Richard Dreyfuss Movies

Want to know the best Richard Dreyfuss movies?  How about the worst Richard Dreyfuss movies?  Curious about Richard Dreyfuss box office grosses or which Richard Dreyfuss movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Richard Dreyfuss movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which got the worst reviews? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.

Richard Dreyfuss (1947-) is an Oscar® winning American actor….who has been appearing in motion pictures for over 50 years!   His IMDb page shows over 120 acting credits since 1964. This page ranks  Richard Dreyfuss movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, bit parts and his movies not released in North America theaters are not included in the rankings.

Drivel part of the page:  I have not met too many Oscar® winners in my lifetime…..but I did get to meet Mr. Richard Dreyfuss.  The place:  Old Dominion University ….Norfolk, Va.  The time:  March 25th, 2009. The situation:  Dreyfuss was the opening speaker at the 2009 ONFilm Festival of Independent Film.  After his talk….he took questions from the audience….and after that part was over… the audience was given the opportunity to meet Mr. Dreyfuss.  I of course took advantage of that opportunity….which is how I was lucky enough to get him to sign the Tin Men DVD cover shown in the first picture on this page.

Richard Dreyfuss starred in one of the biggest hits of all-time….1975’s Jaws

Richard Dreyfuss Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.

Richard Dreyfuss Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table

The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.

  • Sort Richard Dreyfuss movies by co-stars of his movies.
  • Sort Richard Dreyfuss movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort Richard Dreyfuss movies by yearly domestic box office rank
  • Sort Richard Dreyfuss movies how they were received by critics and audiences.  60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
  • Sort by how many Oscar® nominations each Richard Dreyfuss movie received and how many Oscar® wins each Richard Dreyfuss movie won.
  • Sort Richard Dreyfuss movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score.  UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
  • Use the search and sort button to make this page very interactive.
Richard Dreyfuss in 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Possibly Interesting Facts About Richard Dreyfuss

1. Richard Steven Dreyfuss was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1947.

2. Richard Dreyfuss auditioned for the role as one of the Von Trapp children in 1965’s The Sound of Music.  The fact that he cannot dance really hurt his chances of getting that role.

3. One of Richard Dreyfuss’ first IMDb credits is his brief appearance in 1967’s The Graduate.

4. Richard Dreyfuss starred in 4 of the Top 100 Adjusted Box Office Hits of All-Time.  Even more amazing is the fact that he did it during a 4 year period….1973 to 1977.  Those 4 movies:  1973’s American Graffiti, 1975’s Jaws, 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and 1977’s The Goodbye Girl.

5. During the filming of 1975’s Jaws…. Robert Shaw could not stand Richard Dreyfuss and the two argued all the time, which resulted in some good tension between Hooper and Quint.

6. Richard Drefuss got his role as Roy Neary in 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind after Al Pacino and Gene Hackman turned down the role.

7.  Richard Dreyfuss has appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar®: 1973’s American Graffiti, 1975’s Jaws and 1977’s The Goodbye Girl.

8. Richard Dreyfuss won the Best Actor Oscar® for 1977’s The Goodbye Girl.  At the time of his win…he was the youngest actor (he was 30) to win this award. That record has since been beaten.

9. Richard Dreyfuss is one of five actors to appear in films directed by both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.  The other 4? Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Christopher Lee and Samuel L. Jackson.

10. Richard Dreyfuss has  been married three times and has three children.

Check out Richard Dreyfuss’ career compared to current and classic actors.  Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.

Despite in taking over 5 years to write a Richard Dreyfuss UMR page….he is actually one of my favorite actors (I have seen 40 of the 46 movies listed here)….so I felt I should list my personal Top 10 Richard Dreyfuss movies in alphabetical order.

  • American Graffiti (1973)….what a cast….and what a fun movie to watch….the success of this movie helped the Star Wars universe get launched
  • The American President (1995)….this is one of my wife’s favorite all-time movies…so I watch it a lot….but it is always entertaining
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)….saw this in theaters with my dad a few times….still a fun movie to watch
  • Jaws (1975)…simply one of the best movies ever made!
  • Let It Ride (1989)….this was a huge flop for Dreyfuss….but I love the movie…it is funny and Dreyfuss is great in the lead role…plus you get Dreyfuss and Teri Garr as a married couple….which is a Close Encounters reunion
  • Lost in Yonkers (1993)….Dreyfuss’ return to the world of Neil Simon was not nearly as successful as their The Goodbye Girl….but Dreyfuss is a blast to watch in this one
  • Stakeout (1987)….great chemistry between Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez….this was a hit…..and yet somehow it seems forgotten in time
  • Stand By Me (1986)…Dreyfuss did this small part as a favor to his childhood friend, Rob Reiner.  This is one entertaining movie.
  • Tin Men (1987)….loved this movie when I saw in theaters….and I still love it all of these years later….DeVito and Dreyfuss are awesome in this movie
  • Who Is Cletis Tout? (2002)….actually the reason I like this movie so much has nothing to do with Dreyfuss…..but all to do with Tim Allen’s movie loving hitman Critical Jim…..a movie all movie buffs will like

