- 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 <[email protected]>
- 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).
- Has appeared with Tom Hanks in three films: Forrest Gump (1994), Apollo 13 (1995) and The Green Mile (1999); and Ed Harris in three films: The Stand (1994), Apollo 13 (1995) and The Human Stain (2003).
- 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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