
Brian Dennehy
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Arnold & Sly: Rivals, Friends, Icons as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2023 · Sly as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2021 · Son of the South as Grandfather
- 2020 · Driveways as Del
- 2020 · Penny Dreadful: City of Angels as Jerome Townsend
- 2019 · Alan Pakula: Going for Truth as Self
- 2019 · 3 Days with Dad as Bob
- 2019 · The Song of Sway Lake as Hal Sway
- 2018 · Tag as Mr. Cilliano
- 2018 · The Seagull as Pjotr Sorin
- 2017 · A Very Merry Toy Store as Joe Haggarty
- 2016 · Hap and Leonard as Sheriff Valentine Otis
- 2015 · The Ultimate Legacy as Gus
- 2015 · Knight of Cups as Joseph
- 2015 · Public Morals as Joe Patton
- 2015 · Cocked as Wade
- 2013 · The Blacklist as Dominic Wilkinson
- 2013 · The Challenger Disaster as Rogers
- 2012 · Twelfth Night as Sir Toby Belch
- 2011 · The Big Year as Raymond Harris
- 2010 · The Next Three Days as George Brennan
- 2010 · Alleged as Clarence Darrow
- 2010 · The Big C as Dad
- 2010 · Caesar and Otto meet Dracula’s Lawyer as Steve Dracula’s More Famous Brother
- 2010 · Rizzoli & Isles as Ret. Det. Kenny Leahy
- 2010 · Meet Monica Velour as Pop Pop
- 2010 · Every Day as Ernie
- 2009 · Bunker Hill as Martin 'Mutt' Kelsey
- 2009 · The Good Wife as Bucky Stabler
- 2009 · Lost Road of the Popes: Via Papale as Narrator
- 2009 · Love and Valor as Narrator (voice)
- 2008 · Righteous Kill as Hingis
- 2008 · Cat City as Harold
- 2007 · War Eagle, Arkansas as Pop, Enochs Father
- 2007 · Welcome to Paradise as Bobby Brown
- 2007 · Trumbo as Self
- 2007 · Masters of Science Fiction as Bedzyk
- 2007 · Ratatouille as Django (voice)
- 2007 · Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil & The Presidency as Andrew Jackson (voice)
- 2007 · Marco Polo as Kublai Khan
- 2007 · Marco Polo as Kublai Khan
- 2007 · The Ultimate Gift as Gus
- 2007 · Rules of Engagement as Roy
- 2006 · 30 Rock as Mickey J
- 2006 · Everyone's Hero as Babe Ruth (voice)
- 2006 · The Exonerated as Gary Gauger
- 2006 · 10th & Wolf as Agent Horvath
- 2005 · Our Fathers as Father Dominic Spagnolia
- 2005 · Assault on Precinct 13 as Sargeant Jasper O'Shea
- 2004 · Category 6: Day of Destruction as Andy Goodman
- 2004 · Category 6: Day of Destruction as Andy Goodman
- 2004 · She Hate Me as Billy Church
- 2004 · The 4400 as Mitch Baldwin
- 2003 · American Valor as Narrator
- 2003 · 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment as
- 2003 · Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company' as Fred Silverman
- 2003 · The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone as Tom Stone
- 2003 · The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron as Mr. Blue
- 2002 · Making 'The Misfits' as Narrator
- 2002 · Founding Brothers as
- 2002 · Stolen Summer as Father Kelly
- 2002 · A Season on the Brink as Bobby Knight
- 2002 · Code Yellow: Hospital at Ground Zero as Narrator
- 2001 · Three Blind Mice as Matthew Hope
- 2001 · The Agency as James Graydon
- 2001 · Summer Catch as John Schiffner
- 2001 · Night Visions as Camper Ben (segment "Quiet, Please")
- 2001 · Warden of Red Rock as Sheriff Selwyn Church
- 2001 · The Fighting Fitzgeralds as Mr. Fitzgerald
- 2001 · Animated Tales of the World as Captain (voice)
- 2000 · Founding Fathers as George Washington (voice)
- 2000 · Arrest & Trial as Self - Host
- 2000 · Dish Dogs as Frost
- 2000 · Fail Safe as Gen. Bogan
- 2000 · Death of a Salesman as Willy Loman
- 1999 · Silicon Towers as Tom Warner
- 1999 · Sirens as Lt. Denby
- 1999 · The West Wing as Sen. Rafe Framingham
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Judson Tierney
- 1999 · Out of the Cold as David Bards
- 1999 · Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke as Louis Bromfield
- 1999 · Netforce as Lowell Davidson
- 1999 · NetForce as Lowell Davidson
- 1998 · Thanks of a Grateful Nation as Sen. Donald Riegle
- 1998 · Voyage of Terror as The President
- 1997 · Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan as Eddie Brannigan
- 1997 · Just Shoot Me! as Red Finch
- 1997 · Nostromo as Joshua C. Holroyd
- 1996 · Shadow of a Doubt as Charley Sloan
- 1996 · Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance as Jack Reed
- 1996 · Romeo + Juliet as Ted Montague
- 1996 · Steve Martini's Undue Influence as
- 1996 · Undue Influence as Paul Madriani
- 1996 · E! True Hollywood Story as
- 1996 · Dead Man's Walk as Major Chevallier
- 1996 · A Season in Purgatory as Gerald Bradley
- 1996 · Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us as Jack Reed
- 1995 · The Stars Fell on Henrietta as Big Dave McDermot
- 1995 · Jack Reed: One of Our Own as Jack Reed
- 1995 · Tommy Boy as Thomas 'Big Tom' Callahan
- 1994 · Midnight Movie as James Boyce
- 1994 · Jack Reed: A Search for Justice as Jack Reed
- 1994 · Leave of Absence as Sam
- 1994 · Birdland as Dr. Brian McKenzie
- 1993 · Final Appeal as Perry Sundquist
- 1993 · Jack Reed: Badge of Honor as Sgt. Jack Reed
- 1993 · Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story as Ervil LeBaron
- 1993 · Murder in the Heartland as John McArthur
- 1993 · Foreign Affairs as Chuck Mumpson
- 1992 · Deadly Matrimony as Jack Reed
- 1992 · The Diamond Fleece as Inspector Outlaw
- 1992 · Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story as Jackie Presser
- 1992 · To Catch a Killer as John Wayne Gacy
- 1992 · Gladiator as Jimmy Horn
- 1992 · The Burden of Proof as Dixon Hartnell
- 1992 · To Catch a Killer as John Wayne Gacy
- 1991 · F/X2 as Leo McCarthy
- 1991 · Zebras: Patterns in the Grass as Narrator (voice)
- 1991 · In Broad Daylight as Len Rowan
- 1990 · Presumed Innocent as Raymond Horgan
- 1990 · Rising Son as Gus Robinson
- 1990 · A Killing in a Small Town as Ed Reivers
- 1990 · The Last of the Finest as Frank Daly
- 1990 · Pride and Extreme Prejudice as Bruno Morenz
- 1989 · Perfect Witness as James Falcon
- 1989 · Seven Minutes as Wagner
- 1989 · Indio as Whitaker
- 1989 · Day One as Gen. Leslie Groves
- 1988 · American Experience as Aaron Burr (voice)
- 1988 · Miles from Home as Frank Roberts Sr.
