Mandel Bruce Patinkin, named after his grandfather, Menachem Mendal, was born in Chicago, on November 30, 1953. His father, who died of cancer at age fifty-two, was in the scrap-metal business. His mother was a secretary, and later a Hallmark Card shop owner. Mandy says of her: "She was a wonderful mother, who was entirely supportive of a son who wanted to go into a business that terrified her."
He was a sensitive child who always did his best to avoid fist fights. He was unhappy as a youth because the school he attended (South Shore High) didn't have any creative classes. His mother urged him to pick up acting at the Young Men's Jewish Council Youth Center. Mandy, who at first refused the idea, thinking only "sissies did that sort of stuff,"later changed his mind when he heard two football players talking about their role in "Anything Goes".
He continued his dramatic education at the University of Kansas, then went on to the Juilliard School of Drama. He came to New York in the mid-seventies, appearing in many Shakespeare Festival productions before making his Broadway debut in 1977 as Mark in the play Shadow Box. He appeared in his first film, The Big Fix, the following year. His big movie break came several years later, when he co-starred with Barbra Streisand in Yentl--a romantic lead that required him to bare more than his soul, if you know what I mean.
He has three great passions: his family, his career, and his toy train collection (picture with his trains). And if you're wondering why he gave up his Emmy Award-winning role as Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on the CBS series Chicago Hope, it's because his family comes before his career. Shooting in L.A. took away too much time from his wife and two sons in New York, so he quit. He still appears on the program occasionally, just not the full-time role. He is a seventeen-year veteran of musical theatre, and a Tony winner for his role as Che Guevara in Evita. He had hoped to reprise the role on film, but ultimately lost out to Antonio Banderas.
In 2000, Mandy returned to the Broadway stage to play Burrs in the musical Wild Party. Other theatre credits include Falsettos (Marvin), The Secret Garden (Archibald Craven),
He and his wife, actress-writer Kathryn Grody, live on Manhattan's Upper West Side with their sons, Isaac and Gideon. He loves to work and has a hard time relaxing, which is one reason he is learning how to meditate. He was also in psychotherapy for nine years and is now best friends with his former therapist. He is careful about what he eats, especially before a performance (in case you're wondering, he always has broiled fish, a baked potato, plain pasta, and a banana). He also loves Häagen-Dazs ice cream and bagels. He dresses off-stage exactly as he does for his concerts--his T-shirt, pants, and shoes are always black. He designed this "uniform" because he can't stand to shop.
Here's a few quotes from Mandy about The Princess Bride.
"Well, I tell you, I *looove* that I was in that movie--maybe more than anything I've done--because kids like it. And to be in something that kids like is just....there is nothing better.
When you do a part like I did in the Princess Bride, Inigo Montoya, it's the greatest thing in the world because I had to be a swordfighter. My job was to learn how to be the world's greatest swordfighter. I had 6 months to do it. So every minute
I'd be swordfighting--left handed, right handed. I never got bored."
Notable TV guest appearances
1. "Law & Order" playing "Levi 'The Griffin' March aka Glenn Fordyce" in episode: "Absentia" - 2/12/2003
2. "Boston Public" playing "Isaac Rice" in episode: "Chapter Twenty-Two" - 5/21/2001
3. "Touched by an Angel" playing "Satan" in episode: "Netherlands" - 5/6/2001
4. "Hercules" playing "Hippocrates" (voice) in episode: "Hercules and the World's First Doctor" - 9/9/1998
5. "Homicide: Life on the Street" playing "Dr. Jeffrey Geiger" in episode: "A Doll's Eyes" - 12/1/1995
6. "The Larry Sanders Show" playing "Himself" in episode: "Eight" - 11/15/1995
7. "The Simpsons" playing "Hugh St. John Alastair Parkfield" (voice) in episode: "Lisa's Wedding" - 3/19/1995
8. "Picket Fences" playing "Dr. Jeffrey Geiger" in episode: "Rebels with Causes" - 11/11/1994
9. "Taxi" playing "New Father" in episode: "Memories of Cab 804: Part 2" - 12/5/1978
Solo Recordings
1. Mandy Patinkin
2. Dress Casual
3. Experiment
4. Oscar & Steve
5. Mamaloshen
6. Kidults
7. Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Sings Sondheim
Theater Performances
Musicals:
1. Wild Party (2000), Broadway's Virinia Theatre --Burrs (nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical)
2. Falsettos (1992) Broadway's John Golden Theatre --Marvin
3. The Secret Garden (1991) Broadway's St. James Theatre --Archibald Craven
4. Sunday in the Park with George (1984, and 1994 in concert) Broadway's Booth Theatre --George (nominated for the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical)
5. Evita (1980) Broadway's Broadway Theatre --Che (won Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical)
Plays:
1. The Winter's Tale
2. Henry IV, Part I
3. Leave It To Beaver Is Dead
4. Rebel Women
5. Hamlet (1975-1976) --Fortinbras, and Player King
6. Trelawney of the Wells (1975) --Mr. Arthur Gower
7. The Shadowbox (1977) --Mark
8. The Split
9. Savages
Here's another nice picture of Mandy.
