Brian Dennehy
Born: 1938-07-09 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
Died: 2020-04-15
Known For: Acting
Biography
Brian Manion Dennehy (July 9, 1938 – April 15, 2020) was an American actor of film, stage, and television. His breakthrough film role was as the overzealous sheriff Will Teasle in First Blood (1982). Typically a character actor, Dennehy displayed versatility in varying and often complex roles ranging from villainous (such as a corrupt sheriff in the 1985 western Silverado) to virtuous (such as a benevolent alien leader in Cocoon, also released in 1985). Other notable films featuring Dennehy include Gorky Park (1983), Never Cry Wolf (1983), Legal Eagles (1986), F/X (1986), Tommy Boy (1995), Romeo + Juliet (1996), and Ratatouille (2007). A prominent figure in the theater world (especially in Chicago), Dennehy won two Tony Awards for Best Lead Actor, for Death of a Salesman (1999) and Long Day's Journey into Night (2003). He starred in numerous television films and miniseries, garnering six Emmy Award nominations, and had memorable supporting and guest roles in many series including Just Shoot Me, The Good Wife, and The Blacklist.
Filmography
2021
- Son of the South as Grandfather
2020
- Penny Dreadful: City of Angels as Jerome Townsend
- Driveways as Del
2019
- 3 Days with Dad as Bob
- Alan Pakula: Going for Truth as Self
- The Song of Sway Lake as Hal Sway
2018
- Tag as Mr. Cilliano
- The Seagull as Pjotr Sorin
2017
- A Very Merry Toy Store as Joe Haggarty
2016
- Hap and Leonard as Sheriff Valentine Otis
2015
- Knight of Cups as Joseph
- Public Morals as Joe Patton
- Cocked as Wade
- The Ultimate Legacy as Gus
2013
- The Blacklist as Dominic Wilkinson
- The Challenger Disaster as Rogers
2012
- Twelfth Night as Sir Toby Belch
2011
- The Big Year as Raymond Harris
2010
- Rizzoli & Isles as Ret. Det. Kenny Leahy
- The Next Three Days as George Brennan
- The Big C as Dad
- Every Day as Ernie
- Meet Monica Velour as Pop Pop
- Alleged as Clarence Darrow
- Caesar and Otto meet Dracula’s Lawyer as Steve Dracula’s More Famous Brother
2009
- The Good Wife as Bucky Stabler
- Bunker Hill as Martin 'Mutt' Kelsey
- Love and Valor as Narrator (voice)
- Lost Road of the Popes: Via Papale as Narrator
2008
- Righteous Kill as Hingis
- Cat City as Harold
2007
- Rules of Engagement as Roy
- Ratatouille as Django (voice)
- The Ultimate Gift as Gus
- Masters of Science Fiction as Bedzyk
- Marco Polo as Kublai Khan
- Marco Polo as Kublai Khan
- Trumbo as Self
- War Eagle, Arkansas as Pop, Enochs Father
- Welcome to Paradise as Bobby Brown
- Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil & The Presidency as Andrew Jackson (voice)
2006
- 30 Rock as Mickey J
- Everyone's Hero as Babe Ruth (voice)
- 10th & Wolf as Agent Horvath
- The Exonerated as Gary Gauger
2005
- Assault on Precinct 13 as Sargeant Jasper O'Shea
- Our Fathers as Father Dominic Spagnolia
2004
- The 4400 as Mitch Baldwin
- She Hate Me as Billy Church
- Category 6: Day of Destruction as Andy Goodman
- Category 6: Day of Destruction as Andy Goodman
2003
- The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone as Tom Stone
- The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron as Mr. Blue
- American Valor as Narrator
- Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company' as Fred Silverman
2002
- Stolen Summer as Father Kelly
- Founding Brothers
- Making 'The Misfits' as Narrator
- A Season on the Brink as Bobby Knight
- Code Yellow: Hospital at Ground Zero as Narrator
2001
- The Agency as James Graydon
- Night Visions as Camper Ben (segment "Quiet, Please")
- Summer Catch as John Schiffner
- The Fighting Fitzgeralds as Mr. Fitzgerald
- Warden of Red Rock as Sheriff Selwyn Church
- Three Blind Mice as Matthew Hope
- Animated Tales of the World as Captain (voice)
2000
- Arrest & Trial as Self - Host
- Fail Safe as Gen. Bogan
- Founding Fathers as George Washington (voice)
- Dish Dogs as Frost
- Death of a Salesman as Willy Loman
1999
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Judson Tierney
- The West Wing as Rafe Framingham
- Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke as Louis Bromfield
- NetForce as Lowell Davidson
- Netforce as Lowell Davidson
- Silicon Towers as Tom Warner
- Out of the Cold as David Bards
- Sirens as Lt. Denby
1998
- Voyage of Terror as The President
- Thanks of a Grateful Nation as Sen. Donald Riegle
1997
- Just Shoot Me! as Red Finch
- Nostromo as Joshua C. Holroyd
- Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan as Eddie Brannigan
1996
- Romeo + Juliet as Ted Montague
- A Season in Purgatory as Gerald Bradley
- Dead Man's Walk as Major Chevallier
- Undue Influence as Paul Madriani
- E! True Hollywood Story
- A Season in Purgatory as Gerald Bradley
- Shadow of a Doubt as Charley Sloan
- Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us as Jack Reed
- Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance as Jack Reed
1995
- Tommy Boy as Thomas 'Big Tom' Callahan
- The Stars Fell on Henrietta as Big Dave McDermot
- Jack Reed: One of Our Own as Jack Reed
1994
- Birdland as Dr. Brian McKenzie
- Leave of Absence as Sam
- Jack Reed: A Search for Justice as Jack Reed
- Midnight Movie as James Boyce
1993
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- Murder in the Heartland as John McArthur
- Final Appeal as Perry Sundquist
- Foreign Affairs as Chuck Mumpson
- Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story as Ervil LeBaron
- Jack Reed: Badge of Honor as Jack Reed
1992
- Gladiator as Jimmy Horn
- The Burden of Proof as Dixon Hartnell
- To Catch a Killer as John Wayne Gacy
- To Catch a Killer as John Wayne Gacy
- Deadly Matrimony as Jack Reed
- The Diamond Fleece as Inspector Outlaw
- Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story as Jackie Presser
1991
- F/X2 as Leo McCarthy
- In Broad Daylight as Len Rowan
- Zebras: Patterns in the Grass as Narrator (voice)
1990
- Presumed Innocent as Raymond Horgan
- Rising Son as Gus Robinson
- The Last of the Finest as Frank Daly
- Pride and Extreme Prejudice as Bruno Morenz
- A Killing in a Small Town as Ed Reivers
1989
- Day One as Gen. Leslie Groves
- Perfect Witness as James Falcon
- Seven Minutes as Wagner
- Indio as Whitaker
1988
- American Experience as Aaron Burr (voice)
- Cocoon: The Return as Walter (uncredited)
- Miles from Home as Frank Roberts Sr.
- The Man From Snowy River II as Harrison
- A Father's Revenge as Paul Hobart
1987
- Best Seller as Dennis Meechum
- Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam as (voice)
- The Belly of an Architect as Stourley Kracklite
- The Little Mermaid as King Neptune (Narrator) (voice)
- The Lion of Africa as Sam Marsh
1986
- F/X as Lt. Leo McCarthy
- Legal Eagles as Cavanaugh
- The Check is in the Mail... as Richard Jackson
- Acceptable Risks as Don Sheppard
1985
- Screen Two as James Boyce
- Tall Tales & Legends as Buffalo Bill
- Cocoon as Walter
- Silverado as Cobb
- Evergreen as Matthew Malone
- The Last Place on Earth as Frederick Cook
- Annie Oakley as Buffalo Bill
- Twice in a Lifetime as Nick
1984
- Miami Vice as Reverend Billy Bob Proverb
- Hunter as Dr. Bolin
- The River Rat as Doc Cole
- Finders Keepers as Frizzoli
- The Pigs vs. The Freaks as Sergeant Cheever
1983
- Reading Rainbow as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Gorky Park as William Kirwill
- Blood Feud as Edward Grady Partin
- Never Cry Wolf as Rosie
- Blood Feud as Edward Grady Partin
- I Take These Men as Phil Zakarian
1982
- First Blood as Hope Sheriff Will Teasle
- Cagney & Lacey as Michael Magruder
- Faerie Tale Theatre as King Neptune / Narrator (voice)
- Split Image as Kevin Stetson
- Star of the Family as Leslie 'Buddy' Krebs
- The Man Who Married a French Wife and Other Stories as Grimmet
1981
- Dynasty as Jake Dunham
- Darkroom as Roland
- Fly Away Home as Tim Arnold
- Skokie as Police Chief Arthur Buchanan
- The Girls in Their Summer Dresses and Other Stories as Grimmet
1980
- A Rumor of War as Sgt. Ned Coleman
- Little Miss Marker as Herbie
- The Jericho Mile as Dr. D
- The Seduction of Miss Leona as Bliss Dawson
1979
- Knots Landing as James Cargill
- 10 as Donald
- Big Shamus, Little Shamus as Arnie Sutter
- Butch and Sundance: The Early Days as O.C. Hanks
- Dummy as Ragoti
- Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story as John O'Neil
1978
- Dallas as Luther Frick
- Foul Play as Fergie
- Pearl as Sgt. Otto Chain
- F.I.S.T. as Frank Vasko
- Ruby and Oswald as George Paulsen
- A Death in Canaan as Barney Parsons
- A Real American Hero as Buford Pusser
1977
- Lou Grant as Wilson
- Lucan as Fisher
- The Fitzpatricks as Coach Hatfield
- Lanigan's Rabbi as Burton Tree
- Looking for Mr. Goodbar as Surgeon
- Semi-Tough as T.J. Lambert
- It Happened at Lakewood Manor as Fire Chief
- Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye as Longshoreman
1976
- The Tony Randall Show as Brian Sr.
- Serpico as Jody
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self (uncredited)
1974
- Police Woman as Burrows
- Playhouse as Grimmet
1973
- Kojak as Peter Connor
1972
- M*A*S*H as M.P. Ernie Connors
1971
- Great Performances as Grimmet
1962
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Presenter / Performer / Winner
1944
- Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee