Eileen Brennan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eileen Brennan
Brennan in 1963
Born	Verla Eileen Regina Brennen (1932-09-03)September 3, 1932 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	July 28, 2013(2013-07-28) (aged 80) Burbank, California, U.S.
Education	Georgetown University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1960–2011
Spouse(s)	David John Lampson ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1974)​
Children	2; including Patrick Brennan

Eileen Brennan (born Verla Eileen Regina Brennen; September 3, 1932 – July 28, 2013) was a talented American actress. She was known for her many roles in movies and TV shows.

Eileen first appeared in films in 1967 with Divorce American Style. She then had a supporting role in The Last Picture Show (1971), which earned her a nomination for a BAFTA Award.

She became even more famous for playing Captain Doreen Lewis in the movie Private Benjamin. For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She played the same character again in a TV show based on the movie, and she won both a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award for it.

Eileen Brennan also starred in the fun mystery movie Clue (1985). She also had a small part in the horror film Jeepers Creepers (2001). She worked a lot in television, getting Emmy nominations for her guest roles on shows like Newhart, Thirtysomething, Taxi, and Will & Grace.

Early Life and Education

Eileen Brennan was born on September 3, 1932, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Regina "Jeanne" Menehan, was a silent film actress, and her father, John Gerald Brennen, was a doctor. Eileen grew up in a Catholic family with Irish roots.

After finishing high school in California, Eileen moved to Washington, D.C.. She went to Georgetown University, where she was part of a drama club called the Mask and Bauble Society. Later, she moved to New York City to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. There, she shared a room with another future actress, Rue McClanahan.

Her Acting Career

Starting in Theatre

Brennan in 1990

Eileen Brennan began acting while she was still at university. She performed in plays like Arsenic and Old Lace. She was very good at comedy and had a beautiful singing voice. These talents helped her become a star in the musical Little Mary Sunshine (1959), which was performed off-Broadway (meaning in smaller New York theaters, not the main Broadway ones). She won an Obie Award for this role.

She also played Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker in 1961. Later, she created the role of Irene Molloy in the first Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! (1964), a very famous musical.

Eileen's theatre work caught the eye of TV producers. A famous writer and director, Carl Reiner, even flew her to Los Angeles to audition for a role on The Dick Van Dyke Show. However, the part went to Mary Tyler Moore.

Moving to Film and TV

Eileen's first big movie role was in Divorce American Style (1967). She quickly became a well-known supporting actress in movies and on TV. She often played kind characters, but she could play many different types of roles. A year after her first movie, she joined the comedy show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In for a short time.

Even if her name wasn't always recognized by everyone, many directors loved working with her. One of her favorites was Peter Bogdanovich. She appeared in his drama The Last Picture Show (1971) and was nominated for a BAFTA award for her performance.

In 1972, Eileen appeared in an episode of All in the Family. She then had a role in George Roy Hill's Oscar-winning film The Sting (1973). In this movie, she played the trusted friend of con man Henry Gondorf, played by Paul Newman. In 1974, she worked with director Bogdanovich again in his movie Daisy Miller. Bogdanovich was one of the few directors who used her singing talents in his films.

Eileen also worked with director Robert Moore and writer Neil Simon. She appeared in their movies Murder by Death (1976) and The Cheap Detective (1978). In 1978, she had a main role as a disc jockey named Mother in the film FM, which was about a rock music radio station.

In 1980, Eileen Brennan was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Private Benjamin. She played the tough commanding officer of Goldie Hawn's character. She played this role again in the TV show version (1981–1983) and won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for it. She received many other nominations throughout her career.

In 1985, Eileen played the memorable Mrs. Peacock in the movie Clue, based on the popular board game.

Later Roles

Eileen Brennan made guest appearances on two episodes of Murder, She Wrote (1987 and 1994). She also appeared in an episode of Magnum, P.I. in 1987. In the 1990s, she was in movies like Stella with Bette Midler, Texasville (the sequel to The Last Picture Show), and Reckless. She had a recurring role on the TV show Blossom as the main character's neighbor and friend.

In 2001, she had a brief role in the horror movie Jeepers Creepers. The next year, she starred in the movie Comic Book Villains. In her later years, Eileen often guest-starred on TV shows. She played the nosy Mrs. Bink on 7th Heaven and the tough acting coach Zandra on Will & Grace. In 2004, she was nominated for an Emmy for her role as Zandra.

Personal Life

From 1968 to 1974, Eileen Brennan was married to David John Lampson, a British poet and photographer. They had two sons together: Patrick, who became an actor, and Sam, who is a singer.

In 1982, Eileen was hit by a car in Venice Beach. She suffered serious injuries and took three years off from acting to recover. In 1989, she fell from a stage during a play and broke her leg. The next year, she faced a serious illness, but she was successfully treated and recovered.

Death

Eileen Brennan passed away at her home in Burbank, California, on July 28, 2013. She was 80 years old and died from bladder cancer. Her co-star from Private Benjamin, Goldie Hawn, said Eileen was "a brilliant comedian, a powerful dramatic actress and had the voice of an angel." Actor Michael McKean, who worked with her in Clue, called her "a brilliant actress, a tough and tender woman and a comic angel."

Filmography

Film

Television