Gary Sinise

Infobox actor
name = Gary Sinise


imagesize = 180px
caption =
birthname = Gary Alan Sinise
birthdate = birth date and age|1955|03|17
location = Blue Island, Illinois, U.S.A.
spouse = Moira Harris, 3 children
homepage = http://www.garysinise.com/
emmyawards = Outstanding Lead Actor - Miniseries/Movie
1998 "George Wallace"
goldenglobeawards =
1996 "Truman"
sagawards = Best Actor - Miniseries or Television
1995 "Truman"
1997 "George Wallace"
Best Cast - Motion Picture
1995 "Apollo 13"
awards = Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor (film)
1994 "Forrest Gump"

Gary Alan Sinise (born March 17, 1955) is an American actor and film director. During his career, Sinise has won an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for Palme d'Or and an Academy Award. In 1992, Sinise directed the film and played the role of George Milton in the movie adaption of "Of Mice and Men". 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 police officer in the Ron Howard dramatic hit "Ransom". In 1998, Sinise was awarded an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for the television film "George Wallace", a portrayal of the late Governor George C. Wallace, Jr., of Alabama. He currently stars in CBS's "" as Detective Mac Taylor. He recently narrated a biography for Navy Seal and Medal of Honor recipient Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor at the Republican National Convention in support of John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States of America.

Biography

Early life

Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois, the son of Millie and Robert L. Sinise, who was a film editor. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/68/Gary-Sinise.html Gary Sinise Biography (1955-) ] ] He is of part Italian ancestry. [ [http://www.niaf.it/news/index.asp?id=437 NIAF News Releases ] ] He attended Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois, and continued his education at Illinois State University, in Normal, Illinois. In 1974, Sinise and two friends, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry, founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. [ cite web|url=http://www.steppenwolf.org/ensemble/members/details.aspx?id=36 |title=Gary Sinise: Ensemble Member Bio |accessdate=2008-01-03 ] Since its founding, Steppenwolf has showcased the talents of such notable actors as Kevin Anderson, Joan Allen, Gary Cole, Glenne Headly, John Malkovich, Jim True-Frost and Laurie Metcalf. At Steppenwolf, Sinise honed his acting and directing skills and 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, Gary directed "Miles from Home", a movie starring Richard Gere, about two brothers' fight against the foreclosure of the family farm. Sinise has appeared in many films including: "Forrest Gump", "Of Mice and Men" (which he also directed), "Apollo 13", "Reindeer Games", "Snake Eyes", "Ransom", "Mission to Mars", "The Stand", "Impostor" and "The Green Mile". He also narrated the audio books for John Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley" and "Of Mice and Men".

In 2004, he began his first regular television series, in the crime drama "", in which he plays Detective Mac Taylor. Several episodes have allowed Sinise to demonstrate his musical prowess, including a Season 2 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 , at Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL and the current model for Baume & Mercier watches. [ cite web|url=http://www.universe-of-luxury.com/baume-mercier/publicites/gary_sinise.html |title=Baume & Mercier and Gary Sinise |accessdate=2008-01-03 ] He also co-founded Operation Iraqi Children.

Sinise also was awarded the GI Spirit Award for the cite web|url = http://www.gifilmfestival.com/bestinfilm.html |title = 2007 GI Film Festival |access date = April 28, access year = 2008

Sinise is also the narrator for the Discovery Channel's mini series "When We Left Earth" in 2008.

Personal life

Sinise has been married to actress Moira Harris since 1981 and they have three children together: Sophia Ana (b. 1988), McCanna Anthony (b. 1990), and Ella Jane (b. 1992). In 2003, Sinise was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters by Amherst College. [ cite web|url=http://www.amherst.edu/commencement/2003/honorary/sinise.html |title=Amherst College Commencement: 2003 Honorary Degree Citations |accessdate=2008-01-03 ] .

Politics

Sinise has conservative Republican leanings. His "CSI:NY" co-star Hill Harper, one of the leading supporters of Democratic Presidential candidate and Illinois Senator Barack Obama, has noted that Sinise's political beliefs are much more conservative (than Harper's) but also says he and Sinise get along with each other on set and have decided not to discuss politics.

In June 2008, Gary donated $2,300 to the Republican primary campaign of Arizona Senator John McCain [cite web|url=http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Gary_Sinise.php |title=Gary Sinise's Federal Campaign Contribution Report] .

Filmography

References

External links

* [http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi_ny/bios/index.php?cast_member=gary Gary Sinise Bio at CBS - CSI: NY]
* [http://www.garysinise.com/ Gary Sinise]
*imdb name|id=0000641|name=Gary Sinise
* [http://www.ltdanband.com/ Lt. Dan Band homepage]
* [http://www.steppenwolf.org/ Steppenwolf Theatre Company]
* [http://www.operationiraqichildren.org/ Operation Iraqi Children]