Richard Stephen Dreyfuss
[1] (born October 29, 1947) is an American actor best known for starring in a number of films, television and theater roles since the late 1960s. He is probably best known for his roles in the films Jaws
, The Goodbye Girl
, Close Encounters of the Third Kind
, Always
, Mr. Holland's Opus
, and W.
.
Dreyfuss won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1977 for The Goodbye Girl
, and was nominated in 1995 for Mr. Holland's Opus
. He has also won multiple Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.
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RICHARD DREYFUSS TICKETS
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Early life
Dreyfuss was born in
Brooklyn, New York, the son of Norman, an attorney and restaurateur, and Geraldine, a
peace activist.
[2] Dreyfuss is
Jewish
[3] [4] and his surname is of
Yiddish origin, believed to originate in the German city of
Trier, which had a large Jewish population in
Late Antiquity and the
Middle Ages. The
Latin name for the city was "Treveris", of which Dreyfuss is a variant. He commented that he "grew up thinking that
Alfred Dreyfus and I are of the same family."
[5]
Career
Dreyfuss's acting career began during his youth at the Beverly Hills Jewish Center. He debuted in the TV production
In Mama's House
when he was fifteen. He attended the San Fernando Valley State College (later re-named
California State University, Northridge) for a year. He was a
conscientious objector during the
Vietnam War and worked in alternate service for two years as a clerk in a Los Angeles hospital. During this time, he acted in a few small TV roles on shows like
Peyton Place
,
Gidget
,
Bewitched
and
The Big Valley
. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, he also performed on stage on
Broadway,
off-Broadway,
repertory, and
improvisational theater.
Dreyfuss's first film part was a small, uncredited role in
The Graduate
and had one line, "Shall I call the cops? I'll call the cops." He was also briefly seen as a stage hand in
Valley of the Dolls
, in which he had a few lines. He appeared in the subsequent
Dillinger
, and landed a role in the 1973 hit
American Graffiti
, acting with other future stars such as
Harrison Ford and
Ron Howard. Dreyfuss played his first lead role in the Canadian film
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
.
He went on to star in the box office blockbusters
Jaws
and
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
, both directed by
Steven Spielberg.
Dreyfuss won the 1978
Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of a struggling actor in
The Goodbye Girl
, becoming the youngest actor to do so. This record has since been surpassed by
Adrien Brody.
Around 1978, Dreyfuss began using
cocaine frequently; his addiction came to a head four years later, when he was arrested for possession of the drug at the scene of a collision between his car and a tree.
[6] He entered
rehab and eventually made a
Hollywood comeback with the film
Down And Out In Beverly Hills
in 1986 and
Stakeout
the following year.
He had a starring role opposite
Bill Murray in the 1991 hit comedy
What About Bob?
as a psychiatrist who goes crazy while trying to cope with a particularly obsessive new patient. While growing up in Beverly Hills, he lived within six blocks of
Michael Burns, who became a preeminent expert on the
Dreyfus affair and the author of
Dreyfus: A Family Affair, 1789-1945
. Dreyfuss later worked with Burns as
producer and took on the role of
Georges Picquart in
Prisoner of Honor
, a
HBO movie about the historical incident released in 1991.
thumb at the Governor's Ball party after the
1989 Academy Awards
In 1994, Dreyfuss participated in the historic "Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah (Holocaust)" at the
Vatican in the presence of
Pope John Paul II, Rav Elio Toaf, chief rabbi of Rome, and
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, President of Italy. He recited
Kaddish as part of a performance of
Leonard Bernstein's
Third Symphony with the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of
Gilbert Levine. The event was broadcast worldwide.
Dreyfuss was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance as Glenn Holland in
Mr. Holland's Opus
(1995). Since then he has continued working in the movies, television and on stage. In April 2004, he appeared in the revival of
Sly Fox
on
Broadway (opposite
Eric Stoltz,
René Auberjonois,
Bronson Pinchot and
Elizabeth Berkley).
In 2001/2002, he played Max Bickford in the television drama
The Education of Max Bickford
.
In November 2004, he was scheduled to appear in
The Producers
in
London, but withdrew from the production a week before the opening night. The media noted that Dreyfuss was still suffering from problems relating to an operation for a
herniated disc in January, and that the part of Max Bialystock in the play is a physically demanding one. Both he and his assistant for the production stated that Dreyfuss was accumulating injuries that required him to wear physical therapy supports during rehearsals.
[7] Nathan Lane was brought in to replace Dreyfuss in the London production. It later emerged that he'd been fired.
