Brian Dennehy Biography

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Brian Mannion Dennehy (born July 9, 1938) is an American actor of film, stage, and television.

Early life

Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was raised Roman Catholic. The family relocated to Long Island, New York, where Dennehy attended Chaminade High School in the town of Mineola.

Rather than immediately chase his dreams of stage and screen, Dennehy enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1959, actively serving until 1963. Although he said in numerous interviews that he had spent five years fighting in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, even telling harrowing tales of being hit by shrapnel, it was revealed in the 1998 book Stolen Valor by B.G. Burkett that Dennehy had never served overseas at all during his time in the military. Later that year, Dennehy admitted to the tabloid The Globe "I lied about serving in Vietnam and I'm sorry. That was very wrong of me. There is no real excuse for that. I was a peace-time Marine, and I got out in 1963 without ever serving in Vietnam. I started the story that I had been in 'Nam, and I got stuck with it. Then I didn't know how to set the record straight." Nonetheless, in 2007 Dennehy once again told a reporter that he had served in Vietnam, this time Joanne Kaufman of the Wall Street Journal.

He went on to attend Columbia on a football scholarship to major in history, where he also became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, before moving on to Yale to study dramatic arts. He played rugby union for Old Blue RFC.

Career

Film

Dennehy is primarily known as a dramatic actor. His breakthrough role was as the overzealous Sheriff Will Teasle in First Blood (1982) opposite Sylvester Stallone as Rambo.

His earlier films did include several comedies like Semi-Tough with Burt Reynolds (in which he portrayed a pro football player), 10 with Dudley Moore (as an Acapulco bartender) and Foul Play with Chevy Chase. He later portrayed a corrupt sheriff in the western Silverado and an alien in Cocoon, both released in 1985.

Memorable supporting parts featured Dennehy in such films as Split Image (1982), Legal Eagles (1986), F/X: Murder By Illusion (1986), Presumed Innocent (1990) and F/X2: The Deadly Art of Illusion (1991).

Dennehy gradually became a valuable character actor but also achieved leading-man status in the thriller Best Seller (1987) co-starring James Woods. He also starred in the Peter Greenaway film The Belly of an Architect, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the 1987 Chicago International Film Festival. Commenting upon this unusual venture, Dennehy said, "I've been in a lot of movies but this is the first film I've made."

He went on to star as Harrison in the Australian film The Man from Snowy River II in 1988.

One of his most well-known roles came in the 1995 Chris Farley-David Spade comedy Tommy Boy as Big Tom Callahan. He also was reunited with his 10 co-star Bo Derek in Tommy Boy, in which she played his wife.

Dennehy had a voice role in the animated movie Ratatouille as Django, the rat chef Remy's father. He appeared as the superior officer of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the 2008 cop drama Righteous Kill and as the father of Russell Crowe in the 2010 suspense film The Next Three Days.

Dennehy starred as Clarence Darrow in Alleged, a film based on the Scopes Monkey Trial, the famous court battle over the teaching of evolution in American public schools.

Television

Dennehy began his professional acting career in small guest roles in such 1970s and 1980s series as Kojak, Lou Grant, Dallas and Dynasty. He also appeared in an episode of Miami Vice during the 1987"88 season.

Dennehy portrayed Sergeant Ned T. "Frozen Chosen" Coleman in the television movie A Rumor of War (1980) opposite Brad Davis. He continued to appear in such high-profile television movies as Skokie (1981), Split Image (1982), Day One, (1989), A Killing in a Small Town (1990) opposite Barbara Hershey, In Broad Daylight (1991), Scott Turow's The Burden of Proof and the miniseries A Season in Purgatory. He also played the title role in HBO's Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story.

Dennehy had a lead role as fire chief/celebrity dad Leslie "Buddy" Krebs in the short-lived 1982 series Star of the Family. Despite his star power, that show was canceled after a half a season.

