Dennis Holahan (born November 7, 1942) is an American attorney and former actor. He was a partner in the San Francisco office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, California’s largest law firm, where he specialized in entertainment, media, and intellectual property cases as well as more general matters in the firm’s commercial litigation practice. Prior to joining Lewis Brisbois in 2014, Dennis maintained one of the top entertainment and business-related litigation boutiques in Los Angeles for more than 20 years.
Early life and education Holahan was raised in Connecticut. After graduating from Yale University in 1965, Holahan served as an officer (Lieutenant, J.G.) in the United States Navy on an amphibious assault ship in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. He was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with a silver star for five campaigns, a National Defense Service Medal, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Career Holahan graduated from Hastings College of Law in 1973. At Hastings he was the recipient of the Hale Moot Court Prize for Best Brief, was an editor of the Hastings Law News, 1972–73, and a founder of the Hastings Child Care Center. After Hastings he worked for a litigation firm in the financial district in San Francisco for two years.
Acting From 1976 to 1992, he took a hiatus from his law practice to pursue a successful career as an actor in films and television. Holahan is best known for appearing with Al Pacino in the crime film Scarface as Jerry the Banker. Notable other roles included Collision Course, Kuffs, Haywire (mini-series) and Aspen Extreme, as well as television appearances in M*A*S*H, Hill Street Blues, Lou Grant and The Rockford Files. He also appeared in the movie The Vegas Strip War in 1984 playing Jimmy Weldstrom. He played a lawyer in his 1981 appearance on The White Shadow. His character interviewed James Hayward (Thomas Carter) for a summer job.
Return to law In 1992 Holahan went back to the legal career he had put on hold in 1976. He started the Law Office of Dennis Holahan, which was based in Los Angeles and specialized in entertainment law, winning several high profile cases.
Personal life He has two children from his first marriage to Wylie O'Hara (daughter of the author John O'Hara; 1966–1972), and seven grandchildren. Holahan was married to actress Loretta Swit from 1983 to 1995. They did not have children. They met when he appeared in M*A*S*H in Season 11, Episode 10 as a Swedish UN delegate.
Holahan is active in drug and alcohol recovery and has served on the board of McIntyre House, a non-profit recovery house for men recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction located in Los Angeles. Holahan also has served on the board of Worth Our Weight, a non-profit organization in Santa Rosa, California, which trains and educates teenagers and young adults who have survived foster care programs and teaches them how to work in the fine dining industry.
Filmography
Films Year Title Role Notes 1980 Haywire Bill II Television 1981 Halloween II Morgan Strode 1983 Scarface Jerry, The Banker 1984 The Vegas Strip War Jimmy Weldstrom Television 1986 The Fifth Missile Warden Television Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star Aric 1988 Wildfire Mitch 1989 Collision Course Derek Jarryd 1990 Menu for Murder Steve Mann Television 1991 Rich Girl Lawyer 1992 Kuffs Dr. Will Carlton 1993 Aspen Extreme Henri 1995 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up EPA Man
Television Year Title Role No. of episodes 1978 Lou Grant Jack Patterson 1 episode The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Arthur Philips 1 episode 1978–1979 The Incredible Hulk Art Philbin 2 episodes 1979 The Rockford Files Agent Kaiser 1 episode 1980 Beyond Westworld Captain Farrell 1 episode 1980–1983 Dallas George Walker 2 episodes 1981 The Dukes of Hazzard Harry Joe 1 episode The White Shadow Ed Barter 1 episode Hill Street Blues Councilman Tom McAurley 2 episodes 1982 CHiPs Fred 1 episode 1983 M*A*S*H* Per Johannsen 1 episode Alice Rob 1 episode The Fall Guy Usher 1 episode 1984 Blue Thunder Richard J. Lassiter 1 episode Who's the Boss? Grant Paxton 1 episode The Love Boat Leonard Ross 2 episodes 1985 1st & Ten Unknown 1 episode 1987 Private Eye Michael Cornell 1 episode 1988 High Mountain Rangers Mallory 1 episode 1991 Married... with Children Man #1 1 episode Top of the Heap Man #1 1 episode
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