<P> While most of the civilians who are drawn to the site are apprehended by the Army, Roy and Jillian persist and make it to their secret landing zone just as dozens of UFOs gradually appear in the night sky, while the government specialists at the site begin to try to communicate with the UFOs by use of light and sound on a large electrical billboard controlled by a multiple - manual synthesizer . Following this, an enormous mother ship lands at the site . After using light and sound to teach the specialists the aliens' basic vocabulary, it releases the missing pilots from Flight 19 and over a dozen other long - missing adults, children, even a few small animals, all from different past eras and all of whom have not aged since their abductions . Barry is also returned and reunited with a relieved Jillian . The government officials decide to include Roy in a group of people whom they have selected to be potential visitors to the mothership, and hastily prepare him . </P> <P> As the aliens finally emerge from the mothership, they select Roy to join them on their travels . As Roy enters the mothership, one of the aliens pauses for a few moments with the humans . Lacombe uses Curwen hand signs that correspond to the five - note alien tonal phrase . The alien replies with the same gestures, smiles, and returns to its ship, which ascends into space, as Barry bids Roy goodbye . </P> <Ul> <Li> Richard Dreyfuss as Roy Neary, an electrical lineman in Indiana who encounters and forms an obsession with unidentified flying objects . Steve McQueen was Spielberg's first choice . Although McQueen was impressed with the script, he felt he was not right for the role as he was unable to cry on cue . Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, and Gene Hackman turned down the part as well . Jack Nicholson turned it down because of scheduling conflicts . Spielberg explained when filming Jaws, "Dreyfuss talked me into casting him . He listened to about 155 days' worth of Close Encounters . He even contributed ideas ." Dreyfuss reflected, "I launched myself into a campaign to get the part . I would walk by Steve's office and say stuff like' Al Pacino has no sense of humor' or' Jack Nicholson is too crazy' . I eventually convinced him to cast me ." </Li> <Li> François Truffaut as Claude Lacombe, a French government scientist in charge of UFO - related activities in the United States . The UFO expert Jacques Vallée served as the real - life model for Lacombe . Gérard Depardieu, Philippe Noiret, Jean - Louis Trintignant and Lino Ventura were considered for the role . Internationally renowned as a film director, this was Truffaut's only acting role in a film he did not direct as well as his only role in an English language film . During filming, Truffaut used his free time to write the script for The Man Who Loved Women . He also worked on a novel titled The Actor, a project he abandoned . </Li> <Li> Teri Garr as Ronnie Neary, Roy's wife . Amy Irving also auditioned for the role . </Li> <Li> Melinda Dillon as Jillian Guiler . Teri Garr wanted to portray Jillian, but was cast as Ronnie . Hal Ashby, who worked with Dillon on Bound for Glory (1976), suggested her for the part to Spielberg . Dillon was cast three days before filming began . </Li> <Li> Bob Balaban as David Laughlin, Lacombe's assistant and English - French interpreter </Li> <Li> J. Patrick McNamara as Project Leader </Li> <Li> Warren Kemmerling as Wild Bill </Li> <Li> Roberts Blossom as Farmer </Li> <Li> Cary Guffey as Barry Guiler, Jillian's son . Spielberg conducted a series of method acting techniques to help Guffey, who was cast when he was just three years old . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Richard Dreyfuss as Roy Neary, an electrical lineman in Indiana who encounters and forms an obsession with unidentified flying objects . Steve McQueen was Spielberg's first choice . Although McQueen was impressed with the script, he felt he was not right for the role as he was unable to cry on cue . Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, and Gene Hackman turned down the part as well . Jack Nicholson turned it down because of scheduling conflicts . Spielberg explained when filming Jaws, "Dreyfuss talked me into casting him . He listened to about 155 days' worth of Close Encounters . He even contributed ideas ." Dreyfuss reflected, "I launched myself into a campaign to get the part . I would walk by Steve's office and say stuff like' Al Pacino has no sense of humor' or' Jack Nicholson is too crazy' . I eventually convinced him to cast me ." </Li>

Who played in close encounters of the third kind
find me the text answering this question