Brian Dennehy - 1938 - 2020

Actor Brian Dennehy has passed away at the age of 81. 

Born Brian Manion Dennehy in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1938, Dennehy began his education with a football scholarship to Columbia University. He went on to graduate studies in dramatic arts at Yale and worked as a stockbroker before pursuing acting. 

His professional career began with small guest roles in the 1970’s and 80’s in shows including KOJAK, LOU GRANT, DYNASTY, and DALLAS. In 1981, he had his breakthrough role when he played Sherriff Will Teasle; an overzealous law enforcement officer of a small town who goes to war with John Rambo…as played by Sylvester Stallone in FIRST BLOOD. He earned a reputation as a tough and/or bad guy and would have memorable supporting roles in SPLIT IMAGE (1982), LEGAL EAGLES (1986), and PRESUMED INNOCENT (1990). He would win a Golden Globe in 2000 for his turn in the TV movie adaptation of DEATH OF A SALESMAN. 

Other notable film roles include GORKY PARK (1983), SILVERADO (1985), COCOON (1985), TOMMY BOY (1995), and ROMEO & JULIET (1996). He would co-star with Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro in RIGHTEOUS KILL (2008), provide the voice of Django in Pixar’s RATATOUILLE (2007), and would appear in Terrence Malick’s KNIGHT OF CUPS (2015). He would finish with nearly 200 film and TV credits to his name. 

He would have a productive career on stage, winning two Tony Awards; both for Best Lead Actor in a Play…for DEATH OF A SALESMAN and LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT. In 2010 he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. In the comic book series Ultimate Spider-Man, the villain Norman Osborn was drawn to resemble Dennehy, at the request of the writer. 

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This Blogger’s first introduction to Brian Dennehy was in FIRST BLOOD, which was first watched on HBO. Dennehy was a bastard in that film, one that we wanted to hate, but there was just something about him that was endearing. Over the years it became easy to respect the man, as every time he appeared on screen, we knew things were in good hands. Brian Dennehy was a rock; one of the best we’ve ever seen.