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Eileen Brennan

Acting 80 (deceased) years old Los Angeles, California, USA ★ 2.3
Born: September 3, 1932
Died: July 28, 2013

Biography

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.

Filmography

Acting Credits (114)

Who Done It: The Clue Documentary
Who Done It: The Clue Documentary Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 2022
Naked Run
Naked Run Gram Malone 2011
The Amateurs
The Amateurs Mrs. Cherkiss 2006
The Art of 'The Sting'
The Art of 'The Sting' Self 2005
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Carol Fields 2005
The Hollow
The Hollow Joan Van Etten 2004
Dumb Luck
Dumb Luck Minnie Hitchcock 2003
Comic Book Villains
Comic Book Villains Mrs. Cresswell 2002
Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers The Cat Lady 2001
Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire Marge 2001
Strong Medicine
Strong Medicine Evelyn Knightly 2000
The Last Great Ride
The Last Great Ride Pamela 'Mimi' Applegate 1999
Will & Grace
Will & Grace Zandra 1998
Pants on Fire
Pants on Fire Mom 1998
Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste
Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste 1998
Toothless
Toothless Joe #1 1997
The Wonderful World of Disney
The Wonderful World of Disney Joe #1 1997
Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet Grammy Anderson 1997
Changing Habits
Changing Habits Mother Superior 1997
Boys Life 2
Boys Life 2 Mrs. Randozza 1997
If These Walls Could Talk
If These Walls Could Talk Tessie 1996
7th Heaven
7th Heaven Mrs. Bink 1996
Reckless
Reckless Sister Margaret 1995
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears Clara 1995
Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday Principal Handel 1995
The Lies Boys Tell
The Lies Boys Tell Sada 1994
In Search of Dr. Seuss
In Search of Dr. Seuss The Who-Villain 1994
Nunzio's Second Cousin
Nunzio's Second Cousin Mrs. Randazzo 1994
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel Dolores Freeman 1994
ER
ER Betty 1994
My Name Is Kate
My Name Is Kate Barbara Mannix 1994
Precious Victims
Precious Victims Minnie 1993
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger Joelle 1993
Recycle Rex
Recycle Rex Rose (voice) 1993
Murder So Sweet
Murder So Sweet Martha Catlin 1993
Mad About You
Mad About You Inspector #10 1992
Jack's Place
Jack's Place 1992
I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore
I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore Frieda 1992
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story Vicky Martin 1992
Home Improvement
Home Improvement Wanda 1991
Picture This
Picture This Self 1991
Deadly Intentions... Again?
Deadly Intentions... Again? Charlotte 1991
White Palace
White Palace Judy 1990
Texasville
Texasville Genevieve Morgan 1990
American Dreamer
American Dreamer 1990
Gravedale High
Gravedale High Miss Dirge (voice) 1990
Stella
Stella Mrs. Wilkerson 1990
It Had to Be You
It Had to Be You Judith 1989
Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt Ruth Sanderson 1989
Going to the Chapel
Going to the Chapel Maude 1988
Rented Lips
Rented Lips Hotel Desk Clerk 1988
Sticky Fingers
Sticky Fingers Stella 1988
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking Miss Bannister 1988
thirtysomething
thirtysomething 1987
Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife
Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife Sylvia 1987
The Fartiste
The Fartiste 1987
Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland Mrs. Piper / Widow Hubbard 1986
The History of White People in America: Volume II
The History of White People in America: Volume II 1986
Clue
Clue Mrs. Peacock 1985
The History of White People in America
The History of White People in America 1985
The Ray Bradbury Theater
The Ray Bradbury Theater Mrs. Annabelle Shrike 1985
Answers
Answers Amanda Jackson (Segment "Twinkle, Twinkle") 1985
The Fourth Wise Man
The Fourth Wise Man Judith 1985
Off the Rack
Off the Rack Kate Halloran 1985
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote Loretta Lee 1984
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote Marian Simpson 1984
The Funny Farm
The Funny Farm Gail Corbin 1983
Newhart
Newhart 1982
Lily for President?
Lily for President? Maggie 1982
Working
Working Millworker 1982
Pandemonium
Pandemonium Candy's Mom 1982
Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary
Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary Aunt Angelique Lane 1982
Incident at Crestridge
Incident at Crestridge Sara Davis 1981
Private Benjamin
Private Benjamin Doreen Lewis 1981
When the Circus Came to Town
When the Circus Came to Town Jessy 1981
Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I. Brenda Babcock 1980
Private Benjamin
Private Benjamin Capt. Doreen Lewis 1980
My Old Man
My Old Man Marie 1979
When She Was Bad...
When She Was Bad... Mary Jensen 1979
A New Kind of Family
A New Kind of Family 1979
13 Queens Blvd.
13 Queens Blvd. Felicia Winters 1979
Taxi
Taxi Mrs. McKenzie 1978
The Cheap Detective
The Cheap Detective Betty DeBoop 1978
The Great Smokey Roadblock
The Great Smokey Roadblock Penelope 1978
FM
FM Mother 1978
Black Beauty
Black Beauty Annie Gray 1978
All That Glitters
All That Glitters Ma Packer 1977
The Death of Richie
The Death of Richie Carol Werner 1977
Murder by Death
Murder by Death Tess Skeffington 1976
Hustle
Hustle Paula Hollinger 1975
The Night That Panicked America
The Night That Panicked America Ann Muldoon 1975
Doctors' Hospital
Doctors' Hospital 1975
Knuckle
Knuckle Delafield's Mistress 1975
My Father's House
My Father's House Mrs. Lindholm Sr. 1975
At Long Last Love
At Long Last Love Elizabeth 1975
Dinah!
Dinah! Self 1974
Nourish the Beast
Nourish the Beast Baba Goya 1974
Daisy Miller
Daisy Miller Mrs. Walker 1974
Come Die with Me
Come Die with Me Mary Thatcher 1974
The Sting
The Sting Billie 1973
The Blue Knight
The Blue Knight Glenda 1973
The Blue Knight
The Blue Knight Glenda 1973
Kojak
Kojak Julie Loring 1973
Scarecrow
Scarecrow Darlene 1973
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones Anita Willson 1973
Playmates
Playmates Amy 1972
The Last Picture Show
The Last Picture Show Genevieve 1971
McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife Nora Dane 1971
All in the Family
All in the Family Angelique McCarthy 1971
Divorce American Style
Divorce American Style Eunice Tase 1967
The Star Wagon
The Star Wagon Hallie 1966
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show Self 1962
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards Self - Presenter 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards Self - Nominee 1944

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