- 1988 · Cocoon: The Return as Walter (uncredited)
- 1988 · The Man From Snowy River II as Harrison
- 1988 · A Father's Revenge as Paul Hobart
- 1987 · Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam as (voice)
- 1987 · Best Seller as Dennis Meechum
- 1987 · The Belly of an Architect as Stourley Kracklite
- 1987 · The Lion of Africa as Sam Marsh
- 1987 · The Little Mermaid as King Neptune (Narrator) (voice)
- 1986 · Legal Eagles as Cavanaugh
- 1986 · The Check is in the Mail... as Richard Jackson
- 1986 · Acceptable Risks as Don Sheppard
- 1986 · F/X as Lt. Leo McCarthy
- 1985 · Annie Oakley as Buffalo Bill
- 1985 · Twice in a Lifetime as Nick
- 1985 · Tall Tales & Legends as Buffalo Bill
- 1985 · Silverado as Cobb
- 1985 · Cocoon as Walter
- 1985 · Evergreen as Matthew Malone
- 1985 · The Last Place on Earth as Frederick Cook
- 1985 · Screen Two as James Boyce
- 1984 · The River Rat as Doc Cole
- 1984 · Hunter as Dr. Bolin
- 1984 · Miami Vice as Reverend Billy Bob Proverb
- 1984 · The Pigs vs. The Freaks as Sergeant Cheever
- 1984 · Finders Keepers as Frizzoli
- 1983 · Gorky Park as William Kirwill
- 1983 · Never Cry Wolf as Rosie
- 1983 · Reading Rainbow as Himself - Narrator (voice)
- 1983 · Blood Feud as Edward Grady Partin
- 1983 · Blood Feud as Edward Grady Partin
- 1983 · I Take These Men as Phil Zakarian
- 1982 · First Blood as Hope Sheriff Will Teasle
- 1982 · Split Image as Kevin Stetson
- 1982 · Star of the Family as Leslie 'Buddy' Krebs
- 1982 · Faerie Tale Theatre as King Neptune / Narrator (voice)
- 1982 · The Man Who Married a French Wife and Other Stories as Grimmet
- 1982 · Cagney & Lacey as Michael Magruder
- 1981 · Darkroom as Roland
- 1981 · Skokie as Police Chief Arthur Buchanan
- 1981 · Fly Away Home as Tim Arnold
- 1981 · The Girls in Their Summer Dresses and Other Stories as Grimmet
- 1981 · Dynasty as Jake Dunham
- 1980 · The Jericho Mile as Dr. D
- 1980 · A Rumor of War as Sgt. Ned Coleman
- 1980 · The Seduction of Miss Leona as Bliss Dawson
- 1980 · Little Miss Marker as Herbie
- 1979 · Knots Landing as James Cargill
- 1979 · 10 as Donald
- 1979 · Big Shamus, Little Shamus as Arnie Sutter
- 1979 · Butch and Sundance: The Early Days as O.C. Hanks
- 1979 · Dummy as Ragoti
- 1979 · Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story as John O'Neil
- 1978 · A Real American Hero as Buford Pusser
- 1978 · Pearl as Sgt. Otto Chain
- 1978 · Foul Play as Fergie
- 1978 · F.I.S.T. as Frank Vasko
- 1978 · Dallas as Luther Frick
- 1978 · A Death in Canaan as Barney Parsons
- 1978 · Ruby and Oswald as George Paulsen
- 1977 · It Happened at Lakewood Manor as Fire Chief
- 1977 · Semi-Tough as T.J. Lambert
- 1977 · Looking for Mr. Goodbar as Surgeon
- 1977 · Lou Grant as Wilson
- 1977 · Lucan as Fisher
- 1977 · The Fitzpatricks as Coach Hatfield
- 1977 · Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye as Longshoreman
- 1977 · Lanigan's Rabbi as Burton Tree
- 1976 · The Tony Randall Show as Brian Sr.
- 1976 · Serpico as Jody
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- 1974 · Police Woman as Burrows
- 1974 · Playhouse as Grimmet
- 1973 · Kojak as Peter Connor
- 1972 · M*A*S*H as M.P. Ernie Connors
- 1971 · Great Performances as Grimmet
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Winner
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Presenter / Performer / Winner
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Winner