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