Actor Brian Dennehy Dies; Played Bob Knight in 'Season on Brink' Movie

Brian Dennehy was probably best known for his roles in "Tommy Boy'' and "First Blood,'' but die-hard Indiana fans will always remember his as playing Bob Knight in ESPN's "Season on the Brink'' movie.

Legendary actor Brian Dennehy, who once played former Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight in ESPN's "Season on the Brink'' movie died Wednesday night from natural causes, his daughter announced Thursday.

He was 81 years old.

"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," Elizabeth Dennehy posted in a statement on Twitter.

The 6-foot-3 Dennehy had many memorable movie roles in such classics as “Tommy Boy,” “First Blood” and “Cocoon,” and won acclaim on stage, particularly for “Death of a Salesman” on Broadway in 1999. He won another best actor Tony in 2003 for "Long Day's Journey into Night."

The larger-than-life actor also captured the intense, single-mindedness of Knight in the movie adaptation of "A Season on the Brink."

Brian Dennehy as Bob Knight.

"I like sports,'' Dennehy told ESPN while making the ''Brink'' movie. "I'm a big football fan. When I was a kid, I was an obsessed Brooklyn Dodgers fan. And I think when they left Brooklyn, which was simultaneous with me starting college, everything changed and I haven't had the same passion for sports. 

"I get wrapped up in certain things. For a couple years there, I was a huge Bill Parcells fan when he was coaching. Wherever he went, I followed him. He did a great job with the Pats, great job with the Giants, great job with the Jets. How many people have done that? And of course, he turns out to be good friends with Bobby Knight, too.''

"See, I get interested in certain things, and now I'm interested in Bobby Knight. But for years, Parcells had me real interested in what he was doing. I like people who are smart, and seem to know what the hell they were doing. And God knows he was, and is. And so was Bobby. There are other things going on with Bobby -- he's always involved in this combat with the world. But it's funny that he was friends with Parcells, and he never learned from Parcells that there's a way of controlling that combat. He's never figured out how to do that.''

In addition to those two Tony Awards, Dennehy took life’s final bow with one Golden Globe win, a SAG Award and five Emmy nominations. Broadway giant Lin-Manuel Miranda said he'll always remember Dennehy's "heartbreaking" portrayal of Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman."

"Was lucky enough to see Brian Dennehy twice on stage, masterful in Love Letters, and monumentally heartbreaking in Death Of A Salesman. A colossus. What a loss," the "Hamilton" writer and actor tweeted.

Despite Dennehy's serious stage bona fides, he may be best known to much of the movie-going public as Big Tom, the father of Chris Farley's Tommy in the 1995 comedy "Tommy Boy." He also played gruff small-town sheriff Will Teasle in "Rambo."

Brian Dennehy (right) with Sylvester Stallone in "First Blood.''

"So sad this wonderful man has passed," Peter Segal, director of "Tommy Boy," tweeted. "Brian was a kind, gentle person with incredible talent. I will miss Big Tom Callahan."

My Top-10 Favorite Brian Dennehy Movies

1. "Tommy Boy''
2. "Cocoon"
3. "Righteous Kill"
4. "Presumed Innocent"
5. "First Blood''
6. "Semi-Tough''
7. "A Father's Revenge"
8. "F/X''
9. "Never Cry Wolf''
10. "Season On The Brink''