Dennis Dugan


Dennis Barton Dugan is an American director, actor, writer, artist and comedian. He is known for his partnership with comedic actor Adam Sandler, with whom he directed the films Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Grown Ups, Just Go with It, Jack and Jill, and Grown Ups 2.

Life and career

Dugan was born in Wheaton, Illinois, the second of four sons of Marion, a housewife, and Charles Dugan, an insurance salesman. He graduated from Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago and started his acting career in 1969 in New York City. He moved to Hollywood in 1972 and appeared in his first TV show, "The Sixth Sense". Later, he played in the 1973 TV movie The Girl Most Likely to.... Other early film appearances include Night Call Nurses, Night Moves, Smile, Harry and Walter Go to New York and Norman... Is That You?. In 1979, he was cast as the time-displaced hero in Unidentified Flying Oddball, Disney's very loose adaptation of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. In 1981, he appeared in Joe Dante's adaptation of The Howling.
Dugan made guest appearances on several TV series during the 1970s including The Mod Squad, The Waltons, Cannon, Columbo, The Rockford Files, and Alice. He also appeared in the mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man, as well as two episodes of M*A*S*H and in 1978 starred in the short-lived series Richie Brockelman, Private Eye, a spin-off from The Rockford Files.
He took on a semi-regular role as an aspiring caped crusader who called himself "Captain Freedom" on Hill Street Blues. He also appeared on Empire and Shadow Chasers. He played Walter Bishop, briefly the husband of Maddie Hayes on Moonlighting. Dugan's other film credits of the 1980s include Water, Can't Buy Me Love, The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and Ron Howard's Parenthood.
Dugan launched a career as a television and film director, making cameo appearances in many of his films. Ones he directed include the comedy Problem Child, Brain Donors, the comedy Saving Silverman , the comedy National Security, and the Adam Sandler comedies Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy . Dugan has directed episodes of such television series as Moonlighting, Ally McBeal, and NYPD Blue.
Dugan directed The Benchwarmers, a comedy co-produced by Sandler, about a trio of men who try to make up for missed opportunities in childhood by forming a three-player baseball team to compete against Little League squads. Dugan himself has a bit part as Coach Bellows. He then directed two more Sandler vehicles, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and You Don't Mess with the Zohan.
Dugan directed Grown Ups, which follows a group of high school friends who are reunited after thirty years for the Fourth of July. The film again stars Sandler, along with Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, and David Spade; it was released in the summer of 2010 with major box office success.
Dugan's Just Go with It was his sixth film with Sandler; it also starred Jennifer Aniston and Brooklyn Decker. Dugan directed Jack and Jill, again with Sandler, and Grown Ups 2, with Sandler, James, Rock and Spade, all reprising their roles. Schneider was unable to do so due to scheduling conflicts.
To date, Dugan's films have grossed over $1.8 billion worldwide.

Personal life

Dugan's first marriage was to actress Joyce Van Patten in 1973. The couple divorced in 1987, and he later wed Sharon O'Connor, to whom he is still married.
In June 2009, Dugan's son, Kelly Dugan, was drafted with the 75th overall selection by the Philadelphia Phillies in the Major League Baseball Draft. A graduate of Notre Dame High School of Sherman Oaks, California, he has played for four of the club's minor league teams, including the Gulf Coast League Phillies, Reading Fightin' Phils, Williamsport Crosscutters, and Lakewood BlueClaws. As of 2020, Kelly was playing for the independent Lancaster Barnstormers.

Filmography

Films

;As actor
TitleYearNotes
Norman... Is That You?1976as Garson Hobart
Unidentified Flying Oddball1979as Tom Trimble
The Howling1981as Chris Halloran
Can't Buy Me Love1987as David Miller
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking1988as Mr. Settigren
Parenthood1989as David Brodsky

;As director
TitleYearNotes
Problem Child1990
Brain Donors1992
Happy Gilmore1996as Doug Thompson
Beverly Hills Ninja1997
Big Daddy1999Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director
Saving Silverman2001Also known as Evil Woman
National Security2003
The Benchwarmers2006as Coach Bellows
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry2007Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director
You Don't Mess with the Zohan2008
Grown Ups2010as Basketball Referee
Just Go with It2011Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director
Jack and Jill2011Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director
Grown Ups 22013Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director
Love, Weddings & Other DisastersTBA

Television