Brian Dennehy Has Passed Away

[Jordan Catalano]

Rest In Peace

[yankeefan7]

Damn, awful news. I knew him many years ago, my brother and I would see him from time to time in local bar in Mineola. He attended Chaminade HS which was right across the street from where I lived as a kid. He said he went into acting as a "lark" and his brother Eddie was the one who had always loved theater. He was a great actor, RIP Brian

[PianoMann]

I only saw him once on stage––in Love Letters opposite Carol Burnett––and remember his performance very fondly. I've been enjoying his recurring role on The Blacklist. Rest in Peace to a tremendous actor.

[Broadwaywest]

I was lucky enough to see his phenomonal  Willy Loman in the late 90's revival of Death of Salesman. Such an incredible actor.  It was recorded and shown on Showtime, hears hoping they release it on streaming.

[JBroadway]

Sad news indeed. I was lucky enough to see him onstage twice - once opposite Carol Burnett in Love Letters, and then later the same season in Iceman Cometh opposite Nathan Lane. Also got to see the TOFT video of him in Long Day's Journey with Vanessa Redgrave and Philip Seymour Hoffman. A very commanding presence, and certainly had no trouble holding his own alongside those high-profile names. 

 

 

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

His Death of a Salesman was breathtaking. He was quite the presence. Dennehy will be greatly missed.

[east side story]

Posting this only because it has always made me laugh. Below is a snippet from an interview he did with Nathan Lane for Time Out in 2012:

"The best Mary Tyrone he’s seen, Dennehy says, was Canadian actress Martha Henry at the Stratford Festival. He and Falls tried to get Henry for the Broadway transfer of the Goodman production, he says, but the producers wanted Jessica Lange, who had recently played the role in London. (Redgrave took the part after talks with Lange broke off.)

“Jessica really f*cked us over,” Dennehy adds, prompting Lane to interject in a baby-talk voice: “This is where we should turn the tape recorder off! ’Cause Daddy, Daddy can’t have any more merlot!”

Dennehy responds by leaning in to my recorder and clearly enunciating: “Jessica Lange is a B-*-T-C-H. B*tch, b*tch, b*tch. Put it in the f*cking magazine.” To which Lane replies, again, “Um, anyway…”

[JBroadway]

east side story said: “Jessica really f*cked us over,” Dennehy adds, prompting Lane to interject in a baby-talk voice: “This is where we should turn the tape recorder off! ’Cause Daddy, Daddy can’t have any more merlot!”

Dennehy responds by leaning in to my recorder and clearly enunciating: “Jessica Lange is a B-*-T-C-H. B*tch, b*tch, b*tch. Put it in the f*cking magazine.” To which Lane replies, again, “Um, anyway…”

 

Hilarious! And it turned out for the best anyway. Redgrave was a wonderful Mary, and Jessica Lange was a terrible scenery-chewer in the role if you ask me (though obviously the Tony committee felt differently). 

 

[UncleCharlie]

So saddened to hear this. A giant presence whenever he was on stage. First became aware of him as Don, the bartender in the 1979 movie "10" and enjoyed his on screen performances for the next 40 years. Unfortunately, I missed his most acclaimed stage performances but finally ticked off my bucket list item when I saw him in Desire Under The Elms. Was fortunate to see him on stage twice more in L.A., in The Steward of Christendom at the Mark Taper and then just over a year ago at the Geffen when he did a double bill of Hughie and Krapp's Last Tape. He was magnificent and filled the stage as always but after the brief curtain call, was very hunched over as he shuffled off stage and just did not look well. So not entirely surprised to hear this but extremely saddened nonetheless. R.I.P. Brian.

[ChairinMain]

I saw what must have been one of his last performances in 2018 in a double bill of HUGHIE and KRAPP'S LAST TAPE. He was a complete wordsmith. 

[Wayman_Wong]

''Jessica Lange was a terrible scenery-chewer in the role if you ask me (though obviously the Tony committee felt differently).''

Not just the Tony committee, but the Tony voters who gave Lange the prize outright. For the record, she also won Best Actress in a Play from the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle. 

That said, for me, the 2003 revival of ''Long Day's Journey,'' starring Dennehy and Redgrave, with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert Sean Leonard, was the most fulfilling version. What a shame it wasn't filmed for PBS' ''Great Performances.''

[kevinr]

I saw him at the Stratford Festival several times and luckily was able to meet him 4 times.....a very nice man!  After one performance there were only a few people at the Stage Door, and he invited everyone in - just for example!

[Jordan Catalano]

Well at “Love Letters”, he swatted people away who wanted their playbills signed yelling “F*cking awful people!” so he changed his opinions on fans lol

[ggersten]

While the obituaries praise his stage work,seemingly all start off with Hollywood films (even the headlines)- referencing Tommy Boy, First Blood and Cocoon.  Those are not exactly O'Neill, but they may have paid better.

[JSquared2]

Jordan Catalano said: "Well at “Love Letters”, he swatted people away who wanted their playbills signed yelling “F*cking awful people!” so he changed his opinions on fans lol"

Couldn't even wait until the body was cold, huh Jordo?

[JBroadway]

Jordan Catalano said: "Well at “Love Letters”, he swatted people away who wanted their playbills signed yelling “F*cking awful people!” so he changed his opinions on fans lol"

 

That's odd. Maybe he was in a bad mood, or maybe a few bad eggs were shoving things in his face. 

When I was at Love Letters, he signed everyone's Playbill without any issues. 

[Jordan Catalano]

I’m sure it was. Just a memory that always makes me laugh.

[Play Esq.]

Jordan Catalano said: "Well at “Love Letters”, he swatted people away who wanted their playbills signed yelling “F*cking awful people!” so he changed his opinions on fans lol"

I was just going to add, he was a very nice man at least based upon my limited interaction with him.  I remember stage dooring in the rain after a performance of Salesman (remarkable) and asking him to sign my program. He did without hesitation even though to he was getting wet.  Will never forget him in either that performance nor Iceman. A towering theater icon has passed. 

[jagman1062]

Sadly, I missed his turn in Iceman, but his Willy Loman and James Tyrone were joys to behold.  It was also a pleasure to see him perform the role of Ephraim in an otherwise forgettable production of Desire Under the Elms.  He established himself as an excellent theater actor following a more active career in film.  Usually it's the other way around.  RIP.

[SweetLips22]

Jordan Catalano said: "I’m sure it was. Just a memory that always makes me laugh."

You were obviously one of those 'F*cking awful people' that he had to swat away to remember that 'funny' time hanging around the stage door.

[Jordan Catalano]

Well, no. But glad you came to play!

[billis2]

He was very friendly when I saw Love Letters and signed for everyone who was waiting.  Maybe they were autograph dealers who came every day.  I've seen plenty of actors get fed up with them.

[Jordan Catalano]

Exactly. That’s what I was saving when I thought it was funny. Like when I saw Larry David yell at a guy on the street one time to get the hell away from him “with the damn sharpee and pictures”.

[yankeefan7]

" Well at “Love Letters”, he swatted people away who wanted their playbills signed yelling “F*cking awful people!” so he changed his opinions on fans lol "

I don't think it is any secret he had issues with alcohol abuse so I am sure at times he was not always pleasant. I am not excusing it, just possibly explaining the behavior.

[SmoothLover]

I would see him in the audience for many NY productions. For anyone who thinks they are too old to start a show business career he is an example of someone who did it with much success. RIP