Judith Scheff – Facts You Should Know about Brian Dennehy’s Ex-Wife

Judith Scheff was the ex-wife of television and stage actor Brian Dennehy. Judith was married to Dennehy for around one and a half decades in the 1960s and early 1970s. The former husband and wife maintained a good relationship even after their divorce.
Judith has three children with her first husband Brian. Her oldest child, daughter, Elizabeth Dennehy is also an actor. Being the ex-wife of the veteran actor as well as the mother of an actress, Judith Scheff is usually a topic of discussion on the internet.
So, who is Judith Scheff? Is She Alive? How was her love life after her divorce from Brian Dennehy? Let’s find out the answers to all these questions in this article.
Judith Scheff Early Life
Scheff was born in Mineola, Long Island, New York on May 5, 1941, to parents Muriel Scheff and David Scheff. Regarding her siblings, she had two brothers, Boyd, and Gerard Scheff.
Birthday | May 5, 1941 |
Birthplace | Mineola, Long Island, New York |
Father | David Scheff |
Mother | Muriel Scheff |
Siblings | Boyd and Gerard Scheff |
Is Judith Scheff Alive?
- Judith Scheff is not alive. She died on November 16, 2015.
- She was 74 years old at the time of her death.
- Scheff reportedly had the flu a week before she passed away.
- Her daughter, Elizabeth Dennehy frequently remembers Judith on her birthdays or death anniversaries and shares her thoughts on her socials.
- On November 16, 2022, on Judith’s 7th death anniversary, her daughter, Elizabeth shared an emotional post on Instagram in which she wrote, “She was a healthy and energetic 74. She had the flu and a week later she was gone.“
Judith was Married to Brian Dennehy For 15 Years
Scheff and Dennehy got married in 1959. It’s not known when and where the former couple met and how they started dating. The couple parented three children; Elizabeth, Kathleen, and Deirdre Dennehy together.

Scheff remained in a marital relationship with her then-husband, Dennehy for around fifteen years before their divorce in 1974. They were in an amicable relationship even after their divorce.
Spouse | Brian Dennehy |
Married | 1959 |
Divorced | 1974 |
Children | 3 (Elizabeth, Kathleen, and Dierdre) |
Judith’s Daughter is a Renowned Actress
- Scheff’s daughter, Elizabeth Hannah Dennehy is a film and television actress.
- She is recognized for her roles in the television series Seinfeld, Guiding Light, Charmed, and Without a Trace.
- Her notable film roles came in the movies Soldier, Gattaca, and Red Dragon among others.
- Besides TV and films, Elizabeth is also a stage actress; she played Stella Kowalski in the 1994’s A Streetcar Named Desire.
- Elizabeth studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Judith’s First Husband Died in 2020
Scheff’s first husband, Brian passed away on April 15, 2020, in New Haven Connecticut. As per online portals, Dennehy died of cardiac arrest due to sepsis.
However, his daughter Elizabeth announced through a tweet that her dad passed away due to natural causes and also clarified that it wasn’t Covid-related. Brian Dennehy was 81 years old at the time of his death.
Did Judith Scheff Remarry? Who was Her Second Husband?
Scheff didn’t remarry for a long time after her separation from her first husband. But, she ultimately decided to tie the knot again, and this time she married a federal judge, Gregory W. Carman on August 26, 1994.
Scheff’s second husband was a Senior United States Judge at the US Court of International Trade. Apart from that, Carman also served as a Republican member of the House of Representatives for two years.

Besides, he was a captain in the US Army from 1958 to 1964. Scheff and Carman were happily married for years. They reportedly traveled through every state of the United States together.
Moreover, they also traveled to almost all the European countries followed by most of Asia, Africa, South America, and Antarctica.
Judith and Carman were married until her death in 2015 i.e., they were married happily for around two decades.
Husband | Gregory W. Carman |
Married | 1994 |
Children | No |
Divorced | No |
Married Till | November 16, 2015 (Judith Scheff’s Death) |
Judith Scheff Education
Judith Scheff was a learned individual. According to a memorial Facebook page dedicated to her, Scheff studied at Hofstra, St. Joseph’s, C.W. Post, and Brooklyn College. Before that, she graduated high school from Mineola High School in 1959.
After her graduation, she started her career as a teacher. She reportedly taught at NYC BD of Education.
She Also Taught Kindergarten
As per her obituary, Judith was an enthusiastic and devoted kindergarten teacher at PS 112 in Harlem, NYC where she was employed for around two decades.
Full Name | Judith Scheff |
Birth Place | New York |
Birthday | May 5, 1941 |
Death | November 16, 2015 |
Death Cause | Flu |
Age | 74 years |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Father | David Scheff |
Mother | Muriel Scheff |
Siblings | 2 (Brothers Boyd and Gerard Scheff) |
Profession | Teacher |
Marital Status | Married |
Spouse | Gregory W. Carman (1994 - 2015) Brian Dennehy(1959-1974) |
Children | 3 (Elizabeth, Kathleen, and Dierdre Dennehy) |