Eileen Brennan

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

114

Gender

Female

Birthday

1932-09-03

Day of death

2013-07-28 (80 years old)

Place of Birth

Los Angeles, California, USA

Eileen Brennan

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.

Known For

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • ER

    ER

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • Magnum, P.I.

    Magnum, P.I.

  • Strong Medicine

    Strong Medicine

  • Will & Grace

    Will & Grace

  • Mad About You

    Mad About You

  • Taxi

    Taxi

  • Home Improvement

    Home Improvement

  • Walker, Texas Ranger

    Walker, Texas Ranger

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • The Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

  • 7th Heaven

    7th Heaven

  • Tales from the Crypt

    Tales from the Crypt

  • The Wonderful World of Disney

    The Wonderful World of Disney

  • All in the Family

    All in the Family

  • Kojak

    Kojak

  • Hustle

    Hustle

  • Barnaby Jones

    Barnaby Jones

  • Newhart

    Newhart

  • thirtysomething

    thirtysomething

  • Playmates

    Playmates

  • Dinah!

    Dinah!

  • Stella

    Stella

  • McMillan & Wife

    McMillan & Wife

  • Working

    Working

  • The Ray Bradbury Theater

    The Ray Bradbury Theater

  • Toothless

    Toothless

  • Lizzie McGuire

    Lizzie McGuire

  • Knuckle

    Knuckle

  • Veronica's Closet

    Veronica's Closet

  • The Sting

    The Sting

  • Jeepers Creepers

    Jeepers Creepers

  • The Fartiste

    The Fartiste

  • Pandemonium

    Pandemonium

  • Clue

    Clue

  • Answers

    Answers

  • A New Kind of Family

    A New Kind of Family

  • Recycle Rex

    Recycle Rex

  • Daisy Miller

    Daisy Miller

  • When She Was Bad...

    When She Was Bad...

  • Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

    Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

  • Comic Book Villains

    Comic Book Villains

  • American Dreamer

    American Dreamer

  • Murder by Death

    Murder by Death

  • Private Benjamin

    Private Benjamin

  • Jack's Place

    Jack's Place

  • The Last Picture Show

    The Last Picture Show

  • Nunzio's Second Cousin

    Nunzio's Second Cousin

  • All That Glitters

    All That Glitters

  • Doctors' Hospital

    Doctors' Hospital

  • Gravedale High

    Gravedale High

  • White Palace

    White Palace

  • Picture This

    Picture This

  • Babes in Toyland

    Babes in Toyland

  • Scarecrow

    Scarecrow

  • Nourish the Beast

    Nourish the Beast

  • 13 Queens Blvd.

    13 Queens Blvd.

  • Private Benjamin

    Private Benjamin

  • If These Walls Could Talk

    If These Walls Could Talk

  • The Amateurs

    The Amateurs

  • Rented Lips

    Rented Lips

  • Black Beauty

    Black Beauty

  • The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

    The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

  • Off the Rack

    Off the Rack

  • The Cheap Detective

    The Cheap Detective

  • The Fourth Wise Man

    The Fourth Wise Man

  • Texasville

    Texasville

  • Freaky Friday

    Freaky Friday

  • Reckless

    Reckless

  • The Blue Knight

    The Blue Knight

  • Divorce American Style

    Divorce American Style

  • The Death of Richie

    The Death of Richie

  • FM

    FM

  • My Name Is Kate

    My Name Is Kate

  • Boys Life 2

    Boys Life 2

  • The Blue Knight

    The Blue Knight

  • Precious Victims

    Precious Victims

  • At Long Last Love

    At Long Last Love

  • Naked Run

    Naked Run

  • Come Die with Me

    Come Die with Me

  • The Funny Farm

    The Funny Farm

  • In Search of Dr. Seuss

    In Search of Dr. Seuss

  • The Hollow

    The Hollow

  • Lily for President?

    Lily for President?

  • The Star Wagon

    The Star Wagon

  • When the Circus Came to Town

    When the Circus Came to Town

  • Going to the Chapel

    Going to the Chapel

  • Deadly Intentions... Again?

    Deadly Intentions... Again?

  • Who Done It: The Clue Documentary

    Who Done It: The Clue Documentary

  • Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife

    Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife

  • Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story

    Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story

  • Murder So Sweet

    Murder So Sweet

  • Trail of Tears

    Trail of Tears

  • Incident at Crestridge

    Incident at Crestridge

  • Changing Habits

    Changing Habits

  • The Great Smokey Roadblock

    The Great Smokey Roadblock

  • The Night That Panicked America

    The Night That Panicked America

  • My Old Man

    My Old Man

  • I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

    I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

  • My Father's House

    My Father's House

  • Sticky Fingers

    Sticky Fingers

  • The History of White People in America: Volume II

    The History of White People in America: Volume II

  • The History of White People in America

    The History of White People in America

  • Dumb Luck

    Dumb Luck

  • Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary

    Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary

  • The Art of 'The Sting'

    The Art of 'The Sting'

  • It Had to Be You

    It Had to Be You

  • The Lies Boys Tell

    The Lies Boys Tell

  • The Last Great Ride

    The Last Great Ride

  • Pants on Fire

    Pants on Fire

  • Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste

    Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste