BRIAN DENNEHY
July 9, 1938 – April 15, 2020
Bridgeport, Connecticut
81 years old
I can get a hell of a good look at a T-Bone steak by sticking my head up a bull’s ass, but I’d rather take the butcher’s word for it.
— Big Tom Callahan (Brian Dennehy) in “Tommy Boy”
To me, he will forever be Chris Farley’s father in the film “Tommy Boy.” He’s “Big Tom,” the man that Farley’s character looks up to and the one that leaves you devastated when he passes away. In 1995, I would have been eight-years-old, so the thought of a prominent figure in your life dying would have hit so much harder back then. Fast-forward twenty-five years, and we’ve lost the man for real, and it still hits just as hard. Although the Oscars would elude him, he did win the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe award for his leading performance in the television movie version of “Death of a Salesman” in 2000. I will always remember the last thing I saw him in. He played Del, a Korean War vet, who befriends a young Korean boy who moves in next door in the Spirit Award-nominated film “Driveways.” What I remember most is that I was sure Dennehy’s character was going to be this two-dimensional, crotchety neighbor. A “get off my lawn” type. But what surprised me was how endearing Dennehy made the character, to the point where I ended up loving the film. Along with five children, Brian Dennehy leaves behind a five-decade-long career in television, stage, and film.
MOST MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE
LAST PERFORMANCE SEEN
BEST VOICE PERFORMANCE
BIGGEST AWARD WIN
BRIAN DENNEHY’S FILMOGRAPHY
| 1977 | Looking for Mr. Goodbar | Surgeon |
| 1977 | Semi-Tough | T.J. Lambert |
| 1978 | F.I.S.T. | Frank Vasco |
| 1978 | Foul Play | Fergie |
| 1979 | Butch and Sundance: The Early Days | O.C. Hanks |
| 1979 | 10 | Don the Bartender |
| 1980 | Little Miss Marker | Herbie |
| 1982 | Split Image | Kevin Stetson |
| 1982 | First Blood | Sheriff Will Teasle |
| 1983 | Never Cry Wolf | Rose Little |
| 1983 | Gorky Park | William Kirwill |
| 1984 | Finders Keepers | Mayor Frizzoli |
| 1984 | The River Rat | Doc Cole |
| 1985 | Cocoon | Walter |
| 1985 | Silverado | Sheriff Cobb |
| 1985 | Twice in a Lifetime | Nick |
| 1986 | F/X | Lt. Leo McCarthy |
| 1986 | The Check Is in the Mail | Richard Jackson |
| 1986 | Legal Eagles | C.J. Cavanaugh |
| 1987 | The Belly of an Architect | Stourley Kracklite |
| 1987 | Best Seller | Lt. Dennis Meechum |
| 1988 | The Man from Snowy River II | Harrison |
| 1988 | Miles from Home | Frank Roberts, Sr. |
| 1988 | Cocoon: The Return | Walter (uncredited) |
| 1989 | Indio | Whytaker |
| 1989 | Seven Minutes | Wagner |
| 1990 | Blue Heat | 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 | Romeo + Juliet | Ted Montague |
| 1999 | Out of the Cold | David Bards |
| 1999 | Silicon Towers | Tom Warner |
| 2000 | Dish Dogs | Frost |
| 2001 | Summer Catch | John Schiffner |
| 2002 | Stolen Summer | Father Kelly |
| 2002 | Code Yellow: Hospital at Ground Zero | Narrator (voice) |
| 2002 | Drawing First Blood (short) | Himself |
| 2004 | She Hate Me | Chairman Billy Church |
| 2005 | Assault on Precinct 13 | Jasper O’Shea |
| 2005 | Tommy Boy: Behind the Laughter (short) | Himself |
