IMDB/Getty Actress Elizabeth Dennehy and her father, fellow actor Brian Dennehy.
Veteran actor Brian Dennehy, known for his starring roles in beloved films such as Tommy Boy, Romeo and Juliet, Silverado and Cocoon, died of natural causes on April 15, according to TMZ. He was 81.
Dennehy, the two-time Tony Award-winning actor, is survived by his wife, Jennifer Arnott, and their five children, including daughter Elizabeth Dennehy, who followed in her father’s footsteps to become a working actor in Hollywood. Her siblings include Kathleen, Sarah, Diedre and Cormack Dennehy.
It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian passed away last night from natural causes, not Covid-related. Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife Jennifer, family and many friends.
Born on October 1, 1960, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Elizabeth Dennehy is married to fellow actor and former Days of Our Lives star James Lancaster, with whom she shares two children. Dennehy updated her Facebook banner on April 16 to a photo of Brian Dennehy celebrating her son’s graduation with the entire family.
FacebookBrian Dennehy (far right) with daughter Elizabeth Dennehy (far left) and her family.
Here’s what you need to know about Brian Dennehy’s daughter Elizabeth Dennehy:
1. Dennehy Said Her Father Did His Best To Discourage Her Acting Career At First
Knowing how hard it is to become a successful actor, Dennehy told the Orlando Sentinel in 1988, her father warned her of the many pitfalls of pursuing such a career, but there was never anything else she wanted to do in life. “By age 11, I knew all the lines in On the Waterfront,” she said.
Dennehy studied her craft at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and earned a Theatre Arts BFA in Performance at Hofstra University. Working her way up from the bottom, one of her first acting gigs was a role in the dinner theatre show, “Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding.”
Dennehy admitted that she’s constantly asked questions about her father and wasn’t afraid to admit that the relationship clearly has helped give her acting career a boost. “I don’t mind when people ask about my dad,” she said. “It’s only natural. Besides, it’s hard for people to remember you in this business — and my God, do you know how many blonde women my age are out there who look like me? And if people remember me for it (her dad), that’s fine.”
2. Dennehy’s First Acting Role Was On ‘Guiding Light’ Before Booking A Guest Star on ‘Seinfeld’
Dennehy jumped into acting at age 19 and booked her first recurring role on the popular series Guiding Light. She played the part of Christina ‘Blake’ Bauer and Lindsay Thorpe from 1988 through 1989.
Shortly afterward, Dennehy booked the role of Lieutenant Commander Shelby on Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as guest appearances on the series Quantum Leap in 1992 and Class of ’96 in 1993.
That same year, Dennehy broke out with a part on the NBC series Seinfeld. In addition to having an uncredited role in the pilot, she played the role of Allison in the memorable episode entitled “The Handicap Spot.” Dennehy went on to star on numerous TV series, including a regular role on Charmed and numerous guest-starring spots on shows such as Masters of Sex, The Young and the Restless, Rizzoli & Isles, The Mentalist, Medium and Boston Legal.
3. Dennehy Lives In Los Angles With Husband James Lancaster, Who Is Also A Frequent TV Star
IMDbJames Lancaster, Elizabeth Dennehy’s husband.
James Lancaster, whom Dennehy married on August 19, 1993, is a fellow thespian. He starred on Days of Our Lives as Father Tim Jensen from 2003 to 2009, and, much like his wife, Lancaster has also guest-starred on a slew of TV series including Murder, She Wrote, Chicago Hope, Numb3rs, CSI: New York, Even Stevens and Hot in Cleveland.
Lancaster starred as Father Byles in James Cameron’s Titanic and had parts in the movies Leprechaun 2, Spanglish and The Prestige.
4. Dennehy Is A Dialogue Coach On The TV Series ‘Carol’s Second Act’ Starring Patricia Heaton
In addition to being an actor at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, Dennehy, who’s also performed with the Antaeus Theater Company and the Independent Shakespeare Company, works as a dialogue coach at Carol’s Second Act, the CBS series starring Patricia Heaton and Ashley Tisdale. The series was picked up for a season in March, with actor Kelsey Grammer expecting to return as a recurring guest star.
5. Dennehy’s Son William Is Following In the Family’s Acting Footsteps
Dennehy and Lancaster have two sons, and at least one of them is looking to be just like grandpa, with whom both children were extremely close. William Lancaster, who’s a student at New York University, has clearly caught the acting bug. Based on his Facebook posts, he’s also interested in directing and producing and has been since he was a young child.
However, William has made his way from Manhattan amid the coronvirus outbreak and is quarantined at home with his parents in Los Angeles.
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