Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Brian Dennehy

Highest Rated: 100% Fail Safe (2000)

Lowest Rated: 8% Summer Catch (2001)

Birthday: Jul 9, 1938

Birthplace: Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA

One of America's most respected and prolific actors since the mid-1980s, Brian Dennehy roles as a supporting player and occasional leading man in film, television and on stage earned him numerous awards. Filmgoers first took notice of the powerfully built Dennehy as the treacherous sheriff in "First Blood" (1982), which led to a number of supporting roles where he was typically cast as a villain or authority figure; sometimes both, as he did in the retro Western "Silverado" (1985). That same year, he was a bemused alien in Ron Howard's acclaimed "Cocoon" (1985), and the following year he was a wisecracking cop in the popular thriller "F/X" (1986), both of which spawned unsuccessful sequels. He earned considerable acclaim for playing serial killer John Wayne Gacy in "To Catch a Killer" (Bell Media, 1992) and arguably had his most popular role opposite Chris Farley and David Spade in "Tommy Boy" (1995). On television, he starred in a series of popular made-for-TV movies as tough cop Jack Reed, and earned several awards and nominations for his portrayal of Willie Loman in "Death of a Salesman" (Showtime, 2000), an adaptation of his successful Broadway run. As he settled comfortably into supporting roles status, sometimes as an elder statesman as he was in "The Next Three Days" (2010), Dennehy remained a potent force capable of turning in strong performances in a wide array of mediums.

Show Less Show More

Highest rated movies

100% 78% Fail Safe
Watchlist
100% 84% Never Cry Wolf
Watchlist
99% 84% Driveways
Watchlist
96% 87% Ratatouille Watchlist
92% 83% The Challenger Disaster
Watchlist
89% 54% F/X
Watchlist
86% 86% First Blood Watchlist
86% 67% Presumed Innocent
Watchlist
85% 80% The Belly of an Architect
Watchlist
84% 78% Trumbo
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
59% 90% Son of the South Grandfather (Character) - 2021
99% 84% Driveways Del (Character) - 2019
69% 80% 3 Days With Dad Bob Mills (Character) - 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Master Maggie Unknown (Character) - 2019
68% 44% The Seagull Sorin (Character) $1.2M 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Very Merry Toy Store Joe Haggarty (Character) - 2017
No Score Yet 44% The Ultimate Legacy Gus (Character) - 2016
47% 37% Knight of Cups Joseph (Character) $558.4K 2015
92% 83% The Challenger Disaster Rogers (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Twelfth Night Unknown (Character) - 2012
41% 41% The Big Year Raymond (Character) $7.2M 2011
No Score Yet 20% Alleged Clarence Darrow (Character) - 2010
50% 34% Meet Monica Velour Pop Pop (Character) $31.6K 2010
35% 24% Every Day Ernie (Character) - 2010
50% 66% The Next Three Days George Brennan (Character) $21.1M 2010
No Score Yet 14% Cat City Harold (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lost Road of the Popes: Via Papale Narrator - 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love and Valor: The Intimate Civil War Letters Narrator - 2009
No Score Yet 70% War Eagle, Arkansas Pop (Character) $43.1K 2008
18% 37% Righteous Kill Lieutenant Hingus (Character) $40.1M 2008
No Score Yet 67% Welcome to Paradise Bobby Brown (Character) - 2007
84% 78% Trumbo Unknown (Character) $108.3K 2007
No Score Yet 45% Marco Polo Kublai Khan (Character) - 2007
96% 87% Ratatouille Django (Voice) $206.4M 2007
32% 84% The Ultimate Gift Gus (Character) $3.4M 2006
19% 52% 10th and Wolf Agent Horvath (Character) $53.5K 2006
42% 44% Everyone's Hero Babe Ruth (Voice) $14.5M 2006
No Score Yet 63% The Exonerated Gary Gauger (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 68% Our Fathers Father Dominic Spagnolia (Character) - 2005
60% 48% Assault on Precinct 13 Jasper O'Shea (Character) $19.9M 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Overload Chris Haywood (Character) - 2004
20% 59% She Hate Me Chairman Billy Church (Character) $365.1K 2004
No Score Yet 34% The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron Mr. Blue (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 59% The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone Tom Stone (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company Fred Silverman (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 45% A Season on the Brink Bobby Knight (Character) - 2002
37% 66% Stolen Summer Father Kelly (Character) $119.8K 2002
No Score Yet 90% Making the Misfits Unknown (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Founding Brothers George Washington (Voice) - 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Three Blind Mice Matthew Hope (Character),
Executive Producer
- 2001
8% 41% Summer Catch Coach John Schiffner (Character) $19.7M 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Warden of Red Rock Sheriff Selwyn Church (Character),
Executive Producer
- 2001
100% 78% Fail Safe Gen. Bogan (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sirens Lt. Denby (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 12% Silicon Towers Tom Warner (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 33% Netforce Lowell Davidson (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Out of the Cold David Bards (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 36% Dish Dogs Frost (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Thanks of a Grateful Nation Sen. Donald Riegle (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Voyage of Terror The President (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan Eddie Brannigan (Character),
Director,
Executive Producer
- 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance Jack Reed (Character),
Director,
Screenwriter,
Executive Producer
- 1996
No Score Yet 64% Dead Man's Walk Major Chevallier (Character) - 1996
74% 77% William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet Ted Montague (Character) $46.4M 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Season in Purgatory Gerald Bradley (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jack Reed: A Killer Amongst Us Jack Reed (Character),
Director
- 1996
45% 42% The Stars Fell on Henrietta Big Dave McDermot (Character) $71.7K 1995
No Score Yet 20% Shadow of a Doubt Charley Sloan (Character),
Director
- 1995
39% 90% Tommy Boy Thomas 'Big Tom' Callahan II (Character) $30.7M 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jack Reed: One of Our Own Sgt. Jack Reed (Character),
Director,
Screenwriter
- 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Leave of Absence Sam (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 20% Jack Reed: A Search for Justice Jack Reed (Character),
Director,
Screenwriter
- 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Midnight Movie James Boyce (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 40% Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story Ervil LeBaron (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Foreign Affairs Chuck Mumpson (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Final Appeal Perry Sundquist (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet 70% Murder in the Heartland John McArthur (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jack Reed: Badge of Honor Sgt. Jack Reed (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet 33% Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story Jackie Presser (Character) - 1992
31% 69% Gladiator Jimmy Horn (Character) $8.1M 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Diamond Fleece Inspector Outlaw (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 86% To Catch a Killer John Wayne Gacy (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Burden of Proof xon Hartnell (Character) - 1992
38% 36% FX2 Leo McCarthy (Character) $21.0M 1991
No Score Yet 83% In Broad Daylight Len Rowan (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Indio Whytaker (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 64% A Killing in a Small Town Ed Reivers (Character) - 1990
86% 67% Presumed Innocent Raymond Horgan (Character) $85.7M 1990
No Score Yet 28% The Last of the Finest Frank Daly (Character) $991.3K 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Pride and Extreme Prejudice Bruno Morenz (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 33% Rising Son Gus Robinson (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 53% Day One Gen. Leslie Groves (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet 45% Perfect Witness James Falcon (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet 67% Seven Minutes Wagner (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Father's Revenge Paul Hobart (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet 83% Return to Snowy River Harrison (Character) $13.7M 1988
60% 59% Miles From Home Frank Roberts Sr. (Character) - 1988
85% 80% The Belly of an Architect Stourley Kracklite (Character) $6.3K 1987
69% 54% Best Seller Dennis Meechum (Character) $2.9M 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Lion of Africa Sam Marsh (Character) - 1987
89% 54% F/X Lt. Leo McCarthy (Character) $19.9M 1986
41% 32% Legal Eagles Cavanaugh (Character) $47.2M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Check Is in the Mail Richard Jackson (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Acceptable Risks Don Sheppard (Character) - 1986
78% 80% Silverado Sheriff Cobb (Character) - 1985
83% 53% Twice in a Lifetime Nick (Character) $8.4M 1985
82% 60% Cocoon Walter (Character) $75.9M 1985
No Score Yet 25% Finders Keepers Frizzoli (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Dr. Bolin (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 55% The River Rat Doc Cole (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Off Sides Sergeant Cheever (Character) - 1984
100% 84% Never Cry Wolf Rosie (Character) - 1983
78% 59% Gorky Park William Kirwill (Character) - 1983
86% 86% First Blood Teasle (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fly Away Home Tim (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 38% Skokie Police Chief Arthur Buchanan (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 52% Little Miss Marker Herbie (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Seduction of Miss Leona Bliss Dawson (Character) - 1980
33% 51% Butch and Sundance: The Early Days O.C. Hanks (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dummy Ragoti (Character) - 1979
64% 56% 10 Sam, the Bartender (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story Mr. O'Neil (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 78% The Jericho Mile Dr. D (Character) - 1979
74% 69% Foul Play Fergie (Character) - 1978
67% 56% F.I.S.T. Frank Vasko (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet 11% A Real American Hero Buford Pusser (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Death in Canaan Barney Parsons (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ruby and Oswald George Paulsen (Character) - 1978
83% 33% Semi-Tough T.J. Lambert (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 15% Ants! Fire Chief (Character) - 1977

