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Richard Dreyfuss        

Academy Award-Winning Actor

Richard Dreyfuss has built a career in American theatre and films over the course of 45 years, securing his reputation as a versatile and individualistic actor. Early in his acting career, he made his film debut with a small, uncredited role in The Graduate and had a breakout role in American Graffiti. His roles in Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind further solidified his success.

Dreyfuss won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1977 for his performance in The Goodbye Girl, making him the youngest actor to win at the age of 30. This achievement was later followed by an Oscar nomination for his performance in Mr. Holland’s Opus in 1995. Throughout his career, he appeared in many notable films of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s and received various honors, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. He also made a noteworthy appearance in Apple's iconic 'Think Different' campaign commercials.

As a committed community leader, Dreyfuss's current focus and passion are to encourage, revive, elevate, and enhance the teaching of civics in American Schools. His commitment to this cause is evident in his role as the Founder of the non-profit organization, The Dreyfuss Civics Initiative, and his active participation in discussions on the topic, including appearances on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" and speaking at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. In addition, he has served on the committee for Education with the American Bar Association, spent 12 years on the Board of the National Constitution Center, is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and has served as a Senior Research Advisory Member of St. Antony's College, Oxford University.

In addition to his film career, Dreyfuss has also dabbled in writing, co-authoring the book "The Two Georges" with science-fiction writer Harry Turtledove in 1995. His recent works include his portrayal of Bernie Madoff in the critically acclaimed ABC miniseries "Madoff" in 2016 and roles in Bayu Caviar in 2018 and The Last Laugh in 2019.

Speech Topics


Civic Engagement: It's as Necessary to Life as Oxygen

The Founding Fathers did a wonderful job creating the United States of America. Now, more than two centuries later, it's our turn to make sure that the reality remains as close to the ideal as possible. It used to be, when I was a kid, that there were classes in civics and you learned not only the checks and balances, but how's and whys and wherefores. And you learned what was the reasoning behind the creation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It is time that we simply revive the notion that we can learn how to run the country - and learn not for Republicans and not for Democrats, but learn how to learn the Constitution. We have to teach civics not just to our children but to all Americans. That job isn't an easy one and it takes an educated citizenry to keep things on course. Educating that citizenry has become my mission over the past few years. We are a nation bound only by ideas and "if we are not taught and re-taught these ideas, we are not bound."

Activism and Civic Responsibility: A Conversation with Richard Dreyfuss

Israel & the Diaspora: Who are the Jews?

Teaching Children How to Think, Not What to Think: The Basic Tools of Reason, Logic, Dissent, Civility & Debate

Seeking the Divine: A Conversation about Drug Addiction & Its Search for the Ultimate Epiphany

My Life as an Open Book: There are No Secrets in Hollywood

News


'The Last Laugh' Netflix Trailer: Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss ...
'The Last Laugh' Trailer Arrives For Netflix Comedy Team-up With Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss, Andie MacDowell.

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