Dennehy was nominated for Emmy Awards six times for his television movies. He was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie for his performance as John Wayne Gacy in To Catch a Killer, and he was nominated that same year in a different category, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie, for The Burden of Proof (1992). Other Emmy nominatations were for his work in A Killing in a Small Town, Murder in the Heartland (1993) and for the Showtime cable TV movie Our Fathers (2005), which was about the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. In 2000, Dennehy was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie for a television presentation of his performance as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman which he had performed on Broadway. The performance did, however, precipitate a Golden Globe Award.

He has starred in the popular crime drama Jack Reed TV movies. He also appeared as a recurring character in the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!.

Dennehy was parodied in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) and an episode of The Simpsons.

In January 2007, he starred in the episode "Scheherazade" of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as a retired criminal who wants to reconnect with his daughter and admit his crimes before dying of a terminal disease thus eventually clearing a wrongfully imprisoned inmate. In April 2008, Dennehy guest-starred as a Teamster boss in an episode of 30 Rock.

Dennehy guest-starred in a 2008 episode of Rules of Engagement as the father of the main character, Jeff.

Dennehy has also narrated many television programs. He narrated Canadian-Irish docudrama Death or Canada.

Theater

Dennehy has won two Tony Awards, both times for Best Lead Actor in a Play. The first win was for Death of a Salesman (for which he also won a Laurence Olivier Award for the production's London run), in 1999, and the second was for Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night in 2003. Both productions were directed by Robert Falls and were originally produced at the Goodman Theatre company in Chicago.

On stage, Dennehy has made frequent performances in the Chicago theater world, and made his Broadway debut in 1995 in Brian Friel's Translations. In 1999, he was the first male performer to be voted the Sarah Siddons Award for his work in Chicago theater. He made a return to Broadway in 2007 as Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit the Wind opposite Christopher Plummer, then returned again opposite Carla Gugino in a 2009 revival of Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms.

In fall 1992, he played the lead role of Hickey in Robert Falls's production of Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

In 2008, Dennehy appeared at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, appearing in All's Well That Ends Well as the King of France, and a double bill of plays, one by Samuel Beckett, "Krapp's Last Tape" and Eugene O'Neill's play "Hughie", where Dennehy reprised the role of Erie Smith.

In 2010, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

In December 2010, he returned to Ireland to play the Bull McCabe in the Olympia Theater of Dublin's stage version of John B. Keane's The Field.

In 2011, Dennehy returned to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in the role of Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. He also played Max in Harold Pinter's The Homecoming, which is the first Pinter work to be produced there.

In April through June 2012, he played the role of Larry Slade in the Eugene O'Neill play The Iceman Cometh at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.

In 2013 for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's 60th season, Mr. Dennehy returned to play the Earl of Shrewsbury in Mary Stuart and Pozzo in Waiting for Godot.

Influence in popular media

In the comic book series Ultimate Spider-Man, that series' version of the villain Norman Osborn was rendered by artist Mark Bagley to resemble actor Brian Dennehy, as per writer Brian Michael Bendis' instructions.

