Patinkin, Mandy [né Mandel Bruce Patinkin] (b. 1947), actor and singer. The magnetic performer of intense or flamboyant characters is a nontraditional leading man who can play both experimental and Shakespearean roles with equal panache. He was born in Chicago and educated at the University of Kansas and Juilliard before working several years in regional theatre. Patinkin made his New York debut Off Broadway in 1974 and three years later was noticed on Broadway as the despondent lover Mark in the drama The Shadow Box (1977). But his most successful stage appearances were in musicals, such as the wry commentator Che in Evita (1979), the two artists named George in Sunday in the Park with George (1984), the sullen uncle Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden (1991), and the self‐destructive vaudevillian Burrs in The Wild Party (2000).
Intense, dynamic Julliard alumnus Mandy Patinkin tackled everything from ancient classics to modern musicals during his formative years in regional theatre. From 1975 through 1981, Patinkin was a mainstay of Joseph Papps New York Shakespeare Festival. Making his Broadway debut in 1977, Patinkin won a Tony Award three years later for his raw-nerved portrayal of Che Guevara ("Not much to ask for!") in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita. He later appeared as star-interlocutor in Stephen Sondheim's musical Sunday in the Park with George, a role he repeated for the benefit of future generations on a videotaped TV presentation in 1986. In films from 1977, Patinkin made his earliest impression on moviegoers in a brace of E. L. Doctorow adaptations: he played the immigrant-artist-turned-pioneer filmmaker in Ragtime (1981) and the Julius Rosenberg counterpart in Daniel (1983). He also portrayed Avigdor, Barbra Streisand's dream lover, in Yentl (1983), and essayed the part of a Spanish swashbuckler (with a hilariously impenetrable accent) in The Princess Bride (1985). His extensive musical skills, both as vocalist and instrumentalist, have gone virtually untapped in films, save for his turn as 88 Keys in Dick Tracy (1990). The scope of Patinkin's musical talents were generously displayed in his one-man show Dress Casual, and also in his many "concert recordings" of classic Broadway scores. Despite his devotion to his craft, Mandy Patinkin evidently has his head on straight in terms of priorities: in 1996, he gave up the meaty role of Dr. Jeffrey Geiger in the weekly TV medical series Chicago Hope because he didn't like spending so much time away from his wife (actress Kathryn Grody) and children. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Born Mandel Patinkin, November 30, 1952 in Chi cago, IL; son of Lester (in scrap metal business) and Doris (a homemaker) Patinkin; married Kathryn Grody (an actress), June 15, 1980; children: Isaac and Gideon. Education: Attended University of Kansas, 1970-72, and the Juilliard School of Drama, 1972-74.
Began his concert career at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre in New York City in 1989, which coincided with his first solo album, Mandy; Patinkin. Began touring the U.S and Canada after 1989; released second solo album, Mandy; Patinkin In Concert: Dress Casual in 1990; released Experiment in 1994; released Oscar & Steve in 1997.
Has appeared in over twenty films, including Yenti (1983), Maxie (1985), The Princess Bride (1987), The House on Carroll Street (1988), Alien Nation(1989), Dick Tracy (1990), The Doctor (1991), and Men with Guns(1997). Television appearances include, Sesame Street, Taxi, and The Simpsons.Played the role of Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on the drama series Chicago Hope,1994-96.
Awards: Tony Award, Outstanding Featured Actor, for his portrayal of Che Guevara in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Evita,1980; Emmy Award, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Dramatic Series, for his portrayal of Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on Chicago Hope,1996.
Addresses:Home—Manhattan, New York. Office— Dodger Touring Ltd., 1501 Broadway, Suite 2015, New York, NY 10036; (212) 768-8705; United Talent Agency, 9560 Wilshire Boulevard, #500, Los Angeles, CA 90212
Singer, actor
Tony and Emmy Award-winning singer/pianist/actor Mandy Patinkin is noted for his remarkable tenor and fresh interpretation of classic theater standards from composers such as Oscar Hammerstein II and Stephen Sondheim. He infuses timeless classics with his own brand of gentle, almost quirky musical stylings: he trills, holds notes for a few beats longer than the original, and imparts a uniquely theatrical flair to each rendition.
