Sarandon was born and raised in Beckley, West Virginia, the son of restaurateurs Christopher "Chris" Sarandon and Cliffie (née Cardullias). His father, whose surname was originally "Sarondonethes", was born in Istanbul, Turkey, of Greek ancestry; his mother is also of Greek ancestry.\n', '

He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley. He earned a degree in speech at West Virginia University. He earned his master\'s degree in theater from The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C.. While attending CUA, he married classmate Susan Tomalin in 1967. After graduating, they both pursued acting careers, with Tomalin taking his surname as her professional name and performing with the name Susan Sarandon. They were married until 1979.\n', '

After graduation, he toured with numerous improvisational companies and became much involved with regional theatre, making his professional debut in the play The Rose Tattoo during 1965. In 1968, Sarandon moved to New York City, where he obtained his first television role as Dr. Tom Halverson for the series The Guiding Light (1973–1974). He appeared in the primetime television movies The Satan Murders (1974) and Thursday\'s Game before obtaining the role of Al Pacino\'s transgender wife in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), a performance which earned him nominations for Best New Male Star of the Year at the Golden Globes and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.\n', '

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