Want to know the best Brian Dennehy movies? How about the worst Brian Dennehy movies? Curious about Brian Dennehy box office grosses or which Brian Dennehy movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Brian Dennehy movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well, you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
Brian Dennehy (1938-2020) was an American actor. Dennehy was a winner of one Golden Globe®, two Tony® Awards and a recipient of six Primetime Emmy® Award nominations, he gained initial recognition for his role as Sheriff Will Teasle in First Blood (1982). His IMDb page shows 183 acting credits from oto 2020. This page will rank Brian Dennehy movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, videos, games, and movies that were not released in North American theaters were not included in the rankings. To do well in our overall rankings a movie has to do well at the box office, get good reviews by critics, be liked by audiences and get some award recognition.
Brian Dennehy Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
| Year | Movie (Year) | Rating | S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Movie (Year) | Rating | S |
| 2007 | Ratatouille (2007) |  |
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| 1990 | Presumed Innocent (1990) |  |
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| 1985 | Cocoon (1985) | |
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| 1977 | Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) | |
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| 1978 | Foul Play (1978) | |
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| 1977 | Semi-Tough (1977) | |
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| 1982 | First Blood (1982) | |
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| 1979 | 10 (1979) | |
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| 1983 | Never Cry Wolf (1983) |  |
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| 1995 | Tommy Boy (1995) | |
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| 1996 | Romeo + Juliet (1996) | |
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| 1985 | Silverado (1985) | |
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| 1986 | Legal Eagles (1986) | |
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| 1986 | F/X (1986) |  |
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| 1983 | Gorky Park (1983) | |
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| 1978 | F.I.S.T. (1978) | |
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| 2019 | Driveways (2019) | |
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| 1985 | Twice in a Lifetime (1985) | |
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| 1988 | Return to Snowy River (1988) |  |
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| 1991 | F/X2 (1991) | |
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| 2005 | Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) | |
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| 1980 | Little Miss Marker (1980) | |
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| 2010 | The Next Three Days (2010) | |
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| 1987 | Best Seller (1987) |  |
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| 1982 | Split Image (1982) | |
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| 1988 | Cocoon: The Return (1988) |  |
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| 1979 | Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979) | |
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| 1984 | The River Rat (1984) | |
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| 2018 | The Seagull (2018) | |
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| 1988 | Miles from Home (1988) |  |
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| 2008 | Righteous Kill (2008) | |
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| 2006 | Everyone's Hero (2006) Voice Only |
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| 1984 | Finders Keepers (1984) | |
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| 2015 | Knight of Cups (2015) | |
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| 2010 | Every Day (2010) |  |
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| 2011 | The Big Year (2011) | |
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| 2002 | Stolen Summer (2002) | |
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| 2006 | 10th & Wolf (2006) | |
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| 1995 | The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995) | |
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| 1992 | Gladiator (1992) | |
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| 1990 | The Last of the Finest (1990) | |
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| 2019 | 3 Days With Dad (2019) |  |
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| 2001 | Summer Catch (2001) | |
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| 2004 | She Hate Me (2004) | |
Brian Dennehy Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Brian Dennehy movies by his co-stars
- Sort Brian Dennehy movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Brian Dennehy movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Brian Dennehy movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Brian Dennehy movie received.
- Sort Brian Dennehy movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
| 1 | Ratatouille (2007) | Peter O'Toole & Pixar |
206.40 | 323.5 | 977.30 | 10 | 92 | 05 / 01 | 99.3 | |
| 2 | Presumed Innocent (1990) | Harrison Ford | 86.30 | 219.9 | 564.00 | 12 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 97.6 | |
| 3 | Cocoon (1985) | Don Ameche & Directed by Ron Howard |
76.10 | 231.1 | 259.10 | 6 | 73 | 02 / 02 | 96.8 | |
| 6 | Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) | Diane Keaton & Richard Gere |
45.70 | 220.8 | 220.80 | 15 | 69 | 02 / 00 | 95.3 | |
| 7 | Foul Play (1978) | Goldie Hawn & Chevy Chase |
45.00 | 207.3 | 207.30 | 10 | 69 | 01 / 00 | 95.0 | |
| 5 | Semi-Tough (1977) | Burt Reynolds | 61.60 | 298.0 | 298.00 | 7 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 94.9 | |
| 8 | First Blood (1982) | Sylvester Stallone | 47.20 | 173.1 | 459.10 | 12 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 94.8 | |
| 8 | 10 (1979) | Dudley Moore & Julie Andrews |
74.90 | 321.5 | 321.50 | 8 | 65 | 02 / 00 | 94.3 | |
| 9 | Never Cry Wolf (1983) | Charles Martin Smith | 29.60 | 101.3 | 101.30 | 23 | 76 | 01 / 00 | 87.3 | |
| 9 | Tommy Boy (1995) | Chris Farley & David Spade |
32.70 | 81.0 | 81.00 | 54 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 86.9 | |
| 11 | Romeo + Juliet (1996) | Leonardo DiCaprio & Paul Rudd |
46.40 | 113.0 | 359.90 | 34 | 68 | 01 / 00 | 86.4 | |
| 12 | Silverado (1985) | Kevin Kline & Kevin Costner |
32.20 | 97.8 | 97.80 | 27 | 73 | 02 / 00 | 86.1 | |
| 13 | Legal Eagles (1986) | Robert Redford & Debra Winger |
49.90 | 144.9 | 144.90 | 16 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 83.0 | |
| 14 | F/X (1986) | Bryan Brown & Brian Dennehy |
20.60 | 59.9 | 59.90 | 43 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 79.5 | |
| 15 | Gorky Park (1983) | William Hurt & Lee Marvin |
15.90 | 54.3 | 54.30 | 46 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 77.7 | |
| 17 | F.I.S.T. (1978) | Sylvester Stallone | 21.10 | 97.3 | 97.30 | 32 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 75.5 | |
| 16 | Driveways (2019) | Hong Chau | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 277 | 86 | 00 / 00 | 74.4 | |
| 18 | Twice in a Lifetime (1985) | Gene Hackman & Ann-Margret |
8.40 | 25.5 | 25.50 | 96 | 74 | 01 / 00 | 70.5 | |
| 18 | Return to Snowy River (1988) | Tom Burlinson | 13.70 | 35.9 | 35.90 | 71 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 63.1 | |
| 19 | F/X2 (1991) | Bryan Brown | 21.10 | 54.0 | 54.00 | 62 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 57.1 | |
| 22 | Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) | Ethan Hawke & Laurence Fishburne |
20.00 | 33.8 | 60.70 | 117 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 55.7 | |
| 21 | Little Miss Marker (1980) | Walter Matthau & Julie Andrews |
8.60 | 35.7 | 35.70 | 82 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 55.6 | |
| 23 | The Next Three Days (2010) | Russell Crowe & Liam Neeson |
21.10 | 28.9 | 92.20 | 113 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 53.0 | |
| 23 | Best Seller (1987) | James Woods & Victoria Tennant |
4.30 | 11.8 | 11.80 | 113 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 47.6 | |
| 24 | Split Image (1982) | James Woods & Peter Fonda |
0.30 | 1.0 | 1.00 | 151 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 46.9 | |
| 26 | Cocoon: The Return (1988) | Don Ameche & Jessica Tandy |
18.90 | 49.6 | 49.60 | 53 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 36.0 | |
| 28 | Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979) | William Katt & Tom Berenger |
5.10 | 22.1 | 22.10 | 81 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 34.8 | |
| 26 | The River Rat (1984) | Tommy Lee Jones & Martha Plimpton |
1.10 | 3.7 | 3.70 | 152 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 34.3 | |
| 27 | The Seagull (2018) | Annette Bening | 1.30 | 1.5 | 1.80 | 195 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 34.2 | |
