Mandy Patinkin

Birthday: 30 November 1952, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Birth Name: Mandel Bruce Patinkin

Height: 182 cm

Mandy Patinkin was born Mandel Bruce Patinkin in Chicago, Illinois, to Doris "Doralee" (Sinton), a homemaker and cookbook writer, and Lester Patinkin, who operated two scrap metal plants. He is of Russian Jewish and Latvian Jewish descent. Growing up, he began singing in synagogue choirs at the age of 13-14 and still continues to use his fantastic voice in musicals and in recordings. Attending Juilliard, he became good friends with actor Kelsey Grammer and upon hearing that Cheers (1982) was auditioning for the role of Dr. Frasier Crane he immediately put Grammer's name forward for the role. Rumours persist about Patinkin's sudden departure from Criminal Minds (2005). He simply failed to show up one day for a table read. He has contacted the entire cast to explain what is referred to as "personal reasons" for leaving. It seems that although Patinkin was prepared for the show to include violence the actual level of violence portrayed was unacceptable to the actor. He left to do more light hearted work. Patinkin supports many charities including: PAX, Doctors Without Borders, Americans for Peace Now, The September 11th Fund, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America and Gilda's Club. Show less «

I'm just an actor. I am nothing special. An actor is only as good as what they have on the page in f...Show more »

I'm just an actor. I am nothing special. An actor is only as good as what they have on the page in front of them, and anyone who tells you differently is full of shit. Show less «

[re his role as Saul in Homeland (2011)] When were you afraid? Why? Did you pray? Shake? Sweat? The ...Show more »

[re his role as Saul in Homeland (2011)] When were you afraid? Why? Did you pray? Shake? Sweat? The way I like to work is to attach personal experiences to what I'm doing, so it helps tremendously if I can write my own play under what the writer has written. Saul's heart is in his head. He dreams for the greater good of the world. Saul is now 60 years old, as I am, and he has had a full life in his business, as I have, and he doesn't know how long he gets to be around, as I don't. He recognizes the gift of youth personified by his child in this piece, who is Carrie. He believes that both the savantlike and intellectual qualities of Carrie's nature are the greatest single hope for humanity. He believes so deeply in her possibilities. Show less «

I try to say something about the human condition whenever I can when I'm lucky.

[on working with F. Murray Abraham in Homeland (2011)] Murray loves what he does - I think he loves ...Show more »

[on working with F. Murray Abraham in Homeland (2011)] Murray loves what he does - I think he loves it more than breathing. He has a 'quiet' about him that draws you to him and commands your attention. He's a thrill to work with, meaning he almost does it all for you, you just need to show up and be in the room with him. Show less «

I struggled with letting in other people's opinions. During Chicago Hope (1994), I never let directo...Show more »

I struggled with letting in other people's opinions. During Chicago Hope (1994), I never let directors talk to me, because I was so spoiled. I started off with people like Milos Forman, Sidney Lumet, James Lapine, unbelievably gifted people. So there I was saying, 'Don't talk to me, I don't want your opinion.' I behaved abominably. I don't care if my work was good or if I got an award for it. I'm not proud of how I was then, and it pained me. Show less «

[re his father, physically impaired in an accident] If you'd say, 'What was your father's greatest p...Show more »

[re his father, physically impaired in an accident] If you'd say, 'What was your father's greatest pain?' it's that he couldn't play catch with me because he couldn't control his right hand. He was worried that he would throw the ball too hard and too fast and he'd hurt me. I remember when my aunts and uncles would say, 'You don't know your father,' meaning before the brain accident. My little kid-ness was going, 'What do you mean I didn't know my father?' He was a great man. He taught himself how to walk again, to write with his left hand. My father was a hero. Show less «

The biggest public mistake I ever made was that I chose to do Criminal Minds (2005) in the first pla...Show more »

The biggest public mistake I ever made was that I chose to do Criminal Minds (2005) in the first place. Show less «

[re quitting Criminal Minds (2005)] It wasn't the right fit. I made a choice I didn't want to make. ...Show more »

[re quitting Criminal Minds (2005)] It wasn't the right fit. I made a choice I didn't want to make. I pushed myself, thinking I needed more fame, more economic security. One of the greatest gifts that Homeland (2011) has given me is it's affirming on a daily basis. I'm always with the script, walking around with this stuff 24/7, so my head's in a good place. The role is about listening, and when you don't listen to yourself, you get in trouble. I wasn't listening to myself in Heartburn (1986) [from which he was fired]. I listened to [my agent and] the culture at large saying, 'You've got to be in a movie, this is going to make you,' and it wasn't who I was. Yes, I did Yentl (1983) and Dick Tracy (1990), but I felt, and I still feel a little bit today that I'm really not successful, because I didn't become a movie star. The irony is half of those movie stars are all trying to be in television shows like this. Show less «

Everything I experience influences everything I do.