Patinkin was born at Chicago’s Mercy Hospital in 1952 and was named after his grandfather, Menachem Man-del. As a boy, he attended Hebrew school at the Congregation Rodfei Zedek, where he sang in the boy’s choir. It was his early choir years that sparked his love of music and honed his sensitivity to the perfect pitch. When Patinkin grew a little older, his mother encouraged him to participate in community theater. After high school at South Shore High in Chicago, Patinkin attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS, for two years before moving to New York City to attend the Juilliard School of Drama in 1972.
When Patinkin auditioned for the 1979 play Evita, he had not concentrated on singing for eight years. Yet, his audition won him a spot in the cast—the role of Che Guevara. His talent shone, and in 1980, Patinkin won a Tony Award for Outstanding Featured Actor for his portrayal of Che Guevara. That same year, he married actress Kathryn Grody.
Patinkin’s acting career was intertwined with his musical career, since much of his acting entailed performing in musicals. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his starring role as Georges Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George in 1984. In 1985, Patinkin played Buddy Durant in Follies In Concert; the following year he played Lieutenant Cable in South Pacific, and in 1987 he played Peter Handsworth in The Knife. In the 1990s, his roles included: the Marriage Arranger in Kismet (1991), Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden(1991), Marvin in the musical Falsettos (1993), and in 1996 he played Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha.
Balanced Solo Musical Career with Acting Patinkin began his concert career at Joseph Papp’s Public Theatre in New York City in 1989, which coincided with the release of his first solo album, Mandy Patinkin. After releasing his first album, he toured extensively across the U.S. and in Canada as well. He indulged his love of theater by performing songs from stage classics, particularly those written by Rogers and Hammerstein, Kander and Ebb, and Stephen Sondheim.
Ayear later, in 1990, he released his second solo album, Mandy Patinkin In Concert: Dress Casual, followed by his inclusion in Tenors Anyone?, which was released in 1991. Patinkin was also included on Love Songs, a Sony compilation of previously released material, in 1992.
In 1994 Patinkin released his third solo album, Experiment, which highlighted songs that span nine decades and encompass songsfrom Irving Berlin to Alan Mencken. In 1995 Patinkin released the solo effort Oscar & Steve, a compilation of songs written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Stephen Sondheim. In 1996, Patinkin took a short respite from his solo efforts to sing on the Leonard Bernstein’s New York cast album
Appeared in Musical Films Patinkin’s film career is just as impressive as his musical career, which is a statement rarely attributed to a musician or actor. Between 1978 and 1997, Patinkin appeared in over twenty-six films, many of which are now considered durable classics. Patinkin played Avig-dor in Yentl,88 Keys in Dick Tracy, Alfred De Musset in Impromptu, Inigo Montoya in Princess Bride, Tateh in Ragtime, and himself in Madonna: Truth or Dare. In 1997 he played Andrew in Men with Guns, and Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Patinkin often accepts roles that allow him to stretch as an actor and often to sing as well. Yentl and Ragtime were centered around music, as was Impromptu and Madonna: Truth or Dare. Patinkin’s line from The Princess Bride," Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die" was memorized by children all across the country, who watched and loved the film; it’s Patinkin’s most famous screen line. He told Jonathon Schwartz of A & E Review, "I looove that I was in that movie because—maybe more than anything I’ve done—because kids like it."
Television Roles Often Included Music Patinkin’s film success is matched by his television success, and he has often infused his television roles with music. While portraying Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on Chicago Hopefrom 1994 to 1996, his character actually serenaded hospital co-workers with Patinkin’s brand of classic theater music. Geiger is arguably Patinkin’s most famous character, and his role as Dr. Geiger won him an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1996.
In 1995, Larry King featured Patinkin and his music on his show, entitled "Larry King: An Evening with Mandy Patinkin." Patinkin also appeared with Keith Lockhart in An Evening at Pops in 1995, and on Homicide: Life On the Street. He appeared as himself on The Larry Sanders Showin 1992, and appeared in An Evening at Pops in 1989. Other television appearances include Sesame Street, Taxi, and The Simpsons.
