In 1976, John Malkovich joined Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. His friend Gary Sinise founded the Steppenwolf theatre. Although not officially established until 1976, Steppenwolf began performing plays informally in a church basement in Highland Park under the leadership of Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry, and Gary Sinise. John Malkovich got his first film experience as an extra in Robert Altman's 1978 feature Wedding. A. Seven years later Malkovich showed up in New York and won an Obie in the play True West. He then went on to appear with Dustin Hoffman in the Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman and won an Emmy after it was made into a Television Movie the following year. Malkovich's box office debut came in Places in the Heart in 1984 where he earned an Academy Award Nomination for best supporting actor. After appearing in several more movies his next big movie was Dangerous Liaisons in 1988 that featured Michelle Pfeiffer and Glen Close. During his run of big screen acting, Malkovich periodically returned to Chicago to both act and direct. Malkovich was listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1984" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 36. Malkovich received his education at Eastern Illinois University and Illinois State University. While at Illinois State he was told by the head of the theatre department that he would not have a career as an actor and his name does not appear anywhere at the University.
             John Malkovich is an intense actor who came to Hollywood after an exceptional career in theatre. At Steppenwolf, Malkovich directed and performed some of America's most vital noncommercial stage productions. In 1992, he played a marvelous role in Of Mice and Men as Lennie that I have seen and enjoyed. Of Mice and Men costarred and was directed by Gary Sinise. Malkovich is making a return to Steppenwolf for the 2005 season. Malkovich's last appearance at the Chicago Company he gave star-l...