Gary Sinise: From Stage to Screen and a Legacy of Service
Gary Alan Sinise is an internationally recognized artist whose prolific career as an actor, director, and producer has earned him a reputation that places him in the top ranks of contemporary artistic achievement. Beyond his artistic achievements, Sinise is also known for his extensive humanitarian work, particularly his support for veterans and first responders.
Early Life and Education
Gary Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois, to Robert L. Sinise, a film editor, and Mylles (Alsip) Sinise. His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent. From a young age, Sinise was drawn to the arts. At the age of 10 his parents bought him his first guitar and he played actively in bands into his 20s. Gary began acting during his sophomore year in high school in Highland Park.
After graduating high school, Gary Sinise attended Illinois State University.
The Steppenwolf Theatre Company
After graduating from high school in 1974, Sinise co-founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago with Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry. Sinise served as the company's Artistic Director for seven years. Steppenwolf has showcased the talents of notable actors such as Joan Allen, Kevin Anderson, Gary Cole, Ethan Hawke, Glenne Headly, John Malkovich, John Mahoney, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Plimpton, Jim True-Frost, and William Petersen.
Sinise made his professional stage debut at age 17 and, a year later, became a founding member of Chicago’s influential Steppenwolf Theater. He has since starred in over a dozen productions at the renowned theatre including the role of Tom Joad in The Grapes Of Wrath, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award; True West, Balm In Gilead, Streamers and The Caretaker. He received a Joseph Jefferson Award for Marsha Norman’s Getting Out at Chicago’s Wisdom Bridge Theatre. He starred as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Randle Patrick McMurphy in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest at Steppenwolf, the Barbican Theatre in London, and then on Broadway, earning him another Tony nomination for Best Actor.
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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. Sinise received a Joseph Jefferson Award for his direction of Lyle Kessler's play Orphans in 1985. Sinise earned the Regional Theatre Tony Award alongside the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1985.
Sinise Directed and co-starred with John Malkovich in the landmark production of Sam Shepard’s True West at Steppenwolf and off Broadway, where he received an Obie Award for Best Director. He also directed Sam Shepard’s Buried Child which kicked off Steppenwolf’s 20th Anniversary and continued with a successful run on Broadway where it was nominated for five Tony Awards, including one for Sinise for Best Director. His other Stage Directing credits include Tracers, Frank’s Wild Years, The Miss Firecracker Contest, Waiting for Parade, Action, Road To Nirvana and Landscape Of The Body. He received a Joseph Jefferson Award for his direction of Lyle Kessler’s Orphans, which also played off-Broadway and in London with Albert Finney.
Transition to Film and Television
Sinise started his Hollywood career by directing two episodes of the TV series “Crime Story” in 1986. His first feature film as an actor was the World War II story “A Midnight Clear” in 1992. The same year, he directed and acted in the critically acclaimed “Of Mice and Men.”
In 1992, Sinise starred in the film adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel Of Mice and Men, which he also directed and produced. Sinise played George Milton alongside John Malkovich, who played Lennie.
In 1994, Sinise's portrayal of Lt. Dan, in the Academy Award winning film Forrest Gump, brought him mainstream attention and earned him nominations for an Oscar, a Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guild Award. He received the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Board of Review, and the Commander’s Award from the Disabled American Veterans for the role as well.
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Subsequent roles include Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump (1994), for which Sinise was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He then went on to take starring roles in the acclaimed Apollo 13 opposite Tom Hanks; the thriller Ransom with Mel Gibson and Rene Russo; and Brian DePalma’s psychological thriller Snake Eyes with Nicholas Cage. Sinise has collaborated with fellow actor Tom Hanks three times, in Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, and The Green Mile.
He was last seen on the big screen in Columbia Pictures’ The Forgotten with Julianne Moore, and The Human Stain opposite Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman and Ed Harris. He also provided the voice of Shaw in Sony’s animated feature Open Season. Sinise also made his mark as a feature film Director with Of Mice And Men, which he co-produced and co-starred in with John Malkovich, as well as Miles From Home starring Richard Gere and Kevin Anderson. Both were screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
His other film credits include A Midnight Clear, Jack The Bear, The Quick And The Dead, It's The Rage, The Big Bounce, Gary Fleder’s sci-fi thriller Imposter, John Frankenheimer’s Reindeer Games, Brian DePalma’s Mission To Mars, Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile and Kevin Spacey’s Directorial debut Albino Alligator.
Sinise also portrayed real-life characters in several television films. He portrayed Harry S. Truman in Truman (1995), a portrayal that won him a Golden Globe Award; and he played George Wallace in George Wallace (1997), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award. A four-time SAG Award nominee, on television, he acted in Path To War Directed by John Frankenheimer on HBO, Showtime’s adaptation of Jason Miller’s Pulitzer Prize winning play That Championship Season Directed by Paul Sorvino and gave award-winning performances in Truman (Golden Globe, CableACE and Screen Actors Guild) and John Frankenheimer’s George Wallace (Screen Actors Guild, Emmy and CableACE). He also starred in My Name Is Bill W with James Woods, in Stephen King’s The Stand, and in CBS/Hallmark’s Fallen Angel. Gary recently completed a nine season run as Detective Mac Taylor in the hit CBS series CSI NY.
