Esteemed Irish American actor Brian Dennehy passed away in April 2020 leaving behind a legacy of excellent performances on stage and the silver screen. Brian Dennehy's career spanned four decades and included more than 50 feature films in addition to a successful career in theater that saw him scoop two Tony Awards for his performances in the lead roles of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" and Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey into Night." He also took home a Golden Globe for his television portrayal of William Loman in "Death of a Salesman.
" The Irish American's illustrious career made him a household name in Hollywood and he leaves behind a catalog of hit movies. From his feature film debut in the late 1970s to his final film performance in "Long Day's Journey," Dennehy has turned in some outstanding performances. Here are some of his most memorable movie roles.
Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! Arguably Dennehy's most famous role was his villainous performance in the first installment of the Rambo franchise. Dennehy's memorable performance as an abusive sheriff obsessed with defeating Sylvester Stallone's Rambo helped to launch Rambo to enduring fame and popularity. There have been five films in the Rambo series since it began in 1982.
None have been as popular or as critically successful as "First Blood". That is partly thanks to Dennehy's performance. Dennehy turned in a completely different performance to his portrayal.
