Richard Dreyfuss
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- October 29, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- Active Years
- 1953–2025 (73 Years)
- Total Credits
- 199 credits in database
Acting Born Oct 29, 1947 Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA 199 credits
Biography
Richard Dreyfuss is an American actor born on October 29, 1947. He has been active in film, television, and theater since the late 1960s. Dreyfuss has appeared in numerous films, including American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Stakeout, Always, What About Bob?, and Mr. Holland's Opus. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1977 for The Goodbye Girl and was nominated in 1995 for Mr. Holland's Opus. Dreyfuss has also received a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award. He was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2002 for his work in television.
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Career overview
Richard Dreyfuss is an American actor born on October 29, 1947. He has been active in film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s. Dreyfuss has appeared in numerous notable films, including American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Stakeout, Always, What About Bob?, and Mr. Holland's Opus.
One of his notable performances was in The Goodbye Girl, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1977. Dreyfuss was also nominated for an Academy Award in 1995 for his role in Mr. Holland's Opus. In addition to his film work, he has received recognition for his performances in other areas, including a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and nominations for Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Throughout his career, Richard Dreyfuss has accumulated a large number of credits, with over 190 known roles. His versatility as an actor has allowed him to excel in various genres and mediums, solidifying his position as a respected figure in the entertainment industry.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Into the DeepJaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside StoryWaltzing with Brando
SweetwaterCommitment to LifeElizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life
Murder at Yellowstone CityMurder at Yellowstone City · Executive ProducerNazis at Nuremberg: The Lost TestimonySave Christmas
Every Last One of ThemEvery Last One of Them · Executive ProducerCrime StoryCrime Story · Executive Producer
Stars in the HouseAudrey
PolarDaughter of the WolfThe Last LaughAstronautAstronaut · Executive Producer
Firing Line with Margaret HooverThe Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To CancerBook ClubBayou CaviarAsher
Shots FiredSpielberg
Madoff
ZipperYour Family or Mine
The Real History of Science FictionCaserta Palace DreamSquatters
ParanoiaVery Good GirlsMiliusCas & Dylan
ComaCasting By
Bubble GuppiesThe Two Million Year Old Boy
ParenthoodREDPiranha 3DJaws: The Inside Story
Waking Sleeping BeautyLeaves of GrassMy Life in RuinsThe Shark Is Still WorkingThe Lightkeepers
W.America Betrayed
Tin ManSpielberg on SpielbergOcean of FearAFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary EditionThe Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo
PoseidonBoffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and BlockbustersThe Dish on Dolls
WeedsThe Reichen ShowThe Adventures of Errol Flynn
Silver CityCoast to CoastA Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope
Teddy Roosevelt: An American LionEasy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved HollywoodThe Johnstown FloodThe John Garfield Story
Manassas: End of Innocence
The Education of Max BickfordR2-D2: Beneath the DomeRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit ToysThe Day Reagan Was ShotWho Is Cletis Tout?
The CrewWalking the Tracks: The Summer of Stand by MeFail Safe
Family GuyFamily GuyWhere Are They Now?Lansky
The Entertainment BizKrippendorf's TribeThe Making of 'American Graffiti'Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude
The ViewThe Wonderful World of DisneyHARDtalkNight Falls on ManhattanFrank Capra's American Dream
The Daily ShowThe Rosie O'Donnell ShowJames and the Giant PeachMad Dog TimeThe Universal Story
The Frank Skinner ShowThe American PresidentMr. Holland's OpusThe Last WordThe Making of 'Jaws'
Full Filmography
199 titles- Into the Deep (2025) as Seamus
- Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025) as Self
- Waltzing with Brando (2025) as Seymour Kraft
- Sweetwater (2023) as Maurice Podoloff
- Commitment to Life (2023) as Self (archive footage)
- Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life (2023) as Self
- Murder at Yellowstone City (2022) as Edgar
- Murder at Yellowstone City (2022) Executive Producer
- Nazis at Nuremberg: The Lost Testimony (2022) as Narrator (voice)
- Save Christmas (2022) as Santa
- Every Last One of Them (2021) as Murphy
- Every Last One of Them (2021) Executive Producer
- Crime Story (2021) as Ben Myers
- Crime Story (2021) Executive Producer
- Stars in the House (2020) as Self
- Audrey (2020) as Self - Actor
- Polar (2019) as Porter
- Daughter of the Wolf (2019) as Father
- The Last Laugh (2019) as Buddy Green
- Astronaut (2019) as Angus
- Astronaut (2019) Executive Producer
- Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (2018) as Self
- The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer (2018) as Self - Guest
- Book Club (2018) as George
- Bayou Caviar (2018) as Yuri
- Asher (2018) as Avi
- Third Party President: Citizen Rocky (2018) as Self
- Shots Fired (2017) as Arlen Cox
- Spielberg (2017) as Self
- Madoff (2016) as Bernie Madoff
- Zipper (2015) as George Hiller
- Your Family or Mine (2015) as Louis
- The Real History of Science Fiction (2014) as Self
- Caserta Palace Dream (2014) as Luigi Vanvitelli
- Squatters (2014) as David Silverman
- Paranoia (2013) as Frank Cassidy
- Very Good Girls (2013) as Danny
- Milius (2013) as Self
- Cas & Dylan (2013) as Dr. Cas Pepper
- Coma (2012) as Professor Hillside
- Casting By (2012) as Self
- Bubble Guppies (2011) as Captain Acrab
- The Two Million Year Old Boy (2011) as Narrator
- Parenthood (2010) as Gilliam T. Blount
- RED (2010) as Alexander Dunning
- Piranha 3D (2010) as Matthew Boyd
- Jaws: The Inside Story (2010) as Self
- Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009) as David 'Dave' Whiteman (archive footage)
- Leaves of Grass (2009) as Pug Rothbaum
- My Life in Ruins (2009) as Irv Gideon
- The Shark Is Still Working (2009) as Self
- The Lightkeepers (2009) as Seth
- American Renegade: Confessions of a Radical Humanist (2009) as Self
- I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale (2009) as Self
- W. (2008) as Dick Cheney
- America Betrayed (2008) as Narrator
- Tin Man (2007) as Mystic Man
- Spielberg on Spielberg (2007) as Self (archive footage)
- Ocean of Fear (2007) as Narrator
- AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition (2007) as Self
- The Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo (2007) as Self
- Poseidon (2006) as Richard Nelson
- Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters (2006) as Self
- The Dish on Dolls (2006) as Assistant Stage Manager (archive footage)
- Weeds (2005) as Warren Schiff
- The Reichen Show (2005) as Self
- The Adventures of Errol Flynn (2005) as Self - Actor
- Silver City (2004) as Chuck Raven
- Coast to Coast (2004) as Barnaby Pierce
- A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope (2004) as Narrator
- Teddy Roosevelt: An American Lion (2003) as Theodore Roosevelt
- Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003) as Self
- The Johnstown Flood (2003) as narrator
- The John Garfield Story (2003) as Self
- Manassas: End of Innocence (2002) as Narrator
- The Education of Max Bickford (2001) as Max Bickford
- R2-D2: Beneath the Dome (2001) as Self
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys (2001) as Scoop the Snowman (voice)
- The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001) as Alexander Haig
- Who Is Cletis Tout? (2001) as Micah Donnelly
- In Search of Peace (2001) as Yitzhak Rabin (voice)
- The Old Man Who Read Love Stories (2001) as Antonio Bolivar
- The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (2001) as Self
- The Crew (2000) as Bobby Bartellemeo / Narrator
- Walking the Tracks: The Summer of Stand by Me (2000) as Self
- Fail Safe (2000) as President
- Family Guy (1999) as Richard Dreyfuss / Narrator (voice)
- Family Guy (1999) as Richard Dreyfuss (voice)
- Where Are They Now? (1999) as Self
- Lansky (1999) as Meyer Lansky
- The Entertainment Biz (1998) as Self
- Krippendorf's Tribe (1998) as Prof. Krippendorf
- The Making of 'American Graffiti' (1998) as Self
- Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude (1998) as Narrator
- The View (1997) as Self
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1997)
- HARDtalk (1997)
- Night Falls on Manhattan (1997) as Sam Vigoda
- Frank Capra's American Dream (1997) as Self
- In the Teeth of Jaws (1997) as Self
- Oliver Twist (1997) as Fagin
- Oliver Twist (1997) Co-Producer
- Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero (1997) as Self
- The Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon (1997) as Narrator (voice)
- Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady (1997) as Self
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996) as Self - Guest
- James and the Giant Peach (1996) as Centipede (voice)
- Mad Dog Time (1996) as Vic
- The Universal Story (1996) as Self
- The Frank Skinner Show (1995) as Self
- The American President (1995) as Senator Rumson
- Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) as Glenn Holland
- The Last Word (1995) as Larry
- The Making of 'Jaws' (1995) as Self
- Present Tense, Past Perfect (1995) Director
- Quiz Show (1994) Executive Producer
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994) as Self