Patinkin is a Renaissance Man in the truest meaning of the word: he combines his considerable talents and interests to broaden the definition of musician, actor, and singer. He embraces comedy and tragedy, musicals and police shows, children’s films and pop rock documentaries. He has appeared in Shakespeare plays, Arthur Miller dramas, and Alien Nation. His flexibility is reminiscent of another era—an era when Gene Kelly could dance, act, sing, woo the leading lady, and even tap dance on the ceiling. Patinkin harks back to that era of multi-talented singers and thespians. Patinkin has achieved a unique status in the realm of television and films: an actor noted for both his acting and his musical talent. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Elvis Presley are a few of the other crossover singer/actors, which renders Patinkin in a nostalgic light. Although it’s difficult to predict what he’ll portray on film and television in the future, his musical career is firmly rooted in a passion for musical theater and in the heartwarming songs of America’s greatest theatrical songwriters.
Selected discography
Solo Albums Mandy Patinkin, CBS/Sony Records, 1989. Mandy Patinkin Concert: Dress Casual, CBS/Sony Records, 1990. Experiment, Elektra/Nonesuch Records, 1994. Oscar & Steve, Elektra/Nonesuch Records, 1995.
Cast Albums Evita, MCA Records, 1979. Sunday In the Park with George, RCA Records, 1984. South Pacific, MCA Records, 1986. Kismet, Rhino Records, 1991. The Secret Garden, Polydor Records, 1991. Leonard Bernstein’s New York, Nonesuch Records, 1996. Man of La Mancha, MCA Records, 1996.
Actor/singer Mandy Patinkin carved out a varied career onstage, in films, in the recording studio, and on television. Though he was possessed of a flexible tenor voice with a wide range and was known for his bravura performing style, few of his movie appearances made use of his musical ability, and he was more widely known as a dramatic actor on television than anything else. Nevertheless, he was one of the major American musical theater performers of his generation.
Patinkin first developed an interest in acting and singing while growing up in Chicago. He attended the University of Kansas, then the Juilliard School of Drama in New York City, leaving without a degree when he was able to find enough stage work to turn professional. During the second half of the 1970s, he was closely associated with the New York Shakespeare Festival at the Public Theater, performing in many of the celebrated theater company's productions, on and off Broadway. He made his film debut in 1978, playing a small part in The Big Fix.
Patinkin's first significant appearance in a musical came with the Public Theater's brief off-Broadway production of Leave It to Beaver Is Dead (March 29, 1979). He got his big break later the same year when he was cast as Che in the Broadway production of Evita (Sep 25, 1979), a role that won him the Tony Award; he was featured on the original Broadway cast album, which sold over a million copies.
In the late '70s and early '80s, Patinkin appeared in a series of non-singing parts in films, gradually gaining more prominent roles: Last Embrace (1979); French Postcards (1979); Night of the Juggler (1980); Ragtime (1981); Daniel (1983); and Yentl (1983). Then he made a triumphant return to the Broadway stage, starring in the musical Sunday in the Park with George (May 2, 1984). He was nominated for another Tony and appeared on the original Broadway cast album, which reached the charts. (In 1986, the show was videotaped and broadcast on the Showtime cable network, later earning release as a home video.) Further, his performance established him as an important interpreter of the music of Stephen Sondheim, Broadway's most respected songwriter, and he consolidated that status with his appearance in a concert version of Sondheim's 1971 musical Follies performed and recorded in September 1985; the album reached the charts in 1986.
Though Patinkin continued to appear in non-singing roles in the movies -- Maxie (1985), a particularly memorable performance in the romantic comedy The Princess Bride (1987), Alien Nation (1988), The House on Carroll Street (1988) -- his opportunities as a singer increased in the second half of the 1980s. He was contracted for a series of studio cast recordings of Broadway musicals by CBS Masterworks including South Pacific (1986), Man of La Mancha (1990), and Kismet (1991). This association led to his being signed as a recording artist by CBS, which released his debut album Mandy Patinkin, in 1989. He accompanied the release with his own one-man show, Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Dress Casual (July 25, 1989), which opened at the Public Theater and transferred for a limited run on Broadway. His second album, Dress Casual, was released the following year.
Patinkin got his first chance to sing onscreen with his appearance in Dick Tracy in 1990. Though the film had no formal soundtrack album, Madonna, one of its stars, issued an album of her songs from it, I'm Breathless, on which Patinkin was featured. Released in May 1990, the album went multi-platinum. This was a busy acting time for him, as he had parts in three films released in 1991, True Colors, The Doctor, and Impromptu (the last marking the movie directing debut of James Lapine, the librettist and director of Sunday in the Park with George).
