Eileen Brennan

Brennan began her stage career in university productions, including Arsenic and Old Lace. She starred in the title role of the Off-Broadway musical Little Mary Sunshine (1959), earning an Obie Award, and later appeared in its Broadway sequel The Student Gypsy (1963). She played Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker at the Central City Opera Summer Festival (1961) and created the role of Irene Molloy in the original Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! (1964).

She made her feature film debut in Divorce American Style (1967) and was a semi-regular on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (1968). She appeared in The Last Picture Show (1971), earning a BAFTA nomination, followed by All in the Family (1972), The Sting (1973), Daisy Miller (1974), At Long Last Love (1975), Murder by Death (1976), The Cheap Detective (1978), and FM (1978). She also appeared in Barnaby Jones (1975).

Brennan received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Private Benjamin (1980) and reprised the role in the television series Private Benjamin (1981–1983), winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She earned an Emmy nomination for a guest role on Taxi (1981).

She portrayed Mrs. Peacock in Clue (1985). Television guest appearances included Murder, She Wrote (1987, 1994), Magnum, P.I. (1987), Newhart, Thirtysomething, Home Improvement, Walker, Texas Ranger, and ER, with Emmy nominations for Newhart and Thirtysomething.

Film roles in the 1990s included Stella (1990), Texasville (1990), and Reckless (1995). She had a recurring role on Blossom and appeared in Boys Life 2. Later projects included Jeepers Creepers (2001), Comic Book Villains (2002), recurring roles on 7th Heaven and Will & Grace, and The Hollow (2004). She received an Emmy nomination for Will & Grace (2004).