Dennis Quaid
Birthday:
Birthplace:
Houston, Texas, USA
Handsome, well-built and able to communicate a rangy sort of charm in front of the camera, Dennis Quaid possesses many star qualities. Despite attaining heartthrob status for his work in such films as The Big Easy, however, Quaid has had a difficult time maintaining this status, thanks in part to work in a number of films that have failed to fully exploit his talent.The son of an electrician and younger brother of actor Randy Quaid, Dennis was born in Houston, Texas on April 9, 1954. He began acting in high school, and in college he enrolled in a drama program. He dropped out at the age of 20 to follow his brother to Hollywood and spent the next year mired in rejection and relative unemployment. He got his first break in 1977 when he was cast in minor roles in I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and 9/30/55, but it was not until 1979, when he starred in the seminal coming-of-age drama Breaking Away, that Quaid gained attention. It was his role as astronaut Gordo Cooper in The Right Stuff four years later that finally gave the actor his Hollywood breakthrough. He subsequently went on to appear in a number of films of widely varying quality. 1987 proved to be a particularly good year for Quaid, as he did acclaimed work in The Big Easy and Suspect. That same year, he also starred in the comedy Innerspace; that experience proved to be an auspicious one, as it provided him with an introduction to co-star Meg Ryan, whom he would marry in 1991. The two also starred together in the 1988 mystery D.O.A. and in the crime drama Flesh and Bone in 1993. Other notable roles for Quaid included that of wild man Jerry Lee Lewis in Great Balls of Fire (1989), a 1930s union organizer in Come See the Paradise (1990), and Meryl Streep's love interest in Postcards From the Edge (1990). During a large part of the '90s, Quaid starred in a string of disappointing films, including the disastrous Wyatt Earp (1994) and the failed medieval fantasy Dragonheart (1996). He made something of a comeback in 1998, appearing in the ensemble film Playing By Heart and the successful remake of The Parent Trap, in which he starred opposite Natasha Richardson. The following year, he had a starring role as a Miami football team's legendary quarterback in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday, and then starred in the supernatural thriller Frequency (2000) as a dead man who is able to communicate with his son (James Caviezel) over ham radio. Though both films proved moderately successful, it was two-years-later that Quaid would truly return to the good graces of critics with his striking turn in director Todd Haynes' Far From Heaven. As a closeted homosexual husband living a typical suburban dream in 1950s era Connecticut, Quaid's sensitive performance proved integral to convincingly recreating the tone of a Douglas Sirk era melodrama. Quaid portrayed a middle-aged man whose life is turned upside-down by the arrival of a young upstart who takes over his job in 2004's comedy drama Good Company, and appeared in The Alamo and Flight of the Phoenix the same year. Despite Quaid's involvement in several commercial and critical failures throughout the 2000s (The Day After Tomorrow, American Dreamz, Cold Creek Manor), the actor shone as widower Lawrence Wetherhold in Smart People (2008), and again as the stern Reverend Shaw Moore in 2011's Footloose reboot. Quaid appeared in the ensemble film What To Expect When You're Expecting, had a supporting role in the 2012 romcom Playing for Keeps and was in the anthology film Movie 43 (2013).
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
MOVIES
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | BOX OFFICE | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | Born a Champion |
|
— | 2021 |
80% | John Bronco |
|
— | 2020 |
41% | Midway |
|
— | 2019 |
20% | Pretenders |
|
— | 2019 |
50% | A Dog's Journey |
|
— | 2019 |
33% | The Intruder |
|
— | 2019 |
No Score Yet | Elvis Unleashed |
|
— | 2019 |
No Score Yet | L'Intrus |
|
— | 2019 |
34% | Kin |
|
— | 2018 |
63% | I Can Only Imagine |
|
— | 2018 |
No Score Yet | La canción de mi padre |
|
— | 2018 |
35% | A Dog's Purpose |
|
$64.4M | 2017 |
63% | Truth |
|
$1.6M | 2015 |
51% | At Any Price |
|
$0.3M | 2013 |
4% | Playing for Keeps |
|
$13.1M | 2012 |
24% | The Words |
|
$11.5M | 2012 |
23% | What to Expect When You're Expecting |
|
$41.2M | 2012 |
4% | Beneath The Darkness |
|
— | 2012 |
68% | Footloose |
|
$51.8M | 2011 |
45% | Soul Surfer |
|
$43.9M | 2011 |
83% | The Special Relationship |
|
$0.2M | 2010 |
19% | Legion |
|
$40.2M | 2010 |
