Richard Dreyfuss

Richard Dreyfuss
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Name	Richard Dreyfuss
Caption	Dreyfuss in 2013
Birth name	Richard Stephen Dreyfus
Birth date	29 October 1947
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1964–present
Spouse	Jeramie Rain (m. 1983; div. 1995), Janelle Lacey (m. 1999; div. 2005), Svetlana Erokhin (m. 2006)

Richard Dreyfuss is an American actor renowned for his starring roles in some of the most iconic films of the 1970s and beyond. He rose to prominence with performances in Steven Spielberg's blockbusters Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Goodbye Girl. His career, spanning over five decades, encompasses a wide range of characters in both comedic and dramatic films, establishing him as a versatile and enduring figure in Hollywood.

Early life and education

He was born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bayside, Queens neighborhood of New York City. His family later moved to Los Angeles, where he attended Beverly Hills High School. He developed an early interest in acting and began performing in plays at the Westside Jewish Community Center. He briefly attended San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University, Northridge) but left to pursue acting full-time, studying at the Loft Studio and performing in Off-Broadway theater productions.

Career

His early film roles included small parts in The Graduate and Valley of the Dolls. His breakthrough came with George Lucas's American Graffiti, where he played the cynical Curt Henderson. This led to his starring role as marine biologist Matt Hooper in Spielberg's Jaws, a defining film of the New Hollywood era. He continued his collaboration with Spielberg in the science-fiction epic Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In 1977, he starred in Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl, for which he received widespread critical acclaim and the Academy Award for Best Actor, becoming the youngest actor to win that award at the time. Subsequent notable films include Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Stakeout, and Mr. Holland's Opus, which earned him another Academy Award nomination. His later work includes television series like The Education of Max Bickford and roles in films such as Poseidon. He has also been active on stage, performing in productions like the West End revival of The Producers.

Personal life

He has been married three times: to actress Jeramie Rain, Janelle Lacey, and Russian-born Svetlana Erokhin. He has three children, including actor Justin and Emily. He has been open about his struggles with bipolar disorder and cocaine addiction in the 1980s, which led to a career hiatus. A passionate advocate for civic education, he founded The Dreyfuss Initiative to promote the teaching of civics in American schools. He is also known for his political activism, supporting various Democratic candidates and causes.

Filmography

A selected list of his major film appearances includes American Graffiti (1973), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974), Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Goodbye Girl (1977), The Competition (1980), Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Stakeout (1987), Always (1989), What About Bob? (1991), Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), The American President (1995), Poseidon (2006), and W. (2008).

Awards and nominations

His performance in The Goodbye Girl earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He received another Academy Award nomination for Mr. Holland's Opus. He has also won a Tony Award for his role in the Broadway play The Prisoner of Second Avenue and has been nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards for his television work, including for the miniseries Lansky.

Public image and legacy

He is widely regarded as a defining actor of his generation, particularly for his portrayals of intelligent, often neurotic, and quintessentially American characters in the 1970s. His work in Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind cemented his status as a leading man of the blockbuster era. Despite personal and professional challenges, his career longevity and advocacy for civics education have contributed to a lasting public image as a thoughtful and committed artist. His influence is frequently cited by younger actors, and his films remain cultural touchstones.

Category:American film actors Category:Academy Award winners Category:1947 births Category:Living people