Kevin Grandalski is a former law-enforcement officer best known as the husband of Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. Unlike Matlin, whose career has unfolded in films, television and disability advocacy, Grandalski spent his professional life largely outside the entertainment industry. The couple met in the early 1990s while Matlin was working on the television drama Reasonable Doubts, and they married in 1993. They later became parents to four children. Grandalski has kept a comparatively private profile, but interviews with Matlin and established biographical sources provide a clear picture of his law-enforcement background, education, marriage and family life.
Kevin Grandalski Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Grandalski |
| Known for | Husband of actress Marlee Matlin |
| Profession | Former police officer / law-enforcement officer |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, according to Encyclopedia.com |
| College | Fresno State College |
| Wife | Marlee Matlin |
| Marriage date | August 29, 1993 |
| Children | Four — Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle |
Encyclopedia.com states that Grandalski attended Fresno State College, studied criminal justice and earned his bachelor’s degree in 1988. More recent coverage from People describes him as a former police officer.
Who Is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski built his career in law enforcement rather than entertainment. He was working as a Burbank police officer when his path crossed with Marlee Matlin’s during production of Reasonable Doubts, the NBC legal and police drama in which Matlin starred from 1991 to 1993. PBS’s American Masters timeline confirms that Matlin met Grandalski through her work on the series and that they married in 1993.
Grandalski has never maintained the kind of celebrity career associated with his wife. His appearances in entertainment coverage are mainly connected to Matlin, their marriage and their children. That distinction is important because many biographical pages about celebrity spouses attach unsupported claims about wealth, business interests, birth dates or careers. The strongest sources on Grandalski consistently identify his professional background as policing and law enforcement.
His Education and Law-Enforcement Career
Grandalski’s academic background matched the career he later pursued. Encyclopedia.com records that he graduated from Fresno State College with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1988. The same biographical account says he learned sign language while attending college.
Matlin has also described his knowledge of signing herself. In a first-person account republished by Guideposts, she recalled that Grandalski had learned to sign while fulfilling a college language requirement. His ability to communicate through sign language became an especially meaningful part of their early relationship.
By the time the two met, Grandalski was working for the Burbank Police Department. Later biographies described him more broadly as a law-enforcement officer, while a 2024 People profile referred to him as a former police officer. Detailed public records of his individual assignments or progression within the department have not been widely documented by major publications, so claims about specific ranks or specialized police roles should be treated cautiously.
How Kevin Grandalski Met Marlee Matlin
Their first meeting came through an unusual intersection between television production and everyday police work.
Matlin was filming Reasonable Doubts when Grandalski was assigned to duties connected with security and traffic around a location shoot. Matlin later recalled noticing the police officer on the set and asking who he was. She described the attraction as immediate, and the two began dating.
The story is particularly fitting given the subject matter of the television series. Matlin played assistant district attorney Tess Kaufman in Reasonable Doubts, while Grandalski worked in real-life law enforcement. Their relationship, however, developed away from the screen and eventually led to marriage.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s Wedding
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin married on August 29, 1993. PBS records that the ceremony took place at the home of actor Henry Winkler and his wife, Stacey. Matlin and Winkler had developed a long friendship, making the setting personally significant rather than simply a Hollywood venue.
Contemporary wedding photography also dates the ceremony to August 29, 1993.
More than three decades later, Matlin continued to speak publicly about their marriage. In a 2025 AARP interview, when asked about the secret to a long marriage, she pointed to mutual respect and a sense of humor. She also described being with her husband and children as central to her family life.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s Children
Grandalski and Matlin have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle. PBS gives their birth dates as Sarah on January 19, 1996; Brandon on September 12, 2000; Tyler on July 18, 2002; and Isabelle on December 26, 2003.
A People profile published in 2024 also documented the children’s adult lives. Sarah has worked in fashion and has become a parent herself. Brandon studied public relations and has worked in sports communications. Tyler pursued screenwriting studies, while Isabelle attended the University of Oregon.
Matlin has repeatedly described family as an important part of her life alongside acting and advocacy. Grandalski, meanwhile, has generally remained outside the spotlight rather than turning his connection to a famous actor into a separate public career.
Kevin Grandalski Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1988 | Earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Fresno State College, according to Encyclopedia.com |
| Early 1990s | Met Marlee Matlin while working as a Burbank police officer during filming of Reasonable Doubts |
| 1993 | Married Matlin on August 29 at Henry and Stacey Winkler’s home |
| 1996 | Daughter Sarah was born |
| 2000 | Son Brandon was born |
| 2002 | Son Tyler was born |
| 2003 | Daughter Isabelle was born |
| 2025 | Matlin discussed their long marriage and family in an AARP interview |
Is Kevin Grandalski an Actor?
Grandalski is not known for a professional acting career. His established occupation is in law enforcement.
IMDb lists him in connection with the 2025 documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, where he is credited as himself through archive footage rather than as an actor playing a character. The documentary focuses on Matlin’s life and career.
That distinction helps explain why there is far less career material about Grandalski than about his wife. His public identity comes principally from his former police career and his family relationship with Matlin.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kevin Grandalski
What does Kevin Grandalski do?
Kevin Grandalski worked in law enforcement and was a Burbank police officer when he met Marlee Matlin. A 2024 People profile describes him as a former police officer.
Is Kevin Grandalski still married to Marlee Matlin?
Matlin and Grandalski married on August 29, 1993. In a 2025 AARP interview, Matlin continued to refer to Grandalski as her husband and discussed the longevity of their marriage.
How did Kevin Grandalski meet Marlee Matlin?
They met while Matlin was filming the television series Reasonable Doubts. Grandalski, then a Burbank police officer, had been assigned to duties involving security and traffic around the production.
How many children does Kevin Grandalski have?
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle.
Where did Kevin Grandalski go to college?
Encyclopedia.com states that Grandalski attended Fresno State College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1988.
Does Kevin Grandalski know sign language?
Yes. Matlin has said that Grandalski learned sign language in college as part of a language requirement.
Conclusion
Kevin Grandalski’s biography is closely connected with Marlee Matlin, but his own professional path was very different from Hollywood. Trained in criminal justice, he worked as a police officer and met Matlin while performing duties around the production of Reasonable Doubts. They married in 1993 and raised four children together. Rather than developing a celebrity career of his own, Grandalski has maintained a relatively private life while occasionally appearing with Matlin at public events.
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