Page 28 Thursday, October 30, 2008 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION Former Westfielder Bob Anderson to Direct ‘Simpsons’ Halloween Episode This Sunday By CHRISTINA M. HINKE bodied boy with spectacles, Ham, interview.” Story, according to Mr. Anderson. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times from “Bart’s Comet” episode and, “I did have some transmission For this year’s XIX episode, he WESTFIELD — As Halloween most recently, has worked with de- problem in Las Vegas,” he recol- said he cannot divulge the storyline, nears, some anticipate the candy, signers to create Joey Greco, the lected, “but I think it was just over- even reputing Internet talk of the the costumes or the parties, and host of the reality show “Cheaters.” heated. So after I let the car cool, it family turning to shades of grey as some look forward to the Hallow- He said the cut-out-like Simpsons was fine. And Sunday night, I rolled they are morphed into flesh-eating een specials on TV, especially the “look simple to draw, buts it’s elu- into Los Angeles and stayed at a zombies. He did say that if the yel- QUITE A PAIR...A pair of Clark residents has written and illustrated a children’s ever-original “Simpsons’ Treehouse sive. Their simplicity is pretty com- real sleazy motel on Highland and low-skinned family were painted book about Tom Belverio’s dog Cindy. Mr. Belverio, seen above, is joined by of Horror.” This year, on November plex.” Hollywood,” he said with a laugh. grey that it is a decision he would illustrator Nicole Eckert, a sophomore at Arthur L. Johnson School in Clark. 2, at 8 p.m., Westfielders can tune in Before he became one of “The He made it to his interview on make. to FOX knowing that a 1983 Simpsons’” clan, he “ignored all of time and met with the original ani- Mr. Anderson did dispel the ru- Residents Bridge Generation Gap, Produce Children’s Book By MARYLOU MORANO the colored pencil drawings that now Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times illustrate his words. CLARK – Two Clark residents – one Although she has been drawing since a senior citizen, the other a high school the age of 3, for Nicole, “Cindy Learns student – have collaborated on a a Lesson” is her first foray into the children’s book. world of illustration. Tom Belverio, a grandfather of seven, “I don’t usually draw animals,” she has authored “Cindy Learns a Lesson,” said, “I mostly draw cartoons.” a true story based on an incident that In addition to her high school art occurred to Cindy, a dog he had as a classes, Nicole also takes private les- child. sons. Bob Anderson, former “Cindy was a cocker-spaniel mutt She is exploring the possibility of a Westfield resident, who chased a ball into the street one career as a television cartoonist. day,” explained Mr. Belverio. She especially enjoys the animation directs this year’s “She came too close to a car, and it and stories found in Japanese comic “Treehouse of Horror” ran over her ear.” books. ~images courtesy of Mr. Anderson The book’s happy ending includes “Cindy Learns a Lesson” is available Cindy getting checked out by a veteri- through PublishAmerica, Target.com, narian (she turned out to be okay) and Amazon.com and other online book- learning a lesson; like little children, stores. Westfield High School graduate di- that stuff because most of it was mator and director of “The mor of the show ending, saying, “I dogs should never run out into the The Clark Public Library will hold a rected this year’s show. garbage,” he said of the new ani- Simpsons,” David Silverman. “I got know they are investing money in street. book reading and signing for Mr. Bob Anderson, 43, son of mated shows airing at the time. a callback saying they were inter- new technology, so the investment “After that day, Cindy never ran out Belverio and Ms. Eckert on November Brightwood Avenue resident Joan So when “The Simpsons” became ested,” he said. “And pretty much alone make me think they will keep into the street again,” continued the 9, at 2 p.m. Anderson, has worked on “The water-cooler talk amongst his col- the rest is history. I left New Jersey it going at least two or three more author. Copies of the book will be available Simpsons” since show nine of its leagues in Manhattan, he didn’t think a week later, and I have been here years.” Mr. Belverio, born and raised in New- at a discounted price on that day. second season in 1990 and made his much of it. “I thought, how long is ever since.” And as far as another movie, he