1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Michael Denison to Carol L. Dudley

Brian Dennehy Biography (1938-)

Born July 9, 1938, in Bridgeport, CT; son of Ed (a wire service correspondent) and Hannah Dennehy; married Judith Scheff, 1959 (divorced, 1974); married Jennifer Arnott (a costume designer), 1988; children: (first marriage) Elizabeth (an actress), Kathleen, Deirdre; (second marriage) Cormack, Sarah. Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.; Manager: Susan Smith Company, 121 N. San Vicente, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, producer, director, writer

Birth Details

July 9, 1938

Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• (Film debut) T. J. Lambert, Semi-Tough, United Artists, 1977
• Surgeon, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Paramount, 1977
• Ernie Stapp, Bumpers, 1977
• Fergie, Foul Play, Paramount, 1978
• Frank Vasco, F.I.S.T., United Artists, 1978
• Don, the bartender, 10, Warner Bros., 1979
• O. C. Hanks, Butch and Sundance: The Early Days, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979
• Herbie, Little Miss Marker, Universal, 1980
• Kevin Stetson, Split Image (also known as Captured and L'Envoutement), Orion, 1982
• Sheriff Will Teasle, First Blood (also known as Rambo: First Blood), Orion, 1982
• William Kirwill, Gorky Park, Orion, 1983
• Rosie Little, Never Cry Wolf, Buena Vista, 1983
• Mayor Frizzoli, Finders Keepers, Warner Bros., 1984
• Doc Cole, The River Rat, Paramount, 1984
• Sheriff Cobb, Silverado, Columbia, 1985
• Walter, Cocoon, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
• Nick, Twice in a Lifetime, Bud Yorkin Co., 1985
• Richard Jackson, The Check Is in the Mail (also known as The Cheque Is in the Post), Ascot Entertainment Group, 1985
• Lieutenant Leo McCarthy, F/X (also known as F/X--Murder by Illusion and Murder by Illusion), Orion, 1986
• C. J. Cavanaugh, Legal Eagles, Universal, 1986
• Stourley Kracklite, The Belly of an Architect (also known as IlVentre dell'architetto), Hemdale, 1987
• Detective Lieutenant Dennis Meechum, Best Seller, Orion, 1987
• Frank Roberts, Sr., Miles from Home (also known as Farm of theYear), Cinecom, 1988
• Harrison, The Return to Snowy River: Part II, The Legend Continues(also known as The Man from Snowy River II and Return to Snowy River), Buena Vista, 1988
• (Uncredited) Walter, Cocoon: The Return, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988
• Wagner, Seven Minutes (also known as Georg Elser and Georg Elser--Einer aus Deutschland), Mutoskop, 1989
• Whytaker, Indio, Media Home Entertainment, 1990
• Frank Daly, The Last of the Finest (also known as Blue Heatand Street Legal), Orion, 1990
• Raymond Horgan, Presumed Innocent, Warner Bros., 1990
• Leo McCarthy, F/X 2: The Deadly Art of Illusion (also known as F/X 2 and FX2), Orion, 1991
• Jimmy Horn, Gladiator (also known as Gladiators Bare Knuckles), Columbia, 1992
• Thomas "Big Tom" Callahan II, Tommy Boy, Paramount, 1995
• Big Dave McDermot, The Stars Fell on Henrietta, Warner Bros., 1995
• Ted Montague, Romeo + Juliet (also known as William Shakespeare's "Romeo + Juliet" and Romeo and Juliet), Twentieth Century-Fox,1996
• Frost, Dish Dogs, Vision Films, 1998
• The Virtuoso, Old Town Pictures, 1999
• Jonas Grumby, "The Skipper," Gilligan's Island (also known as Gilligan's Island: The Movie), 1999
• David Bards, Out of the Cold, Independent Artists, 1999
• Silicon Towers, 1999
• Frost, Dish Dogs, Vision Films, 2000
• John Schiffner, Summer Catch, Warner Bros., 2001
• Father Kelly, Stolen Summer, Miramax, 2002
• Narrator, Code Yellow: Hospital at Ground Zero (documentary), Cinema Guild, 2002
• Himself, Drawing First Blood (documentary short), Artisan Entertainment, 2002
• Chairman Billy Church, She Hate Me, Sony Pictures Classics, 2004
• Jasper O'Shea, Assault on Precinct 13 (also known as Assaut surle central 13), Rogue Pictures, 2005
• Himself, "Tommy Boy": Behind the Laughter (documentary short), Paramount Home Video, 2005
• Horvath, 10th & Wolf, 10th & Wolf LLC, 2005
• Gus, The Ultimate Gift, Film Foundry Releasing, 2006
