Brian Dennehy of The Blacklist, countless other shows dead at 81

One of the most accomplished actors of the past five decades is no longer with us. Brian Dennehy, a stage and screen performer whose credits include First Blood, Hap and Leonard, Just Shoot Me!, and most recently The Blacklist, has passed away at the age of 81. Natural causes are being listed as the cause of death.

Dennehy is both a Tony and Golden Globe winner, a six-time Emmy nominee, and his talents extended through a number of different mediums. He was also one of the greatest character actors out there, where he would play so many memorable roles but not everyone would recognize him by name. This is a man who made guest appearances on such shows as The Good Wife, The West Wing, Miami Vice, Dynasty, and M*A*S*H — fantastic shows that lasted for multiple generations.

We remember Brian most these days because of his role on The Blacklist, where he brought such charisma and biting humor to the role of Dom, Elizabeth Keen’s grandfather and the father of Katarina Rostova. He was integral to a number of episodes over the past few seasons and had a memorable part earlier this season that left the character hospitalized with his fate uncertain. What the show chooses to do with the character remains to be seen, but what matters the most is the impact that Dennehy had on those who knew him. You can see a lovely tribute HERE from Amir Arison, who plays Aram on the series and has a history with the actor that dates back to his college graduation. It’s clear that having him be a part of the show was a gift.

New episodes of The Blacklist will continue to air Friday nights on NBC. We would not be surprised if one of them contains a tribute of some sort to Dennehy.

At this time, our thoughts and condolences go out to all who loved and cared for Dennehy in this difficult time.