Mandel Bruce Patinkin (born November 30, 1952) is an American actor of stage and screen, as well as a renowned tenor.Patinkin was born in Chicago, Illinois of Jewish heritage. He is a cousin of Mark Patinkin, author and nationally-syndicated columnist for the Providence Journal, and Jason "Dink" Patinkin, President of Columbia University's EarthCo. Patinkin attended South Shore High School, Kenwood Academy (1970 graduate), University of Kansas, and Juilliard School of Drama. At Juilliard he was a classmate of Kelsey Grammer. When the producers of Cheers were auditioning for the role of Dr Frasier Crane, Patinkin was the one who put Grammer's name forward.