• Voice of Babe Ruth, Yankee Irving, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2006
• Also appeared in The Artisan.
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Arnie Sutter, Big Shamus, Little Shamus, CBS, 1979
• District Attorney Jake Dunham, Dynasty, ABC, 1981
• Dr. Brian McKenzie, Birdland, ABC, 1994
• Host, Arrest & Trial, syndicated, 2000
• Fitzgerald, Death of a Salesman, NBC, 2001
• Miniseries
• Sergeant Otto Chain, Pearl, ABC, 1978
• Edward Grady Partin, Blood Feud, syndicated, 1983
• Matthew Malone, Evergreen, NBC, 1985
• Frederick Cook, The Last Place on Earth, 1985
• John Wayne Gacy, To Catch a Killer, syndicated, 1992
• John McArthur, Murder in the Heartland, ABC, 1993
• Gerald Bradley, A Season in Purgatory, CBS, 1996
• Major Chevallie, Dead Man's Walk (also known as Larry McMurtry's "Dead Man's Walk"), ABC, 1996
• Paul Madriani, Steve Martini's "Undue Influence" (also known as Undue Influence), CBS, 1996
• Joshua C. Holyrod, Nostromo (also known as Joseph Conrad's "Nostromo" and Nostromo-Der Schatz in den Bergen), PBS, 1997
• Lowell Davidson, Netforce (also known as Tom Clancy's "Netforce"), ABC, 1999
• Louis Bromfield, Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke, CBS, 1999
• Movies
• Fire chief, It Happened at Lakewood Manor (also known as Ants! and Panic at Lakewood Manor), ABC, 1977
• Longshoreman, Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye, NBC, 1977
• Buford Pusser, A Real American Hero (also known as Hard Stick), CBS, 1978
• Barney Parsons, A Death in Canaan, CBS, 1978
• George Paulsen, Ruby and Oswald (also known as Four Days in Dallas), CBS, 1978
• Ragoti, Dummy, CBS, 1979
• Dr. D., The Jericho Mile, ABC, 1979
• Mr. O'Neil, Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story, CBS, 1979
• Sergeant Ned Coleman, A Rumor of War, CBS, 1980
• Bliss Dawson, The Seduction of Miss Leona (also known as To Love Again), CBS, 1980
• Chief Arthur Buchanan, Skokie (also known as Once They Marchedthrough a Thousand Towns), CBS, 1981
• Tim Arnold, Fly Away Home, ABC, 1981
• Phil Zakarian, I Take These Men, CBS, 1983
• Sergeant Cheever, Off Sides (also known as Pigs vs. Freaks), NBC, 1984
• Don Sheppard, Acceptable Risks, ABC, 1986
• Samuel Marsh, The Lion of Africa, HBO, 1987
• Paul Hobart, A Father's Revenge (also known as The Rescue and Das Rattennest), ABC, 1988
• James Falcon, Perfect Witness, HBO, 1989
• General Leslie Groves, Day One, 1989
• Ed Reivers, A Killing in a Small Town (also known as Evidence of Love), CBS, 1990
• Gus Robinson, Rising Son, TNT, 1990
• Bruno Morenz, Pride and Extreme Prejudice (also known as Frederick Forsyth Presents), USA Network, 1990
• Len Rowan, In Broad Daylight, NBC, 1991
• Lieutenant Merritt Outlaw, The Diamond Fleece, USA Network, 1992
• Jackie Presser, Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (also known as Life on the High Wire), HBO, 1992
• Dixon Hartnell, The Burden of Proof (also known as Scott Turow's "The Burden of Proof"), ABC, 1992
• Sergeant John "Jack" Reed, Deadly Matrimony (also known as Shattered Promises), NBC, 1992
• Chuck Mumpson, Foreign Affairs, TNT, 1993
• Preacher Ervil LaBaron, Prophet of Evil: The Ervin LaBaron Story,CBS, 1993
• Perry Sundquist, Final Appeal (also known as L'ultime proces), 1993
• Sergeant Jack Reed, Jack Reed: Badge of Honor, 1993
• Sam, Leave of Absence, NBC, 1994
• James Boyce, Midnight Movie, 1994
• Sergeant Jack Reed, Jack Reed: A Search for Justice (also known asDeadly Justice), NBC, 1994
• Sergeant Jack Reed, Jack Reed: One of Our Own, NBC, 1995
• Charlie Sloan, Shadow of a Doubt, CBS, 1995
• Jack Reed, Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us, 1996
• Sergeant Jack Reed, Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance (also know as Jack Reed: Champion of the Cheap Homicide), NBC, 1996
• Edward "Eddie" Brannigan, Indefensible: The Truth about Edward Brannigan (also known as A Father's Betrayal and Like Father, Like Son), CBS, 1997
• U.S. president, Voyage of Terror (also known as The Fourth Horseman and Die Schreckensfahrt der Orion Star), The Movie Channel, 1998