ark, is a 35-year resident of Clark. The library is located at 303 Westfield directing debut with “Bart’s Inner that one going to last?” he chided. That move to Hollywood to work said, “I know they are going to do a Prior to his retirement, he worked in Avenue in Clark. Child” three years later. Then one ordinary weekend while on the family from Springfield, sequel. Not a direct sequel, just an- the financial systems industry. For more information, call the li- As a youngster his grandmother, visiting his aunt and uncle at their USA, would also bring him a part- other Simpsons movie.” “Any writing I did for my job was brary at (732) 388-5999. Lena Steckler, a fine artist who lived home outside of Philadelphia, that ner in life. His fiancée, Jung-A Yoo, Days later, he elusively e-mailed technical stuff,” he said. in York, Pennsylvania, introduced all changed. “They watched ‘The has worked with Mr. Anderson as a a link to Wikipedia, which includes Nicole Eckert, a sophomore at Arthur Oratorio Society of NJ Mr. Anderson to formal art. Simpsons’ every Sunday night. ‘The character layout artist on The a description of the three storylines L. Johnson Regional High School in “She always had me playing with Crepes of Wrath,’ where Bart goes Simpsons Movie and the Halloween to air – a take on Charlie Brown’s Clark, illustrates the tale of Cindy. To Present Fall Concert something, whether it was playing to France as an exchange student, show. “It’s the Great Pumpkin,” a parody Mr. Belverio had been narrating AREA – The Oratorio Society of with clay or sketching; it came out [was on]. After seeing that episode, “Treehouse” is Mr. Anderson’s of The Transformers and a spoof on Cindy’s misadventures to his grand- New Jersey, under the direction of of that, and I stuck with it,” said Mr. I was hooked,” he said. second Halloween episode to di- advertising TV show “Mad Men,” children long before he put pen to pa- Sandor Szabo, will present its fall Anderson, who would later receive That unsuspecting night in his rect, the first being Emmy-nomi- with an opening sequence surround- per. concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, No- his animation training under the aunt and uncle’s living room kick- nated season seven’s “Treehouse of ing an Obama-McCain voting The story particularly resonated with vember 15, at Immaculate Concep- wing of Wilt Neil, the creator of started a chain of events that would Horror VI,” where he created Homer switcheroo. grandson, Sam Curran, who was 7 when tion Church, located at 30 North Ful- “Howdy Doody” and an artist for forever change his life. After hav- in 3-D, a first for the “The Viewers will just have to wait and Mr. Belverio decided to write “Cindy lerton Avenue in Montclair. Disney, at The Joe Kubert School of ing worked on a failed NBC pilot of Simpsons” – and before Pixar’s Toy watch for themselves. Learns a Lesson.” Schubert’s Mass in E Flat Major Cartoon and Graphic Art in Dover. the animated series, “The Jackie Both Sam and his sister, Emily, are and Mozart’s Missa Brevis in D Mi- Now, some of her paintings hang Bison Show,” at a time when he was characters in the book. nor will be featured, accompanied by on the wall of Mr. Anderson’s North in between jobs, the animator de- Halloween Calendar The true nature of the story provided professional orchestra and soloists, Hollywood, Calif. home, where he cided to take a road trip. Mr. Belverio with an idea of how the including Margaret Mack, soprano; sometimes works on layouts for epi- “I got into my ’63 Pontiac Grand Thursday, October 30 – Westfield Memorial Library: Poetry characters, especially Cindy, should look. Kathleen Myrick, mezzo soprano; sodes. As one of the many directors Prix and drove out to California,” Tribute to Charles Addams, 8 p.m. He presented Nicole with a few sug- Neal Harrelson, tenor; and Stefanos working for the show, he is in charge he said. “I scheduled an interview gestions, and she created preliminary Koroneos, bass. of creating a storyboard of the visu- from a payphone in Yellowstone Friday, October 31 – Joint SP, FW parade and costume drawings. General admission is $15. For more als based on a script, a process that National Park – 4 p.m. on a Friday contest. Trunk-Or-Treat commences at 5 p.m. at the “I am amazed at how wonderful the information, call (973) 783-3837 or takes about 16 to 20 weeks. afternoon and scheduled it for Mon- illustrations are,” Mr. Belverio said of visit oratorionsocietynj.org. Mr. Anderson also has a hand in day morning.