Terry Sweeney facts for kids

Terry Sweeney is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He is known for his work on the TV show Saturday Night Live in the 1980s. He also helped write the movie Shag in 1989. Sweeney has written for other TV shows like MADtv, Hype, and Tripping the Rift.

Early Life and Career

Terry Sweeney was born in Queens, New York. He grew up in Massapequa Park, New York. He was the younger of two children. His father, Terrence, was a butcher. His mother was Lenore Sweeney.

As a child, Terry faced challenges. He found comfort in books and movie musicals. He also enjoyed putting on his own Broadway plays. His interest in performing grew from a young age. He became a star in his high school talent show.

He finished Farmingdale High School in 1969. Then, he went to Middlebury College. There, he studied Spanish and Italian. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1973.

Joining Saturday Night Live

After college, Sweeney began performing in New York City. He created different characters for his shows. A good review in The New York Times helped him. This led to an audition for Saturday Night Live (SNL). The show's producer, Lorne Michaels, saw his talent.

Sweeney became a regular cast member on SNL during the 1985–86 season. Before this, he was also a sketch writer for SNL. He wrote for the show in the early 1980s. This was under producer Jean Doumanian.

During his time on SNL, Sweeney became famous for his celebrity impressions. He often impersonated female stars. These included Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle, and Joan Collins. He also played Teri Shields, who was Brooke Shields's mother. Another well-known impression was Joan Rivers. The only male celebrity he impersonated was Ted Kennedy.

His most famous recurring character was a portrayal of then-First Lady Nancy Reagan. While on SNL, Sweeney's roles often involved playing funny, exaggerated female characters.

Other Creative Works

Sweeney has written for several TV shows. He wrote for the FOX TV series MADtv. He also wrote for The WB's sketch comedy series Hype. He even helped create Hype. He also wrote for the Sci Fi Channel's show Tripping the Rift. He worked on all these projects with his partner, Lanier Laney.

Sweeney's main movie work was as a co-screenwriter. He helped write the film Shag. This movie was released in 1989.

He has also written two books. His first book was Nancy Reagan: It's Still My Turn (1990). This book started as a performance art piece. It was later performed Off Broadway in New York. His second book is Irritable Bowels and the People Who Give You Them (2015). This book is a collection of funny essays. They are about his life in Hollywood. In 2018, he appeared in two episodes of the TV show The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. He played a character named David Gallo.

Personal Life

Terry Sweeney's husband is Lanier Laney. Lanier is an artist and comedy writer. He also wrote for SNL during the 1985–1986 season. They first met as members of a comedy group called the "Bess Truman Players." This was before they joined SNL.

Laney and Sweeney have worked together on many projects. They were writing partners for Saturday Night Live. They also wrote the film Shag together. They also worked on the Syfy Channel cartoon Tripping the Rift. As of 2012, the couple lives in Los Angeles and Beaufort, South Carolina.