Brian Dennehy

Imposing, barrel-chested and often silver-haired Brian Dennehy was a prolific US actor, well respected on both screen and stage over many decades. He was born in July 1938 in Bridgeport, CT, and attended Columbia University in New York City on a football scholarship. Brian majored in history, before moving on to Yale to study dramatic arts. He first appeared in minor screen roles in such fare as Looking for Mr.

Had stated that On the Waterfront (1954) is his favorite movie.

Goodbar (1977), Semi-Tough (1977) and Foul Play (1978) and proved popular with casting directors, leading to regular work.

He was awarded the 1980 Drama-Logue Award for Outstanding Performance in the play, "Says I, Says He," at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

However, he really got himself noticed by movie audiences in the box-office hit Rambo: First Blood (1982) as the bigoted sheriff determined to run Vietnam veteran "John Rambo" (played by Sylvester Stallone) out of his town.

Dennehy quickly escalated to stronger supporting or co-starring roles in films including the Cold War thriller Gorky Park (1983), as a benevolent alien in Cocoon (1985), a corrupt sheriff in the western Silverado (1985), a tough but smart cop in F/X (1986) and a cop-turned-writer alongside hit man James Woods in Best Seller (1987).

He had been a primary consideration for the original role of Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter (1986), that is, until he recommended Scotsman Brian Cox to director Michael Mann.

In 1987, Dennehy turned in one of his finest performances as cancer-ridden architect "Stourley Kracklite" in Peter Greenaway's superb The Belly of an Architect (1987), for which he won the Best Actor Award at the 1987 Chicago Film Festival. More strong performances followed.

He reprised prior roles for Cocoon: The Return (1988) and F/X2 (1991), and turned in gripping performances in three made-for-TV films: a sadistic small-town bully who gets his grisly comeuppance in In Broad Daylight (1991), real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy in the chilling To Catch a Killer (1992) and a corrupt union boss in Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (1992).

He was the only actor to appear in both Presumed Innocent (1990) and its made-for-television sequel, The Burden of Proof (1992), and plays a different role in each.

In 1993, Dennehy appeared in the role of police "Sgt.

Jack Reed" in the telemovie Jack Reed: Badge of Honor (1993), and reprised the role in four sequels, which saw him for the first time become involved in co-producing, directing and writing screen productions! Demand for his services showed no signs of abating, and he put in further memorable performances in William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (1996), as bad-luck-ridden "Willy Loman" in Death of a Salesman (2000) (which earned him a Golden Globe Award), he popped up in the uneven Spike Lee film She Hate Me (2004) and appears in the remake Assault on Precinct 13 (2005).

On March 14, 1999, three performances of the Broadway production of "Death of a Salesman" had to be canceled because Dennehy had been unable to sleep and didn't feel well. After a check-up in the hospital, he was diagnosed with hypertension.

He was awarded the 2000 Back Stage Garland Award for Outstanding Performance for "Death of a Salesman" at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California .

Appearing on Broadway in "Long Day's Journey Into Night" [May 2003]

Appearing in a limited run of 'Death of a Salesman' at the Lyric Theatre, London. [2005]

Acting at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada. Playing the "King of France" in William Shakespeare's "All's Well that Ends Well", June 19 to August 23. Playing the roles of "Erie Smith" and "Krapp" in the double-bill "Hughie" (by Eugene O'Neill) and "Krapp's Last Tape" (by Samuel Beckett), June 18 to August 31. [June 2008]

He was nominated for a 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for "Hughie/Krapp's Last Tape", at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Stratford, ON, Canada: Stratford Shakespeare Festival - Twelfth Night' and 'The Homecoming' [May 2011]

He was awarded the 2012 Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for "The Iceman Cometh" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.