Fred's neck) Now, listen to me! Your name is Fred the Ostrich, and you love me, you want to marry me, you want to have children with me.
Fred: (still suffering from amnesia that he does not remember he's engaged to her, much to the horror of Julie and the others) With who...in love with a girl?! (laughing) Wait'll I tell the guys in marketing! (laughs so hard) You mean you expect me to have sex and go wild?! (laughing very hard) Perhaps I should go home with you to masturbate, huh?! (laughing) Oh the sounds of love! Su-eee! Su-eee! Oink! Oink! Oink! (laughing)
Julie: (Becoming very angry now) CANCEL THE SHOW!! (Grabs him by the neck, lassos him around, and throws him out of the dressing room, smashing his face on the floor. That, however, restores Fred's memory of name, friends, and past.)

(As everyone gets on stage for their opening number in the musical Manhattan, all the ducks from Louisiana, chickens from Wisconsin, animal shelter captives from Maryland, the Italian Chef, Bunscombe, Sneeker, Bozark, Lou Hampshire, and three advertising ostriches Bill, Gil, and Jill await from the stage door.)
David: (Noticing that everyone is waiting at the stage door) Hi, everyone! (to Fred) Fred, will our friends watch the show from backstage? (Everyone chatters)
Gil (Ostrich): (Thinks "Phil" is here) Er, Phil...?
Fred: (Interrupts) Wait a second... NO!
David: What?
Fred: No, they will not watch the show from backstage. (Realizes that every ostrich, duck, chicken, exotic bird and animal, and others are here) That's it! That's what's been missing from the musical, that's what we need—more ostriches and ducks and chickens and exotic birds and animals and whatchamacallit! You're not going to watch the show; you're gonna be in the show! Let's go! (Everyone follows the cast to stage.)

(As a family of ducks enter a wedding chapel, pass a familiar crowd of characters of "Total Drama" and Nickelodeon's "Danny Phantom" seated in the bride's side.)
Danny: (Looks around) Are they here yet? Are they here yet? Did we miss it? Are we late?
Sam: No, they'll be here any minute.
Owen: Oh boy, I can hardly wait.
Danny: Yeah.
(We then cut to the groom's side seated by various characters from "The Fred the Ostrich Show".)
Wacky Barry: Isn't this exciting?
Gramps: It's the wedding of the year.
George Rhino: Well, can't we start without them?
News Anchor: No, we can't until they're here.
George: Hmmm...

(After the last line of the song "He'll Make Me Happy", a live actor (as a minister) comes onstage, which confuses Fred. Turns to Julie.)
Fred: (Whispering) Psst. Julie...
Julie: (Turns to Fred) Huh?
Fred: (Whispering) I thought Darnold was gonna play the minister.
(Julie giggles)