Patinkin made occasional stage appearances during this period, but he returned to Broadway in a big way with the successful musical The Secret Garden (April 25, 1991), also appearing on the original Broadway cast album. After leaving the show, Patinkin stayed on Broadway by stepping in as a replacement cast member in the musical Falsettos. By this time, he had become a sufficiently prominent figure in the musical theater to attract not only praise, but also criticism. Fans adored his energetic, committed style, which reminded some of the days of Al Jolson and Ethel Merman. Detractors criticized him for the same tendencies, which they found exaggerated, and Forbidden Broadway, the long-running satiric musical revue, crystallized the charge of hamminess in its Patinkin parody, set to the tune of "Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious" from Mary Poppins, "Super-Frantic, Hyper-Active, Self-Indulgent Mandy" (found on Forbidden Broadway, Vol. 2, 1991).
Patinkin returned to films in Life With Mikey (1993), The Music of Chance (1993), and Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994), and switching to Nonesuch Records, he released his third album, Experiment, in May 1994. But his career entered a new phase when he agreed to a role on a new network television series, playing Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on the hospital drama Chicago Hope, which premiered September 18, 1994. The show was a hit, and Patinkin won an Emmy Award, but he left the program early in its second season largely due to family considerations; now married and having started a family, he was based in New York, while the show filmed in Los Angeles. (He returned to Chicago Hope on an occasional basis, however, even becoming a semi-regular during the 1999-2000 season, the show's last year on the air.)
Patinkin released his fourth album, Oscar & Steve, a tribute to Oscar Hammerstein II and Stephen Sondheim, in October 1995. His career was slowed by eye trouble in the mid-'90s, and in 1996 he underwent a corneal transplant, enduring a second one in 1998. Nevertheless, he managed to appear in several films, among them Men With Guns (1997), Lulu on the Bridge (1998), and Elmo in Grouchland (1999) (even getting to sing in the last). In February 1998, he released his fifth album, Mamaloshen, which found him singing traditional and other material in Yiddish. He returned to Broadway in the New York Shakespeare Festival's production of The Wild Party (Apr 13, 2000), which earned him another Tony nomination and an appearance on the original Broadway cast album, though the musical closed after two months. ~ William Ruhlmann ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi
Patinkin was born in Chicago, Illinois, of Russian and PolishJewish descent, the son of Doris "Doralee" Sinton, a homemaker, and Lester Patinkin, who worked for the People's Iron & Metal Company and the Scrap Corporation of America.[4][3] His mother wrote Grandma Doralee Patinkin's Jewish Family Cookbook.[3] Patinkin's cousins include:
Patinkin grew up in a middle class Jewish family and was raised in Conservative Judaism,[2][5][6] attending religious school daily "from the age of seven to 13 or 14" and singing in synagogue choirs, as well as attending the Camp Surah in Michigan.[2]
Patinkin played Inigo Montoya in Rob Reiner's 1987 The Princess Bride[2] (which Patinkin considers his favorite role), in which he delivers the iconic line, "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Patinkin found his studies a huge asset in The Princess Bride, playing the role of the best swordsman in the country, short of the main character, and part of his role included proficiency in fencing at a professional level. Over the next decade he continued to appear in movies, such as Dick Tracy and Alien Nation.[3]
On Broadway, over the next decade, he appeared in the musical The Secret Garden. He also released two solo albums, titled Mandy Patinkin (1989)[8]and Dress Casual (1990).[9]
In 1994, he took the role of Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on CBS' Chicago Hope[2] for which he won an Emmy Award. However, despite the award and the ratings success of the show, Patinkin left the show during the second season, as he was unhappy spending so much time away from his wife. He returned to the show in 1999 at the beginning of the sixth season, but it was later cancelled in 2000. Since Chicago Hope, Patinkin has appeared in a number of films. However, he has mostly performed as a singer, releasing three more albums. In 1995 he guest starred in The Simpsons in the episode "Lisa's Wedding" as Hugh Parkfield, Lisa's future English groom.
