88R18801 JRI-D
By: Paxton, Hall, Huffman S.R. No. 301
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Austin premiere of the documentary Grid Down,
Power Up provides a welcome opportunity to recognize its narrator,
native Texan Dennis Quaid, for his outstanding career as an actor;
and
WHEREAS, Born in Houston, Mr. Quaid graduated from Bellaire
High School and went on to attend the University of Houston; he left
college to move to Los Angeles and quickly landed roles in a number
of productions; his on-screen breakthrough came in 1979 in the
coming-of-age drama Breaking Away; and
WHEREAS, In the subsequent years, Mr. Quaid continued
building his credits, most notably in The Right Stuff as Houston
astronaut Gordon Cooper; in 1984, he appeared on stage in Sam
Shepard's True West, and he later demonstrated his range as an
actor, playing a Louisiana detective in The Big Easy, a U.S. Navy
aviator in the science fiction comedy Innerspace, and rockabilly
legend Jerry Lee Lewis in the biopic Great Balls of Fire; and
WHEREAS, Beginning with The Parent Trap in 1998, Mr. Quaid
enjoyed one of the most successful stretches of his career, earning
plaudits as a beleaguered quarterback in Any Given Sunday, as an
unsavory lawyer in Traffic, and as a middle-aged high school
baseball coach who tries out for the big leagues in The Rookie; in
2003, he received an Independent Spirit Award for his powerful
performance in Todd Haynes's family drama Far from Heaven, and two
years later, he portrayed Lone Star State legend Sam Houston in a
remake of The Alamo; along the way, he acted in hit films such as The
Day After Tomorrow and In Good Company, and in 2010, he received
Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations for his
depiction of former president Bill Clinton in The Special
Relationship; over the next decade, his credits included starring
in the CBS series Vegas, and more recently, he served as the
narrator in David Tice's documentary Grid Down, Power Up, which
focuses on the potential dangers of the U.S. power grid going down;
and
WHEREAS, Mr. Quaid was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of
Fame in Austin in 2005; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his work as an actor, Mr. Quaid is a
talented musician, and he and his band The Sharks released their
debut album, Out of the Box, in November 2018; and
WHEREAS, For more than four decades, Dennis Quaid has
delighted audiences on stage and screen in a wide range of dramatic
and comedic roles, and it is indeed fitting to acknowledge the
contributions of this talented Texan; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature
hereby honor Dennis Quaid for his achievements and extend to him
sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Quaid as an expression of high regard by the Texas
Senate.