Brian Dennehy, award-winning First Blood and Tommy Boy actor, dies at 81

Brian Dennehy, the award-winning character actor known for his roles in First Blood, Death of a Salesman, and much more, has died at 81.

Dennehy's daughter Elizabeth Dennehy confirmed the news on Thursday, tweeting he died of natural causes not related to COVID-19.

"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," his daughter said.

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Dennehy delivered some of his most memorable screen performances in First Blood, Tommy Boy, Presumed Innocent, and Cocoon, and he was also known for his stage roles, twice winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for Death of a Salesman and Long Day's Journey Into Night. He also won a Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for the television film Death of a Salesman, and he was nominated for six Emmy Awards throughout his career. In 2011, he was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.

Critic Mark Harris remembered Dennehy as "an endlessly dependable, always entirely credible character actor," while Turner Classic Movies' Ben Mankiewicz wrote, "Not a movie made that wasn't at least a little better solely for having Brian Dennehy in the cast."

William Shatner also remembered Dennehy as a "wonderfully talented actor," and Josh Gad praised his Death of a Salesman role in particular as "one of the crowing performances ever delivered" on stage.