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Dennis Quaid        

Actor / Patient Safety Advocate

With over 30 years of professional acting experience, Dennis Quaid has established himself as a fixture on the silver screen. He has received honors from the New York Film Critics Circle, Independent Spirit Awards, the Emmys, and the Screen Actor's Guild. His emotional role in Far from Heaven, as a closeted homosexual in 1950s New York, was lauded by critics and earned him a Golden Globe nomination. In 2005 Quaid's impressive career yielded him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Quaid's roles have run the gamut from dramatic (The Day After Tomorrow and Vantage Point) to satirical (American Dreamz). He co-starred in The Express, the true life story of Ernie Davis, the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy, portraying Davis' football coach at Syracuse University. Quaid played the role of "General Hawk" in G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra, a screen adaptation of the popular 1980s cartoon show about an elite military unit comprised of special operatives.

Talented both in front of and behind the camera, Quaid had his directorial debut in 1998. His television film, Everything That Rises, is the story of a Wyoming man's struggle to hold onto the land passed down through generations which takes on a new poignancy when his son is critically injured in an auto accident.

A true triple threat, Quaid showcased his musical talents in the films The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, Tough Enough, and Great Balls of Fire.

Outside of his entertainment career, Quad has become a devout advocate for improving patient safety in healthcare. After his newborn twins were mistakenly given 1,000 times the recommended concentration of the blood thinner heparin, Quaid launched a foundation devoted to reducing medication errors.

Quaid began acting in high school, and has since become one of the most established names in the industry. With every role he plays, he upholds his status as one of the most charismatic actors of our time.

Speech Topics


An Evening with Dennis Quaid

A Hard Look at the Integrity of Our Nation's Healthcare System

A medication error changed the lives of actor Dennis Quaid and his wife, Kimberly. Twice over an eight-hour period, their newborn twins received 1,000 times the recommended concentration of the blood thinner heparin. Quaid has since become an active advocate for patient safety and integrity in healthcare. His children recovered and are now at home, thriving. But the error led the Quaids to launch a foundation devoted to improving patient safety and reducing medication errors. He speaks about this frightening experience and what good he and his wife hope will come of it.

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