29% | Pandorum |
|
$10.3M | 2009 |
34% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra |
|
$150.2M | 2009 |
48% | Battle For Terra |
|
$1.7M | 2009 |
33% | Horsemen |
|
— | 2009 |
62% | The Express |
|
$9.6M | 2008 |
50% | Smart People |
|
$9.5M | 2008 |
75% | Meat Loaf: In Search of Paradise |
|
— | 2008 |
34% | Vantage Point |
|
$72.3M | 2008 |
38% | American Dreamz |
|
$7.2M | 2006 |
6% | Yours, Mine & Ours |
|
$53.4M | 2005 |
83% | In Good Company |
|
$45.5M | 2004 |
30% | Flight of the Phoenix |
|
$21M | 2004 |
45% | The Day After Tomorrow |
|
$186.6M | 2004 |
29% | The Alamo |
|
$22.4M | 2004 |
No Score Yet | The Alamo Documentary: A True Story of Courage |
|
— | 2004 |
12% | Cold Creek Manor |
|
— | 2003 |
87% | Far From Heaven |
|
$15.9M | 2003 |
84% | The Rookie |
|
$75.5M | 2002 |
No Score Yet | Fighting for Freedom: Revolution & Civil War |
|
— | 2002 |
90% | Dinner with Friends |
|
— | 2001 |
92% | Traffic |
|
$123.9M | 2000 |
70% | Frequency |
|
— | 2000 |
52% | Any Given Sunday |
|
— | 1999 |
60% | Playing by Heart |
|
— | 1998 |
56% | Savior |
|
— | 1998 |
86% | The Parent Trap |
|
— | 1998 |
No Score Yet | Everything That Rises |
|
— | 1998 |
32% | Switchback |
|
— | 1997 |
53% | Gang Related |
|
— | 1997 |
50% | Dragonheart |
|
— | 1996 |
39% | Something to Talk About |
|
— | 1995 |
46% | Wyatt Earp |
|
— | 1994 |
68% | Flesh And Bone |
|
— | 1993 |
37% | Undercover Blues |
|
— | 1993 |
25% | Wilder Napalm |
|
— | 1993 |
84% | Postcards from the Edge |
|
— | 1990 |
64% | Come See the Paradise |
|
— | 1990 |
63% | Great Balls of Fire |
|
— | 1989 |
No Score Yet | Neville Brothers - Tell It Like It Is |
|
— | 1989 |
42% | Everybody's All-American |
|
— | 1988 |
58% | D.O.A. |
|
— | 1988 |
67% | Suspect |
|
— | 1987 |
89% | The Big Easy |
|
— | 1987 |
82% | Innerspace |
|
— | 1987 |
63% | Enemy Mine |
|
— | 1985 |
77% | Dreamscape |
|
— | 1984 |
No Score Yet | Bill: On His Own |
|
— | 1983 |
96% | The Right Stuff |
|
— | 1983 |
12% | Jaws 3 |
|
— | 1983 |
No Score Yet | Tough Enough |
|
— | 1983 |
No Score Yet | Johnny Belinda |
|
— | 1982 |
No Score Yet | Bill |
|
— | 1981 |
0% | Heartbeeps |
|
— | 1981 |
No Score Yet | The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia |
|
— | 1981 |
28% | Caveman |
|
— | 1981 |
33% | All Night Long |
|
— | 1981 |
No Score Yet | GORP |
|
— | 1980 |
83% | The Long Riders |
|
— | 1980 |
95% | Breaking Away |
|
— | 1979 |
No Score Yet | Are You in the House Alone? |
|
— | 1978 |
No Score Yet | The Seniors |
|
— | 1978 |
No Score Yet | September 30, 1955 |
|
— | 1977 |
No Score Yet | I Never Promised You A Rose Garden |
|
— | 1977 |
TV
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
33% |
Merry Happy Whatever
2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Jimmy Kimmel Live
2003
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Talk
2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen
2009
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Drunk History
2013
|
|
|
84% |
Fortitude
2015-2018
|
|
|
41% |
Chelsea
2016-2017
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Conan
2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Sunday Morning
2011-2018
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Today
2017-2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
2015
|
|
|
30% |
The Art of More
2015-2016
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Late Late Show With James Corden
2015
|
|
|
86% |
Inside Amy Schumer
2013-2016
|
|
|
98% |
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Chew
2011-2018
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Wendy Williams Show
2008-2020
|
|
|
67% |
Vegas
2012-2013
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Late Show With David Letterman
1993-2015
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
2009-2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Bonnie Hunt Show
2008-2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
60 Minutes
1992
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
1999-2015
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
America's Next Top Model
2003-2018
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Dr. Phil
2002
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
American Experience
1988
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
1992-2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Saturday Night Live
1975
|
|
|
Quotes from Dennis Quaid's Characters
Kathleen Riley: | Does my hair look brown to you? |
Eddie Sanger: | You asked me what color your hair was. I thought you wanted the real color. |
Kathleen Riley: | Does my hair look brown to you? |
