Kevin Grandalski is a retired American police lieutenant best known as the husband of Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. While his wife built a successful Hollywood career and became a prominent advocate for Deaf representation, Grandalski spent decades working in law enforcement in Burbank, California. The couple met during the production of the television series Reasonable Doubts and married on August 29, 1993. They have four children and have remained together for more than three decades. Beyond his marriage, Grandalski has an interesting professional background, including a criminal justice education, experience with American Sign Language, and a career that took him to the rank of police lieutenant.
Who Is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski is a former law enforcement officer who served with the Burbank Police Department in Southern California. His marriage to actress Marlee Matlin brought him into occasional contact with the entertainment industry, although his professional career developed outside Hollywood.
Unlike his wife, Grandalski has not pursued a prominent entertainment career. His documented background centers on police service, family life, and appearances alongside Matlin at major events.
One particularly important detail about his career is his retirement rank. Official Burbank City Council minutes from January 10, 2017, identify him as Lieutenant Kevin Grandalski and mention a retirement reception held in his honor.
Kevin Grandalski: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Grandalski |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Retired police lieutenant |
| Former employer | Burbank Police Department, California |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice |
| College | Fresno State |
| Spouse | Marlee Matlin |
| Marriage date | August 29, 1993 |
| Children | Sarah, Brandon, Tyler, and Isabelle |
| Retirement | Documented by January 2017 |
| Known for | Law enforcement career and marriage to Marlee Matlin |
Kevin Grandalski’s Early Life and Education
Grandalski’s educational background provides some insight into his career before he became associated with a Hollywood celebrity.
A biographical entry published by Encyclopedia.com states that he attended Fresno State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1988.
His choice of academic field aligned with his subsequent career in law enforcement, which eventually took him to the Burbank Police Department.
Another significant detail from his college education is that he learned sign language before meeting Matlin.
This became especially meaningful when their paths crossed several years later. Matlin, who is Deaf and communicates primarily through American Sign Language (ASL), met someone who already had some familiarity with signing.
The 2025 PBS documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore also addresses their early relationship. In the film, Matlin’s longtime interpreter and producing partner, Jack Jason, explains that Grandalski knew some signs when they first met.
Kevin Grandalski’s Career in Law Enforcement
His Work With the Burbank Police Department
Grandalski spent his professional career in policing rather than acting or television production.
The Burbank Police Department serves the city of Burbank in Los Angeles County, an area closely connected to the American entertainment industry.
During his police career, Grandalski worked in a variety of professional circumstances, including assignments involving traffic management around television production.
His work brought him into contact with Matlin while she was filming Reasonable Doubts in the early 1990s.
His later career included advancement beyond the rank of patrol officer.
Grandalski’s Rank and Retirement
One of the strongest records of Grandalski’s professional history comes directly from the City of Burbank.
Minutes from a January 10, 2017, City Council meeting state that Council Member Bob Frutos attended a retirement reception for Lieutenant Kevin Grandalski.
This establishes two important facts: Grandalski had reached the rank of lieutenant, and his retirement was being recognized by early 2017.
His professional history is therefore more extensive than biographies describing him simply as a police officer might suggest.
The Los Angeles Times also identified him as a retired Burbank police officer when he attended the 2026 Academy Awards with Matlin.
How Did Kevin Grandalski Meet Marlee Matlin?
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin met during the production of NBC’s television drama Reasonable Doubts, which aired from 1991 to 1993.
Matlin starred opposite Mark Harmon, portraying Tess Kaufman, an assistant district attorney who is Deaf.
Grandalski was working as a Burbank police officer when their paths crossed. He was involved in monitoring traffic near the television production.
In a 2018 interview with Arizona Jewish Life, Matlin recalled noticing Grandalski in uniform and becoming interested in him.
The connection developed beyond their initial encounter, and the two began a romantic relationship.
Their story also appears in the PBS documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore. In the film, Matlin recalls meeting Kevin while working on her first television series and asking him questions about being a police officer.
Their relationship eventually led to marriage in 1993.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s 1993 Wedding
The couple married on August 29, 1993, at the Los Angeles home of actor Henry Winkler and his wife, Stacey.
Winkler had been an important friend and mentor to Matlin since she was young. He supported her during the early stages of her acting career, long before her marriage to Grandalski.
The wedding also reflected the couple’s different religious backgrounds.
Matlin was raised Jewish, while Grandalski came from a different religious tradition.
In her interview with Arizona Jewish Life, Matlin explained that their wedding ceremony included both a rabbi and a priest.
The couple chose to recognize both religious traditions rather than follow only one.
Their wedding at the Winkler residence became a memorable event in Matlin’s personal history and was revisited in coverage of her 2025 documentary.
