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

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • ER

    ER

  • The Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

  • Magnum, P.I.

    Magnum, P.I.

  • Will & Grace

    Will & Grace

  • Home Improvement

    Home Improvement

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • Mad About You

    Mad About You

  • Strong Medicine

    Strong Medicine

  • Taxi

    Taxi

  • Tales from the Crypt

    Tales from the Crypt

  • thirtysomething

    thirtysomething

  • Barnaby Jones

    Barnaby Jones

  • Walker, Texas Ranger

    Walker, Texas Ranger

  • Dinah!

    Dinah!

  • Newhart

    Newhart

  • All in the Family

    All in the Family

  • Kojak

    Kojak

  • 7th Heaven

    7th Heaven

  • Lizzie McGuire

    Lizzie McGuire

  • McMillan & Wife

    McMillan & Wife

  • The Wonderful World of Disney

    The Wonderful World of Disney

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • The Ray Bradbury Theater

    The Ray Bradbury Theater

  • Veronica's Closet

    Veronica's Closet

  • All That Glitters

    All That Glitters

  • Jeepers Creepers

    Jeepers Creepers

  • Murder by Death

    Murder by Death

  • Clue

    Clue

  • The History of White People in America

    The History of White People in America

  • Scarecrow

    Scarecrow

  • The Blue Knight

    The Blue Knight

  • Incident at Crestridge

    Incident at Crestridge

  • Trail of Tears

    Trail of Tears

  • Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

    Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

  • The Cheap Detective

    The Cheap Detective

  • Murder So Sweet

    Murder So Sweet

  • If These Walls Could Talk

    If These Walls Could Talk

  • White Palace

    White Palace

  • The Sting

    The Sting

  • Hustle

    Hustle

  • Nourish the Beast

    Nourish the Beast

  • Changing Habits

    Changing Habits

  • At Long Last Love

    At Long Last Love

  • Doctors' Hospital

    Doctors' Hospital

  • Jack's Place

    Jack's Place

  • Knuckle

    Knuckle

  • Private Benjamin

    Private Benjamin

  • Stella

    Stella

  • The History of White People in America: Volume II

    The History of White People in America: Volume II

  • Daisy Miller

    Daisy Miller

  • Pandemonium

    Pandemonium

  • Gravedale High

    Gravedale High

  • 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

  • Texasville

    Texasville

  • The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

    The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

  • When the Circus Came to Town

    When the Circus Came to Town

  • Private Benjamin

    Private Benjamin

  • The Fourth Wise Man

    The Fourth Wise Man

  • Precious Victims

    Precious Victims

  • The Hollow

    The Hollow

  • Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story

    Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story

  • The Great Smokey Roadblock

    The Great Smokey Roadblock

  • The Last Picture Show

    The Last Picture Show

  • Sticky Fingers

    Sticky Fingers

  • Come Die with Me

    Come Die with Me

  • Toothless

    Toothless

  • Working

    Working

  • Comic Book Villains

    Comic Book Villains

  • FM

    FM

  • The Amateurs

    The Amateurs

  • The Last Great Ride

    The Last Great Ride

  • Black Beauty

    Black Beauty

  • My Old Man

    My Old Man

  • Answers

    Answers

  • Boys Life 2

    Boys Life 2

  • Freaky Friday

    Freaky Friday

  • American Dreamer

    American Dreamer

  • Reckless

    Reckless

  • Rented Lips

    Rented Lips

  • Going to the Chapel

    Going to the Chapel

  • 13 Queens Blvd.

    13 Queens Blvd.

  • The Night That Panicked America

    The Night That Panicked America

  • My Father's House

    My Father's House

  • Off the Rack

    Off the Rack

  • A New Kind of Family

    A New Kind of Family

  • Recycle Rex

    Recycle Rex

  • Playmates

    Playmates

  • Dumb Luck

    Dumb Luck

  • The Fartiste

    The Fartiste

  • Naked Run

    Naked Run

  • The Art of 'The Sting'

    The Art of 'The Sting'

  • It Had to Be You

    It Had to Be You

  • Divorce American Style

    Divorce American Style

  • Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary

    Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary

  • Babes in Toyland

    Babes in Toyland

  • The Death of Richie

    The Death of Richie

  • When She Was Bad...

    When She Was Bad...

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

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

  • Nunzio's Second Cousin

    Nunzio's Second Cousin

  • The Lies Boys Tell

    The Lies Boys Tell

  • In Search of Dr. Seuss

    In Search of Dr. Seuss

  • Pants on Fire

    Pants on Fire

  • Deadly Intentions... Again?

    Deadly Intentions... Again?

  • I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

    I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

  • The Funny Farm

    The Funny Farm

  • My Name Is Kate

    My Name Is Kate

  • Lily for President?

    Lily for President?

  • The Star Wagon

    The Star Wagon

  • Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste

    Le petomane: Fin de siècle fartiste