Two time Tony Award winner Brian Dennehy has died at the age of 81.

The actor died from natural causes Wednesday night. The News of his death was confirmed by his talent agency.

“Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife Jennifer, family and many friends,” his daughter posted in a statement on twitter.

The tall and broad chested man was a Bridgeport, Connecticut Native who loved football just as much as he loved theater. Although he didn’t see a future in acting, it wasn’t until he saw Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront,” that he realized there were people who looked and sounded like him in the business. He attended Columbia University on a football scholarship where he earned a B.A. in history. Prior to starting his acting career, Dennehy worked a stockbroker for Merrill Lynch in Manhattan.

Brian Dennehy’s successful career in Hollywood spanned five decades. He co-starred in a long list of popular movies, including “Silverado”, “Tommy Boy”, “First Blood”, and the science-fiction classic “Cocoon.” Some of his earlier films included “Semi-Tough”, and “Foul Play.”

Dennehy was a versatile stage and screen actor, best known for his Tony Award winning performances in “Death of a Salesman” in 1999 and “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” in 2003. The actor made frequent performances in the Chicago theater world and his Broadway debut in 1995 in Brian Friel’s “Translations.” He has also won a Golden Globe and a SAG award for a TV version of “Death of a Salesman.” Dennehy has received six Emmy nominations over the course of his career and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2010.

“I was lucky enough to see Brian Dennehy twice on stage, masterful in in Love Letters and monumentally heartbreaking in “Death of a Salesman. A colossus. What a loss,” Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted.

The actor is survived by his wife, Jennifer Arnott and their two children. Dennehy also has three daughters from a previous marriage to Judith Scheff.