Personal life

He is the father of actresses Elizabeth Dennehy and Kathleen Dennehy. He resides in Woodstock, Connecticut. His son Cormac Dennehy graduated from Pomfret School in 2011, while his daughter, Sarah, attends Woodstock Academy. He gave a commencement address at Pomfret School on May 29, 2011, when Cormac graduated. He and his wife, Jennifer, adopted a child.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977	Semi-Tough	T.J. Lambert
1977	Looking for Mr. Goodbar	Surgeon
1977	Bumpers	Ernie Stapp
1978	Foul Play	Fergie
1978	F.I.S.T.	Frank Vasco
1979	10	Don the Bartender
1979	Butch and Sundance: The Early Days	O.C. Hanks
1980	Little Miss Marker	Herbie
1982	Split Image	Kevin Stetson
1982	First Blood	Sheriff Will Teasle
1983	Gorky Park	William Kirwill
1983	Never Cry Wolf	Rose Little
1984	Finders Keepers	Mayor Frizzoli
1984	The River Rat	Doc Cole
1985	Silverado	Sheriff Cobb
1985	Cocoon	Walter
1985	Twice in a Lifetime	Nick
1985	The Check Is in the Mail	Richard Jackson
1986	F/X	Lt. Leo McCarthy
1986	Legal Eagles	C.J. Cavanaugh
1987	The Belly of an Architect	Stourley Kracklite
1987	Best Seller	Lt. Dennis Meechum
1988	Miles from Home	Frank Roberts, Sr.
1988	The Man from Snowy River II	Harrison
1988	Cocoon: The Return	Walter
1989	Blue Heat	Unknown
1989	Georg Elser	Wagner
1990	Indio	Whytaker
1990	The Last of the Finest	Frank Daly
1990	Presumed Innocent	Raymond Horgan
1991	F/X2	Leo McCarthy
1992	Gladiator	Jimmy Horn
1994	Jackaboy Blue	Guggles McMillian
1995	Tommy Boy	Big Tom Callahan II
1995	The Stars Fell on Henrietta	Big Dave McDermot
1996	[[William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet]]	Ted Montague
1998	Dish Dogs	Frost
1999	The Virtuoso	Unknown
1999	Out of the Cold	David Bards
1999	Silicon Towers	Unknown
2001	Summer Catch	John Schiffner
2001	Three Blind Mice	Matthew Hope
2002	Stolen Summer	Father Kelly
2002	Code Yellow: Hospital at Ground Zero	Narrator
2002	Drawing First Blood	Himself	Short film
2004	She Hate Me	Chairman Billy Church
2005	Assault on Precinct 13	Jasper O'Shea
2005	Tommy Boy: Behind the Laughter	Himself	Short film
2005	10th and Wolf	Horvath
2006	The Ultimate Gift	Gus
2006	Everyone's Hero	Babe Ruth	Voice
2007	Ratatouille	Django	Voice
2007	War Eagle, Arkansas	Unknown
2008	Righteous Kill	Lt. Hingus
2009	Factory 9	Unknown
2010	Alleged	Clarence Darrow
2010	The Next Three Days	George Brennan
2010	Meet Monica Velour	Pop Pop
2010	Every Day	Ernie
2011	The Big Year	Raymond Harris

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977	Kojak	Peter Connor	Episode: "The Godson"
1977	Lou Grant	Wilson	Episode: "Nazi"
1977	It Happened at Lakewood Manor	Fire Chief	Television movie
1977	M*A*S*H	Ernie Connors	Episode: "Souvenirs"
1977	Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye	Longshoreman	Television movie
1978	'Pearl	Sgt. Otto Chain	3 episodes
1978	Dallas	Luther Frick	Episode: "Winds of Vengeance"
1978	A Real American Hero	Buford Pusser	Television movie
1978	A Death in Canaan	Barney Parsons	Television movie
1978	Ruby and Oswald	George Paulsen	Television movie
1979	Dummy	Ragoti	Television movie
1979	Big Shamus, Little Shamus	Arnie Sutter	2 episodes
1979	The Jericho Mile	Dr. D	Television movie
1979	Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story	Mr. O'Neil	Television movie
1980	A Rumor of War	Sgt. Ned Coleman	Television movie
1980	The Seduction of Miss Leona	Bliss Dawson	Television movie
1981	Dynasty	DA Jake Dunham	5 episodes
1981	'Skokie	Chief Arthur Buchanan	Television movie
1981	Fly Away Home	Tim Arnold	Television movie
1981	Darkroom	Roland	Episode: "Make-Up"
1982	Star of the Family	Leslie Krebs	10 episodes
1983	I Take These Men	Phil Zakarian	Television movie
1983	Blood Feud	Edward Grady Partin	Television movie
1984	Off Sides	Sgt. Cheever	Television movie
1984	Hunter	Dr. Bolin	Episode: "Hunter"
1985	Evergreen	Matthew Malone	3 episodes
1985	The Last Place on Earth	Frederick Cook	2 episodes
1986	Acceptable Risks	Don Sheppard	Television movie
1987	The Lion of Africa	Sam Marsh	Television movie
1987	Miami Vice	Reverend Billy Bob Proverb	Episode: "Amen...Send Money"
1988	A Father's Revenge	Paul Hobart	Television movie
1989	Day One	General Leslie Groves	Television movie
1989	Perfect Witness	James Falcon	Television movie
1990	A Killing in a Small Town	Ed Reivers	Television movie Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
1990	Rising Son	Gus Robinson	Television movie
1990	Pride and Extreme Prejudice	Bruno Morenz	Television movie
1991	In Broad Daylight	Len Rowan	Television movie
1992	The Diamond Fleece	Lt. Merritt Outlaw	Television movie
1992	Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story	Jackie Presser	Television movie
1992	To Catch a Killer	John Wayne Gacy	Television movie Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
1992	The Burden of Proof	Dixon Hartnell	Television movie Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
1992	Deadly Matrimony	Sgt. Jack Reed	Television movie
1993	Foreign Affairs	Chuck Mumpson	Television movie CableACE Award for Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
1993	Prophet of Evil: The Ervin LaBaron Story	Ervil LaBaron	Television movie
1993	Final Appeal	Perry Sundquist	Television movie
1993	Jack Reed: Badge of Honor	Jack Reed	Television movie
1993	Murder in the Heartland	John McCarthur	Television movie Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
1994	Birdland	Dr. Brian McKenzie	4 episodes
1994	Leave of Absence	Sam	Television movie
1994	Midnight Movie	James Boyce	Television movie
1994	Jack Reed: A Search for Justice	Jack Reed	Television movie
1995	Jack Reed: One of Our Own	Jack Reed	Television movie
1995	Shadow of a Doubt	Charlie Sloan	Television movie
1996	Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us	Jack Reed	Television movie
1996	Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance	Jack Reed	Television movie
1996	A Season in Purgatory	Gerald Bradly	Television movie Nominated-Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film
1996	Dead Man's Walk	Major Chvallie	2 episodes
1996	Undue Influence	Paul Madriani	Television movie
1997	Nostromo	Joshua C. Holyrod	Television movie
1997	Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan	Eddie Brannigan	Television movie
1998-2003	Just Shoot Me	Red Finch	4 episodes
1998	Voyage of Terror	U.S. President	Television movie
1998	Thanks of a Grateful Nation	Senator Riegle	Television movie Nominated-Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film
1999	Netforce	Lowell Davidson	Television movie
1999	Sirens	Lt. Denby	Television movie
1999	Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke	Louis Bromfield	Television movie
2000	Fail Safe	Gen. Bogan	Television movie
2000	Death of a Salesman	Willy Loman	Television movie Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
2001	Warden of Red Rock	Sheriff Church	Television movie
2001	The Fighting Fitzgerald	Fitzgerald	10 episodes
2002	A Season on the Brink	Bobby Knight	Television movie
2003	The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone	Tom Stone	Television movie
2004	Category 6: Day of Destruction	Andy Goodman	Television movie
2005	The Exonerated	Gary Gauger	Television movie
2005	The West Wing	Senator Rafe Framingham	Episode: "Ninety Miles Away"
2005	Our Fathers	Father Dominic Spagnolia	Television movie Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated-Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film
2007	Law and Order: Special Victims Unit	Judson	Episode: "Scheherezade"
2007	Masters of Science Fiction	Bedzyk	Episode: "The Discarded"
2008	30 Rock	Mickey J	Episode: "Sandwich Day"
2009	Rules of Engagement	Roy	Episode: "Dad's Visit"
2010	Rizzoli & Isles	Detective Kenny Leahy	Episode: "Boston Strangler Redux"
2012	The Good Wife	Bucky	2 episodes
2013	The Challenger	Chairman William Rogers	Television movie
2013	The Big C	Mr. Tolkey	Episode: "The Finale"