What's After the Movie
Bob Balaban
Robert Elmer Balaban, commonly known as Bob Balaban, with a diverse career span in being an actor, director, producer, and author. Balaban was born to a Jewish family on August 16, 1945, in Chicago with cinematic history in his blood as his father, Elmer Balaban, owned several movie theatres and was a pioneer in cable television. His acting career spans many decades with his beginnings on stage creating the role of Linus in the original off-Broadway production, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1967. His cinematic career includes notable appearances in films such as Midnight Cowboy (1969), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Altered States (1980), 2010 (1984), Deconstructing Harry (1997), and Capote (2005).
He worked with prominent directors and in renowned films like Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Isle of Dogs (2018) and The French Dispatch (2021) and Christopher Guest's comedy films. In 1979, he received a Tony Award nomination for his role in The Inspector General. He also directed movies like Parents, The Last Good Time and produced Gosford Park for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Recognised as a foundation in the theatre industry, he had connections in Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Alongside acting, Bob turned to writing developing a series of children's novels with a bionic dog named McGrowl as the leading character.
Biography, Career & Filmography
Learn more about Bob Balaban, including a detailed biography, career timeline, personal life insights, and complete filmography. Discover how Bob Balaban rose to fame, their major roles, industry impact, and personal milestones in the world of film.
Given Name: Robert Elmer Balaban
Born: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Citizenship: American
Birthday: August 16, 1945
Occupations: Actor, Director, Producer, Author
Years Active: 1965-present
Children: 2
Spouses: Lynn Grossman
External Links and Streaming Options
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Movies Featuring Bob Balaban
The French Dispatch
Isle of Dogs
For Love or Money
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
80 for Brady
Absence of Malice
The Monuments Men
2010
Prince of the City
An L.A. Minute
F–k
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
Do You Like to Read?
The Five Stages of Grief
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight
Show Me a Hero
Exploring the Set of ‘Moonrise Kingdom’
Spielberg
Mike Nichols: An American Master
Starring Austin Pendleton
The Making of ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’
Mascots
Carl Laemmle
Marie and Bruce
The Exonerated
Prince of the City: The Real Story
The Making of ‘Gosford Park’
Bernard and Doris
The Face of Fear
Plan B
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
Nothing Lasts Forever
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
Penn & Teller’s Invisible Thread
End of the Line
2010: The Year We Make Contact
Dead Bang
The Chair
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
Making It
The Strawberry Statement
Report to the Commissioner
Girlfriends
Georgia O’Keeffe
The Bank Shot
The Monster Hunter
The Late Shift
The Last Good Time
Me, Natalie
Recount
Swing Vote
Subway Stories
My Boyfriend’s Back
Fantasy Life
The Windmill Movie
Career Timeline
Track the complete movie timeline of Bob Balaban, including all film releases, career breakthroughs, and notable roles. Follow their journey from early performances to recent blockbusters and upcoming projects.
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