Gary Sinise

Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois, the son of Robert L. Sinise (born 1931), a film editor, and Mylles (Alsip) Sinise.

His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent.

Sinise's great-grandfather, Vito Sinisi, emigrated to the United States from Ripacandida, in the Italian region of Basilicata.

Sinise briefly attended Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and later graduated from Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois.

Gary Alan Sinise (born March 17, 1955) is an American actor of stage and screen, as well as a director, producer, musician, and humanitarian.

Among other awards, he has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards.

He has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he has been nominated for an Academy Award.

Sinise has also received numerous awards and honors for his extensive humanitarian work and involvement with charitable organizations.

He is a supporter of various veterans' organizations and founded the Lt. Dan Band (named after his character in Forrest Gump), which plays at military bases around the world.

In 1974, Sinise and two friends, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry, founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.

Since then, 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 honed his acting and directing skills at Steppenwolf.

In 1982, Sinise's career began to take off when he directed and starred in Steppenwolf's production of True West.

Sinise's acting career started on stage with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1983, when he directed and starred in a production of Sam Shepard's True West for which he earned an Obie Award.

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 1985, he earned the Regional Theatre Tony Award alongside the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

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.

He has received a total of four Tony Award nominations, including nominations for his performances in The Grapes of Wrath and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

He also received Tony Award nominations for his performances in The Grapes of Wrath (1988) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (2001).

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 as George Milton in the 1992 film adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men.

He also directed and produced the film.

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.

Sinise received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump (1994).

Subsequent roles include Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump (1994), for which Sinise was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He also appeared in Ron Howard's Apollo 13 (1995), Ransom (1996), Frank Darabont's The Green Mile (1999), and Impostor (2002).

On television, Sinise is known for portraying Harry S. Truman in Truman (1995), a portrayal that won him a Golden Globe Award; and for playing the title role in George Wallace, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award.

He has also appeared in Ron Howard's Apollo 13 (1995), Ransom (1996), Snake Eyes (1998), Frank Darabont's The Green Mile (1999), Reindeer Games (2000), Mission to Mars (2000), and Impostor (2002).

Sinise has collaborated with fellow actor Tom Hanks three times, in Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, and The Green Mile.

He narrated the audiobooks for John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley.

In late 2002, Sinise began appearing in Cadillac commercials, starting with the 2002–2003 Season's Best commercial.

He was with the Break Through campaign from 2002 to 2006.

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.

Sinise is widely known for his leading role as Detective Mac Taylor in the long-running CBS series CSI: NY (2004–13).

In 2004, Sinise 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.

He also played Special Agent Jack Garrett in Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016–17).