Kevin Grandalski is a retired Burbank police lieutenant best known publicly as the husband of Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. His own professional life, however, was built in Southern California law enforcement rather than Hollywood. Contemporary newspaper coverage and City of Burbank records trace Grandalski’s career from police officer to detective, sergeant and lieutenant before his retirement. He met Matlin while she was filming the television drama Reasonable Doubts, and they married on August 29, 1993. More than three decades later, their family includes four children and a granddaughter.
Kevin Grandalski Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Grandalski |
| Profession | Retired law-enforcement officer; former Burbank police lieutenant |
| Spouse | Marlee Matlin |
| Marriage date | August 29, 1993 |
| Children | Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle |
| Known for | His Burbank police career and marriage to Marlee Matlin |
| Retirement | A January 2017 Burbank City Council record refers to his retirement reception as Lieutenant Kevin Grandalski |
Who Is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski spent much of his working life with the Burbank Police Department in California. Although his marriage connected him to one of Hollywood’s best-known deaf performers, contemporary records show that Grandalski developed a substantial career of his own in policing.
A 1993 Los Angeles Times report identified Grandalski as a Burbank police officer assigned to the city’s then-new downtown bicycle patrol. The unit was intended to improve police visibility, manage crowds and traffic, and respond more easily in congested areas.
His responsibilities later expanded. By 2003, another Los Angeles Times report identified him as a Burbank police detective working on arson investigations.
City records provide further evidence of his progression through the department.
Kevin Grandalski’s Police Career
Grandalski’s professional record is more substantial than the brief “Marlee Matlin’s husband” description often attached to his name.
In March 2005, official Burbank City Council minutes identified him as Sergeant Kevin Grandalski and recorded that he received a Professional Esteem Award alongside other police department personnel.
By the following decade, he had reached the rank of lieutenant. The City of Burbank’s 2014 employee compensation records list Kevin Grandalski as a police lieutenant in the police department.
His retirement is also documented by the city. Minutes from a January 10, 2017 City Council meeting state that Council Member Bob Frutos had attended a retirement reception for “Lieutenant Kevin Grandalski.”
Career Timeline
| Period | Documented role or event |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Burbank police officer and member of the downtown bicycle patrol |
| 2003 | Identified as a Burbank police detective handling arson investigations |
| 2005 | Served as sergeant and received a Professional Esteem Award |
| 2014 | City payroll records listed him as a police lieutenant |
| 2016–2017 | Retired from the department as a lieutenant; his retirement reception was referenced at a January 2017 City Council meeting |
The progression from officer to detective, sergeant and lieutenant shows that Grandalski’s law-enforcement work extended for decades and included both investigative and supervisory responsibilities.
How Kevin Grandalski Met Marlee Matlin
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin met because their careers happened to cross paths.
Matlin starred in the NBC legal and police drama Reasonable Doubts from 1991 to 1993. While the series was filming on location in Los Angeles, police officers were used to help manage traffic around the production. Matlin later recalled noticing Grandalski while he was working at the location.
Their relationship had become serious by early 1993. A March 1993 Los Angeles Times profile described Matlin as recently engaged to Grandalski and reported that the couple planned to marry that August.
Sign Language Was Already Part of Grandalski’s Life
One detail made their first connection unusual: Grandalski already knew how to sign.
In Matlin’s account of their relationship, she said Grandalski had learned sign language while fulfilling a college language requirement. That meant communication through signing was not something he first encountered because of their relationship.
Matlin has also described their personalities as contrasting in complementary ways, characterizing Grandalski as more athletic, reserved and laid-back compared with her more outgoing temperament.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s Marriage
Grandalski and Matlin married on August 29, 1993.
The wedding was held at the home of Matlin’s longtime friends Henry and Stacey Winkler. Matlin herself has recalled the setting, while PBS’s American Masters biography independently records both the date and location of the wedding.
Their marriage has lasted through Matlin’s decades-long film, television and advocacy career and Grandalski’s progression through the Burbank Police Department.
The contrast between their professions was considerable. Matlin’s career brought Academy Awards, television appearances, premieres and advocacy work, while Grandalski’s daily work remained centered on municipal law enforcement. Their relationship nevertheless occasionally brought him to entertainment and charitable events alongside his wife.
Their Four Children and Family Life
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle.
PBS records Sarah’s birth in 1996, Brandon’s in 2000, Tyler’s in 2002 and Isabelle’s in 2003.
Their eldest daughter, Sarah Rose Grandalski, later made Matlin and Grandalski grandparents. Sarah welcomed a daughter, Brooklyn Rose, in 2024. PEOPLE identified Kevin Grandalski at that time as a retired police officer and confirmed that he and Matlin share four children.
The Grandalski children have largely developed lives and interests outside their parents’ careers, although some have pursued work or study connected to communications, writing and media.
A Career Separate From Hollywood
It is easy to define Kevin Grandalski primarily through his marriage because Matlin has spent decades in an internationally visible profession. The public record presents a broader picture.
Grandalski served the Burbank community in roles ranging from patrol officer to detective and police lieutenant. Newspaper archives place him at active police scenes and investigations, while municipal records document his promotion to supervisory ranks and eventual retirement.
That career provides the clearest context for understanding who Kevin Grandalski is: a longtime law-enforcement professional whose personal life happened to intersect with Hollywood after a police assignment led him to Matlin.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kevin Grandalski
What does Kevin Grandalski do?
Kevin Grandalski is a retired law-enforcement officer. He served with the Burbank Police Department and ultimately held the rank of police lieutenant. A 2017 City Council record refers specifically to his retirement reception.
How did Kevin Grandalski meet Marlee Matlin?
They met while Matlin was working on the television series Reasonable Doubts. Grandalski was a Burbank police officer assigned to assist with traffic around an on-location shoot.
When did Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin get married?
They married on August 29, 1993, at the home of Henry and Stacey Winkler.
Does Kevin Grandalski know sign language?
Yes. Matlin has said that Grandalski learned sign language in college while completing a language requirement, before they became a couple.
How many children do Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin have?
They have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle.
How old is Kevin Grandalski?
A reliable date of birth for Kevin Grandalski is not established in the reputable public sources reviewed for this article, so an exact age should not be stated as fact.
Conclusion
Kevin Grandalski built a long career with the Burbank Police Department before retiring as a lieutenant. His connection to Hollywood began by chance when a police assignment introduced him to Marlee Matlin during the filming of Reasonable Doubts. They married in 1993 and raised four children together.
Rather than relying on speculative details about his age, wealth or private background, Grandalski’s documented police service, marriage and family history provide a clear account of the life he has lived in and alongside the public eye.
Read also : Lexi2Legit Age: How Old Is She in 2026? Birthday, Bio and Career