Richard Dreyfuss - Actor Profile

Richard Dreyfuss

Acting
Freshness: Jan 19, 2026
50Total Films
9.0 Highest Rated
Born: Oct 29, 1947
Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

About Richard Dreyfuss

Richard Dreyfuss (born October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He has starred in film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films 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. He has also won a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and was nominated in 2002 for Screen Actors Guild Awards in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries categories.

Career Statistics & Market Influence

Analyzing the cinematic journey of Richard Dreyfuss reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.

Genre Dominance: Documentary

The majority of Richard Dreyfuss's filmography leans towards the Documentary genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.

The "Box Office" Signature

With a 100% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Richard Dreyfuss remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.

Best Richard Dreyfuss Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Richard Dreyfuss's career based on audience ratings.

Complete Filmography & Success Status

Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Richard Dreyfuss.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2025 Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story Self Hit Similar →
2023 Sweetwater Maurice Podoloff Hit Similar →
2022 Nazis at Nuremberg: The Lost Testimony Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2020 Audrey Self - Actor Hit Similar →
2017 Spielberg Self Super Hit Similar →
2013 Milius Self Hit Similar →
2012 Casting By Self Hit Similar →
2010 RED Alexander Dunning Hit Similar →
2010 Jaws: The Inside Story Self Hit Similar →
2009 Waking Sleeping Beauty David 'Dave' Whiteman (archive footage) Hit Similar →
2009 The Shark Is Still Working Self Hit Similar →
2009 I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale Self Hit Similar →
2007 AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition Self Hit Similar →
2006 Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters Self Hit Similar →
2005 The Adventures of Errol Flynn Self - Actor Super Hit Similar →
2004 A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope Narrator Super Hit Similar →
2004 Coast to Coast Barnaby Pierce Hit Similar →
2003 Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood Self Hit Similar →
2003 The John Garfield Story Self Super Hit Similar →
2001 R2-D2: Beneath the Dome Self Hit Similar →
2001 In Search of Peace Yitzhak Rabin (voice) Hit Similar →
2001 The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' Self Hit Similar →
2001 The Old Man Who Read Love Stories Antonio Bolivar Hit Similar →
2000 Walking the Tracks: The Summer of Stand by Me Self Super Hit Similar →
2000 Fail Safe President Hit Similar →
1998 Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude Narrator Super Hit Similar →
1998 The Making of 'American Graffiti' Self Super Hit Similar →
1997 The Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
1997 Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady Self Super Hit Similar →
1997 In the Teeth of Jaws Self Super Hit Similar →
1996 The Universal Story Self Super Hit Similar →
1996 James and the Giant Peach Centipede (voice) Hit Similar →
1995 Mr. Holland's Opus Glenn Holland Hit Similar →
1995 The Making of 'Jaws' Self Hit Similar →
1995 The American President Senator Rumson Hit Similar →
1994 It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein Self Super Hit Similar →
1992 Lincoln William Tecumsah Sherman (voice) Hit Similar →
1991 What About Bob? Dr. Leo Marvin Hit Similar →
1991 Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead The Player Hit Similar →
1990 Postcards from the Edge Dr. Frankenthal Hit Similar →
1987 Stakeout Det. Chris Lecce Hit Similar →
1986 Stand by Me The Writer Super Hit Similar →
1985 Night of 100 Stars II Self Super Hit Similar →
1981 Whose Life Is It Anyway? Ken Harrison Hit Similar →
1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Roy Neary Hit Similar →
1977 The Goodbye Girl Elliot Garfield Hit Similar →
1975 Jaws Hooper Super Hit Similar →
1973 American Graffiti Curt Henderson Hit Similar →
1973 Dillinger Baby Face Nelson Hit Similar →
1967 The Graduate Boarding House Resident (uncredited) Super Hit Similar →

Richard Dreyfuss - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Richard Dreyfuss?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Richard Dreyfuss is "Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude" with a rating of 9.0/10.

How many movies has Richard Dreyfuss acted in?

Richard Dreyfuss has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Richard Dreyfuss?

Other notable films include "It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein", "In the Teeth of Jaws", and "Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady".