Gary Sinise
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Gary Alan Sinise (born March 17, 1955, in Blue Island, Illinois) is an Emmy winning American actor and film director. Sinise was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1994 for his role as Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump. He won a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries for his role in Truman. In 1996, he played a corrupt cop in the Ron Howard dramatic hit Ransom which he also did particularly well. In 1998, Sinise was awarded an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for George Wallace.
In 1973, Sinise and two friends, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry, founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Since its founding, Steppenwolf has showcased the talents of such notable actors as Kevin Anderson, Joan Allen, Gary Cole, Glenne Headly, John Malkovich, and Laurie Metcalf. At Steppenwolf, Sinise was able to hone his acting and directing skills. In 1982, Sinise's career began to take off when he directed and starred in Steppenwolf's production of True West. In 1983, he earned an Obie Award for his direction and a year later appeared with John Malkovich in the PBS' American Playhouse production of the play. In 1988, Gary directed Miles from Home, a movie starring Richard Gere, about two brothers' fight against the foreclosure of the family farm. It is considered a commentary on the issue that troubled many family farms in the 1980s. It was shot entirely on location in Iowa.
Sinise has also appeared in Of Mice and Men (which he also directed), Apollo 13, The Green Mile, Reindeer Games, Mission to Mars, and The Stand.
Since 2003, he has been involved with the Lieutenant Dan Band, performing for charities and non-profit organisations including the United Service Organizations and Operation Iraqi Children. He plays the bass guitar for the band.
In 2004, he began his first regular television series, in the crime drama , in which he plays Detective Mac Taylor.
Sinise has appeared in three movies with Tom Hanks: Forrest Gump, The Green Mile and Apollo 13.
He has been married to actress Moira Harris since 1981 and they have three children together: Sophie (b. 1988), McCanna (b. 1990), and Ella (b. 1992).
Filmography
| Film | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| The Forgotten | 2004 | Dr. Jack Munce |
| (TV series) | 2004 | Det. Mac Taylor |
| The Big Bounce | 2004 | Ray Ritchie |
| Fallen Angel (TV) | 2003 | Terry |
| The Human Stain | 2003 | Nathan Zukerman |
| [[Mission: Space]] (Disney Ride) | 2003 | Capcom |
| Path to War | 2002 | George Wallace (uncredited) |
| Made-Up | 2002 | Duncan Tivey |
| Impostor | 2002 | Spencer Olham |
| A Gentleman's Game | 2001 | Foster Pearse |
| Bruno | 2000 | Dino Battaglia |
| Mission to Mars | 2000 | Jim McConnell |
| Reindeer Games | 2000 | Gabriel Mercer |
| The Green Mile | 1999 | Burt Hammersmith |
| It's the Rage | 1999 | Morgan |
| That Championship Season (TV) | 1999 | Tom Daley |
| Snake Eyes | 1998 | Commander Kevin Dunne |
| George Wallace (TV) | 1997 | George C. Wallace |
| Ransom | 1996 | Det. Jimmy Shaker |
| Albino Alligator | 1996 | Milo |
| Truman (TV) | 1995 | Harry S. Truman |
| Apollo 13 | 1995 | Ken Mattingly |
| The Quick and the Dead | 1995 | The Marshal |
| Forrest Gump | 1994 | Lt. Dan Taylor |
| "The Stand" (TV miniseries) | 1994 | Stu Redman |
| Jack the Bear | 1993 | Norman Strick |
| Of Mice and Men | 1992 | George Milton |
| A Midnight Clear | 1992 | Vance 'Mother' Wilkins |
| The Witness (TV) | 1992 | Young Soldier |
| The Grapes of Wrath (TV broadcast of the play) | 1991 | Tom Joad |
| The Final Days (TV) | 1989 | Richard Ben-Veniste |
| My Name is Bill W. (TV) | 1989 | Ebby, Bill's best friend |
| Family Secrets (TV) | 1984 | Motorcyclist |
| True West (TV broadcast of the play) | 1984 | Austin |
Trivia
- Sinise's musical prowess is demonstrated in season 2 episode 14, where, in the last moments of the episode, he plays the bass guitar in a jazz club with musicians Kimo and Carol Williams. Kimo Williams is a real life friend outside of television, and they belong to a band called the Lt. Dan Band, which frequently plays for the USO and other events.
- He has starred in two adaptations of John Steinbeck novels, Of Mice and Men, which he also directed, as well as the television broadcast version of The Grapes of Wrath. He also narrated the audio book for Of Mice and Men and is reportedly a great Steinbeck fan.
- While most of the cast is from New York, Sinise is one of three exceptions. The others are Melina Kanakaredes (born in Ohio) and Anna Belknap (born in Maine). However, Sinise and Belknap have both lived in NY at some point in time.
- Good friends with singer/songwriter Melanie Doane and helped launch her album "You Are What You Love" through an independent label named ActorBoy Records.
- He once directed an episode of thirtysomething, where his friend Terry Kenney had a recurring role.
- He is the host in the video for the Epcot ride [[Mission: SPACE]], at Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL,
- He is set to star in Die Hard 4.
- He is one of the few outspoken conservatives in Hollywood.
External links
- [Gary Sinise]
- [Gary Sinise fans page]
- [Lt. Dan Band homepage]
- [Steppenwolf Theatre Yahoo Group]
- [MP3 of Gary Sinise Interview with KFI Host John Ziegler Part I]
- [MP3 of Gary Sinise Interview with KFI Host John Ziegler Part II]
- [MP3 of Gary Sinise Interview with KFI Host John Ziegler Part III]
- [MP3 of Gary Sinise Interview with KFI Host John Ziegler Part IV]
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