The Orb Family Album (Hollywood Era)
We went to Hollywood with the intention of making nothing but good wholesome entertainment
for the entire family. We were pleased with our first film, and agreed to make a sequel.
Below is a publicity photo for the follow-up movie.
My wife and I focused our efforts behind the scenes after wrapping 'Addam's Family
Values', but our youngest son Jesse felt he had not yet done his best work despite the
critic's rave reviews of his performance as Pubert.
Tim Burton had been pestering me to work with him on an idea he had, and I'd been putting him
off. The concept just didn't appeal to me. Refusing to be refused, he asked if one of my sons
would consider working with him. I thought that Chris would enjoy it and would have offered
his services, but he had become quite the ladies man and was too busy escorting various young
starlets out on the town to bother working. Jesse was interested though, and he and Tim
eventually wrapped up 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' with Jesse playing the part of Lock,
and actually writing most of the final script. Here's a PR photo from that project.
Disney became interested in our youngest son after the critical acclaim he received in
Nightmare, and after consulting with his parents, he agreed to a one picture deal. The result,
as you probably already know, was 'Jesse and the Giant Peach'. Of course, the critics raved
about young J.R.Ball in his first starring role, and the awards are still pouring in.
Though Chris's potential is vast, it has remained largely untapped. He is notorius in
Hollywood and New York, but only for his way with the ladies. He is written up in all the
gossip columns, photographed at all the right (and wrong) clubs with supermodels and
moviestars draped on each arm. He was rumored to be the cause of the Julia Roberts / Lyle
Lovett breakup as well as the Cindy Crawford / Richard Gere split. He finally seemed to tire
of the nightlife after taking heat from Madonna for refusing to father her child. Perhaps
rumors that she has a contract out on him are true. Whatever the reason, he felt it was time
for a change, and my wife and I had accomplished what we set out to do, so we moved to
Bellbrook, Ohio, and are living the quiet life these days. Chris has focused his energies on
his music, and is fighting the urge to tour with Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots. (Below
is a candid photo of Chris from a TV Guide article about Kathy Ireland)
I hope you've enjoyed this. I'll try to share some of our experiences from our days in
the CIA fairly soon. Until then.....