[8]
Dreyfuss teamed with
Harry Turtledove in 1995 to write
The Two Georges
, a
conspiracy thriller set in an alternate reality in which the American colonies remained under British rule (published by Hodder and Stoughton, ISBN 0-340-62826-X). Dreyfuss recorded the voiceover to the famous
Apple, Inc., then
Apple Computer, Inc.,
Think Different ad campaign in 1999. The text of the ad begins, "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels..."
In 2006, he appeared as one of the survivors in the 2006 film
Poseidon
. Dreyfuss portrayed U.S Vice President
Dick Cheney in ''
Oliver Stones 2008 George W. Bush bio-pic
W''.
[9]
In early 2009, he appeared in the play
Complicit
(directed by
Kevin Spacey) in London's Old Vic theatre. His participation in the play was subject to much controversy, owing to his use of an earpiece on stage, reportedly because of his inability to learn his lines in time.
[10] [11]
He guest voiced as himself in the "
Three Kings" episode of
Family Guy
in 2009.
Dreyfuss has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Blvd.
[12]
Personal life
Dreyfuss married writer-producer
Jeramie Rain in the early 1980's. With her he had three children: Emily (1983),
Benjamin (1986), and Harry (1990). His eldest son, Benjamin, was born with a malignant form of cancer in his left eye. Dreyfuss and Rain have continued to raise money for
ophthalmology centers throughout the United States ever since.
[13]
Dreyfuss's mother died on October 19, 2000 due to
complications from a
stroke.
[14]
Dreyfuss suffers from
bipolar disorder. In 2006, he appeared in
Stephen Fry's documentary,
Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive
, in which Fry (who also has the disorder) interviewed him about his life.
[15]
On August 9, 2008, it was reported that Dreyfuss is suing his father and uncle over a 24-year-old loan he claims was never repaid. He says he gave his relatives USD$870,000 in 1984 when they owned an interest in a Los Angeles office building. In court papers filed on August 8, 2008, he claims the loan is still outstanding and that his uncle, Gilbert, has refused to turn over financial records. He is reported to be seeking repayment of the loan, plus interest and punitive damages.
[16]
Dreyfuss and Russian-born Svetlana Erokhin married in 2006 and have lived in San Diego County since then, although they travel frequently to Los Angeles and London, where Dreyfuss once lived. They initially lived in
Carlsbad, California. In February 2008, they bought a $1.5 million house in the rural community of Olivenhain in eastern
Encinitas, California, and plan to renovate the 1970s structure with state-of-the-art
green technologies.
[17]
Political activity
Dreyfuss has been outspoken on the issue of media informing policy, legislation, and public opinion in recent years, both speaking and writing to express his sentiments in favor of
privacy,
freedom of speech,
democracy, and individual accountability.
[18]
Dreyfuss has organized and promoted campaigns to inform and instruct audiences in what he considers potential erosion of
individual rights, a personal initiative he began in 2006, responding to what he believes were violations of individual rights under the presidential administration of George W. Bush.
[19] On February 16, 2006, Dreyfuss spoke at The
National Press Club in
Washington, D.C. in hopes of prompting a national discussion on
impeachment charges against U.S. President
George W. Bush.
[20] On
November 17,
2006, Dreyfuss appeared on
HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher
as a panel member to discuss teaching civics in schools.
[21] Dreyfuss currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the
National Constitution Center in
Philadelphia.
[22] In 2007, Dreyfuss appeared in the youth voting documentary film
18 in '08
.
[23]
Academic life
Richard Dreyfuss has semi-retired from acting, and is involved in a nation-wide enterprise to encourage the teaching of American history in American primary schools. Currently, he is a Senior Associate Member of
St. Antony's College, University of Oxford.
[24]
Books
In 1995 Dreyfuss co-authored with
science fiction writer
Harry Turtledove the novel
The Two Georges
, an
alternate history/
mystery piece set in the year 1996 of an alternate timeline where the
American Revolution was peacefully avoided. The painting that symbolizes the union between North America and Britain is stolen by terrorists, and officers of the Royal North American Mounted Police must find it before it is destroyed.