TV

Credit
91% 79% The Blacklist Dominic Wilkinson (Guest Star) 2018-2020
94% 88% Hap and Leonard Unknown (Character) 2017
93% 91% The Good Wife Bucky Stabler (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 88% Rizzoli and Isles Detective Kenny Leahy (Guest Star) 2010
No Score Yet 83% Rules of Engagement Roy (Guest Star) 2009
78% 92% 30 Rock Mickey J (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stephen Hawking's Sci Fi Masters Bedzyk (Character) 2007
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Judson Tierney (Guest Star) 2007
81% 95% The West Wing Sen. Rafe Framingham (Guest Star) 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Category 6: Day of Destruction Andy Goodman (Character) 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet Just Shoot Me Red Finch (Guest Star) 1998-1999 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Agency Unknown (Guest Star) 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet Night Visions Unknown (Character),
Director
2001
36% No Score Yet The Fighting Fitzgeralds Mr. Fitzgerald (Character) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Founding Fathers George Washington (Character) 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke Unknown (Character) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Masterpiece Theatre Unknown (Character) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dead Man's Walk Unknown (Character) 1996
50% No Score Yet Birdland Dr. Brian McKenzie (Character) 1994
71% 89% Miami Vice Reverend Billy Bob Proverb (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Dr. Bolin (Character) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dallas Unknown (Guest Star) 1978
No Score Yet 87% M*A*S*H M.P. Ernie Connors (Guest Star) 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Police Woman Burrows (Guest Star) 1977