Eddie Sanger: | You asked me what color your hair was. I thought you wanted the real color. |
Cathy Whitaker: | I don't understand. |
Frank Whitaker: | I don't understand either. |
Clay Hammond: | You have to choose between life and fiction. The two are very close, but they never actually touch. They're two very, very different things. |
Morgan Earp: | I say that we just kill 'em all. |
Doc Holliday: | You know, Morg. Wyatt is my friend, but I believe that I'm beginning to love you. |
Doc Holliday: | All of you can kiss my rebel dick. |
Doc Holliday: | Wyatt Earp? I've heard that name before. Don't know where, but it wasn't good. |
Wyatt Earp: | Wyatt, you're still a marshal around here, aren't you? |
Doc Holliday: | Sure. But now he's gonna be a marshal and an outlaw. Best of both worlds, son. |
Davidge: | And when, in the fullness of time, when Zammis brought its own child before the Holy Coucil, the name of Willis Davidge was added to the Line of Jereeba. |
Doc Holliday: | What do you wanna do? |
Wyatt Earp: | Kill them all. |
Wyatt Earp: | You've been a good friend to me, Doc. |
Doc Holliday: | Shut up. |
Ariel: | Oh, stop it! I hate it when you treat me like I'm a child! |
Rev. Shaw Moore: | Well whether you like it or not, you are my child! |
Ariel: | I'm not even a virgin!!!! |
Ariel: | I'm not even a virgin! |
Rev. Shaw Moore: | Please, don't talk like that-- |
Rev. Shaw Moore: | Please, don't talk like that. |
Ariel: | Why. what are you gonna do, pass another law? Because that sure as hell didn't keep him out of my panties! |
Ariel: | Bobby spent his whole life trying to make you proud. Now nobody remembers the good things about him! All they remember is that damn accident! |
Rev. Shaw Moore: | You will lower your voice and speak in a civil tone-- |
Ariel: | WHY?!?! Isn't this my church, where I'm supposed to talk about my problems? It's been 3 damn years, so why don't we start talking? I have been so lost. I've been losing my mind, and you don't even see it! You don't even care! |
Ely Vaughn: | "Stairs can be very dangerous....most accidents happen in the home!" |
Ely Vaughn: | Stairs can be very dangerous... most accidents happen in the home! |
Jerry Lee Lewis: | "If I'm going to hell, I'm going there playin the piano." |
Jerry Lee Lewis: | If I'm going to hell, I'm going there playin the piano. |
Davidge: | Zammis get four five? |
Carl: | Take it for a spin. |
"Draco": | You must have hated us very much. |
Bowen: | I only hated one of you. These I killed because I wanted to kill him. But I never found and I never will. Since you're the last, he must be dead. |
"Draco": | Tell me, what was he like, this dragon you hated? |
Bowen: | He only had half a heart, but even that was enough to pollute an innocent boy. |
"Draco": | Einon was no innocent! HE polluted the heart! |
Bowen: | How do you know that? How do you know that, dragon? |
"Draco": | [trying to carefully choose his words] All dragons know that story. What was to be their hope became their doom; a spoiled ungrateful child was given a great gift and destroyed it! |
Bowen: | No! I knew Einon. I was his mentor, I taught him the ways of right of honor. |
"Draco": | Then he betrayed you just as he did the dragon whose heart he broke. |
Bowen: | That's a lie, dragon! |
"Draco": | STOP CALLING ME DRAGON! I have a name. |
Bowen: | Well what is it? |
"Draco": | It's impossible to pronounce it in your tongue. |
Bowen: | Try me. |
"Draco": | It's... [a fiery pain in his left shoulder sends him to the ground] |
Jack Hall: | Professor, it's time you got out of there. |
Terry Rapson: | I'm afraid that time has come and gone, my friend. |
Jack Hall: | What can we do? |
Terry Rapson: | Save as many as you can. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | No one else dies! |
Ramsey: | You don't know love until you wiped someone's ass. |
Bowen: | [teaching Gilbert to archer] Draw your bow, sight along the arrow, release! [releases the arrow, arrow sticks in the dummy's head] |
Hewe: | Beginner's luck. Try again! |
Bowen: | Steady... [releases the arrow, arrow sticks in the wooden dummy's crotch] [impressed, laughing] Brother Gilbert, you're a natural! |
Bowen: | [the villagers pelt Kara when she alls for rebellion] Why waste good food on bad rhetoric? |
Gilbert: | [Bowen has just pretended to kill Draco for a second time] Well done, Bowen! You've done it again! What a brute! That's even bigger than the last one! |
Bowen: | Actually, he's about the same size. |
Bowen: | And now, Draco, without you, what do we do? Where do we turn? |
"Draco": | [rising] To the stars, Bowen. To the stars. |
