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I’m from Chicago, my family started a chain of movie theaters in Chicago that were around for 70 years and then one of them became the head of Paramount and the other was the head of production at MGM and we all came out of Chicago.

Bob Balaban

If anyone would have been paying serious attention to my puppet shows, I would have been sent to therapy very young.
BOB BALABAN

Attention Puppets Serious Young
I was very much in my room with my marionette stage, you know, creating these incredibly boring things that I felt were so fascinating, and forcing my relatives to come, and charging money for them to see my little productions.
BOB BALABAN

Creating Littles Rooms
Oh, I was completely hooked on movies and plays and theater from the time I was a day old; I was very, very early on in love with movies and I loved plays.
BOB BALABAN

Hooked Play Theater
I have a 92 year old father whose doing beautifully who lives in Chicago and a sister and a nephew and a niece and I love coming back and try to do so fairly often.
BOB BALABAN

Father Niece Sister
I’m from the Midwest, and I loved my family. I had a very good time as a child, but I was also – I have a theory about Jews growing up in the Midwest, that there is an ultimately sort of wonderful avoidance of a lot of things, and a great acceptance of whatever is happening.
BOB BALABAN

Acceptance Children Growing Up Wonderful
My dad was born in Chicago in 1908… his parents came from Russia. They settled in Chicago, where they lived in a little tiny grocery store with eight or nine children – in the backroom all together – and my grandmother got the idea to go into the movie business.
BOB BALABAN

Business Children Country Dad Grandmother Idea
I think some of the special effects in Close Encounters hold up better than the new more expensive special effects is because they were better actually.
BOB BALABAN

Encounter Special Thinking
Yes I try to do everything I can not to fail hideously.
BOB BALABAN

Failing Hideously Trying
I’ve directed a fair amount of television series – so I’m always trying to learn new things.
BOB BALABAN

Always Hands People Trying
One episode was all hand-held and I’m trying to get better at when you should do things and when you should just shut up and watch what the people are saying.
BOB BALABAN

Better Episode Hang People Saying
And I think being a good director is being able to be completely tyrannical and you?ve got to be an absolute dictator while at the same time, you have to listen and see everything because it can all change on a dime.
BOB BALABAN

Dimes Directors Everything Same Thinking
I’m from Chicago, my family started a chain of movie theaters in Chicago that were around for 70 years and then one of them became the head of Paramount and the other was the head of production at MGM and we all came out of Chicago.
BOB BALABAN

Chicago Family My Years
A family of Jews lived here. They took over his business.” Little, very discrete, very dignified plaques are everywhere.
BOB BALABAN

Dignified Everywhere Family Jew Lived
I loved being in Close Encounters, just to watch Steven Spielberg working was exciting.
BOB BALABAN

Encounters Exciting Watches

I’m from Chicago, my family started a chain of movie theaters in Chicago that were around for 70 years and then one of them became the head of Paramount and the other was the head of production at MGM and we all came out of Chicago.

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I’m from Chicago, my family started a chain of movie theaters in Chicago that were around for 70 years and then one of them became the head of Paramount and the other was the head of production at MGM and we all came out of Chicago.

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Popular Authors

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