Filmography
Year
| Film
| Role
| Notes
|
1967
| Valley of the Dolls
| Assistant stage manager
| uncredited
|
The Graduate
| Boarding House Resident
| uncredited
|
1968
| The Young Runaways
| Terry
|
|
1969
| Hello Down There
| Harold Webster
|
|
1973
| American Graffiti
| Curt Henderson
| Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
|
Dillinger
| Baby Face Nelson
|
|
1974
| The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
| Duddy
|
|
The Second Coming of Suzanne
| Clavius
|
|
Inserts
| Boy Wonder
|
|
1975
| Jaws
| Matt Hooper
| Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
|
1976
| Victory at Entebbe
| Colonel Yonatan 'Yonni' Netanyahu
|
|
1977
| Close Encounters of the Third Kind
| Roy Neary
| Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actor
|
The Goodbye Girl
| Elliott Garfield
| Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
|
1978
| The Big Fix
| Moses Wine
|
|
1980
| The Competition
| Paul Dietrich
|
|
1981
| Whose Life Is It Anyway?
| Ken Harrison
|
|
1984
| The Buddy System
| Joe
|
|
1986
| Down and Out in Beverly Hills
| David 'Dave' Whiteman
|
|
Stand by Me
| The adult Gordie LaChance, narrating
|
|
1987
| Tin Men
| Bill 'BB' Babowsky
|
|
Stakeout
| Det. Chris Lecce
|
|
Nuts
| Aaron Levinsky
| Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
|
1988
| Moon Over Parador
| Jack Noah/President Alphonse Simms
|
|
1989
| Let It Ride
| Jay Trotter
|
|
Always
| Pete Sandich
|
|
1990
| Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
| The Player
|
|
Postcards from the Edge
| Doctor Frankenthal
|
|
1991
| Once Around
| Sam Sharpe
|
|
Prisoner of Honor
| Col. Picquart
|
|
What About Bob?
| Dr. Leo Marvin
|
|
1993
| Lost in Yonkers
| Louie Kurnitz
|
|
Another Stakeout
| Detective Chris Lecce
|
|
1994
| Silent Fall
| Dr. Jake Rainer
|
|
1995
| The Last Word
| Larry
|
|
The American President
| Senator Bob Rumson
|
|
Mr. Holland's Opus
| Glenn Holland
| Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
|
1996
| James and the Giant Peach
| Centipede
| voice
|
Mad Dog Time
| Vic
|
|
1997
| Night Falls on Manhattan
| Sam Vigoda
|
|
Oliver Twist
| Fagin
|
|
1998
| Krippendorf's Tribe
| Prof. James Krippendorf
|
|
2000
| The Crew
| Bobby Bartellemeo/Narrator
|
|
2001
| The Old Man Who Read Love Stories
| Antonio Bolivar
| Nominated — Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor
|
Who Is Cletis Tout?
| Micah Donnelly
|
|
The Education of Max Bickford
| Max Bickford
| TV series Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
|
The Day Reagan Was Shot
| Alexander Haig
| TV film Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
|
2003
| Coast to Coast
| Barnaby Pierce
|
|
2004
| Silver City
| Chuck Raven
|
|
2006
| Poseidon
| Richard Nelson
|
|
2007
| Tin Man
| Mystic Man
| TV miniseries
|
2008
| Signs of the Time
| Narrator
|
|
W.
| Dick Cheney
|
|
America Betrayed
| Narrator
|
|
2009
| My Life in Ruins
| Irv
|
|
Leaves of Grass
| TBA
|
2010
| Piranha 3-D
| TBA
|
References
- Richard Dreyfuss: Out of the wreckage
- Film Reference.com biography
- Jacobs, Andrea. ''Richard Dreyfuss at middle age: A rebellious Jew finds his own wisdom''. The Jewish Advocate. March 1995.
- ''Academy Award Winning Actor Richard Dreyfuss Speaks at BHCC''. PR Newswire.
- Brozan, Nadine. ''Chronicle''. New York Times. 20 November 1991.
- MTV.com Biography
- Adam, Karla; "My musical hell"; guardian.co.uk; January 21, 2005
- "Dreyfuss in London stage return" BBC News November 3, 2008
- "Richard Dreyfuss is Dick Cheney"' comingsoon.net; The Hollywood Reporter''; May 22, 2008
- http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=at.CnEGmT0Tk&refer=muse
- http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article5608196.ece
- Hollywood Walk of Fame; Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
- Susan Schindehette. "Risen from the Ashes, Richard Dreyfuss Faces His Family's Pain with Strength, Not Self-Pity" ''People'' March 04, 1991
- eOnline Profile
- ''Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive''. BBC.co.uk.
- "Jaws star sues family over loan," ''BBC''. August 9, 2008.
- Tanya Mannes. "Earth-friendly house in works" Sign on San Diego; March 9, 2009
- Zweyner, Astrid. ''Oscar-winner Dreyfuss campaigns against "shaped news" ''. Reuters.com. 27 April 2006.
- The Education of Richard Dreyfuss - ''Boston Globe''
- Summary and video footage of speech
- Morris, Michele AARP Richard Dreyfuss's New 'Opus'
- National Constitution Center - Near Independence Hall in Historic Philadelphia
- YouTube - 18 in '08 Trailer
- The education of Richard Dreyfuss