Actor Brian Dennehy Was First Married to Judith Scheff

Movie, television and stage actor Brian Dennehy died on Wednesday, April 15, at the age of 81. Dennehy is known for roles in movies such as Tommy Boy, Cocoon and First Blood, as well as shows To Catch a Killer, and Death of a Salesman.

His daughter, Elizabeth Dennehy confirmed the news on her social media. He died of natural causes, and his daughter clarified that it wasn’t related to the coronavirus pandemic.

She posted:

She said, “It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian passed away last night from natural causes, not Covid-related. Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife Jennifer, family and many friends.”

Elizabeth is the daughter of Brian and his first wife, Judith Scheff. Scheff passed away at the age of 74 on November 16, 2015 after a brief illness.

Here’s what you need to know about Judith Scheff:

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2. Scheff & Dennehy Were Married From 1959 to 1974

   Dennehy and Scheff tied the knot in 1959, and were married to until 1974. They had three kids together, Elizabeth, Kathleen and Deirdre. Their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, became an actress herself, and she has starred in TV shows such as Guiding Light and Seinfeld.

   After Judith split from Dennehy, she remarried a federal judge, Gregory W. Carman, on August 26, 1994. Carman himself recently died on April 5, 2020. 

She Was a Dedicated Mother to 3 Kids & Grandmother

Judith was a mother to three kids and four step-children, and a grandmother to 16. After Scheff’s death, Elizabeth said to News Day,”She lost her mother when she was 16 years old, but she always wanted to be a mom we would remember. She always put other people’s needs before her own.”

Kathleen said, “She was as strong as an ox and she pushed herself. Eventually to her detriment,” and that “she just never stopped moving.”

According to News Day, Scheff would drive her kids 45 minutes to school and back from their house in West Gilgo Beach in New York. She would also drive hours and past state lines to see any of her grandchildren perform in a show.

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