Eileen Brennan

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

115

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

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • Will & Grace

    Will & Grace

  • ER

    ER

  • Magnum, P.I.

    Magnum, P.I.

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Home Improvement

    Home Improvement

  • Strong Medicine

    Strong Medicine

  • Mad About You

    Mad About You

  • The Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • Walker, Texas Ranger

    Walker, Texas Ranger

  • Taxi

    Taxi

  • Newhart

    Newhart

  • Dinah!

    Dinah!

  • Tales from the Crypt

    Tales from the Crypt

  • Kojak

    Kojak

  • The History of White People in America: Volume II

    The History of White People in America: Volume II

  • 7th Heaven

    7th Heaven

  • Barnaby Jones

    Barnaby Jones

  • All in the Family

    All in the Family

  • thirtysomething

    thirtysomething

  • The Wonderful World of Disney

    The Wonderful World of Disney

  • If These Walls Could Talk

    If These Walls Could Talk

  • Lizzie McGuire

    Lizzie McGuire

  • McMillan & Wife

    McMillan & Wife

  • White Palace

    White Palace

  • Clue

    Clue

  • The History of White People in America

    The History of White People in America

  • The Ray Bradbury Theater

    The Ray Bradbury Theater

  • Jeepers Creepers

    Jeepers Creepers

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • The Sting

    The Sting

  • Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary

    Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary

  • Veronica's Closet

    Veronica's Closet

  • Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

    Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

  • The Hollow

    The Hollow

  • The Fartiste

    The Fartiste

  • Changing Habits

    Changing Habits

  • Scarecrow

    Scarecrow

  • Toothless

    Toothless

  • Hustle

    Hustle

  • Playmates

    Playmates

  • Answers

    Answers

  • Stella

    Stella

  • The Last Picture Show

    The Last Picture Show

  • Daisy Miller

    Daisy Miller

  • Precious Victims

    Precious Victims

  • Knuckle

    Knuckle

  • Reckless

    Reckless

  • Private Benjamin

    Private Benjamin

  • Pandemonium

    Pandemonium

  • Working

    Working

  • Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story

    Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story

  • Babes in Toyland

    Babes in Toyland

  • Rented Lips

    Rented Lips

  • Sticky Fingers

    Sticky Fingers

  • Jack's Place

    Jack's Place

  • Dumb Luck

    Dumb Luck

  • Murder by Death

    Murder by Death

  • Private Benjamin

    Private Benjamin

  • Recycle Rex

    Recycle Rex

  • The Amateurs

    The Amateurs

  • The Fourth Wise Man

    The Fourth Wise Man

  • The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

    The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

  • All That Glitters

    All That Glitters

  • Naked Run

    Naked Run

  • The Last Great Ride

    The Last Great Ride

  • The Cheap Detective

    The Cheap Detective

  • American Dreamer

    American Dreamer

  • Doctors' Hospital

    Doctors' Hospital

  • Comic Book Villains

    Comic Book Villains

  • It Had to Be You

    It Had to Be You

  • Freaky Friday

    Freaky Friday

  • The Great Smokey Roadblock

    The Great Smokey Roadblock

  • Gravedale High

    Gravedale High

  • Going to the Chapel

    Going to the Chapel

  • Murder So Sweet

    Murder So Sweet

  • Trail of Tears

    Trail of Tears

  • The Night That Panicked America

    The Night That Panicked America

  • At Long Last Love

    At Long Last Love

  • Who Done It: The Clue Documentary

    Who Done It: The Clue Documentary

  • Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste

    Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste

  • Incident at Crestridge

    Incident at Crestridge

  • The Blue Knight

    The Blue Knight

  • Nourish the Beast

    Nourish the Beast

  • My Old Man

    My Old Man

  • Boys Life 2

    Boys Life 2

  • My Father's House

    My Father's House

  • Texasville

    Texasville

  • Black Beauty

    Black Beauty

  • A New Kind of Family

    A New Kind of Family

  • Nunzio's Second Cousin

    Nunzio's Second Cousin

  • When the Circus Came to Town

    When the Circus Came to Town

  • Off the Rack

    Off the Rack

  • Come Die with Me

    Come Die with Me

  • 13 Queens Blvd.

    13 Queens Blvd.

  • The Blue Knight

    The Blue Knight

  • When She Was Bad...

    When She Was Bad...

  • The Art of 'The Sting'

    The Art of 'The Sting'

  • Divorce American Style

    Divorce American Style

  • FM

    FM

  • Deadly Intentions... Again?

    Deadly Intentions... Again?

  • I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

    I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

  • The Star Wagon

    The Star Wagon

  • Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife

    Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife

  • The Lies Boys Tell

    The Lies Boys Tell

  • The Death of Richie

    The Death of Richie

  • In Search of Dr. Seuss

    In Search of Dr. Seuss

  • My Name Is Kate

    My Name Is Kate

  • The Funny Farm

    The Funny Farm

  • Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas

    Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas

  • Lily for President?

    Lily for President?

  • Pants on Fire

    Pants on Fire