13 things you didn’t know about ‘Hocus Pocus’

“Hocus Pocus,” the 1993 Disney cult classic, is a Halloween staple. But how well do you know the movie, which stars  Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy? Here are 13 things you may not have known about “Hocus Pocus”:

1. “Hocus Pocus” was set on Halloween and is a go-to movie to watch in October, but it was actually released in theaters on July 16.
2. Actor Jason Marsden voiced the cat, Thackery Binx. Right after the movie came out he landed the role of DJ Tanner’s boyfriend, Nelson, on “Full House.” He’s since had a successful career as a voice actor, landing roles in “Invader ZIM,” “House of Mouse,” “Kim Possible,” “The Fairly OddParents,” “The Legend of Korra” and “Transformers: Rescue Bots.”
3. Leonardo DiCaprio was offered the role of Max before Omri Katz landed the part. DiCaprio turned it down to appear in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.”
4. Rosie O’Donnell was linked to the role of Mary Sanderson before Kathy Najimy was cast.
5. Thackery’s little sister Emily was portrayed by a young actress named Amanda Shepherd. “Hocus Pocus” is her only acting credit. She’s now a real estate agent in Malibu, California.
6. “Come Little Children” was originally believed to be a poem written by Edgar Allen Poe. It was actually written by songwriter Brock Walsh.
7. Alison’s home is actually a museum that you can enter. The building is called The Ropes Mansion, and it’s located at 318 Essex St. in Salem, Massachusetts. It was originally built in 1768.
8. Max and Dani’s house isn’t actually in Salem. The real house is located in Beverly, Massachusetts. It’s about 10 minutes away from Salem.
9. A lot of the exterior shots were filmed in Salem, where the movie takes place. However, the interior shots were filmed on a backlot in Hollywood.
10. The moths that came out of Billy Butcherson’s mouth were reportedly real.
11. Nine different cats played Binx. Each cat had a different skill set that was needed for the film.
12. Hocus Pocus was originally written as a Disney Channel Original Movie.
13. October 31st, 1993 was a Sunday, but the film has the kids in school on Halloween.