Kevin Grandalski is a retired American police lieutenant best known as the husband of Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. Before becoming associated with Hollywood through his marriage, he built a career with the Burbank Police Department in California, eventually reaching the rank of lieutenant.
Grandalski met Matlin in the early 1990s while she was filming the television series Reasonable Doubts. They married on August 29, 1993, and have four children together. Although Matlin’s acting career has attracted international recognition, Grandalski has maintained a relatively private life. His professional background, family history, and occasional appearances alongside his wife offer a fuller picture of the man behind the familiar name.
Kevin Grandalski Biography: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Grandalski |
| Known for | Husband of actress Marlee Matlin |
| Profession | Retired police lieutenant |
| Former employer | Burbank Police Department, California |
| Wife | Marlee Matlin |
| Marriage date | August 29, 1993 |
| Children | Sarah, Brandon, Tyler, and Isabelle |
| Grandchildren | At least one publicly documented granddaughter |
| Public appearance | 2026 Academy Awards |
Who Is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski spent his professional career in Southern California law enforcement rather than the entertainment industry.
His connection to Marlee Matlin brought him into contact with Hollywood, but his career was independent of his wife’s acting achievements.
Matlin gained international recognition after starring in the 1986 film Children of a Lesser God. Her performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1987, making her the first Deaf performer to win an Oscar.
Grandalski entered her life several years after that historic achievement. Their relationship began during her television career and developed into a marriage that has lasted more than three decades.
Unlike many celebrity spouses who pursue entertainment projects or build a media presence, Grandalski has remained primarily associated with his police career and family.
Kevin Grandalski’s Career in Law Enforcement
One of the most substantial details about Kevin Grandalski’s background is his career with the Burbank Police Department.
Burbank, California, is home to major television and film production facilities. Police officers in the city may encounter entertainment productions while performing regular public safety duties.
Grandalski was already serving as a Burbank police officer when he met Matlin in the early 1990s.
He Reached the Rank of Police Lieutenant
Official City of Burbank employment records identify Grandalski as a police lieutenant.
The city’s published employee earnings report for 2016 lists Kevin Grandalski under the Police Department with the job title “POL LIEUTENANT.”
This establishes that his career extended beyond his original position as a patrol officer.
A lieutenant is a supervisory rank in American law enforcement, generally involving responsibilities related to personnel, operations, and departmental management. However, specific assignments held by Grandalski throughout his career have not been fully documented in the sources used for this biography.
When Did Kevin Grandalski Retire?
A January 10, 2017, Burbank City Council meeting record provides important evidence about Grandalski’s retirement.
The official minutes state that Council Member Bob Frutos had attended a retirement reception for Lieutenant Kevin Grandalski.
Together with the city’s 2016 employment records, this establishes that Grandalski had reached the rank of lieutenant before retiring around the end of 2016 or beginning of 2017.
His police career is a documented professional accomplishment, not simply a biographical detail associated with his famous spouse.
How Did Kevin Grandalski Meet Marlee Matlin?
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin met while Matlin was working on the NBC legal drama Reasonable Doubts, which aired from 1991 to 1993.
At the time, Grandalski was assigned to monitor traffic around the television production.
Their introduction was unusual.
In a Los Angeles Times interview about her film CODA, Matlin recalled becoming friendly with police officers working near the television set.
On one occasion, she approached a uniformed officer whom she mistakenly believed was someone she already knew and greeted him with a hug.
The officer was Grandalski.
After realizing her mistake, Matlin continued interacting with him despite another officer’s playful warning to keep her distance.
That unexpected encounter developed into a romantic relationship.
The story is particularly memorable because their relationship began through an ordinary work assignment rather than a Hollywood party or entertainment industry introduction.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s 1993 Wedding
Kevin Grandalski married Marlee Matlin on August 29, 1993.
Their wedding took place at the Los Angeles-area home of actor Henry Winkler and his wife, Stacey.