• Senator Donald Riegle, Thanks of a Grateful Nation (also known asThe Gulf War), Showtime, 1998
• Lieutenant Denby, Sirens, Showtime, 1999
• Lowell Davidson, NetForce, 1999
• General Bogan, Fail Safe, CBS, 2000
• Sheriff Selwyn Church, Warden of Red Rock, Showtime, 2001
• Mathew Hope, Three Blind Mice (also known as Ed McBain's "ThreeBlind Mice"), CBS, 2001
• Bobby Knight, A Season on the Brink, ESPN, 2002
• Mr. Blue, The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron, CBS, 2003
• Tom Stone, The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (also known as Tennessee Williams' "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone"), Showtime, 2003
• Fred Silverman, Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of "Three'sCompany," NBC, 2003
• Andy Goodman, Category 6: Day of Destruction, CBS, 2004
• Gary Gauger, The Exonerated, Court TV, 2005
• Father Dominic Spagnolia, Our Fathers, Showtime, 2005
• Specials
• "The Monument" (a segment of "Three Stories by Irwin Shaw"; also known as"The Girls in Their Summer Dresses and Other Stories by Irwin Shaw"), Great Performances, PBS, 1981
• Himself, The Making of "First Blood" (documentary), 1982
• Himself, The Making of "Gorky Park" (documentary), 1983
• Himself, The Making of "Never Cry Wolf" (documentary), 1983
• Voice, Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (documentary; alsoknown as Dear America), HBO, 1987
• Host, Locked out of the American Dream (documentary), PBS, 1988
• Voice of Sergeant John Ryan, The Wild West (documentary), syndicated, 1993
• The American Television Awards, ABC, 1993
• Presenter, The 45th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1993
• The NFL at 75: An All-Star Celebration, ABC, 1995
• Host, Gunfighters of the West (documentary), The Learning Channel,1998
• Presenter, The 53rd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1999
• Chris Farley: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999
• Dudley Moore: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999
• Voice of Aaron Burr, The Duel (documentary), PBS, 2000
• Sensational Cities: New York, The Learning Channel, 2000
• Willie Loman, Death of a Salesman, Showtime, 2000
• Voice of George Washington, Founding Fathers (documentary), History Channel, 2000
• The 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 2001
• Voice of George Washington, Founding Brothers (documentary), History Channel, 2002
• 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment, E! Entertainment Television, 2003
• The 57th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2003
• Narrator, Columbia: A Celebration, 2003
• Narrator, American Valor, PBS, 2003
• Narrator, Uncle Sam Wants You (documentary), 2004
• Pilots
• Colonel Marvin Richardson, Handle with Care, CBS, 1977
• Ernie Stapp, Bumpers, NBC, 1977
• Tim Arnold, Fly Away Home, ABC, 1981
• Dr. Bolan, Hunter, NBC, 1984
• Widower, Two Families, CBS, 2002
• Episodic
• Peter Connor, "The Godson," Kojak, CBS, 1977
• Jody, "Sanctuary," Serpico, NBC, 1977
• "Bobby's New Love," The Tony Randall Show, CBS, 1977
• "Corpse of the Year," Lanigan's Rabbi, NBC, 1977
• "Shadow of Doubt," Police Woman, NBC, 1977
• Military policeman Ernie Connors, "Souvenirs," M*A*S*H, CBS, 1977
• Fisher, "Listen to the Heartbeat," Lucan, ABC, 1977
• "Superman," The Fitzpatricks, CBS, 1977
• Wilson, "Nazi," Lou Grant, CBS, 1977
• Luther Frick, "The March of Miss Texas," Dallas, CBS, 1978
• Luther Frick, "Wind of Vengeance," Dallas, CBS, 1978
• James Cargill, "Chance of a Lifetime," Knots Landing, CBS, 1980
• Roland, "Make Up," Darkroom, ABC, 1981
• Lester "Buddy" Krebs, Star of the Family, ABC, 1982
• The Mississippi, CBS, 1984
• Michael Margruder, "The Bounty Hunter," Cagney and Lacey, CBS, 1984
• Voice of King Neptune and narrator, "The Little Mermaid," Faerie TaleTheatre (animated; also known as Shelley Duvall's "Faerie Tale Theatre"), Showtime, 1984
• Cook, "The Last Place on Earth," Masterpiece Theatre, PBS, 1985
• Buffalo Bill, "Annie Oakley," Shelley Duvall's "Tall Tales and Legends" (also known as Tall Tales and Legends), Showtime, 1985
