Eileen Brennan

Acting

114 titles

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

Who Done It: The Clue Documentary

2022

Naked Run

2011

The Amateurs

2006

The Art of 'The Sting'

2005

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

2005

The Hollow

2004

Dumb Luck

2003

Comic Book Villains

2002

Jeepers Creepers

2001

Lizzie McGuire

2001

Strong Medicine

2000

The Last Great Ride

1999

Will & Grace

1998

Pants on Fire

1998

Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste

1998

Toothless

1997

The Wonderful World of Disney

1997

Veronica's Closet

1997

Changing Habits

1997

Boys Life 2

1997

If These Walls Could Talk

1996

7th Heaven

1996

Arli$$

1996

Reckless

1995

Trail of Tears

1995

Freaky Friday

1995

The Lies Boys Tell

1994

In Search of Dr. Seuss

1994

Nunzio's Second Cousin

1994

Touched by an Angel

1994

My Name Is Kate

1994

Precious Victims

1993

Walker, Texas Ranger

1993

Recycle Rex

1993

Murder So Sweet

1993

Mad About You

1992

Jack's Place

1992

I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

1992

Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story

1992

Home Improvement

1991

Picture This

1991

Deadly Intentions... Again?

1991

White Palace

1990

Texasville

1990

American Dreamer

1990

Gravedale High

1990

Stella

1990

It Had to Be You

1989

Tales from the Crypt

1989

Going to the Chapel

1988

Rented Lips

1988

Sticky Fingers

1988

The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

1988

thirtysomething

1987

Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife

1987

The Fartiste

1987

Babes in Toyland

1986

The History of White People in America: Volume II

1986

Clue

1985

The History of White People in America

1985

The Ray Bradbury Theater

1985

Answers

1985

The Fourth Wise Man

1985

Off the Rack

1985

Murder, She Wrote

1984

The Funny Farm

1983

Newhart

1982

Lily for President?

1982

Working

1982

Pandemonium

1982

Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary

1982

Incident at Crestridge

1981

Private Benjamin

1981

When the Circus Came to Town

1981

Magnum, P.I.

1980

Private Benjamin

1980

My Old Man

1979

When She Was Bad...

1979

A New Kind of Family

1979

13 Queens Blvd.

1979

Taxi

1978

The Cheap Detective

1978

The Great Smokey Roadblock

1978

Black Beauty

1978

All That Glitters

1977

The Death of Richie

1977

Murder by Death

1976

Hustle

1975

The Night That Panicked America

1975

Doctors' Hospital

1975

Knuckle

1975

My Father's House

1975

At Long Last Love

1975

Dinah!

1974

Nourish the Beast

1974

Daisy Miller

1974

Come Die with Me

1974

The Sting

1973

The Blue Knight

1973

The Blue Knight

1973

Kojak

1973

Scarecrow

1973

Barnaby Jones

1973

Playmates

1972

The Last Picture Show

1971

McMillan & Wife

1971

All in the Family

1971

Divorce American Style

1967

The Star Wagon

1966

NET Playhouse

1966

The Merv Griffin Show

1962

Golden Globe Awards

1944