| 2005 | 10th and Wolf | Agent Horvath |
| 2006 | Everyone’s Hero | Babe Ruth (voice) |
| 2006 | The Ultimate Gift | Gus |
| 2007 | Ratatouille | Django (voice) |
| 2007 | Welcome to Paradise | Bobby Brown |
| 2007 | War Eagle, Arkansas | Pop |
| 2008 | Cat City | Harold Vogessor |
| 2008 | Righteous Kill | Lt. Hingus |
| 2010 | Every Day | Ernie |
| 2010 | Meet Monica Velour | Pop Pop |
| 2010 | The Next Three Days | George Brennan |
| 2010 | Alleged | Clarence Darrow |
| 2011 | The Big Year | Raymond Harris |
| 2012 | Twelfth Night | Sir Toby Belch |
| 2013 | The Challenger | Chairman William Rogers |
| 2015 | Knight of Cups | Joseph |
| 2018 | The Seagull | Sorin |
| 2018 | Tag | Mr. Cilliano (uncredited) |
| 2018 | The Song of Sway Lake | Hal Sway |
| 2019 | Driveways | Del |
| 2019 | Master Maggie (short) | Himself |
| 2019 | 3 Days With Dad | Bob Mills |
| 2020 | Son of the South | Grandfather |
| — | Long Day Journey | — |
BRIAN DENNEHY‘S TELEVISION MOVIES
| 1977 | Bumpers | Ernie Stapp |
| 1977 | Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye | Longshoreman |
| 1977 | It Happened at Lakewood Manor | Fire Chief |
| 1978 | A Real American Hero | Buford Pusser |
| 1978 | Ruby and Oswald | George Paulsen |
| 1978 | A Death in Canaan | Barney Parsons |
| 1979 | Dummy | Ragoti |
| 1979 | The Jericho Mile | Dr. D |
| 1979 | Silent Victory: The Kitty O’Neil Story | Mr. O’Neil |
| 1980 | A Rumor of War | Sgt. Ned Coleman |
| 1980 | The Seduction of Miss Leona | Bliss Dawson |
| 1981 | Skokie | Chief Arthur Buchanan |
| 1981 | Fly Away Home | Tim Arnold |
| 1983 | I Take These Men | Phil Zakarian |
| 1983 | Blood Feud | Edward Grady Partin |
| 1984 | Off Sides (Pigs vs. Freaks) | Sgt. Cheever |
| 1986 | Acceptable Risks | Don Sheppard |
| 1987 | The Lion of Africa | Sam Marsh |
| 1988 | A Father’s Revenge | Paul Hobart |
| 1989 | Day One | General Leslie Groves |
| 1989 | Perfect Witness | James Falcon |
| 1989 | Pride and Extreme Prejudice | Bruno Morenz |
| 1990 | A Killing in a Small Town | Ed Reivers |
| 1990 | Rising Son | Gus Robinson |
| 1991 | In Broad Daylight | Len Rowan |
| 1992 | The Diamond Fleece | Lt. Merritt Outlaw |
| 1992 | Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story | Jackie Presser |
| 1992 | To Catch a Killer | John Wayne Gacy |
| 1992 | The Burden of Proof | Dixon Hartnell |
| 1992 | Deadly Matrimony | Sgt. Jack Reed |
| 1993 | Foreign Affairs | Chuck Mumpson |
| 1993 | Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story | Ervil LeBaron |
| 1993 | Final Appeal | Perry Sundquist |
| 1993 | Jack Reed: Badge of Honor | Jack Reed |
| 1993 | Murder in the Heartland | John McCarthur |
| 1994 | Leave of Absence | Sam |
| 1994 | Midnight Movie | James Boyce |
| 1994 | Jack Reed: A Search for Justice | Jack Reed |
| 1995 | Jack Reed: One of Our Own | Jack Reed |
| 1995 | Shadow of a Doubt | Charlie Sloan |
| 1996 | Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us | Jack Reed |
| 1996 | Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance | Jack Reed |
| 1996 | A Season in Purgatory | Gerald Bradley |
| 1996 | Undue Influence | Paul Madriani |
| 1997 | Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan | Eddie Brannigan |