- Silent Fall (1994) as Dr. Jake Rainer
- It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein (1994) as Self
- Another Stakeout (1993) as Det. Chris Lecce
- Lost in Yonkers (1993) as Louie Kurnitz
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories (1992) as Narrator (voice)
- Lincoln (1992) as William Tecumsah Sherman (voice)
- What About Bob? (1991) as Dr. Leo Marvin
- Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1991) as The Player
- Once Around (1991) as Sam Sharpe
- Once Around (1991) Co-Producer
- Prisoner of Honor (1991) as Col. Picquart
- American Chronicles (1990) as narrator
- Postcards from the Edge (1990) as Dr. Frankenthal
- Always (1989) as Pete Sandich
- Let It Ride (1989) as Jay Trotter
- Moon Over Parador (1988) as Jack Noah
- Tin Men (1987) as Bill 'BB' Babowsky
- Stakeout (1987) as Det. Chris Lecce
- Citizen Steve (1987) as Jedediah
- Nuts (1987) as Aaron Levinsky
- James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987) as Self
- Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987) as Self
- Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987) Writer
- Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987) Producer
- Stand by Me (1986) as The Writer
- Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) as Dave Whiteman
- Night of 100 Stars II (1985) as Self
- The Buddy System (1984) as Joe
- Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981) as Ken Harrison
- The Competition (1980) as Paul Dietrich
- The Big Fix (1978) as Moses Wine
- The Big Fix (1978) Producer
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) as Roy Neary
- The Goodbye Girl (1977) as Elliot Garfield
- The Sentinel (1977) as Man on Sidewalk Talking to Girl in Red Sweater (uncredited)
- The Amazing Miss Cummings: An Actress at Work and Play (1977)
- The Making of 'The Goodbye Girl' (1977) as Self
- Victory at Entebbe (1976) as Colonel Yonatan 'Yonni' Netanyahu
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Jaws (1975) as Hooper
- Inserts (1975) as Boy Wonder
- New England Our Way (1974) as Self
- The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) as Duddy
- The Second Coming of Suzanne (1974) as Clavius
- American Graffiti (1973) as Curt Henderson
- Catch-22 (1973) as Yossarian
- Me (1973) as Greg
- Dillinger (1973) as Baby Face Nelson
- A Touch of Grace (1973)
- Two for the Money (1972) as Morris Gap
- The Shadow of a Gunman (1972) as Tommy Owen
- Great Performances (1971) as Self
- The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971) as Tony Injijikian
- Treffpunkte (1970) as Self
- Room 222 (1969)
- The New People (1969)
- Hello Down There (1969) as Harold Webster
- The Mod Squad (1968)
- The Young Runaways (1968) as Terry
- Judd, for the Defense (1967)
- The Graduate (1967) as Boarding House Resident (uncredited)
- The Second Hundred Years (1967) as Ben Jr.
- Valley of the Dolls (1967) as Assistant Stage Manager (uncredited)
- That Girl (1966)
- Felony Squad (1966)
- Hey Landlord! (1966)
- Occasional Wife (1966)
- The Big Valley (1965) as Lud
- Gidget (1965)
- Bewitched (1964)
- Karen (1964) as David Rowe III
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- Ben Casey (1961)
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Gearshon Gorofsky
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Killing Winston Jones as Winston Jones
- Happiness Isn't Everything as Jerry Hamburger
- Ocean of Fear as Narrator (voice)
- I Refuse to Kill: He Went to War with War as Self
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Richard Dreyfuss best known for?
Richard Dreyfuss is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Into the Deep (2025), Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life (2023), Murder at Yellowstone City (2022), Murder at Yellowstone City (2022).
When and where was Richard Dreyfuss born?
Richard Dreyfuss was born on October 29, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.
How many credits does Richard Dreyfuss have?
Richard Dreyfuss has accumulated over 199 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1953 to 2025.
What is Richard Dreyfuss's background in cinema and television?
Richard Dreyfuss is an American actor born on October 29, 1947. He has been active in film, television, and theater since the late 1960s. Dreyfuss has appeared in numerous films, including American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Stakeout, Always, What About Bob?, and Mr. Holland's...
Richard Dreyfuss by the numbers
199credits
146films
53TV series
1953–2025active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- HARDtalk (1997) — aged about 49
- Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (2018) as Self — aged about 70
- Occasional Wife (1966) — aged about 18
- Bewitched (1964) — aged about 16
- Stand by Me (1986) as The Writer — aged about 38
- Jaws (1975) as Hooper — aged about 27
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