Known for his grin, Quaid has appeared in both comedic and dramatic roles. He initially had trouble finding work but began to gain notice when he appeared in Breaking Away (1979) and earned good reviews for his role as astronaut Gordon Cooper in The Right Stuff (1983). Quaid dropped out of the University of Houston before graduating and moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career.

Dennis is the younger brother of actor Randy Quaid. He studied Mandarin and dance at Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas, and later in college, at the University of Houston, under drama coach Cecil Pickett, who had previously taught at Bellaire High and whose daughter is actress Cindy Pickett. Horn Elementary School in Bellaire, and Pershing Middle School in Houston. Through his father, Quaid is a first cousin, twice removed, of cowboy performer Gene Autry. Quaid has English, Irish, Scots-Irish, and Cajun (French) ancestry. ĭennis William Quaid was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Juanita Bonnie Dale 'Nita' ( née Jordan), a real estate agent, and William Rudy Quaid (Novem– February 8, 1987), an electrician. The Guardian named him one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination. For his role in Far from Heaven (2002), he won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor among other accolades. His other film credits include Any Given Sunday (1999), Traffic (2000), The Alamo (2004), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Flight of the Phoenix (2004), American Dreamz (2006), Battle for Terra (2007), G.I. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, some of his notable credits include Breaking Away (1979), The Right Stuff (1983), The Big Easy (1986), Innerspace (1987), Great Balls of Fire! (1989), Dragonheart (1996), The Parent Trap (1998), Frequency (2000), The Rookie (2002), In Good Company (2004), Yours, Mine & Ours (2005), and Vantage Point (2008). Gene Autry (first cousin twice removed)ĭennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for a wide variety of dramatic and comedic roles.

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