John Carl Dinklage: Veteran of the Korean War, Father to ‘Game of Thrones’ Star Peter Dinklage

There’s a strong chance you’re a die-hard fan of HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones— who isn’t, right?

So, you must recognize Peter Dinklage for his role as Tyrion Lannister. But how well do you know the talented actor’s family?

John Carl Dinklage, for instance, is the father of Game of Thrones’s Peter Dinklage. 

And even though he leads a private life and is only famous because of his son, John has a prosperous career as a salesman and was a Korean War Veteran. Sounds intriguing already!

Let’s take a closer look at John Carl Dinklage—the man behind the talented Hollywood actor, Peter Dinklage.

Who’s John Carl Dinklage?

Interesting fact: John Carl Dinklage worked a regular nine-to-five job as an insurance salesman. 

John also was a Korean War veteran as he served as a First Lieutenant in Korea from 1955 to 1957. Thank you for your service, John!

Not surprising but: Peter Dinklage’s father lived a quiet life away from the spotlight up until his recent death. 

If anything, he only became famous because of his son—who became a Hollywood icon for his prominent role as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones.

John Carl Dinklage Biography

Early Life

John Carl Dinklage was born on October 24, 1931, in Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey, which makes him a Libra-Scorpio cusp – and someone who appreciates a private life!

His father was Ray Raymond Bruno Dinklage, who had a German background. His mother was Florence Dinklage, who had Irish ancestry.

And that’s pretty much all we know as there’s not much information available about John Dinklage’s early life. 

Hold on, though, we did find out that he grew up with three siblings as well: Ray Dinklage, David P. Dinklage, and Edna Jeanette Tapley. 

Career 

John Carl Dinklage was an average man, who worked a regular nine-to-five job as an insurance salesperson pretty much all his life. Pretty amazing that he’d birth a son as remarkable as Peter!

He was also a Korean War veteran who served in the US Army from 1955 to 1957. After leaving the army, John went back to work for an insurance company until he retired in 1991. You can tell he was a man of routine and discipline.

Marriage

In 1966, John Carl Dinklage tied the knot with the love of his life, Diane E Hayden. 

Diana worked as an elementary school music teacher. After marriage, she took on his name, changing hers to Diane Dinklage. 

Another fun fact: at the time of marriage, John was 35, and his wife Diane was 23—and yet that steep age difference didn’t strain their marriage!

Sons

John Carl Dinklage was never part of the entertainment industry, but he was blessed with two talented sons. They both grew up to be well-known celebrities: Peter Dinklage and Jonathan Dinklage.

Peter Dinklage

Peter Dinklage, born on June 11, 1969, in Morristown, New Jersey, is one of the most renowned actors in Hollywood. 

Even though he was born with a form of dwarfism, called achondroplasia, Peter made a huge name for himself in the entertainment industry as a talented and versatile actor. His story is inspiring – but we don’t need to tell you that.

Dinklage’s breakthrough role was in The Station Agent in 2003, and since then, he has taken part in various movies and theater plays. In 2011, Peter took the world by storm with his performance as Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s iconic series, Game of Thrones. 

Thanks to his iconic portrayal of the character, Peter received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He also earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.

Peter Dinklage also has prominent roles in many movies, such as:

• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (as Trumpkin)
• Pixels as (Eddie Plant)
• X-Men: Days of Future Past (as Dr. Bolivar Trask)
• The Boss (as Ronald/Renault)
• Avengers: Infinity War (as Eitri, the king of the dwarves)
• Cyrano (as Cyrano)
• I Care A Lot (as Roman Lunyov)

Jonathan Dinklage

John Carl Dinklage’s other son is Jonathan Dinklage, a successful musician and the lead violinist for Hamilton. Kind of the opposite of Peter if you think about it.

Jonathan is most famous for his successful musical work in Broadway productions and his involvement with recording the music of numerous well-known productions, including the following:

• Sweet Charity
• Legally Blonde
• Shrek the Musical
• The Greatest Showman
• People Be Heard
• Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown
• Matilda the Musical

On top of that, Jonathan accompanied many musical figures in various concerts, such as Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, and Barbra Streisand. Very impressive!

Wrapping Up

Even though John led a private life away from the limelight, his sons made significant contributions to their respective fields of art.

He may not be remembered for his own achievements, but his legacy lives on in his sons’ remarkable accomplishments. He raised them right, it seemed.