- Born
- Birth nameGary Alan Sinise
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Gary Alan Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois, to Mylles S.
(Alsip) and Robert L. Sinise, A.C.E., a
film editor. He is of Italian (from his paternal grandfather), English,
Scottish, Irish, French, German, and Swedish ancestry. His family moved
to Highland Park, where he attended high school. He was something of a
rebel, playing in bands but paying little attention to school.
Gary and some friends tried out for "West Side Story" as a lark, but
Gary was hooked on acting for life by closing night. Gary credits his
love for theatre to his drama teacher, Barbara Patterson. In 1974,
Gary, Terry Kinney, and
Jeff Perry founded the Steppenwolf
Theatre Company in Chicago. Initially performing in a church basement,
the company grew and gained stature in the Chicago area. In addition to
acting in many plays, Gary also directed some of Steppenwolf's most
notable productions, including Sam Shepard's
"True West". The company made its off-Broadway debut with that
production, starring Gary and
John Malkovich, and its Broadway debut
with "The Grapes of Wrath" at the Cort Theatre in 1990. Gary's
Hollywood career also started in the director's chair with two episodes
of the stylish TV series
Crime Story (1986), followed in
1988 by the feature
Miles from Home (1988) starring
Richard Gere. Gary's first feature film as
an actor was the World War II fable
A Midnight Clear (1992) in 1992.
That year also found Gary combining his acting and directing talents
with the critically acclaimed
Of Mice and Men (1992). His first
real notice by the public came in 1994, however. He starred in the
blockbuster miniseries
The Stand (1994), rapidly followed
by his bravura performance as "Lt. Dan" in
Forrest Gump (1994). His portrayal
of the disabled, emotionally tortured veteran earned Gary numerous
awards and an Oscar nomination. Busy 1994 was followed by busy 1995,
first reuniting with Tom Hanks in
Apollo 13 (1995) and then starring in
the HBO film Truman (1995) which
earned him the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards and an Emmy
nomination.
Gary is married to Moira Sinise, an actress
and original member of the Steppenwolf company. They have three
children, Sophie Sinise,
McCanna Anthony Sinise and
Ella Sinise.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Lynn <lynnishmail-misc@yahoo.com>
- SpouseMoira Sinise(1981 - present) (3 children)
- Children
- ParentsMylles Sinise
- Often plays cops and crooks.
- On December 10, 2008, was awarded the United States of America Presidential Citizens Medal (which was established on November 13, 1969 to recognize U.S. citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for the nation. The medal is bestowed by the President and may be conferred posthumously. The Presidential Citizens Medal is one of the highest honors the President can confer upon a civilian, second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.) for his work with the USO and Operation Iraqi Children.
- His band, "Lt. Dan Band", performed for more than 240,000 troops and their families in the United States, Belgium, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Iraq, and Afghanistan, among others. They have performed in about 50 USO tours and 119 USO concerts. The band plays 30 to 40 shows each year, with 75 percent of those shows for charities, benefits or the USO.
- Founded Operation Iraqi Children (www.operationiraqichildren.org) in
early 2004 with "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" author Laura Hillenbrand. - Gary appeared on screen with his spouse, Moira Sinise, in Crime Story (1986), portraying a married couple. Moira had a small role in
Miles from Home (1988), the first feature Gary directed, but Moira's role was left on the cutting-room floor. Moira appeared as the "Girl in the Red Dress" in Of Mice and Men (1992). - Won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a miniseries or dramatic special for portraying George Wallace the very night the real George Wallace died.
- Careers, like rockets, don't always take off on time. The trick is to always keep the engine running.
- Sometimes, you're in great demand. Then suddenly, your career hits the brakes.
- Wherever I go for the military, they always call me Lt. Dan. They just can't help it.
- [on his work ethic]: There's always the ongoing actor frustration of finding the great role to do next. I don't go to work a lot. I wait as long as I can until the money runs out or a great part comes along.
- If we have any hope of preserving our own country, we have to look at our history constantly so that we don't repeat that again and that we stand up for this country with everything we have to make sure that tyranny never wins out, that freedom always prevails.
- CSI: NY (2004) - $275,000 /episode (2010-11)
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