By their 33rd wedding anniversary in August 2026, they had spent more than three decades as husband and wife.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s Four Children
Grandalski and Matlin have two daughters and two sons.
Their children were born between 1996 and 2003, during a period when Matlin continued appearing in major television and film productions.
Meet Their Children
| Child | Birth year |
|---|---|
| Sarah Rose Grandalski | 1996 |
| Brandon Joseph Grandalski | 2000 |
| Tyler Daniel Grandalski | 2002 |
| Isabelle Jane Grandalski | 2003 |
PBS’s biographical timeline and PEOPLE’s coverage of Matlin’s family confirm these names and birth years.
The couple raised their children in a household that recognized different religious traditions. Matlin explained in her 2018 interview that she and Grandalski celebrated holidays from both backgrounds and allowed their children to make their own religious decisions.
She has also spoken about supporting her children’s individual interests rather than expecting them to follow her into acting.
Becoming Grandparents
The family entered another chapter in April 2024 when their eldest daughter, Sarah, welcomed a daughter.
PEOPLE’s coverage of Matlin’s children confirms the birth and describes the actress’s happiness about becoming a grandmother.
The milestone also made Grandalski a grandfather.
Marlee Matlin’s Career and Kevin Grandalski’s Connection to Hollywood
Although Grandalski is not primarily associated with film or television work, his marriage connects him to one of the most influential performers in Deaf entertainment history.
Marlee Matlin became the first Deaf performer to win an Academy Award when she received the Best Actress Oscar in 1987 for Children of a Lesser God.
She was 21 at the time, making her the youngest winner in that category.
Her subsequent career included notable appearances in The West Wing, Seinfeld, Switched at Birth, and the 2021 film CODA.
Her work also extended into advocacy for accessible entertainment and greater opportunities for Deaf actors.
Grandalski has accompanied her to major industry events, including Academy Awards ceremonies.
Their Appearance at the 2026 Oscars
On March 15, 2026, Grandalski and Matlin attended the 98th Academy Awards in Hollywood.
The Los Angeles Times included a photograph of the couple together in its coverage of the ceremony, describing Grandalski as Matlin’s husband and a retired Burbank police officer.
The appearance provides a recent, independently documented example of their continued public partnership.
Is Kevin Grandalski an Actor?
Grandalski should not be confused with the actors who portray Matlin’s romantic partners or family members on screen.
For example, in CODA, Matlin plays Jackie Rossi, whose husband, Frank Rossi, is portrayed by actor Troy Kotsur.
Kotsur won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for that performance in 2022.
Grandalski’s own career was in law enforcement, not acting. His presence in entertainment coverage primarily relates to his marriage and appearances with Matlin.
Kevin Grandalski’s Personal Life and Public Profile
Grandalski’s public identity differs considerably from his wife’s.
Matlin has spent much of her adult life appearing in films, television series, interviews, and advocacy campaigns. Grandalski, meanwhile, has generally appeared in coverage connected to his family or former profession.
His background is documented through a combination of government records, established biographical publications, interviews with Matlin, and entertainment photography.
Some personal details, including an exact birth date and independently substantiated personal net worth, are not established by those sources.
For that reason, precise claims about his age or wealth should not be treated as facts without stronger documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kevin Grandalski
1. Who is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski is a retired American police lieutenant who served with the Burbank Police Department in California. He is also the husband of Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin.
2. Are Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin still married?
Yes. The couple married on August 29, 1993. They were photographed together at the Academy Awards in March 2026, and contemporary coverage continued to identify Grandalski as Matlin’s husband.
3. What did Kevin Grandalski do for a living?
Grandalski worked in law enforcement with the Burbank Police Department. Official City Council records confirm that he reached the rank of lieutenant before retirement.
4. Did Kevin Grandalski know sign language before meeting Marlee Matlin?
Yes. Biographical accounts state that he learned sign language while attending Fresno State. The PBS documentary about Matlin also confirms that he already knew some signs when they met.
5. How many children does Kevin Grandalski have?
He has four children with Marlee Matlin: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler, and Isabelle. They also became grandparents following the birth of their eldest daughter’s child in 2024.
6. What is Kevin Grandalski’s net worth?
A dependable personal net-worth figure has not been established by the authoritative sources consulted for this biography. Claims assigning him a specific fortune should be treated cautiously unless supported by reliable financial documentation.
Conclusion
Kevin Grandalski has a life story that extends beyond his marriage to a famous actress. His criminal justice education, career with the Burbank Police Department, and eventual retirement as a lieutenant form an important part of his biography.
His marriage to Marlee Matlin, which began in 1993, has also become a lasting part of the actress’s personal story. Together, they raised four children and built a family while pursuing careers in very different professions.
Read also Martha Cumming: Her Career, Marriage to Peter MacNicol, and Life Beyond Hollywood
