Received from: Dr. Karen Dilka Eastern Kentucky University

1. Received from: Dr. Karen DilkaEastern Kentucky University • Date submitted to deafed.net – July 7, 2009 • To contact the author for permission to use this PowerPoint, please e-mail: karen.dilka@eku.edu • To use this PowerPoint presentation in its entirety, please give credit to the author.

2. Marlee Matlin Famous Deaf Actress

3. The Beginnings • Marlee Beth Matlin was born on August 24, 1965, to Don and Libby Matlin in Morton Grove, Illinois; she was their third child. Marlee became deaf at the age of 18 months due to a bout with Roseola Infantum.

4. Roseola Infantum. • is a viral illness in young children, most commonly affecting those between the ages of 6 months and 2 years. It is typically marked by several days of high fever, followed by a distinctive rash just as the fever breaks.

5. Moving Foward • Marlee began acting in a children's theatre company at age 7; she was Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz." Her deafness never held her back.

6. College Years • Marlee Graduated from John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, IL • Marlee studied Criminal Justice at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, and maintained her passion for acting after graduating.

7. Big Moment • Marlee attracted notice for her performance in a production of the Tony award-winning play "Children of a Lesser God" and was cast in the movie version, Children of a Lesser God (1986). Although this was her film debut, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

8. Making a living • Marlee followed her film debut with a second feature, "Walker," starring Ed Harris. While filming in Nicaragua, Marlee took time to visit hearing and hearing impaired children, as she has done extensively throughout her travels to Australia, England, Italy, Germany, Russia, Croatia, Mexico and Canada.

9. Additional Honors • In addition to the Oscar, Marlee was honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama. That same year she was honored by Harper's Bazaar Magazine as one of the "The Ten Most Beautiful Women" and Esquaire Magazine's "Women We Love."

10. Additional Films and Roles • The Man in the Golden Mask, " co-starring Jean Reno • Marlee also starred in 20th Century Fox's "Hear No Evil," a suspense thriller co-starring Martin Sheen and in MGM/United Artists' AIDS drama "It's My Party, " • What the Bleep Do We Know!?" • Marlee made her television debut, starring with Lee Remick in CBS' "Bridge to Silence." Marlee went on to star for two seasons in the NBC Televison series, "Reasonable Doubts"

11. Additional Films and Roles Continued • Marlee also starred in "Against Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story," a movie for Lifetime Television in which she was nominated for a CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series • For seven seasons, Marlee starred opposite Martin Sheen, Jimmy Smits and Bradley Whitford as pollster, Joey Lucas, on NBC's Emmy Award winning series, "The West Wing."

12. Guest Star Appearences • Marlee has appeared on numerous shows as a guest star. Some of these include: Desperate Housewives, "My Name is Earl", "CSI: New York," and "Nip/Tuck."

13. Corporation for National Service • In 1994, Marlee was appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate to the Board of Directors for the Corporation for National Service.

14. Breaking New Ground • Marlee broke new ground once again, when she joined the sixth season cast of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and appeared in the CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of "Sweet Nothing In My Ear" starring opposite Jeff Daniels.

15. Recent Career • Marlee continues to be a working actress and has also published a book titled “Ill scream later” • In addition, Marlee published a novel for children entitled "Deaf Child Crossing" for Simon and Schuster in 2002. Simon and Shuster published the sequel, "Nobody's Perfect" in Summer, 2006 and the second sequel, "Leading Ladies" in 2007.

16. Recent Career Continued • Marlee currrently serves as a national celebrity spokesperson for The American Red Cross, encouraging Americans to donate blood. She has been involved in numerous charities and organizations over the years

17. Love • Marlee married police officer Kevin Grandalski on August 29, 1993.

18. Children • Marlee makes her home in the greater Los Angeles area. She and her husband, law enforcement officer Kevin Grandalski welcomed their first child, Sarah, in 1996, their second child, Brandon, in 2000 and their third child, Tyler, in July, 2002. Marlee and her husband welcomed their fourth child, Isabelle in December, 2003.

19. Fun Facts • Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1986" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38. • Youngest Winner to win the Oscar in the Best Actress Category at the age of 21. • As a child, she attended a synagogue for the deaf • She is profoundly deaf. Her right ear has complete loss, while her left ear has around 80% loss

20. Famous Quotes by Marlee • The Earth does not belong to us: we belong to the Earth." • "Silence is the last thing the world will ever hear from me." • “The handicap of deafness is not in the ear; it is in the mind.” • “I am a person who just happens to be Deaf.”

21. Works Cited • http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0559144/bio • http://www.marleematlinsite.com/lifebio/lifebio.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlee_Matlin • http://www.handsandvoices.org/articles/fam_perspectives/mmV81.htm • http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/roseola.html