Did you know that Brother Bear debuted on this day in 2003 in a New York and Los Angeles limited release, eh? The film tells the story of a young man who is turned into a bear by the Great Spirits and befriended by a young bear named Koda. Also in the animated cast is a pair of moose brothers named Tuke and Rutt, voiced by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, respectively. Both Dave and Rick originally paired up as a team of Canadian brothers on the SCTV (Second City Television) comedy sketch show as Bob and Doug McKenzie, hosts of the fictional TV show The Great White North. Moose brothers Tuke and Rutt “bear” a noticeable similarity to the Bob and Doug characters and end many of their sentences with, “Eh?” As part of their trademark wardrobe, Bob and Doug were dressed in heavy winter clothes, each with a knitted cap that they referred to as their “tuque” (prounced “tuke” as in Tuke and Rutt). Brother Bear featured six original songs by Phil Collins including, “Welcome.” The upbeat song seemed perfect for a celebration and in 2005 was used at the theme of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary parade. A perfect choice, eh?