• Reverend Bob Proverb, "Amen ... Send Money," Miami Vice, NBC, 1987
• General Leslie R. Groves, "Day One," AT&T Presents, CBS, 1989
• Himself, "Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express," Reading Rainbow,PBS, 1991
• (Uncredited) Himself, Saturday Night Live (also known as SNL), NBC, 1995
• Narrator, Sex and the Silver Screen, Showtime, 1996
• Red Finch, "Pass the Salt," Just Shoot Me, NBC, 1998
• Red Finch, "Nina Sees Red: Parts 1 & 2," Just Shoot Me, NBC, 1999
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1999
• The Howard Stern Radio Show, syndicated, 1999
• Voice of himself, "Making 'The Misfits'," Great Performances, PBS,2001
• Project Greenlight, HBO, 2001
• Camper Ben, "Quiet Please," Night Visions, Fox, 2001
• James Graydon, "Debbie Does Djakarta," The Agency, CBS, 2003
• Red Finch, "The Comedy Stylings of Rivers & Red," Just Shoot Me!, NBC, 2003
• Himself, "Assault on Precinct 13," HBO First Look, HBO, 2005
• Senator Rafe Framingham, "Ninety Miles Away," The West Wing, NBC,2005
• Television Work
• Series
• Coexecutive producer, The Fighting Fitzgeralds, NBC, 2001
• Movies
• Coexecutive producer, Jack Reed: Badge of Honor, 1993
• Coexecutive producer and director, Jack Reed: A Search for Justice(also known as Deadly Justice), NBC, 1994
• Coexecutive producer and director, Jack Reed: One of Our Own, NBC,1995
• Executive producer and director, Shadow of a Doubt, CBS, 1995
• Coexecutive producer and director, Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance(also known as Jack Reed: Champion of the Cheap Homicide), NBC, 1996
• Executive producer and director, Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us, NBC, 1995
• Executive producer and director, Indefensible: The Truth about EdwardBrannigan (also known as A Father's Betrayal and Like Father, Like Son), CBS, 1997
• Executive producer, The Warden, 2000
• Executive producer, Warden of Red Rock, Showtime, 2001
• Executive producer, Three Blind Mice (also known as Ed McBain's"Three Blind Mice"), CBS, 2001
• Specials
• Executive producer, Death of a Salesman, Showtime, 2000
• Episodic
• "Renovation," Night Visions, Fox, 2001
• Stage Appearances
• (New York debut) Streamers, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1976
• Pete Hannafin, Says I, Says He, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City, 1979
• Rat in the Skull, Wisdom Bridge Theatre Company, Chicago, 1985
• Title role, Galileo, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, 1986
• Lopakhin, The Cherry Orchard, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1988
• Hickey, The Iceman Cometh, Goodman Theatre, 1990-91
• Hugh, Translations, Plymouth Theatre, New York City, 1995
• Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New YorkCity, 1999, Shubert Theatre, Boston, MA, then Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles,2000
• James Tyrone, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Goodman Theatre, 2002, Plymouth Theatre, 2003
• The Exonerated, Shubert Theatre, Chicago, 2003
• Hughie and A Pound on Demand, Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, RI, 2004
• Erie Smith, Hughie, Goodman Theatre, 2004
• Dalton Trumbo, Trumbo: Red White and Blacklisted, Westside TheatreDownstairs, New York City, 2003-2004, Huntington Theatre/Boston Centre for the Arts, Boston, MA, then Post Street Theater, San Francisco, CA 2005
• Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman, Lyric Theatre, London, 2005
• Made professional stage debut in Ivanov.
• WRITINGS
• Television Movies
• Jack Reed: A Search for Justice (also known as Deadly Justice), NBC, 1994
• Shadow of a Doubt, CBS, 1995
• Jack Reed: One of Our Own, NBC, 1995
• Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us, NBC, 1996
• Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance (also known as Jack Reed: Champion of the Cheap Homicide), NBC, 1997

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

• American Theatre, April, 1995, p. 26
• New York Times, April 23, 1989, p. H13