Actor/Director Gary Sinise to Greet Service Members in Italy on USO/AFE Tour

United Service Organization (USO)
Tuesday, 1 July 2003

The USO and Armed Forces Entertainment will send actor and director Gary Sinise to visit service members in Italy July 2–9. During the visit, he will tour several bases, dine with the troops and sign autographs. Sinise recently returned from the Project Salute 2003 tour that visited service members in Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar. It was the first USO tour to Iraq.

A Chicago native, Sinise began acting in high school. In 1974, he co-founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago's internationally acclaimed ensemble theater group. After serving as its artistic director, Sinise moved to California where he pursued an acting career, landing roles in daytime and primetime television series. Recently, he starred in "Path to War," an HBO special directed by John Frankenheimer.

Other television credits include award-winning performances in "Truman" and "George Wallace." Sinise's films include "Apollo 13," "Ransom" and "The Green Mile." He also played the role of Lt. Dan, an embittered parapelgic Vietnam veteran, in "Forrest Gump," a role that brought him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. He also received the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Board Review and the Commander's Award from the Disabled American Veterans for this role.

Sinise also has made his mark as director with "Of Mice and Men," which he co-produced and co-starred in with John Malkovich, and "Miles From Home" starring Richard Gere, Kevin Anderson, Helen Hunt and John Malkovich.

For more information, or to contact United Service Organization (USO), see their website at: www.uso.org