| 30 | Miles from Home (1988) | Richard Gere & Penelope Ann Miller |
0.20 | 0.5 | 0.50 | 238 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 29.3 | |
| 33 | Righteous Kill (2008) | Al Pacino & Robert DeNiro |
40.10 | 60.2 | 117.80 | 71 | 40 | 00 / 00 | 28.0 | |
| 31 | Everyone's Hero (2006) Voice Only |
Jake T. Austin | 14.50 | 23.8 | 27.20 | 136 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 27.6 | |
| 33 | Finders Keepers (1984) | Louis Gossett Jr. | 1.50 | 4.7 | 4.70 | 148 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 24.2 | |
| 34 | Knight of Cups (2015) | Christian Bale & Natalie Portman |
0.60 | 0.7 | 1.30 | 188 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 21.6 | |
| 36 | Every Day (2010) | Helen Hunt | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 338 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 18.9 | |
| 37 | The Big Year (2011) | Steve Martin & Owen Wilson |
7.20 | 9.8 | 10.40 | 150 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 17.8 | |
| 38 | Stolen Summer (2002) | Amara Balthrop-Lewis & Kevin Pollak |
0.10 | 0.3 | 0.30 | 266 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 16.9 | |
| 37 | 10th & Wolf (2006) | James Marsden & Dennis Hopper |
0.10 | 0.1 | 0.20 | 328 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 15.8 | |
| 40 | The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995) | Robert Duvall & Aidan Quinn |
0.10 | 0.2 | 0.20 | 238 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 12.6 | |
| 40 | Gladiator (1992) | James Marshall & Cuba Gooding Jr. |
9.20 | 24.0 | 24.00 | 98 | 42 | 00 / 00 | 12.1 | |
| 41 | The Last of the Finest (1990) | Joe Pantoliano | 1.50 | 3.9 | 3.90 | 163 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 11.7 | |
| 41 | 3 Days With Dad (2019) | J.K. Simmons | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 272 | 44 | 00 / 00 | 6.6 | |
| 44 | Summer Catch (2001) | Baseball Movies & Freddie Prince |
19.80 | 37.7 | 37.70 | 100 | 25 | 00 / 00 | 2.8 | |
| 45 | She Hate Me (2004) | Chiwetel Ejiofor & Woody Harrelson |
0.40 | 0.6 | 2.60 | 234 | 34 | 00 / 00 | 1.7 |
Possibly Interesting Facts On Brian Dennehy
1. Brian Manion Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1938.
2. Brian Dennehy won a football scholarship that paved the way to Columbia University in New York City, where he played football, earned a BA in history, became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and played rugby union for Old Blue RFC. He went on to graduate studies in dramatic arts at Yale University.
3. Brian Dennehy used to work as a stockbroker at the same firm (Merrill Lynch) as Martha Stewart. They remained good friends until his passing 2020.
4. While performing in “Death Of A Salesman” and “Long Day’s Journey into Night” on Broadway, so many of Brian Dennehy’s fans wanted to meet him after the show that producers had to hire extra security to keep the crowds in control near the stage door.
5. Brian Dennehy’s all-time favorite movie was 1954’s On The Waterfront.
Check out Brian Dennehy’s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
first noticed him as an MP in an episode of “M*A*S*H, good actor
Hey Stefanie B. Interesting about his role on MASH. I bet I have seen his episode, just not when I could connect those dots. I agree he was a very good actor. He will be missed.
On top of his prolific film career Brian was in an enormous number of television productions: 52 TV movies and 40 TV series. See also Bruce’s comments above on Brian’s highly successful stage contribution.
Brian’s big screen movies which are favourites are mine are 10; Presumed Innocent; Gorky Park; and The Next Three Days. However many of his TV movies were released as videos and it is among those releases that my most favourite Dennehy films are to be found: To Catch a Killer [in which his paedophile character was called “John Wayne Gacy”!] Killing in a Small Town; Final Appeal; In Broad Daylight; and especially the 6 thrillers in which he had the lead role of detective Sgt Jack Reed.
In those days which were my own early ones as a video enthusiast Brian and Rutger Hauer were in fact regarded as the “Video Library Kings” and I can remember the owner of my local video library confiding to me in hushed tones “The latest Brian Dennehy video has just arrived. Do you want it Bob? – Brian never fails to entertain.”
Until I read Bruce’s facts section above I didn’t know that On the Waterfront was Brian’s fave film. I’m not going to fault Brian for THAT as not everybody has to choose a screwball comedy! IMBD credits Brian with 5 acting awards and 15 nominations and he leaves behind a net worth of $12 million.
I see that he is just the 3rd thespian to be featured in this site’s respectful new homage page In Memoriam which along with Brian’s own page I welcome with a “Vote Up” – and highly so in the case of both. Well done Bruce for the two pages pages. RIP Mr Dennehy.
Hey Bob. Thanks for sharing your memories about watching his movies back in the glory days of video renting. He was a very popular actor when I worked at the video store. I also enjoyed him in Presumed Innocent and Gorky Park. He was really good in Best Seller as well. Thanks for the information on his television roles, his award history and his net worth. All bring value to this tribute page. Good stuff as always. Rest In Peace Brian Dennehy.
HI BRUCE
Thanks for the feedback.
You will see that whilst in my post I spelt Brian’s surname correctly in subsequent paragraphs I left out an “n” in 2nd para [line 3] Normally a slight misspelling [unlike a missing comma] wouldn’t trouble me but as the Dennehy post was meant as a tribute to Brian’s sad passing I would like his name to be correctly spelt invariably out of respect for his memory.
Apologies and thanks. However for once I’m in the best company possible: whilst you get it right most times you misspell it throughout the text of Possibly Interesting Facts. However like “Hirschhorn” it’s easy to get wrong if you’re on automatic pilot. I initially had trouble with THAT one as there is only one “h” in for example the horns of the Devil!
Hey Bob. I fixed your one Dennehy error on your comment…and my 5 Dennehy errors on the page. When I got Flora’s comment about his passing…I got this page done in about 25 minutes…maybe I should have slowed down and checked my work. But in the end….it is now correct..thanks to your heads-up. Thanks for alerting me.
HI BIG BOY: Thanks for making the necessary changes.
In my initial post I spelt Brian’s surname wrong in all 3 references that I made to it; was able to use your very useful editing button to correct 2 of the errors; but didn’t spot the 3rd one until after the editing facility had elapsed. However I’ll forgive myself provided I keep spelling Hirschhorn right.
Moreover it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good as the saying goes because YOU got invited to correct one of MY near-perfect posts; not even Steve enjoys THAT privilege!!!
Seriously though – thanks again for doing the fixing. 25 minutes for a page – wow: I sometimes take an hour to do one post! If you didn’t have nicknames already I would be calling you-
“Speedy Gonzales!
You better come home, Speedy Gonzales
Away from tannery row
Stop all a your a-drinkin’
With that floozy named Flo
Come on home to your adobe
And slap some mud on the wall
The roof is leakin’ like a strainer
There’s loads a roaches in the hall
Speedy Gonzales, why don’t cha come home?
Speedy Gonzales, how come ya leave me all alone?”
might have to rewatch tommy boy now
Hey Pete…that would be a good one to watch. Thanks for finding and commenting on our Brian Dennehy tribute page.
Horrible news. He was one of the good ones, seems like all we get is bad news these days.
Hey Tommy. I agree this is indeed horrible news. Hopefully the news will get better quicker, but I agree it’s been pretty depressing. Thanks for stopping bye and thanks for commenting
I have not seen a lot of Brian Dennehy movies. However, I am very familiar with Cocoon, which I love.
The other films I have seen which I enjoy but are not favourites are 10 and Foul Play.
Rest in Peace
Hey Flora. Once again thanks for letting me know about this news and thanks for commenting on this brand new page. Shockingly it seems I’m the only one in my house that has seen Cocoon. We will have to rectify that tonight. Rest in peace.