In late 2002, Sinise began appearing in Cadillac commercials, starting with the 2002-2003 Season's Best commercial. In 2004, Sinise began his first regular television series, in the crime drama CSI: NY, 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.
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He was the subject of the Fox News documentary, On The Road In Iraq With Our Troops And Gary Sinise, which highlighted his 4th USO tour to Kuwait and Iraq. He is also the subject of the feature length documentary, Lt. Dan Band For The Common Good, a film that follows Gary and his band and is dedicated to remembering those who serve, those who are willing to lay down their lives for others, and those who are left behind.
Humanitarian Work and the Lt. Dan Band
Mr. Sinise’s humanitarian spirit is exemplified through two organizations he helped launch: The Lt. Dan Band-formed with Chicago composer Kimo Williams and named for the character Mr. Armed Forces worldwide; and Operation Iraqi Children-formed with author Laura Hillenbrand-enables Americans to send school supplies to children living in Iraq.
Sinise began to attract the attention of the film industry with his work on True West, for which he was an actor and director and for which he earned an Obie Award in 1982. Gary Sinise’s first major advocacy project was Operation Iraqi Children. He wanted the world to know the reality of how US soldiers were rebuilding communities and helping children in Iraq.
Sinise 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.
Sinise has narrated several projects for the US military, including Army Strong recruitment advertisements, the History Channel’s World War II in HD, and Missions that Changed the War, which aired on the Military Channel. He is the national spokesperson and leads significant fundraising efforts for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. Gary Sinise’s Lt. Dan Band has been a successful vehicle for his work on behalf of veterans and the Armed Forces. The band was co-founded with Kimo Williams and is named after Sinise’s famous character in Forrest Gump-Lieutenant Dan Taylor.
The band is named for Sinise's character in Forrest Gump. Sinise was the narrator for the Discovery Channel's miniseries When We Left Earth in 2008. In November 2009, Sinise narrated the highly acclaimed World War II in HD on the History Channel. Also 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. In 2010, he narrated the World War II documentary Missions That Changed the War on the Military Channel.
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. Army community through his work with the Gary Sinise Foundation.
From 2003 to 2010, I kept volunteering more and more, helping many different organizations and charities anywhere I could. I performed with the Lt. Dan Band at concerts overseas and around the country while I was working full-time on CSI: NY. The pace was hard on me and my family, but I could also see the support effort was doing some good for these military and first-responder families, so I kept at it.
The Gary Sinise Foundation
The Gary Sinise Foundation was founded in 2011 to build upon Sinise’s personal efforts on behalf of veterans and defense personnel. Gary Sinise's career is a powerhouse of artistry, advocacy, and unwavering dedication to our nation's heroes.
By 2010, I had a decision to make. I would either ramp up this mission of service to veterans, first responders and their families, or I would pull back. I had 35 concerts and additional events in support of our troops planned for that year alone. I wondered how long I could keep up this pace. Would I be able to continue like this, or would I burn out?
For over 25 years, I had been supporting many initiatives and nonprofits and I had learned a great deal about many different areas of need. I thought about the sacrifices of so many who keep our country free and safe. I thought about our veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress, our most severely wounded service members who feel lost and incomplete, and those still serving who continue to face dangerous situations around the world. I thought about the grieving families and children of our fallen, and all the moments they would feel the loss and heartbreak alone. I thought of the first responders who run towards danger for their fellow citizens, and the toll it takes on them.
I knew the American people wanted to support quality projects that honor the heroes who serve and sacrifice in so many selfless and extraordinary ways, but they just didn’t know where to begin. I knew I could do more if I could consolidate my efforts under one umbrella. I could build a bigger team and delegate more responsibilities so I could do even more while spending a bit more time with my family.
On June 30, 2011, at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, we announced the launch of the Gary Sinise Foundation. In the years since, we’ve helped thousands of our nation’s heroes and their families in their time of need. I encourage you to read more about the Foundation’s rich history, the astonishing personal stories of our heroes, and the critical outreach efforts we make every day to serve them.
Most of all, I hope you’ll join me in this important mission. We’ve only just begun. I’m a Grateful American.
In 2020, the Location Managers Guild honored Sinise with its Humanitarian award at their annual awards ceremony in recognition of the work he does with the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Recognition and Awards
Mr. Sinise has received numerous awards and honors throughout his remarkable career that include: Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for his appearance as the embittered Vietnam veteran in Forrest Gump; a Golden Globe award for his performance in the TV movie Truman; a third Golden Globe nomination for the TV movie George Wallace; a Best Acting award for All the Rage at the Milan International Film Festival; and a DVD Premiere Award as Best Actor in the feature film A Gentleman's Game.
Sinise has won a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Actor Awards, and has been nominated for an Academy Award. He has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Sinise was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President George W. Bush.
On April 17, 2017, Sinise received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in the television industry.
Gary Sinise was awarded the Presidential Citizen Medal by President George W.
Personal Life
Sinise married actress Moira Harris in 1981. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and as of 2024 she is cancer-free. His son, McCanna "Mac" Anthony Sinise, was diagnosed in 2018 with chordoma, a rare cancer of the spine. He died on January 5, 2024 and was laid to rest on January 23, 2024, in a Catholic service. Sinise is a practicing Catholic.
Sinise is a devoted fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears.
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