Dennis Quaid's 2 Brothers: All About Randy and Buddy Quaid

One thing to know about Dennis Quaid and his brothers Randy Quaid and Buddy Quaid is that their Texas roots run deep.

William “Buddy” Quaid and Juanita “Nita” Jordan welcomed their first child, son Randy, on Oct. 1, 1950. He was followed by Dennis, who was born on April 9, 1954. The couple raised their kids in suburban Texas with a family farm nearby, where they fell in love with the country lifestyle. William later welcomed another son named Buddy on Nov. 26, 1974. He still resides in Texas to this day.

During the ‘80s and ‘90s, all three Quaid brothers pursued careers in Hollywood. Randy’s name became synonymous with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, following his comedic performance of Cousin Eddie. Dennis was also gaining notoriety, while Buddy was landing gigs on sitcoms like Seinfield.

Nowadays, Randy and Buddy have stepped away from acting. While appearing on the PBD Podcast, Dennis briefly opened up about his complicated relationship with Randy, who he believes should get back into acting.

“Randy doesn’t like me to talk about what’s going on with him. All I can say is that I really love my brother, and I miss my brother,” Dennis said during the episode.

However, “Randy could have like a great third act,” he added. “I would love to see that. He’s one of the best actors [that we’ve] produced in this country.”

Here’s everything to know about Dennis Quaid’s brothers, Randy and Buddy, and their relationship with the beloved actor. 

Dennis and Randy grew up in Texas

Dennis and Randy are die-hard Texans. The brotherly duo were raised by their parents in Houston, but spent their summers at their grandfather’s farm in rural Texas.

“I grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s in Texas, and it was a great time to grow up in America,” Dennis said of his upbringing on the Diving in Deep podcast. “I was rooted in the country life and way of thinking.”

Their dad owned his own business as an electrician, while their mom worked in real estate.

Randy was the first of his siblings to break into Hollywood

Randy got his start in the ‘70s with Midnight Express, but some of his most recognized work came in the mid-80s and ‘90s through Moving, Fool for Love, Independence Day, The Paper and Frankenstein. However, most fans know him as Cousin Eddie from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989).

Around the same time, Dennis was gaining fame for The Right Stuff (1983), Playing by Heart (1998), The Parent Trap (1998) and The Rookie (2002). Randy stepped away from acting for a decade until 2018’s All You Can Eat.

Buddy also had a brief stint in Hollywood in the late ‘90s, having starred in an episode of Seinfeld. 

Buddy and wife Marielle Lamy Quaid wed in 2010

The couple tied the knot on July 14, 2010. In honor of their 14th wedding anniversary, Marielle penned a heartfelt tribute to Buddy on Instagram in 2024.

“14 years married to Buddy = Total Awesome-Sauce!” she wrote alongside a video montage of her and Buddy through the years. “Thanks Buddy for making life so stinkin' fun!! I don't feel nearly mature enough to be married this long.”

Randy is estranged from his siblings

Randy’s complicated past with the law has driven a wedge between him and his siblings. In the last decade, Dennis has refrained from speaking about his older brother publicly.

“I love my brother,” Dennis told PEOPLE in 2011. “That’s all I can say. I love my brother and I miss my brother. That’s all I’m going to say.”

Buddy now works in luxury real estate

In 2015, Buddy founded his own real estate team alongside wife Marielle.

A luxury branch of the Keller Williams Realty brand, The Quaid Group specializes in high-end real estate and off-market properties in Austin, Texas.

Most recently, Buddy sold Dennis’ 5,000-square-foot Lake Austin estate, which was equipped with three bedrooms, a bonus room, an in-service elevator and an outdoor entertainment space. It sold for $3.5 million. 

Buddy and Marielle are actively involved in their community

The Quaid Group also hosts its own house concert series to support local artists.

Spearheaded by Buddy and Marielle, the series advocates for equal pay, introduces rising musicians to new listeners and grants artists access to some of Austin’s most iconic music venues.

Previous headliners have included singer-songwriter David Ramirez and country artists Tanya Tucker and Brandi Carlile.

Marielle is also a member of the Texas Women for the Arts organization.