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Diane Dinklage

Diane (Hayden) Dinklage was born in March 1943 in New Jersey United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Diane Dinklage.

Diane (Hayden) Dinklage

March 1943

New Jersey, United States

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Diane Dinklage Diane Dinklage (born 1943)

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Diane (Hayden) Dinklage's History: 1943

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Introduction

Diane's mother was Eileen Hayden and John Hayden was her father. In the 1950 census, Diane was 7 years old and living with her parents in Newark, Essex, New Jersey. Also in the household were siblings Maureen and Lenora. Dad was a truck driver for a brewing company. Diane married John Carl Dinklage (1931 - 2004) in July of 1966 in Mendham, Morris, New Jersey and they were married to 38 years, until his death. They had 2 sons: Jonathan and Peter (Peter may be best known for his role on Game of Thrones). Peter is an actor and has dwarfism. Read about his family's journey in a 2003 article in his hometown newspaper: Brookside actor steps over adversity to starring role
03/dd

1943

Birthday

March 1943

Birthdate

New Jersey United States

Birthplace

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Early Life & Education

Diane attended Saint Elizabeth University, where she earned a degree.
Professional Career

Diane was an elementary school music teacher.
Personal Life & Family

Diane (Hayden) Dinklage was born to John J. Hayden and Eileen M. Hayden, died at 90 in 2010. She has sisters Maureen, Sheila, Jeannine, and Lenore Hayden. Diane Hayden married John C. Dinklage in July of 1966 in Mendham, New Jersey. They had two sons, Jonathan and Peter. Jonathan is a lead violinist and sound producer, producing soundtracks for movies. Peter is a well-known actor, probably best known for "Game of Thrones".
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2 Memories, Stories & Photos about Diane

Kathy Pinna

32.7k+ favorites

06/09/2022

Diane Dinklage

Diane with her two sons, Peter (an actor) and John (a violinis)

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Kathy Pinna

32.7k+ favorites

06/09/2022

Brookside actor steps over adversity to starring role

Apr 24, 2003

MENDHAM TWP. - Determination. Webster's Dictionary describes it as "the quality of being resolute or firm in purpose."

Ask Diane and John Dinklage of East Main Street in Brookside their definition of determination and they will tell you that their son, Peter Dinklage, personifies the word determination.

Born with dwarfism, a genetic disorder, Peter Dinklage's journey of personal and professional determination began 33 years ago with the dream of becoming an actor and has taken him all the way to the lead role starring in the award winning film, "The Station Agent."

Set in rural New Jersey, "The Station Agent" is about a loner, played by Dinklage, who wants to become a hermit in his abandoned train station community and his unwilling relationship with his neighbors.

Called the sleeper hit, "The Station Agent" took top honors at this year's Robert Redford Sundance Film Festival in Utah in January. The film won Best Dramatic Film and Best Dramatic Script and won Dinklage rave reviews. Movie media giant,Miramax Films was so impressed with the film that it bought the distribution rights to "The Station Agent" and it is tentatively scheduled for release this October.

"I went out to see the premiere of the movie at the Sundance Film Festival and I was seated with Peter and the other actors and director of "The Station Agent." When the film received a standing ovation and I saw the broad smile on Peter's face and just how happy Peter was, I just couldn't stop crying," Diane Dinklage said.

They were true tears of joy from a mother and family who have shared their son's journey to the stage. From the time the acting bug first hit Peter Dinklage, his biggest fans have always been his parents, Diane and John, and his brother, Jonathan, now 35, and a talented professional musician currently working on Broadway.

Family Support

Each step that Peter Dinklage has taken, the Dinklage family has always been there to share the bumps in the road and the successes.

"When Peter was born, I remember the doctor telling me that Peter was born with dwarfism and I just kept on thinking, how did this happen. But then one day I had this epiphany that I just had to get on with living and this rush of maternal love came over me and I was free," said Dinklage.

And getting down to the business of living is exactly what the Dinklage family did. In l974, they moved to their current East Main Street home. Jonathan and Peter were close-knit brothers, putting on shows for their family and neighbors in the family basement. Diane, who has been a music teacher for 23 years and who currently teaches K-4 grade students at the Jefferson School in Roxbury Township, said the musical/theatrical gene might have come from her side of the family.

