Biography
Sinise began his rise to prominence with a taped stage performance of Sam Shepard's "True West" (PBS, 1984), which was previously performed off-Broadway to great acclaim. But his first real forays into Hollywood were as a director, not an actor - he helmed episodes of "Crime Story" (NBC, 1986-88) and "thirtysomething" (ABC, 1987-1991), while making his feature directorial debut with "Miles from Home" (1988), before finally stepping in front of …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Born in Blue Island, IL (Chicago's south side); raised in Highland Park, IL | ||
| Formed band The Bonsoir Boys; played bass and sang | ||
| Returned to Chicago and began appearing in Steppenwolf productions | ||
1973 | Professional stage debut, "The Physicist" at age 17 | |
1974 | At age 18, co-founded (with Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry) Chicago's acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre at a church in Highland Park | |
1976 | Appeared in "The Indian Wants the Bronx" at Steppenwolf | |
1979 | Moved to Los Angeles | |
1980 | Made TV debut as an extra in disco scenes on the ABC daytime serial "General Hospital" (date approx.) | |
1980 | Primetime debut, had a two-line role on CBS drama "Knots Landing" | |
1981 | Early stage directing credit, "Waiting for the Parade" at Steppenwolf | |
1982 | Co-starred in Steppenwolf staging of "Loose Ends" | |
1982 | Directed Steppenwolf production of "True West" by Sam Shepard; production moved off-Broadway in NYC; also played role of Austin | |
1984 | First network TV-movie, "Family Secrets" (NBC); appeared as a motorcyclist | |
1984 | First notable TV work, recreating stage role in "True West" opposite John Malkovich for a presentation of PBS' "American Playhouse" | |
1985 | Appeared in "Balm in Gilead" off-Broadway; production directed by Malkovich | |
1986 | Acted with wife Moira Harris on an episode of "Crime Story" (NBC) | |
1987 | TV directorial debut with a two-part episode of "Crime Story" | |
1988 | Feature directorial debut with "Miles From Home" | |
1988 | Starred in the Steppenwolf production of "The Grapes of Wrath," which toured New York, London, Chicago and La Jolla; received Tony Award nomination for Broadway production; reprised role in a 1991 PBS production | |
1989 | Helmed two episodes of "thirtysomething" (ABC) | |
1991 | Directed "The Always Goodbye" episode of the ABC drama "China Beach" | |
1992 | Debut as a producer with "Of Mice and Men"; also directed and played first leading film role as George | |
1992 | Made feature acting debut in "A Midnight Clear" | |
1994 | Co-starred as the paraplegic Lieutenant Dan Taylor opposite Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump"; received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination | |
1994 | Landed lead role in the ABC miniseries version of Stephen King's "The Stand" | |
1995 | Portrayed astronaut Ken Mattingly in "Apollo 13"; first collaboration with director Ron Howard | |
1995 | Won praise for portrayal of U.S. President Harry Truman in the HBO biopic "Truman" | |
1996 | Broadway debut as co-producer and director, "Buried Child"; received Tony nomination as Director of a Play | |
1996 | Cast as a police detective investigating a kidnapping in "Ransom," directed by Howard | |
1997 | Garnered an Emmy Award for portrayal of the Alabama governor in TNT's "George Wallace" | |
1997 | Starred as Stanley in the 50th Anniversary production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" at Steppenwolf Theatre | |
1998 | Appeared in the Brian De Palma-directed thriller "Snake Eyes" | |
1999 | Made cameo appearance opposite Tom Hanks in "The Green Mile"; cast as the lawyer hired to defend John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) | |
1999 | Teamed with fellow Steppenwolf actor Terry Kinney in the Showtime remake of "That Championship Season," co-starring and directed by Paul Sorvino | |
2000 | Returned to outer space as an astronaut leading a "Mission to Mars," helmed by De Palma | |
2000 | Starred as Randle P. McMurphy in Steppenwolf revival of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"; production originated in Chicago before moving to London | |
2000 | Undertook villainous role in the Frankenheimer-directed "Reindeer Games" | |
2001 | Recreated role of McMurphy in Broadway revival of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"; earned Tony nomination | |
2002 | Starred in the sci-fi tilm "Impostor"; originally intended as one of three short films to be released under the title "Alien Love Story," movie was re-worked into a feature; also co-produced with director Gary Fleder | |
2003 | Portrayed a novelist opposite Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman in "The Human Stain" | |
2004 | Cast in starring role on "CSI: NY" (CBS) as a crime-scene investigator; first foray into series television | |
2004 | Played a psychiatrist opposite Julianne Moore in the thriller "The Forgotten" | |
2004 | Played wealthy developer Ray Ritchie in "The Big Bounce" opposite Owen Wilson and Morgan Freeman | |
2006 | Voiced a paranoid über-hunter in the animated comedy "Open Season" | |
2009 | Guest starred as his "CSI: NY" character on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS) | |
2010 | Narrated The History Channel's "Missions That Changed the War" | |
Awards
1994 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Forrest Gump |
1994 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Forrest Gump |
1994 | National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor in Forrest Gump |
1995 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Truman |
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Forrest Gump |
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Stephen King's The Stand |
1996 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor For a Miniseries or Special in Truman |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Apollo 13 |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Truman |
1997 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in George Wallace |
1998 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Miniseries or Movie in George Wallace |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in George Wallace |