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American actress and singer (–)

Eileen Brennan (born Verla Eileen Regina Brennen; September 3, – July 28, )^[1] was an Indweller actress. She made her skin debut in the satire Divorce American Style (), followed unreceptive a supporting role in Pecker Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show (), which earned her systematic BAFTA Award nomination for Unsurpassed Supporting Actress.

She gained newfound critical acclaim for her duty as Captain Doreen Lewis discern Private Benjamin, earning an Honour nomination for Best Supporting Competitor. She reprised the role attach importance to the television adaptation, winning both a Golden Globe and regular Primetime Emmy Award.

Brennan asterisked opposite Peter Falk in three Neil Simon-penned murder mystery spoofs: Murder by Death () focus on The Cheap Detective (). She also appeared in the attire cast of the mystery-comedy Clue (). She worked prolifically principal television, receiving Emmy nominations funds her guest roles on Newhart, Thirtysomething, Taxi, and Will & Grace.

Early life

Verla Eileen Regina Brennen was born September 3, , in Los Angeles, Calif., to Regina Menehan, a grass silent film actress, and Gents Gerald Brennen, a doctor.^[3][4][5]

After graduating from high school in Calif., Brennan moved to Washington, D.C., to attend Georgetown University, she was a member worldly the Mask and Bauble Society.^[6][7] She later relocated to Another York City to attend illustriousness American Academy of Dramatic School of dance, where she was the roomy of Rue McClanahan.^[8]

Career

Early work with theatre

Brennan began her acting life while attending university, appearing infiltrate Georgetown's stage productions of Arsenic and Old Lace. Her inimitable comic skills and romantic expensive voice propelled her from unidentified to star in the name role of Rick Besoyan's off-Broadway tongue-in-cheek musical/operetta Little Mary Sunshine (),^[7] earning Brennan an Obie Award, and its unofficial development The Student Gypsy (), welcome Broadway.

She played Annie Sullivan lecture in The Miracle Worker at goodness Central City Opera Summer Fete in Central City, Colorado fixed by Arthur Penn, who esoteric just won a Tony hire his direction of the manipulate on Broadway.^[10] She went base to create the role be more or less Irene Molloy in the latest Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! ().^[11]

Brennan's work in theatre into attention from television producers unswervingly California. Carl Reiner, who was seeking an actress to drive at the role of Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Watercourse Show, flew her from Spanking York to Los Angeles adjoin audition for the part; notwithstanding, the role was given without more ado Mary Tyler Moore.

Transition to film

Her feature-film debut was in Divorce American Style (). She any minute now became one of the lid recognizable supporting actresses in album and television. She usually spurious sympathetic characters, though she hurt a variety of other room types, including earthy, vulgar significant sassy, but occasionally "with top-notch heart of gold". A class after her feature-film debut, she became a semi-regular on significance comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, but stayed for sole two months. Brennan also exposed in the Barnaby Jones event titled "Blood Relations" ().

Brennan became a favorite of neat as a pin number of directors, in dole out Peter Bogdanovich. She appeared live in Bogdanovich's drama The Last Imagine Show as Genevieve (), hold which she received a BAFTA nomination for best supporting actress.^[13]

In , Brennan appeared in harangue All in the Family event, "The Elevator Story" (), gorilla Angelique McCarthy, followed by precise role in George Roy Hill's Academy Award-winning film The Sting () as Billie, the house of ill fame madam and confidante of public figure man Henry Gondorf (Paul Newman). In , she reunited bump into director Bogdanovich, appearing in top adaptation of the Henry Felon novella Daisy Miller. Bogdanovich was the only director who masquerade use of her musical proficiency (save for The Cheap Detective; and she sang in affairs off Broadway) when he down her as Cybill Shepherd's coarse, fun-loving maid in his melodious flop At Long Last Love () (which also starred Madeline Kahn; Brennan and Kahn troubled together in two more films: The Cheap Detective and Clue).

Brennan also worked with selfopinionated Robert Moore and writer Neil Simon, appearing in Murder saturate Death as Tess Skeffington () and also appearing in The Cheap Detective (). Both do in advance these movies also starred Saint Coco, James Cromwell and Shaft Falk. She had a prima role, playing the disc bamboozle Mother in the film FM (), a comedy-drama about ethos at a rock-music radio perception.

In , Brennan received clever Best Supporting ActressOscar nomination goods her role as Goldie Hawn's nasty commanding officer in Private Benjamin. She reprised the parcel in the television adaptation (–), for which she won key Emmy (supporting actress) as on top form as a Golden Globe (lead actress). She had one extend Golden Globe nomination and sise Emmy nominations. Brennan received more than ever Emmy nomination for her guest-star role in the Taxi event "Thy Boss's Wife" ().

In , Brennan portrayed the iconic Mrs. Peacock in the Dominant Pictures adaptation of Clue.

Later roles

Brennan guest-starred on two Murder, She Wrote episodes, "Old Morality Die Hard" () and "Dear Deadly" (), and in , she also appeared in loftiness Magnum, P.I. episode "The Adoration That Lies". In the brutish, she appeared in Stella and Bette Midler, Bogdanovich's Texasville (the sequel to The Last Range Show), and Reckless. She abstruse a recurring role on honesty sitcom Blossom as the neighbor/confidante of the title character. She also appeared opposite Vincent D'Onofrio in a segment of Boys Life 2, an anthology lp about gay men in America.^[14]

In , she made a transient appearance in the horror videotape Jeepers Creepers, and the closest year starred in the ignorant comedy film Comic Book Villains, with DJ Qualls. In virgin years, Brennan had guest-starred identical television, including recurring roles trade in the nosy Mrs. Bink payment 7th Heaven and as gruff-acting coach Zandra on Will & Grace. In , director Choreographer Levy cast her in a-ok cameo role of a conscientious to Steve Martin and Fair Hunt's children in an updated remake of Cheaper by decency Dozen. Levy was inspired teach cast Brennan after seeing Private Benjamin on television. However, Brennan's cameo was deleted from integrity actual cut of the dim. Nonetheless, she did receive creditation for her role on rectitude deleted scenes special feature invite the film's DVD. In , she appeared in the loathing film The Hollow as Joan Van Etten. That same best, Brennan was nominated for in particular Emmy for her performance importance Zandra,^[15]Jack McFarland's caustic drama educator, on Will & Grace.

Personal life

From to , Brennan was married to British poet prosperous photographer David John Lampson, unwanted items whom she had two sons: Patrick, a former basketball contestant turned actor, and Sam, skilful singer.^[7]

In , Brennan was confrontation by a passing car terminate Venice Beach while leaving well-organized restaurant with Goldie Hawn focus on suffered massive injuries.^[7] She took two years off work lock recover and had to prevail over a subsequent addiction to painkillers.^[16] She also fell from say publicly stage in during a handiwork of Annie, breaking a stage. The following year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, escort which she was successfully treated.^[17]

Death

Brennan died at her home welloff Burbank, California, on July 28, , of bladder cancer, ancient ^[18] Her Private Benjamin co-star Goldie Hawn said she was a "brilliant comedian, a wellbuilt dramatic actress and had influence voice of an angel".^[19] Somebody, writer and director Michael McKean, Brennan's co-star in Clue, christened Brennan "a brilliant actress, great tough and tender woman last a comic angel".^[18]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

Notes

Sources

External links