In 1998, he debuted his most personal project, Mamaloshen, a collection of traditional, classic, and contemporary songs sung entirely in Yiddish[2] ("Mamaloshen" is Yiddish for "mother tongue"). The stage production of Mamaloshen was performed on and off–Broadway, and has toured throughout the country. The recording of Mamaloshen won the Deutschen Schallplattenpreis (Germany’s equivalent of the Grammy Award).
In 1999 he co-starred in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland as the villainous Huxley, who tries to steal Elmo's blanket.[10] He returned to Broadway in 2000 in the New York Shakespeare Festival's The Wild Party, earning another Tony Award nomination for Best Actor (Musical). Recently, he has also been seen in the Showtimecomedy-dramaDead Like Me as Rube Sofer. In 2004, he played a six–week engagement of his one–man concert at the Off Broadway complex Dodger Stages.
Patinkin was absent from a table read for Criminal Minds and did not return for a third season. The departure from the show was not due to contractual or salary matters, but over creative differences. He left letters for his fellow cast member apologising explaining his reasons and wishing them luck. Many weeks before his departure, in a videotaped interview carried in the online magazine Monaco Revue, Patinkin told journalists at the Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo that he loathed violence on television and was uncomfortable with certain scenes in Criminal Minds.
He spoke of having planned to tour the world with a musical and wanting to inject more comedy into the entertainment business.[11] The dark and violent nature of the show got to be too much for Patinkin,[12] and in later episodes during the 2007-08 season, Jason Gideon was written out of the series, and replaced by Special Agent David Rossi (played by Joe Mantegna).
On October 14, 2009, it was announced that Patinkin would be a guest-star on an episode of Three Rivers, which aired on November 15, 2009. He played a patient with Lou Gehrig's Disease injured in a car accident who asks the doctors at Three Rivers hospital to pull him off life support so his organs can be donated. He filmed an appearance on The Whole Truth that had been scheduled to air December 15, 2010, but ABC pulled the series from its schedule two weeks prior.[13]
Patinkin and Patti Lupone performed their concert An Evening with Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin on Broadway for a limited 63-performance run starting November 21, 2011, at the Barrymore Theatre, and which ended on January 13, 2012. This concert marks the first time the pair has performed together on Broadway since they appeared together in Evita.[15][16]
Personal life
Patinkin married actress and writer Kathryn Grody in 1980. They have two sons, Isaac and Gideon. Gideon joined his father onstage in Dress Casual in 2011.[17]
Patinkin suffered from keratoconus, a degenerative eye disease, in the mid-1990s. This led to two cornealtransplants, his right cornea in 1997 and his left in 1998.[18] He also was diagnosed with and treated for prostate cancer in 2004.[19] He celebrated his first year of recovery in 2005 by doing a 280-mile charity bike ride with his son Isaac — the Arava Institute Hazon Israel Ride: Cycling for Peace, Partnership & Environmental Protection.[20]
Patinkin has been involved in a variety of Jewish causes and cultural activities. He sings in Yiddish, often in concert, and on his album Mamaloshen.[21] He also wrote introductions for two books on Jewish culture, The Jewish American Family Album, by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, and Grandma Doralee Patinkin's Holiday Cookbook: A Jewish Family's Celebrations, by his mother, Doralee Patinkin Rubin.
Patinkin contributed to the children's book Dewey Doo-it Helps Owlie Fly Again: A Musical Storybook inspired by Christopher Reeve prior to Christopher and Dana Reeve's deaths. The award winning book, published in 2005, benefits the Christopher Reeve Foundation and includes an audio CD with Patinkin singing and reading the story as well as Dana Reeve and Bernadette Peters singing.[22]
He lives part time in Creede, Colorado
Awards
Awards
1980: Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical - Evita
1987: CableACE Award for Best Actor in a Theatrical or Dramatic Special - Sunday in the Park with George
1995: Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Chicago Hope
Nominations
1984: Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in a Comedy/Musical - Yentl
1990: Saturn Awards Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films for Best Supporting Actor - Alien Nation
1995: Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Drama - Chicago Hope
1995: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series - Chicago Hope
1996: Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - The Larry Sanders Show: "Eight"
1999: Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series - Chicago Hope: "Curing Cancer"
2003: DVD Exclusive Award for Best Original Song in a DVD, Premiere Movie - Run Ronnie Run: "How High the Mountain"
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