Bob Balaban facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Balaban
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Balaban in 2014
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| Born |
Robert Elmer Balaban
August 16, 1945 |
| Education | Colgate University, New York University, B.A. |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1965–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Lynn Grossman
(m. 1977) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) |
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| Family |
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Robert Elmer Balaban (born August 16, 1945) is an American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is known for his many roles in movies and TV shows. Besides acting, Balaban has directed several films and TV episodes. He was also a producer for the movie Gosford Park (2001), which was nominated for a big award called the Academy Award for Best Picture. He has also written children's novels.
Balaban has appeared in funny movies by Christopher Guest like Waiting for Guffman (1996) and Best in Show (2000). He has also been in films by Wes Anderson, such as Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). Some of his other famous movie roles include Midnight Cowboy (1969) and the science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).
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Early Life and Education
Bob Balaban was born in Chicago, Illinois, on August 16, 1945. His parents were Eleanor and Elmer Balaban. His father owned many movie theaters and was one of the first people to work with cable television. His mother, Eleanor, was also an actress.
Bob's family had a long history in the movie business. His uncles started a chain of movie theaters in Chicago, including the famous Chicago Theatre. His uncle Barney Balaban was even the president of Paramount Pictures for almost 30 years!
Bob started college at Colgate University and later went to New York University. He also studied acting to become the talented performer he is today.
Career Highlights
Balaban's first important acting job was on stage in 1967. He played the character Linus in the play You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.
One of his first movie appearances was in Midnight Cowboy (1969). In the 1970s, he played David Laughlin, an interpreter, in the science fiction movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), directed by Steven Spielberg. He was also nominated for a Tony Award in 1979 for his role in the play The Inspector General.
In the 1980s, he appeared in films like Altered States (1980) and 2010 (1984), where he played Dr. Chandra, the person who created the computer HAL 9000. He also started directing movies, including the horror comedy Parents.
Balaban has been in many popular movies, often playing supporting roles. These include Ghost World and the funny movies by Christopher Guest, such as Best in Show and A Mighty Wind.
On television, Balaban played Russell Dalrymple, the president of NBC, in the popular show Seinfeld in the 1990s. He also appeared as Phoebe Buffay's father, Frank, in an episode of Friends in 1999.
In 2001, Balaban helped produce the movie Gosford Park. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for this film. He also acted in the movie as Morris Weissman. He has directed other films too, like Bernard and Doris (2006) and Georgia O'Keeffe (2009).
In 2011, Balaban acted in a play called 8 on Broadway. This play was about the court case that changed the ban on same-sex marriage in California. In 2012, he directed four episodes of the TV show Nurse Jackie. More recently, in 2021, he was the narrator's voice in an episode of The Simpsons.
Writing
Bob Balaban is also an author. He wrote a series of six children's books about a bionic dog named McGrowl. He also co-wrote other books, including Spielberg, Truffaut & Me: An Actor's Diary with Steven Spielberg.
Personal Life
Bob Balaban is married to Lynn Grossman. They have two daughters together. He lives in Manhattan, New York. He is also part of a group called the Exoneration Initiative. This group helps people in New York who have been wrongly convicted of crimes.
Awards and Nominations
Balaban has received several awards and nominations for his work:
- In 2001, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for Gosford Park.
- He won a BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film for Gosford Park in 2001.
- He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 2009 for Bernard and Doris.
- He won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Gosford Park in 2001.
See also
In Spanish: Bob Balaban para niños