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36 thoughts on “Richard Dreyfuss Movies”

  1. Thanks for another pretty modern star. Granted the man is almost 70; but I will take it. Jaws is a movie I can watch over and over. I think Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind is ok but somewhat slow. Other ones I have enjoyed include Always, Once Around and Mr. Holland’s Opus.

    Reply

    1. Hey Helakoski….you are welcome…gotta keep you happy….lol. I agree Jaws is one that can be watched over and over. Son #2 was also not too impressed with Close Encounters either. I just watched huge parts with my little girls (7 and 10) and they loved it. Always is pretty good…..I remember liking Once Around…though the ending was sort of a bummer. Mr. Holland’s Opus has turned out to be his last leading role box office hit…not to mention his last Oscar nomination. Thanks for the information and visit.

      Reply

  2. Wow you have been busy since YESTERDAY. What is this 10 new pages in a day? Crazy but I like it. So let’s start with Dreyfuss. Love him in Jaws and Close Encounter of the Third Kind. Never really been a fan of American Graffati. I did not realize that The Goodbye Girl was such a huge hit.

    Of the Top Personal Ten you listed, I would say Tin Men and Stand By Me are my favorites. Along with Jaws and Close Encounters. Never even heard of Who Is Cletis Tout? but you have me curious now. Nice one!

    Reply

    1. Hey SteinHOF…..yep I have been a little busy….although looks can be deceiving….the Dreyfuss page had most of his movies completed and just sitting in my database…..the 5 pages associated with The Battle of the Legends…were pretty much cut and paste….with very little research….and the Donald Trump only required research on 5 movies.

      Sorry you do not American Graffiti….it has always had a place in my heart….with the association with Happy Days and an early Harrison Ford. The Goodbye Girl was a massive hit….the 28th biggest hit of the entire 1970s decade…which is when the term “blockbuster” first started showing up.

      Tin Men and Stand By Me are excellent movies. I think you will like Who Is Cletis Tout? Tim Allen is awesome in that movie….thanks for the Dreyfuss visit and comment.

      Reply

  3. Hey Bruce, I’m surprised it took you this long to do a page on Richard Dreyfuss considering you’re such a fan and met the great man himself. When I saw the link at the top I thought you were merely updating Dreyfuss page.

    Signed DVD of Tin Men, an instant collector’s item, put it somewhere safe. I’m sure I’ve watched that film on video ages ago. but I don’t have it on DVD.

    I’ve seen 16 of the 46 films listed. I expected more. Dreyfuss has starred in two of my all time favorite films – Jaws & Close Encounters – which along with Raiders of the Lost Ark are my three favorite Spielberg films.

    Other Dreyfuss favorites – Stakeout, American Graffiti and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

    I still have not seen – Mr. Holland’s Opus, The Goodbye Girl and The American President.

    Thanks to his Oscar win The Goodbye Girl tops the UMR chart, okay that’s important but what about the box office power of Jaws, the critics liked it and that was nominated for Best Picture too, maybe that should have been at no.1 instead. I’ll go with the critics chart on this one.

    I’m a big fan of Hackman and Pacino but I’m glad Dreyfuss got the Roy Neary part in Close Encounters.

    Another excellent movie page Bruce. Vote Up!

