5 Things You Didn’t Know About Dennis Quaid

Lauren Novak April 9, 7:00 am

Dennis Quaid custom image — Len Irish/TV Guide/Courtesy Everett Collection

Dennis Quaid has been capturing attention on the screen for decades with memorable roles in Breaking Away, Dreamscape, The Right Stuff, The Day After Tomorrow, The Parent Trap and Great Balls of Fire! Celebrating his 71st birthday on April 9, 2025, he shows no signs of slowing down, with recent roles in Lawmen: Bass Reeves, the 2024 biopic Reagan and the Showtime series Happy Face. In his personal life, he has been married 4 times — most notably to Halloween star P.J. Soles from 1978-1983 and to Meg Ryan, with whom he shares son Jack, from 1991-2001.

In honor of his birthday, let’s learn some interesting facts about the star.

1 One role gave him an eating disorder

Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection

Unfortunately, Quaid went a little too far with the prep for one of his roles. In 1994, he played Doc Holliday in Wyatt Earp. He lost around 44 lbs. for the role to look more like Doc, who had suffered from tuberculosis (TB). The director had only asked Quaid to lose around 10 lbs. for the role, but Quaid felt he needed to lose more, and developed anorexia. He eventually got treatment and recovered.

Interestingly, he’s not the only Quaid to have played that character! His brother Randy Quaid also played Doc Holliday in a 1999 movie called Purgatory.

2 He has his own band

Dennis Quaid started his own band, Dennis Quaid and the Sharks, in 2000. Quaid sings lead and plays rhythm guitar for the ensemble, who are known for playing both original and cover songs. The band was born after Quaid was asked to join Harry Dean Stanton and his band on stage at an L.A. club; James, a member of Stanton’s band, then approached Quaid about starting his own band.

Quaid told M&M Group Entertainment, “(The audiences) have a blast, which is all we want. I make a complete and utter fool of myself. I think that’s the only way to have fun (onstage), instead of trying to pretend to be cool and all the rest of that stuff.” One unique element of the live show: Quaid generally plays in his bare feet to feel more comfortable — it helps himself believe he’s just jamming out in his living room, instead of in front of an audience.

3 He is a licensed pilot

THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, Dennis Quaid, 2004

20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection

Quaid is a licensed private pilot and regularly flies to his property in Montana. He also showed his love of flying via his gig hosting the Fox Nation series Top Combat Pilot.

4 Wrote songs for several of his own films

THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA, Dennis Quaid, 1981

Avco Embassy/Everett Collection

Since Quaid loves both acting and music, he has written several songs for the soundtracks of his own movies, including The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981), Tough Enough (1983) and The Big Easy (1986). Some of the songs he has written include “Fallen,” “Please Don’t Give Up on Me,” “God Gets Lonely Too,” “Welcome Home” and “On My Way to Heaven.”

5 Could have been in Dukes of Hazzard

United Artists/Everett Collection

Quaid tested for the role of Luke Duke for the show Dukes of Hazzard. The role ultimately went to Tom Wopat instead, and Quaid continued to break into Hollywood by appearing in films Breaking Away and The Long Riders in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

Don't Sleep on 'Dreamscape' — 1984's Other Great Nightmare-Based Movie

Released three months before the original 'A Nightmare on Elm Street,' the more underrated and equally terrific 'Dreamscape' also has some memorably nightmarish scenes.

Remind