Eileen Brennan
Eileen Brennan (September 3, 1932 – July 28, 2013) was an American actress who was known for her versatile performances in film, television, and theater. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Captain Doreen Lewis in the 1980 comedy film Private Benjamin. She also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Mrs. Hughes in the television series Newhart. Brennan was born in Los Angeles, California, and began her acting career in the theater. She made her Broadway debut in 1963 in the musical Little Mary Sunshine. She went on to appear in several other Broadway musicals, including Hello, Dolly! and Annie. Brennan made her film debut in the 1967 satire Divorce American Style. She followed this with supporting roles in the films The Last Picture Show (1971), The Cheap Detective (1978), and The First Wives Club (1996). She also starred in the films Clue (1985) and Sister Act (1992). In addition to her film and theater work, Brennan also had a successful television career. She appeared in numerous television shows, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Cheers, and Will & Grace. She died on July 28, 2013, at the age of 80, from complications of multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection. Brennan was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2001. She underwent treatment, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. She continued to work and act throughout her treatment, and she even appeared in the 2011 film The Big Year. In 2013, Brennan's health began to decline. She died on July 28, 2013, at her home in Los Angeles. She was survived by her husband, David John Lampson, and her daughter, Emily.
Known For
Credits
- 2022 · Who Done It: The Clue Documentary as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2011 · Naked Run as Gram Malone
- 2006 · The Amateurs as Mrs. Cherkiss
- 2005 · The Art of 'The Sting' as Self
- 2005 · Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous as Carol Fields
- 2004 · The Hollow as Joan Van Etten
- 2003 · Dumb Luck as Minnie Hitchcock
- 2002 · Comic Book Villains as Mrs. Cresswell
- 2001 · Jeepers Creepers as The Cat Lady
- 2001 · Lizzie McGuire as Marge
- 2000 · The Fearing Mind as Irene's mother
- 2000 · Strong Medicine as Evelyn Knightly
- 1999 · The Last Great Ride as Pamela 'Mimi' Applegate
- 1998 · Will & Grace as Zandra
- 1998 · Pants on Fire as Mom
- 1997 · Toothless as Joe #1
- 1997 · The Wonderful World of Disney as Joe #1
- 1997 · Veronica's Closet as Grammy Anderson
- 1997 · Changing Habits as Mother Superior
- 1997 · Boys Life 2 as Mrs. Randozza
- 1996 · If These Walls Could Talk as Tessie
- 1996 · 7th Heaven as Mrs. Bink
- 1995 · Reckless as Sister Margaret
- 1995 · Trail of Tears as Clara
- 1995 · Freaky Friday as Principal Handel
- 1994 · The Lies Boys Tell as Sada
- 1994 · In Search of Dr. Seuss as The Who-Villain
- 1994 · Nunzio's Second Cousin as Mrs. Randazzo
- 1994 · Touched by an Angel as Dolores Freeman
- 1994 · ER as Betty
- 1994 · My Name Is Kate as Barbara Mannix
- 1993 · Precious Victims as Minnie
- 1993 · Walker, Texas Ranger as Joelle
- 1993 · Recycle Rex as Rose (voice)
- 1992 · Mad About You as Inspector #10
- 1992 · Jack's Place as
- 1992 · I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore as Frieda
- 1992 · Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story as Vicky Martin
- 1991 · Home Improvement as Wanda
- 1991 · Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas as Self
- 1991 · Deadly Intentions... Again? as Charlotte
- 1990 · White Palace as Judy
- 1990 · Texasville as Genevieve Morgan
- 1990 · American Dreamer as
- 1990 · Gravedale High as
- 1990 · Stella as Mrs. Wilkerson
- 1989 · It Had to Be You as Judith
- 1989 · Tales from the Crypt as Ruth Sanderson
- 1988 · Going to the Chapel as Maude
- 1988 · Sticky Fingers as Stella
- 1988 · The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking as Miss Bannister
- 1987 · Rented Lips as Hotel Desk Clerk
- 1987 · thirtysomething as
- 1987 · Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife as Sylvia
- 1987 · The Fartiste as
- 1986 · Babes in Toyland as Mrs. Piper / Widow Hubbard
- 1986 · The History of White People in America: Volume II as
- 1985 · Clue as Mrs. Peacock
- 1985 · The History of White People in America as
- 1985 · The Ray Bradbury Theater as Mrs. Annabelle Shrike
- 1985 · The Fourth Wise Man as Judith
- 1985 · Off the Rack as Kate Halloran
- 1985 · Answers as Amanda Jackson (Segment "Twinkle, Twinkle")
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Loretta Lee
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Marian Simpson
- 1983 · The Funny Farm as Gail Corbin
- 1982 · Newhart as
- 1982 · Lily for President? as Maggie
- 1982 · Working as Millworker
- 1982 · Pandemonium as Candy's Mom
- 1982 · Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary as Aunt Angelique Lane
- 1981 · Incident at Crestridge as Sara Davis
- 1981 · Private Benjamin as Doreen Lewis
- 1981 · When the Circus Came to Town as Jessy
- 1980 · Magnum, P.I. as
- 1980 · Private Benjamin as Capt. Doreen Lewis
- 1979 · My Old Man as Marie
- 1979 · When She Was Bad... as Mary Jensen
- 1979 · A New Kind of Family as
- 1979 · 13 Queens Blvd. as Felicia Winters
- 1978 · Taxi as Mrs. McKenzie
- 1978 · The Cheap Detective as Betty DeBoop
- 1978 · The Great Smokey Roadblock as Penelope
- 1978 · FM as Mother
- 1978 · Black Beauty as Annie Gray
- 1977 · All That Glitters as
- 1977 · The Death of Richie as Carol Werner
- 1976 · Murder by Death as Tess Skeffington
- 1975 · Hustle as Paula Hollinger
- 1975 · The Night That Panicked America as Ann Muldoon
- 1975 · Doctors' Hospital as
- 1975 · Knuckle as Delafield's Mistress
- 1975 · My Father's House as Mrs. Lindholm Sr.
- 1975 · At Long Last Love as Elizabeth
- 1974 · Dinah! as Self
- 1974 · Nourish the Beast as Baba Goya
- 1974 · Daisy Miller as Mrs. Walker
- 1974 · Come Die With Me as
- 1973 · The Sting as Billie
- 1973 · The Blue Knight as Glenda
- 1973 · Kojak as Julie Loring
- 1973 · Scarecrow as Darlene
- 1973 · Barnaby Jones as Anita Willson
- 1972 · Playmates as Amy
- 1971 · The Last Picture Show as Genevieve
- 1971 · McMillan and Wife as Nora Dane
- 1971 · All in the Family as Angelique McCarthy
- 1967 · Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In as Self
- 1967 · Divorce American Style as Eunice Tase
- 1966 · The Star Wagon as Hallie
- 1962 · The Merv Griffin Show as Self
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Winner