| 1998 | Voyage of Terror | U.S. President |
| 1998 | Thanks of a Grateful Nation | Senator Riegle |
| 1999 | Netforce | Lowell Davidson |
| 1999 | Sirens | Lt. Denby |
| 1999 | Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke | Louis Bromfield |
| 2000 | Fail Safe | Gen. Bogan |
| 2000 | Death of a Salesman | Willy Loman |
| 2001 | Warden of Red Rock | Sheriff Church |
| 2001 | Three Blind Mice | Matthew Hope |
| 2002 | A Season on the Brink | Bobby Knight |
| 2003 | The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron | Mr. Blue |
| 2003 | The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone | Tom Stone |
| 2004 | Category 6: Day of Destruction | Andy Goodman |
| 2005 | Our Fathers | Father Dominic Spagnolia |
| 2005 | The Exonerated | Gary Gauger |
| 2007 | Marco Polo | Kublai Khan |
| 2013 | The Challenger | Chairman William Rogers |
| 2015 | The Ultimate Legacy | Gus Caldwell |
| 2017 | A Very Merry Toy Store | Joe Haggarty |
BRIAN DENNEHY‘S TELEVISION SERIES
| 1977 | Kojak | Peter Connor | Episode: “The Godson” |
| 1977 | Serpico | Jody | Episode: “Sanctuary” |
| 1977 | Lanigan’s Rabbi | Burton Tree | Episode: “Corpse of the Year” |
| 1977 | Police Woman | Burrows | Episode: “Shadow of Doubt” |
| 1977 | Lou Grant | Wilson | Episode: “Nazi” |
| 1977 | M*A*S*H | M.P. Sergeant Ernie Connors | Episode: “Souvenirs” |
| 1977 | Lucan | Fisher | Episode: “Listen to the Heart Beat” |
| 1977 | The Fitzpatricks | Coach Hatfield | Episode: “Superman” |
| 1978 | Pearl | Sgt. Otto Chain | 3 Episodes |
| 1978 | Dallas | Luther Frick | Episode: “Winds of Vengeance” |
| 1978 | The Tony Randall Show | Brian Sr. | Episode: “Bobby and Brian” |
| 1979 | Big Shamus, Little Shamus | Arnie Sutter | 2 Episodes |
| 1979 | Knots Landing | James Cargill | Episode: “Chance of a Lifetime” |
| 1981 | Dynasty | D.A. Jake Dunham | 5 Episodes |
| 1981 | Darkroom | Roland | Episode: “Make-Up” |
| 1982 | Star of the Family | Leslie Krebs | 10 Episodes |
| 1984 | Cagney & Lacey | Michael MacGruder | Episode: “The Bounty Hunter” |
| 1984 | Hunter | Dr. Bolin | Episode: “Hunter” |
| 1985 | Evergreen | Matthew Malone | 3 Episodes |
| 1985 | The Last Place on Earth | Frederick Cook | 2 Episodes |
| 1985 | Tall Tales & Legends | Buffalo Bill | Episode: “Annie Oakley” |
| 1987 | Miami Vice | Reverend Billy Bob Proverb | Episode: “Amen…Send Money” |
| 1987 | Faerie Tale Theatre | King Neptune (Voice) | Episode: “The Little Mermaid” |
| 1994 | Birdland | Dr. Brian McKenzie | 4 Episodes |
| 1996 | Dead Man’s Walk | Major Chvallie | 2 Episodes |
| 1996 | Nostromo | Joshua C. Holyrod | 4 Episodes |
| 1998–2003 | Just Shoot Me | Red Finch | 4 Episodes |
| 2001 | The Fighting Fitzgeralds | Fitzgerald | 10 Episodes |
| 2005 | The West Wing | Senator Rafe Framhagen | Episode: “Ninety Miles Away” |
| 2006 | The 4400 | Mitch Baldwin | Episode: “Blink” |
| 2007 | Law and Order: Special Victims Unit | Judson Tierney | 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 Stabler | 2 Episodes |
| 2013 | The Big C | Mr. Tolkey | |
| 2015 | Public Morals | Joe Patton | 8 Episodes |
| 2016–2019 | The Blacklist | Dominic Wilkinson | 8 Episodes |
| 2017 | Hap and Leonard | Sheriff Valentine Otis | 6 Episodes |
