Mandy Patinkin eyes 'Three Rivers' guest spot

'Chicago Hope' and 'Criminal Minds' star will play a patient on Alex O'Loughlin medical drama

Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 2:29 PM

Daniel Fienberg

Follow: RSS Facebook Twitter

Read more from Daniel Fienberg

Mandy Patinkin eyes 'Three Rivers' guest spot

Alex O'Loughlin and Mandy Patinkin on CBS' 'Three Rivers'

Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Assuming the low-rated medical drama can stick around long enough to see him, Mandy Patinkin is set to return to CBS for a guest appearance on "Three Rivers."

CBS announced on Tuesday (Oct. 14) that Patinkin will play Victor, an ALS patient who asks to be to taken off of life support following a car crash, so that his organs can be used to save others. This will be Patinkin's first time back on CBS since he abruptly departed the hit procedural "Criminal Minds."

In the press release announcing the appearance, CBS notes, "Patinkin has a very personal connection with organ donation, in 1997 and 1998, he received corneal transplants in his right and left eyes to correct the condition of keratoconus, an eye disease that creates a 'cone-shaped' cornea which impairs vision severely. Patinkin's corneas were donated by the families of a 13 year-old girl (right eye) and a 12 year-old boy (left eye)."

CBS has yet to determine a date for the episode.

Patinkin earned two Emmy nominations, winning one Emmy, for his work on the medical series "Chicago Hope." He picked up another nomination for a guest turn on "The Larry Sanders Show."

A Tony winner for "Evita," Patinkin was replaced by Joe Mantegna on "Criminal Minds," a turnover that took place without any drop in ratings for the FBI drama. The actor's other familiar credits include "Dead Like Me," "The Princess Bride" and "Yentl."