How Gary Sinise became a star and why he helps the troops

Editor's note: The story has been updated to reflect that Gary Sinise's "Forrest Gump" character was a double amputee.

The suburban legend goes like this:

Gary Sinise, a sophomore at Highland Park High School, is hanging out in the halls with members of his rock band when along comes drama teacher Barbara Patterson, who utters two sentences that changed his life - maybe even saved it.

"I'm doing "West Side Story' and you guys would be perfect as gang members," she said. "Why don't you come and audition?"

What Patterson didn't know was that a year earlier in 1970, Sinise, who had previously lived in Glen Ellyn, had seen "West Side Story" as a freshman at Glenbard West High School. It looked liked fun.

"They're running around," he said. "They're rumbling. They're beating each other up on stage."

So, Sinise attended the auditions.

"I saw all these pretty girls there," he said. "I'd never auditioned for anything before. They gave me a script and I stumbled my way through it. Got a few laughs. She (Patterson) gave me the part of one of the Sharks. I fell in love with theater after that."

Flash forward a few decades.

Sinise has won the Golden Globe, the Emmy, an Oscar nomination, the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal and honorary doctorates, plus accolades for his impressive body of work in theater, TV and movies.

He has become an ambassador and fundraiser for military members and veterans, a role that will bring him to Cantigny Park in Wheaton Saturday, July 18, for the charity concert, Rockin' For the Troops.

Not bad for a high school student whose academic record was so poor, he had to go an extra semester and miss graduating with his classmates in 1973.

"I was a pretty bad student," Sinise said. "Not doing well at all. Then she (Patterson) just walked down the hall like an angel. That changed everything. All of sudden, I wanted to go to school."

In 1974, Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, a Chicago institution that attracted national attention for its muscular Midwestern style of drama, and launched actors Joan Allen, John Malkovich, Kevin Anderson, Gary Cole, Glenne Headly, Laurie Metcalf and others.

The actor, married to actress Moira Harris in 1981 (they have a son and two daughters), spent his 20s, 30s and 40s building his career. He starred in such moves as "Apollo 13," "Of Mice and Men" and "Ransom."

Then, during his 50s, a new priority entered his life.

"I became interested in supporting our men and women in uniform and trying to help them through difficult times," he said. "I looked upon this as a bit of a calling. Then, post-Sept. 11, I was called to use what I had - the blessings of success in terms of financial security - to give back."

Sinise's TV series "CSI: NY" went off the air in February 2013, enabling him to devote time to support military families. In 2011, he'd already launched the Gary Sinise Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to honor "the nation's defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need."

In 2004, he capitalized on his rock group roots by creating the Lt. Dan Band, named after his double-amputee U.S. veteran character in Robert Zemeckis' hit movie "Forrest Gump." (The role earned him the Oscar nomination for supporting actor.)

Sinise appears to be filling the large shoes of two other actors: the late Bob Hope, who passionately supported U.S. troops in World War II and Vietnam, and the late Paul Newman, whose philanthropic enterprises raised millions of dollars.

Sinise seemed almost cowed by the suggestion.

"Those gentlemen certainly left a legacy unmatched by anyone else," he said. "It's difficult for me to think of myself in comparison to others like that. But if I can be half as successful as those guys at what they did, that would be pretty good."

The actor's command of an audience and dedication to the U.S. military haven't escaped the notice of the political sector. In 2009, an adviser to George W. Bush and presidential candidate John McCain suggested Sinise could help revitalize the Republican Party.

So, is he interested in any sort of political run?

"Two letters," he replied.

NO.

Right now, Sinise is prepping for his new TV series, "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders," premiering sometime in the 2015-2016 season. At 60, he still cuts a man-of-action figure. His secret?

"I do watch what I eat," he said. "I watch my weight. I wouldn't say I have a vigorous workout routine. I fall a little short sometimes. Sometimes I go at it hard. Like, right now, I'm preparing to do 'Beyond Borders.'"

Remember that suburban legend? It goes like this:

A scruffy, lost high school sophomore with no talent for academics gets his life changed by two sentences uttered by a drama teacher.

Except this legend turns out to be true.

"Some people keep searching for what they want to do with their lives," Sinise said. "I fell into acting in high school. And I never stopped."

- Dann Gire

• Dann Gire and Jamie Sotonoff are looking for suburbanites who've established themselves in showbiz. If you know someone with an interesting story, contact them at dgire@dailyherald.com and jsotonoff@dailyherald.com.

Rockin’ for the Troops

Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band will be the featured act at the Rockin’ For the Troops concert slated for Saturday, July 18, at Cantigny Park, 1S151 S. Winfield Road, Wheaton. Other musical groups scheduled to perform include The Voices, Maggie Speaks and the Chicago Blues All-Stars. Doors open at noon with the first musical presentation set for 1:45 p.m.

Concert schedule and other information are available at

RockinForTheTroops.org. Nonrefundable tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at the website.