Terry Kinney

Photo of Terry Kinney

Biography

A tall, blond player of American film and stage with affecting eyes and a keen ability to elicit sympathy even if on the wrong side of good and evil, Terry Kinney is known within show business as one of the founders (along with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich, among others) of the prestigious Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. Kinney made his stage debut soon after Steppenwolf was founded in 1976 playing Murphy in a production of "The Indian Wants …
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Job Title

Actor, Director, Producer

Born

January 29, 1954

Career Milestones

2012

Featured in "Promised Land," directed by Gus van Sant; film co-written by Damon and John Krasinski

2009

Played recurring guest role on "The Mentalist" (CBS)

2008

Helmed indie comedy "Diminished Capacity"

2008

Cast in Fox's short-lived legal drama "Canterbury's Law"

2006

Wrote and directed drama short "Kubuku Rides (This Is It)"

2005

Directed Kieran Culkin and Anna Paquin in "After Ashley" on the New York stage

2003

Directed "The Violet Hour" at Steppenwolf Theatre

2000

Staged Steppenwolf Theatre revival of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," starring Gary Sinise

1997

Portrayed Tim McManus, the head of a penitentiary unit on HBO prison drama series "Oz"

1997

Directed the 50th anniversary production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" at Steppenwolf Theatre

1993

Played Joseph Kennedy Sr. in the ABC TV-movie "JFK: Reckless Youth"

1993

Co-starred in Sydney Pollack's "The Firm" opposite Tom Cruise

1991

Co-starred in the New York stage production of "The Grapes of Wrath"; recreated role for the PBS version

1987

Landed recurring role on ABC drama series "thirtysomething" as Ellyn's (Polly Draper) boyfriend

1986

Made TV debut starring in CBS miniseries "Murder Ordained"

1985

Feature film debut, "A Walk on the Moon"

1981

Made stage directing debut with "And a Nightingale Sang" at Steppenwolf Theatre; production transferred off-Broadway

1976

Stage debut, "The Indian Wants the Bronx" at Steppenwolf Theatre

1976

Co-founded Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, IL