Gary Alan Sinise (/səˈniËs/; born March 17, 1955) is an American actor, director, and musician. Among other awards, he has won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award.
Sinise is known for several memorable roles. These include George Milton in Of Mice and Men, Lt. Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), Harry S. Truman in Truman (for which he won a Golden Globe), Ken Mattingly in Apollo 13, Detective Jimmy Shaker in Ransom, and George C. Wallace in the television film George Wallace (for which he won an Emmy). He is also known for starring as Detective Mac Taylor in the CBS series CSI: NY from 2004 to 2013.
Early life
Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois, son of Robert L. Sinise, a film editor, and his wife Mylles (Alsip) Sinise. He is of Italian ancestry on his father's side. Sinise graduated from Highland Park High School (Highland Park, Illinois), followed by Illinois State University. In 1974, Sinise and two friends, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry, founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Since then, Steppenwolf has showcased the talents of notable actors such as Joan Allen, Kevin Anderson, Gary Cole, Ethan Hawke, Glenne Headly, John Mahoney, John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Plimpton, Jim True-Frost and most recently William Petersen. Sinise honed his acting and directing skills at Steppenwolf, and received a Joseph Jefferson Award for his direction of Lyle Kessler's play Orphans. That took him from Chicago to New York City, and then to London's West End, where he worked on more than thirty of the company's productions.
Career
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, Sinise directed Miles from Home, a film starring Richard Gere, about two brothers' fight against the foreclosure of the family farm. Sinise starred and collaborated with fellow actor Tom Hanks three times including Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, and The Green Mile. Other noteworthy films Sinise has appeared in include Of Mice and Men (which he directed), Reindeer Games, Snake Eyes, Ransom, Mission to Mars, The Stand and Impostor. He narrated the audiobooks for John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley.
In 2004, he began his first regular television series, in the crime drama CSI: New York, in which he plays Detective Mac Taylor. He was credited as a producer from season two onwards and wrote the storyline of an episode. Several episodes have allowed Sinise to demonstrate his musical prowess, including a season two episode where Mac Taylor plays the bass guitar in a jazz club with musicians Kimo and Carol Williams and Danny Gottlieb, members of the Lt. Dan Band, which Sinise and Kimo Williams co-founded in 2003. The band is named for Sinise's character in Forrest Gump.
Apart from his television and movie work, Sinise is the host in the video for the Epcot ride Mission: SPACE, at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida, and a model for Baume & Mercier watches. He co-founded Operation Iraqi Children. Sinise said, "Iraq is in the news every day, and most of it is bad. But there are some positive stories. And how our soldiers are rebuilding schools and helping kids is one of them."
Sinise was the narrator for the Discovery Channel's mini series When We Left Earth in 2008. He was awarded the Presidential Citizen Medal by George W. Bush for work he did supporting the U.S Military and humanitarian work supporting Iraqi children. He narrated Army and Army Reserve Army Strong recruitment ads in late 2008. He is also the National Spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
Sinise is the executive producerâ€"along with David Scantlingâ€"of the Iraq War documentary Brothers at War. The film features an American military family and the experiences of three brothers: Jake Rademacher, Isaac Rademacher and Joseph Rademacher.
In November 2009, Sinise narrated the highly acclaimed World War II in HD on the History Channel. In 2010, he narrated the World War II documentary Missions That Changed The War on the Military Channel. In late 2002, he started the Cadillac commercials starting with the 2002â€"2003 Season's Best commercial and has been with the Break Through campaign since it started the campaign in the 2002 Super Bowl with Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" then ended in late 2006. In 2009, Sinise lent his voice talents in the Thomas Nelson audio Bible production known as The Word of Promise, playing the character of David.
Other work
Sinise is a supporter of various veterans' organizations, both personally and through the Lt. Dan Band. He frequently performs on USO tours at military bases around the world, and volunteered for the National Vietnam Veterans Arts Museum now called the National Veterans Art Museum. On June 8, 2011, he put on a space suit to become one of the few people to fly in a U-2 spy plane at up to 70,000 feet. Sinise is also on the Advisory Council of Hope For The Warriors, a national non-profit dedicated to provide a full cycle of non-medical care to combat wounded service members, their families, and families of the fallen from each military branch. In August 2012, Sinise was honored at the United States Navy Memorial, by Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Rick West, and was made an honorary U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer for his efforts in helping veterans. On August 29, 2013, he was named an honorary Marine by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. In 2006, Sinise has co-narrated the National Memorial Day Concert on the Mall in Washington, D.C., with fellow actor and Illinois native Joe Mantegna. He serves as the National Spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial and spends much of his time raising awareness for the Memorial and other veterans' service organizations. In 2012, he was honored by the Joe Foss Institute for his dedication to veterans. He participated in Troopathon VI for 2013, as he has in the past, to help raise money for care packages for American troops.
Personal life
Sinise married actress Moira Harris in 1981. They have three children: Sophie (b. 1988), McCanna Anthony (b. 1990), and Ella (b. 1992). In 2003, Sinise was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Amherst College He has been awarded the US Presidential Citizens Medal.
Politics
Sinise's name was in an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times (August 17, 2006) that condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and supported Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. In June 2008, Sinise donated $2,300 to the Republican presidential primary campaign of Arizona Senator John McCain. Nicolle Wallace, a former adviser to George W. Bush and the presidential campaign of John McCain, stated in May 2009 that she believed Sinise could help bring about a resurgence of the Republican Party. Wallace stated, "The natural strengths that an actor brings to politics would come in handy to anyone going up against Obama in 2012. We will need an effective communicator who can stand toe to toe with Obama’s eloquence." Other names mentioned were those of Generals David Petraeus and Ray Odierno. Sinise narrates the online virtual tour for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and spoke at the centennial celebration of Reagan's birth at the library in February 2011.
In September 2012, Sinise donated to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Sinise's Republican leaning has been written into his character of Mac Taylor who has a picture of Ronald Reagan displayed in his office, and is once the subject of a joke by one of his colleagues about an eight-hour documentary about Reagan he keeps watching over and over. Sinise hosted a 10-minute online video tour of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on its website, indicating his reverence for the 40th U.S. President.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
- Gary Sinise at the Internet Movie Database
- Gary Sinise at the Internet Broadway Database
- Gary Sinise at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Gary Sinise at AllMovie
- Gary Sinise Bio at CBS â€" CSI: NY
- Lt. Dan Band homepage
- Steppenwolf Theatre Company
- Operation Iraqi Children
- Gary Sinise interview on PMAKid.com
- "Sinise: A Man for All Services" by Andrew Breitbart (The Washington Times December 15, 2008)
- "Lt. Dan rocks out" by Sarah Feldberg (Las Vegas Weekly 9/4/09)