From an early age, it was apparent to Diane and John Dinklage that their son displayed an inner strength of character that helped anchor Peter growing up. When Peter began kindergarten, he had trouble making the first steps to the bus, but he did it and he has been taking big steps and risks ever since.

"Even as a little child, Peter just always had this inner determination. He knew he was different, but he never once complained. People did stare at him and he knew people stared at him, but he had a way of avoiding the stares and he always made friends easily," said Diane Dinklage.

His first steps on the stage in a leading role were in second grade at Mendham Township Elementary School, where he played the young boy in "The Velveteen Rabbit." Both Dinklage brothers attended Delbarton and it was there where Peter's love of acting took firm roots.

"When Peter was at Delbarton, Matt Dougherty was the drama coach and he gave Peter some great roles playing a wide range of characters," Diane Dinklage said.

Other people were beginning to recognize his acting talent as well, including a recruiter from Bennington College in Vermont. Bennington offered him a scholarship and he fell in love with the school.

"Bennington and the art world were very accepting, probably a bit more accepting of people and their differences than the outside world can sometimes be," said Diane Dinklage.

After college, he went to New York City to break into the acting business. But Diane and John Dinklage were concerned. They worried that their 4-foot-5 son would only be offered roles that matched his stature and not be offered roles that matched his talented acting ability.

"We were worried that Pete would be offered demeaning roles because of his size. Acting is a tough business for anyone to break in to. But in the end Peter reassured us that he was determined to work hard for roles that had integrity and not take roles that demeaned him and this is exactly what he has done," Diane Dinklage said.

At first, he began to get roles in off Broadway productions and then he began getting roles in independent, cutting edge films. In between acting jobs and auditions, he worked in a variety of jobs to pay the bills on his apartment in a converted mustard factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he still lives today.

Finally after many years as a struggling actor, he was finding steady work as an actor and he was being noticed and respected in his profession for his acting talents and hard work ethic.

Tom McCarthy, the director and writer of "The Station Agent" wrote the leading role in "The Station Agent" specifically for Peter.

After the Sundance Film Festival, he was off to British Columbia to finish filming "Elf" with Will Farrell and this spring, "Tiptoes," will be released in theaters with Gary Oldman and Patricia Arquette.

He is currently in Los Angeles considering some television projects and later this year, he will play the lead in "Toulouse-Lautrec" at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

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Dinklage, Diane (Born Mar 6, 1943)

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Dinklage, Raymond (Jun 13, 1902 - Dec 1977) Dinklage, Ralph (Jul 4, 1906 - Apr 1980) Dinklage, Florence (Jan 7, 1900 - Apr 1993) Dinklage, John (Oct 24, 1931 - Jun 27, 2004) Dinklage, Margaret (Apr 2, 1910 - Mar 1983) Dinklage, Peter (Apr 20, 1943 - Dec 30, 2008) Dinklage, Arthur (Mar 27, 1890 - Aug 1975) Dinklage, Mary (Jun 21, 1920 - Jan 28, 1995) Dinklage, John (Apr 29, 1912 - Feb 10, 1990) Dinklage, Carl (Feb 16, 1914 - Mar 25, 1988)

Dinklage, Walter (Feb 9, 1908 - May 1, 1998) Dinklage, Jimmie (May 8, 1936 - Feb 27, 2003) Dinklage, Christof (Sep 8, 1901 - Jun 1986) Dinklage, Robert (Dec 6, 1899 - Sep 1968) Dinklage, Ruth (Oct 12, 1933 - Feb 27, 1996) Dinklage, Loraine (Feb 7, 1937 - Sep 11, 1998) Dinklage, Theodor (Nov 17, 1925 - Oct 1982) Dinklage, Henry (Feb 22, 1918 - Jul 15, 2000) Dinklage, Henry (Mar 15, 1888 - Jan 1963) Dinklage, Le Roy (Apr 22, 1914 - Jun 1984)

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Diane Dinklage

Diane (Hayden) Dinklage's History: 1943

Introduction

Birthday

Early Life & Education

Professional Career

Personal Life & Family

Living status

2 Memories, Stories & Photos about Diane

Diane Hayden's Family Tree & Friends

Diane Hayden's Family Tree

Diane's Friends

Other Diane Dinklage Biographies

Other Dinklage Family Biographies