Peterson packs KSU Tuscarawas Academy Award winner for Pixar movie UP and Dover graduate Bob Peterson returns home

When the entertainment industry’s award winning and highly acclaimed Bob Peterson recently came to Tuscarawas County, he was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd. Peterson’s reception was not simply because of his many achievements, but because he was returning as a hometown favorite son.Peterson, a Dover High School 1979 graduate, appeared at Kent State University Tuscarawas March 17, as part of the Voices of Distinction lecture series. His visit was a cooperative effort between the university and the Tuscarawas County Public Library.Peterson’s presentation began with humorous references to, and photos of, his 1970s days in the area, including memories shared with old friends, complete with school yearbook pictures. The Dover native talked about how his career moved from an undergraduate engineering degree at Ohio Northern University to a master’s from Purdue and concurrent career as a daily cartoon strip creator, then linking to the new field of computer animation, which eventually led him to Pixar. Since beginning his career there, Peterson has been actively involved with eight of Pixar’s 10 major films, including Toy Story, Toy Story 2, A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Cars, Finding Nemo, and, most recently, Up. He was the voice of Roz in Monsters, Inc., and Mr. Ray in Finding Nemo.“I like to come back here. It’s about people. Up was made by just friends, and people. My friends here, and my relatives here, are what I love. They have formed my personality. My sister used to put on plays in our basement; we used to do voices down there, and I think that’s where I got started…she would put me in the woodsman role, while she got to star, but at the same time, we were just having a great time. That all happened here.”Many of Peterson’s friends and family members were in the audience, including his mother, Marlene, sister, Beth, and brother, John. His younger sister, Sue, who also lives in California, was unable to attend.Peterson made it very clear that he draws much of his inspiration from his own background and family experiences. For Carl and Ellie, beloved Up characters, Peterson drew on his memories of his grandparents.“I thought about my grandparents, from New Philadelphia. Grandpa kind of looks like our main character (Carl), who got carried away. He lived a long life of ups and downs. I mentally made a list of things that meant a lot, like Grandpa taking his dentures in and out to make us laugh as kids,” explained Peterson, illustrating the point with one of his many character voices.“(Like) the way Grandpa would sit very efficiently. I remember his old, arthritic hands, sitting kind of perfectly balanced. So I talked to the animators about that. I also talked about how instead of moving his head, he would move his whole body. Sort of the truths about what it means to grow old. One of the big things for me was, as my grandparents grew older, their clothing seemed to grow – their hat seemed to be too big, their ties or coats, his clothes from the 50s and 60s just seemed to get bigger.”After his grandparents passed away, Peterson felt compelled to preserve his memories.“I had the forethought, when they passed on, to go through their house, and I have a nice video of that,” he said, turning to the screen to show the video, accompanied by the sweet, haunting chords of Carl and Ellie’s theme music. “This is their house, in about 1989. The thing that struck me is how the things they used everyday described them. The two chairs, side by side. If you wanted to know, which is Grandpa’s chair, which is Grandma’s, you’re going to look at the chairs, and you are going to know. Those things went into making this film. I didn’t have to go far to do that.”Peterson also told of how a simple experience, when he was a college student and working as a summer camp counselor at Camp Wanake, profoundly affected him and made its way into the movie. “A little kid came up to me, the very first day,” he said. “He did not know me, but I was his counselor, and he ran up to me and he said ‘You are my counselor! I love you!’” That line was the inspiration for Up’s dog Dug’s (voice by Peterson) loving, unmerited devotion.“Every time I watch the beginning of Up, I choke up. I lived it. It’s just simplicity. We watched a lot of home movies. When I was a kid, they didn’t have sound, there were just images of your family, simply doing things…like birthdays. We wanted to give this montage with that ethic of simplicity and emotional punch. So yes, I choked up. And I’ve choked up ever since.”When asked about the most rewarding part of his life, Peterson did not hesitate. He spoke of his love for, and devotion to, his wife, who he met at Purdue and is the love of his life, and his children.“I have three kids. I just want to be a good dad. That’s all I want to do. You know, we won some great awards, and put out some good movies, and I just want to continue doing that, but mostly to be a good father as I go along. I have a 5-year-old, an 8-year old, and a 14-year-old, and that’s a big full-time job. I want to make sure they have all the opportunities, and want them to feel loved and supported. That’s really my goal.”