Richard Dreyfuss

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Oct. 29, 1947, Richard Dreyfuss did extensive theatre work before breaking into small television roles. In 1967, he made his film debut with bit parts in The Graduate and Valley of the Dolls, and a major role in The Young Runaways (1968) followed. But his breakthrough role wouldn't come until 1973, when he portrayed sensitive high school graduate Curt Henderson in the nostalgia hit American Graffiti.

Next came roles in back-to-back mega-hits for Steven Spielberg -- Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Dreyfuss also was memorable as fidgety actor Elliot Garfield in The Goodbye Girl, a role that made him one of the youngest Best Actor Oscar winners in history. He was nominated again for Mr. Holland's Opus (1995).

Dreyfuss's other films include Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Stakeout, What About Bob?, Krippendorf's Tribe and Silver City.

Filmography