Elliott: | I'm glad you finally see the light, Mr. Towns. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | Let's get one thing strait: I'm not taking orders from you. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | I'd do anything to avoid another "hopes and dreams" speech. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | I'd do anything to avoid another 'hopes and dreams' speech. |
AJ: | Checklist? |
Capt. Frank Towns: | Go ahead, buddy. |
AJ: | Seatbelts? |
Capt. Frank Towns: | I always like to have a little something strapped to my lap. Check. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | The longer we wait, the better chance we have of someone spotting us. |
Elliott: | (shoots injured smuggler) Well, that settles that. |
Elliott: | [shoots injured smuggler] Well, that settles that. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | What the h*ll is the matter with you?! |
Elliott: | Oh, shut up. He would have lasted three days, drinking all of our water. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | You murdered him, *sshole! |
Elliott: | No, no, no. The great Captain Towns murdered him. In his infinite wisdom, he told you to go out there, and I told you not to! And now, we're one man short! You made the wrong decisions! You could have killed us all, again! I told you the plane was too heavy! |
Capt. Frank Towns: | If we turned back we would have had to refuel! You remember! |
Elliott: | If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here at all! |
Capt. Frank Towns: | (punches Elliot) Get up! |
Capt. Frank Towns: | [punches Elliot] Get up! |
Jeremy: | Screw this. I'm outta here! |
Ian: | I'm coming with you. And I'm taking some water. |
Capt. Frank Towns: | No one touches the water! |
Rodney: | Hang on, what's going on here? |
Ian: | What's it look like? (walks away with the water) |
Ian: | What's it look like? [walks away with the water] |
Capt. Frank Towns: | Hey! Get back here! |
Ramsey: | There's no blanks in this pistol. |
Tom Hamilton: | I don't need easy. I just need possible. |
Rev. Shaw Moore: | I don't want you to see that boy again |
Rev. Shaw Moore: | I don't want you to see that boy again. |
Jack Hall: | Where's the library? |
J. D.: | It's supposed to be...right here. (looking at frozen town) |
J. D.: | It's supposed to be... right here. [looking at frozen town] |
Bethany Hamilton: | Go ahead, tell me how everything's going to be okay. |
Tom Hamilton: | Yea that's me Mr. jump-right-in-and-fix-it, maybe I should just keep my mouth shut for once |
Tom Hamilton: | Yea that's me Mr. jump-right-in-and-fix-it, maybe I should just keep my mouth shut for once. |
Bethany Hamilton: | I'm done, aren't I? I can't even paddle out to the line up passed the big waves...I don't understand..what happened to..I can do all things. Why? Why did this happen? Why did I have to lose everything? |
Bethany Hamilton: | I'm done, aren't I? I can't even paddle out to the line up passed the big waves. I don't understand, what happened to... I can do all things. Why? Why did this happen? Why did I have to lose everything? |
Tom Hamilton: | You didn't lose everything Bethany, not even close. That shark didn't kill you, you're here, you're alive, you have your family. |
Bethany Hamilton: | But what am I suppose to do now? |
Tom Hamilton: | I don't know... |
Bethany Hamilton: | Then how am I suppose to know? |
Tom Hamilton: | When the times right you'll know. You just have to listen. |
Bethany Hamilton: | Listen for what? |
Tom Hamilton: | For whatever comes next. |
Tom Hamilton: | What is it that I'm not hearing? |
Cheri Hamilton: | You can't just fix everything just by shear will |
Cheri Hamilton: | You can't just fix everything just by shear will. |
Tom Hamilton: | If she gives up, she will never get back into the water and she will never be the same. |
Cheri Hamilton: | She will never be the same, and if she thinks surfing is the only life out there and she can't make that happen then she's going to be lost, really really lost |
Cheri Hamilton: | She will never be the same, and if she thinks surfing is the only life out there and she can't make that happen then she's going to be lost, really really lost. |
Jack Hall: | [on the phone to Sam] I will come for you, do you understand me? I will come for you. |
General Hawk: | Technically, G.I. Joe does not exist, but if it did, it'd be comprised of the top men and women from the top military units in the world, the alpha dog's. When all else fails, we don't. |
Lt. Payton: | We're not out on the belt collecting data. And we're not hauling cargo. We *are* the cargo. |
Lt. Payton: | I can't remember any of my life before this flight began. |