    Reply

    1. Hey Steve
      1. Yeah I am not sure why I did not do the page sooner…..it was kind of like Michael Biehn…maybe it is because I spend so much time doing requests……but Biehn and Dreyfuss were easily two of my favorites in the 1980s.
      2. Well…my 40 Dreyfuss movies does trump your 16….actually I have seen 8 of them in theaters….and that does not include the multiple Close Encounters trips to the theater….I remember watching the extended edition in theaters….and could not believe that got my dad to pay again for that 2 minutes of extra footage.
      3. My Tin Men autograph is proudly hanging on my autograph wall….and it will be there for a very long time.
      4. I think you would like The American President….Mr. Holland’s Opus is good….but not great…..and The Goodbye Girl was ok….but I like his role in Lost in Yonkers more (both Neil Simon screenplays).
      5. The Goodbye Girl was a massive hit….in the entire 1970s….it was the 28th biggest hit of the decade….barely trailing The Poseideon Adventure, Rocky 2 and Blazing Saddles…but ahead of monster hits like Alien, Airplane, Young Frankenstein and Any Which Way You Can. It might be the most successful romantic comedy of all-time…..plus it got him the Oscar….hard to argue why it is number one.
      6. His American Graffiti was 20th, Close Enconters 8th and Jaws 3rd….so 28th is right there with his monster hits.
      7. Yeah…watching Pacino stacking mash potatoes might not have been much fun….lol.
      Thanks as always for the visit and the comment.

      Reply

  4. I saw him on Broadway in Death and the Maiden with Gene Hackman and Glenn Close. They made it into a movie that didn’t do much of anything with Sigourney Weaver, 2 Oscar winners in one show. I’ve also seen Geraldine Page, Kevin Kline and Lila Kedrova (Zorba the Greek) on the stage. There may be someone else but I’m old , my memory’s not as sharp.

    Reply

    1. Hey Dan….very cool that you got to see Hackman, Close and Dreyfuss on stage. I have seen nobody of the famous nature on stage….then again my stage viewings have been few and far between. I think your memory is holding up…most excellently….said in my best Keanu Reeves voice. 🙂

      Reply

      1. Before I was at BMI I was a dispatcher at a messenger service (you can e-mail most stuff). In that job I talked to Holly Hunter on the phone once. The head office gave her the wrong office to call, so she spoke to me. She was awaiting blueprints for an apartment in Manhattan. Don’t know if she ever bought it or even actually ever lived in the city. You know her cousin is Tim Salmon who played for the Angels.

        Richard Dreyfuss connects to George Arliss in 2 steps. Richard worked with John Carradine in The Sentinel and he in turn with Arliss in Cardinal Richelieu. I would think Carradine would still rate higher than Dreyfuss but he’s off the list.

        Reply

        1. Hey Dan…..very cool about your phone conversation with Holly Hunter. I have met 3 Oscar winners….Ernest Borgnine, Kim Basinger and Richard Dreyfuss…..Basinger was not an Oscar winner when I met her….but the other two were.

          Very cool that she is related to Tim Salmon.

          Good old George…..seems he is connected to a lot of people. I imagine John Carradine is a popular bridge…..lol.

          Reply

          1. I think the most connected people currently usually have worked with 1 old timer at some point that connects them to a lot of people. I don’t know any Indian or Italian or Japanese stars of the old days so they may be more difficult with some of them modern guys. Never met personally on the street or at an event any Oscar winners. In the same job I talked to Ingrid Bergman’s daughter, Pia Lindstrom who at the time was a news anchor at local WNBC New York. One of my messengers found her wallet/purse on the street and we called her up so he could return it. One messenger born in India delivered to Katherine Hepburn, she let him in her apartment and she signed for it. He had no idea who she was.

          2. Hey Dan….thanks for sharing those stories…I like hearing stuff like that. I hope Alec Baldwin will win an Oscar so my Oscar winners met will be 4…..because he was with Basinger when I met her. Pia is almost a forgotten daughter compared to her sister Isabella. 🙂

  5. I like you have been a Dreyfuss fan for years. Jaws was a game changer for me. That movie scared and fascinated me like no other movie before or since. I remember how disappointed I was when he had his drug issues in the early 1980s. Luckily he was able to bounce back from that and make some more quality movies but he never matched his 1970s decade. His peak was easily 1977-78 when he was the 3rd most popular star working and an Academy Award winner.

    The Goodbye Girl was a tremendous hit. Of the blockbusters of the 1970s this one has had no staying power. I guess Simon, Dreyfuss and Shakespeare are not popular with young people today.

    I like your Top Ten. I have seen them all and I have enjoyed most of them. The exception would be Let It Ride. Did not like that one very much. Wonderful page, story I got so long winded but this actor gets me talking.

    Reply

    1. Hey Troutman…..sounds like Jaws was to you what Raiders of the Lost Ark was to me. I never looked at movies the same after watching that movie. Good information to know.

      As for Dreyfuss’ drug issues….I am sure it was disappointing….but like you I am happy he got his life back together.

      I agree The Goodbye Girl has not had a very lasting impact.

      Sorry you did not like Let It Ride…..but we can’t agree on everything.

      I enjoyed your comment…..so you can get as longwinded as you like.

      Reply

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