Mandy Patinkin Early life:
American actor and singer Mandy Patinkin was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 30, 1952. He is well-known for his critically acclaimed roles in stage, film, and television. The stage musical Sunday in the Park with George (1984–85), the television series Homeland (2011–2020), and the movies Yentl (1983) and The Princess Bride (1987) are among his most well-known productions.
Mandy Patinkin wed actress and writer Kathryn Grody in 1980, and the two went on to have two sons. Mandy Patinkin was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 52, but he fully recovered. He later had two corneal transplants to treat the consequences of keratoconus, a degenerative eye disease. As a fervent advocate for organ donation, Patinkin has raised money for a number of causes, such as the ACLU, American Jewish World Service, Doctors Without Borders, and the National Dance Institute.
Mandy Patinkin is one of two children born to Lester Patinkin, a scrap metal business owner, and Doralee (“ Sinton) Patinkin, a Jewish cookbook author. He was a loyal supporter of the White Sox baseball team and was raised on the South Side of Chicago. If the Sox were in town on Saturday mornings, he and his father would go to Comiskey Park to see a game after attending Shabbat synagogue services. At the age of seven, Patinkin joined his synagogue chorus, demonstrating his early love of music. Later on, he also started performing in school productions.
Following his bar mitzvah, Patinkin and his father went to New York City, where he saw the musical Mame, starring Angela Lansbury, and Walking Happy, his first Broadway production. Additionally, he went to Ellis Island, where his family had previously landed. Patinkin’s father died of pancreatic cancer when he was 19 years old.
Prior to attending the Juilliard School in New York City, Patinkin attended the University of Kansas, where he participated in theater plays. He gained a reputation for having a violent temper there, and it is said that he left Juilliard before graduating because of disagreements with teachers.
Mandy Patinkin debuted on Broadway in a 1975 production of Trelawny of the “Wells,” starring Meryl Streep. He started appearing in motion pictures and television shows three years later. In 1978, he had a noteworthy debut as a guest on the hit television program Taxi. Patinkin’s breakthrough performance as Che Guevara in the musical Evita came soon after. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber developed the play, which debuted in 1979. The following year, Patinkin’s performance earned him a Tony Award.
Mandy Patinkin starred in Miloš Forman’s 1981 picture Ragtime, which was based on the same-titled novel by E. L. Doctorow. Two years later, he became even more well-known for his award-winning performance as Yeshiva student Avigdor in the musical Yentl, which was based on a short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer.
Barbra Streisand directed and starred in the movie. Later, Patinkin was described by Variety magazine as “a sex symbol for thinking women, with powerful big-screen charisma and a magnificent voice.” Sidney Lumet’s Daniel, which was similarly based on a Doctorow novel inspired on the espionage case and death of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, was one of his other noteworthy works from 1983.
In 1984, Mandy Patinkin made a comeback to Broadway as Georges Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George, directed by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Patinkin’s voice was famously referred to by Sondheim as “a gift from God.” Patinkin, a tenor renowned for his remarkable range, became one of musical theater’s top performers because to this role. Mandy Patinkin (1989) and Dress Casual (1990) are two of the albums he later made.
After only a few days of filming Mike Nichols’ dramedy Heartburn (1986), Patinkin suffered a setback when he was sacked and replaced by Jack Nicholson. But with Rob Reiner’s beloved comedy The Princess Bride (1987), he made a powerful comeback. He spoke the famous line, “Hello,” while portraying the fabled swordsman Inigo Montoya. Inigo Montoya is my name. My father was killed by you. Get ready to pass away.
The science-fiction action movie Alien Nation (1988) is another noteworthy piece from this era. *David E. Kelley created the television series Chicago Hope, in which Patinkin debuted as Dr. Jeffrey Geiger in 1994. The next year, his performance earned him an Emmy Award. But because he didn’t want to live apart from his family in New York, Patinkin quit the Los Angeles-filmed show in 2000.
Mandy Patinkin was chosen to play the lead in Criminal Minds, a series about FBI criminal profilers, following a recurring appearance on Dead Like Me (2003–04). After two years, Patinkin quit the show, citing unease with its violent material. The show debuted in 2005.
Reports that Mandy Patinkin was challenging to work with early in his career have been candidly addressed. He discussed his development both personally and professionally in a 2013 interview with The New York Times. He continued to appear on Broadway in shows like Falsettos (1992–1993) and The Secret Garden (1991–1993). In addition, he performed live in 1997 and 1998. Later, he starred in Celebrating Sondheim, a tribute production, from 2002 to 2003.
Mandy Patinkin was chosen to play the astute CIA operative Saul Berenson in the critically acclaimed thriller Homeland in 2010. Alex Gansa, a co-creator of the series, wrote the part especially for him. Patinkin had not anticipated returning to television, so he was taken aback when his agency called, especially because it was his birthday. The character of Berenson, who mentored Carrie Mathison (played by Claire Danes), struck a profound chord with him. Patinkin stayed with the show until its conclusion in 2020, despite having only signed on for a single year.
In addition to the numerous honors he received, Patinkin claimed that playing Saul Berenson had a significant personal influence on him. He revealed that the persona helped him become calmer, gentler, and a better listener in a 2020 interview with People magazine. He continued by saying that his wife and kids adored the role because it improved him as a person off-screen.
Patinkin made a recurring appearance on the legal drama The Good Fight in 2021. Later, he provided the voice of the animated movie The Magician’s Elephant (2023), which was based on Kate DiCamillo’s children’s book. An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin (2011–12) is one of his later Broadway credits.