He's a familiar and award-winning Hollywood actor, as well as an acclaimed director and producer. He's also (who knew?) a highly successful children's book author. Our guest on ST is Bob Balaban, who tells us about his newest book, "The Creature from the Seventh Grade: Boy or Beast" (Penguin Young Readers Group). In this funny, tween-friendly tale, we meet Charlie Drinkwater, a middle-school kid who's probably among the least popular --- and least noticed --- boys in his class. But this anonymity starts to change, quickly, and quite dramatically, when Charlie finds that he has somehow morphed into a giant mutant dinosaur! Whoa! Balaban also talks about the interesting and long-running connections his family has had with the world of show biz, and about his own work with such well-respected directors as Robert Altman, Steven Spielberg, Wes Anderson, and Christopher Guest. (And let's not forget his appearance on the "Room 222" television show of yesteryear.... As Balaban admits to us, he played a student activist who chained himself to a tree.)
A Chat with the Veteran Actor / Director / Producer / Writer Bob Balaban