Winkler, widely recognized for portraying Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on Happy Days, had played an important role in Matlin’s life long before she met Grandalski.
Matlin first encountered Winkler as a young aspiring performer. He encouraged her interest in acting, and their friendship continued after she entered the entertainment industry.
During a difficult period in her personal life, Winkler and his family welcomed Matlin into their home. She ultimately stayed with them for an extended period.
Their home became such an important place in her life that she and Grandalski chose it as their wedding location.
The 2025 documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore includes home-video footage from the ceremony, giving audiences a rare glimpse into this chapter of their family history.
As of October 2026, Grandalski and Matlin have been married for 33 years.
Kevin Grandalski’s Children and Family Life
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin have four children: two daughters and two sons.
Their children have pursued different interests and educational paths, with some occasionally accompanying Matlin to public events.
Sarah Rose Grandalski
Sarah Rose Grandalski, born January 19, 1996, is the couple’s eldest child.
She has appeared alongside her mother at entertainment and community events and has worked in fashion retail and visual merchandising.
In April 2024, Sarah welcomed a daughter named Brooklyn Rose Garriola.
Her daughter’s birth made Matlin a grandmother for the first time.
Brandon Joseph Grandalski
Brandon Joseph Grandalski was born on September 12, 2000.
He graduated from Marquette University in Wisconsin in 2023 after studying public relations.
His graduation was especially meaningful because his mother delivered the university’s commencement address that year.
Brandon has pursued professional interests in sports communications, including work connected with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Tyler Daniel Grandalski
Tyler Daniel Grandalski was born on July 18, 2002.
He has studied screenwriting and shown an interest in filmmaking and creative storytelling.
Tyler accompanied Matlin to the 2024 Academy Awards, where the mother and son appeared together on the red carpet.
Isabelle Jane Grandalski
Isabelle Jane Grandalski, the youngest of the four children, was born on December 26, 2003.
She attended the University of Oregon and has participated in campus activities.
Matlin has also shared family photographs featuring Isabelle and Grandalski during visits to Oregon.
Family Communication and American Sign Language
An important part of the Grandalski family’s experience involves communication between Deaf and hearing family members.
Matlin is Deaf, while her husband and their four children are hearing.
In interviews, she has discussed the everyday realities of raising hearing children and communicating through American Sign Language.
She has also described how her children sometimes approached their father to discuss matters involving school or other personal concerns.
Rather than presenting these experiences as unusual problems, Matlin has spoken about them as part of ordinary family relationships.
Her comments provide insight into a household where sign language, spoken communication, and different individual personalities have shaped family interactions.
Matlin has also expressed enthusiasm about communicating with her granddaughter Brooklyn through sign language.
Kevin Grandalski’s Connection to Hollywood
Although Grandalski did not build a professional acting career, he has accompanied Matlin to major entertainment events.
These appearances include Academy Awards ceremonies and industry celebrations.
His connection to Hollywood has also included occasional references in interviews about Matlin’s work.
In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, for example, Grandalski briefly appeared during a conversation conducted with Matlin from their home. The moment provided a small glimpse into their family life outside formal public appearances.
His Appearance in Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
Grandalski is also connected to the 2025 documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.
Directed by Deaf filmmaker Shoshannah Stern, the documentary examines Matlin’s life, acting career, personal experiences, and advocacy for Deaf representation in entertainment.
IMDb lists Grandalski in the documentary as “Self – Husband,” identifying his appearance as archive footage.
That credit should not be confused with a conventional acting role.
The documentary also explores Matlin’s friendships and family relationships, including the important role Henry Winkler played in her life.
Kevin Grandalski at the 2026 Oscars
One of Grandalski’s more recent documented appearances took place on March 15, 2026.
He accompanied Matlin to the 98th Academy Awards in Hollywood.
The Los Angeles Times photographed the couple on the red carpet and identified Grandalski as her husband and a retired Burbank police officer.
Their appearance provided a contemporary example of the couple attending a major Hollywood event together more than three decades after their wedding.
Kevin Grandalski’s Age and Net Worth
Readers looking for Kevin Grandalski’s exact age or financial standing should distinguish documented biographical details from unsupported figures.
His precise date of birth has not been established by the authoritative biographical and news sources consulted for this article. Consequently, assigning him a specific age would be speculative.
Similarly, there is no dependable public assessment of his current personal net worth.
Historical government payroll records document earnings during his employment with the City of Burbank. However, employment income is not equivalent to net worth, which also depends on assets, liabilities, investments, and other financial circumstances.
Those historical salary records do not establish his present financial position.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kevin Grandalski
1. What is Kevin Grandalski famous for?
Kevin Grandalski is best known as the husband of Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin. He also had a professional career with the Burbank Police Department, where he reached the rank of lieutenant.
2. Is Kevin Grandalski still married to Marlee Matlin?
Yes. Grandalski and Matlin married on August 29, 1993. They appeared together at the March 2026 Academy Awards, and no credible divorce announcement was identified in the reporting consulted.
3. What did Kevin Grandalski do for a living?
He worked in law enforcement with the Burbank Police Department in California. City records establish that he served as a police lieutenant before retirement.
4. How many children does Kevin Grandalski have?
He has four children with Marlee Matlin: Sarah Rose, Brandon Joseph, Tyler Daniel, and Isabelle Jane Grandalski.
5. How did Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin meet?
They met in the early 1990s while Matlin was filming Reasonable Doubts. Grandalski was a Burbank police officer assigned to traffic-related duties near the television production.
6. Is Kevin Grandalski an actor?
Grandalski is not known for a professional acting career. He is credited as himself through archival material in the 2025 documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.
Conclusion
Kevin Grandalski’s biography encompasses considerably more than his marriage to a Hollywood star. His career as a Burbank police lieutenant, his retirement, and his role in a family of six are central parts of his story.
His relationship with Marlee Matlin began with an unexpected encounter on a television set and developed into a marriage spanning more than three decades. While Matlin remains an influential figure in American entertainment and Deaf advocacy, Grandalski’s professional and family history reflects a life largely conducted outside the celebrity spotlight.
Sources
- City of Burbank — Official 2016 Employee Earnings Report: Documents Kevin Grandalski’s position as a police lieutenant.
https://www.burbankca.gov/documents/174345/591323/2016%2BEarnings%2Bfor%2BWebsite%2B100k%2BEmployees%2B%28Updated%2B03.05.20%29.pdf/a8babb82-ebcb-a0f9-603c-df7fcedbfd71 - City of Burbank — January 10, 2017 City Council Minutes: References Grandalski’s retirement reception.
https://burbank.granicus.com/MinutesViewer.php?clip_id=7690&doc_id=55fafa8f-f253-11e6-8893-00219ba2f017&view_id=49 - People — All About Marlee Matlin’s Four Kids: Covers the couple’s marriage, children, and family history.
https://people.com/all-about-marlee-matlin-kids-8672641 - Los Angeles Times — Marlee Matlin’s CODA Interview: Includes Matlin’s firsthand account of meeting Grandalski.
https://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=02ce5281-d4b1-43e6-b64f-3464a398321d - Entertainment Weekly — Henry Winkler and Marlee Matlin: Documents their 1993 wedding and archival wedding footage.
https://ew.com/henry-winkler-took-in-marlee-matlin-after-she-left-william-hurt-11756690 - IMDb — Kevin Grandalski: Lists his archival appearance in Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm18538951/ - Los Angeles Times — Oscars 2026 Red Carpet: Documents Grandalski and Matlin’s March 2026 appearance together.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2026-03-15/oscars-2026-red-carpet-fashion-best-looks - AARP — Marlee Matlin Interview, June 2025: Discusses Matlin’s family, granddaughter, and documentary.
https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/celebrities/star-talk-marlee-matlin/
