5

Sinise's career began to take off when he directed and starred in Steppenwolf's production of True West. In 1983, he earned an Obie Award for his direction and a year later appeared with John Malkovich in the PBS' American Playhouse production of the play. In 1988, Gary directed Miles from Home, a movie starring Richard Gere, about two brothers' fight against the foreclosure of the family farm. It is considered a commentary on the issue that troubled many family farms in the 1980s. It was shot entirely on location in Iowa.

Sinise has also appeared in Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Apollo 13, Reindeer Games, Mission to Mars, The Stand and Impostor. He has starred in two adaptations of John Steinbeck novels, Of Mice and Men, which he also directed, as well as the television broadcast version of The Grapes of Wrath. He also narrated the audio books for Travels with Charley and Of Mice and Men and is reportedly a great Steinbeck fan. Sinise once directed an episode of Thirtysomething, where his friend Terry Kinney had a recurring role.