Martin Short plays Lumiere.
Photo: ABC/Christopher Willard
By BERNICE FOX
Two previous honorary mayors of Pacific Palisades are featured Thursday evening as ABC honors the 30th anniversary of the now-classic Disney animated film, Beauty and the Beast.
In Thursday’s two-hour TV special, new live-action scenes are woven together with scenes from the animated movie.
Rita Moreno is the narrator.
Photo: ABC/Christopher Willard
The former local mayors, Rita Moreno and Martin Short, are in live-action scenes.
In the tale that’s old as time, an enchantress puts a selfish young prince, played by Josh Groban, under a spell. The prince is turned into a beast. Also under the spell, his castle’s staff become household objects.
The spell only can be broken if the prince, as the beast, can become selfless enough to love Belle, a young woman trapped in the castle. And Belle must see the humanity in the beast and love him in return. Belle is played by the singer-songwriter who goes by H.E.R.
Rita Moreno narrates the story.
Martin Short plays the castle’s maître d’, Lumiere, who is turned into a candelabra. In the animated movie, that role was voiced by Jerry Orbach. And the late, longtime Brentwood resident Angela Lansbury voiced Mrs. Potts, the castle’s head housekeeper, who is turned into a teapot. Now, country singer Shania Twain has that role in the live-action scenes.
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration airs Thursday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. on ABC, Channel 7 in Los Angeles. Starting the next day, it will be available to watch on Disney+.
