One of the founding members of the legendary comedy troupe, The Credibility Gap, lanky comic actor, writer... (Learn more)
Top Projects: Laverne and Shirley, Laverne & Shirley, Sessions (View All)
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Michael McKean’s Milestones
| Directed an episode, "Felines...Nothing More Than Felines", of the HBO comedy series, "Dream On"; also performed on the show | |
| First came to prominence on his TV series debut with the hit ABC sitcom, "Laverne and Shirley", in which he played Lenny Kosnoski | |
| Hosted a series of specials on Comedy Central, "Uncomfortably Close With Michael McKean" | |
| Performed for a time with the Left Banke singing group in the late 1960s before returning to college, this time enrolling in New York University's school of the arts | |
| Raised in Sea Cliff, a small town on Long Island NY | |
| 1961 | Began acting in plays at age 14 and performed in 22 of them by the time he graduated from high school (date approximate) |
| 1970 - 1975 | Also toured with The Credibility Gap |
| 1970 | Moved to Los Angeles; helped form the comedy group The Credibility Gap, which also featured Harry Shearer, David L. Lander and Richard Bebe and for a time had a program on the radio |
| 1975 | Hired as a writer for the upcoming sitcom, "Laverne and Shirley", along with Shearer and Lander; reportedly, series star Penny Marshall suggested that McKean and Lander could play recurring oddball characters, which led to the roles of Lenny and Squiggy |
| 1977 | Made feature film debut in "Cracking Up" |
| 1978 | First TV-movie, "More Than Friends"; also marked early collaboration with Rob Reiner |
| 1979 | Notable early collaboration with Christopher Guest (and also Harry Shearer from The Credibility Gap), "The TV Show", a pilot for a comedy series involving sketches which spoofed television |
| 1982 | Played first leading role in a feature in "Young Doctors in Love" |
| 1984 | First feature credit as screenwriter, song performer and songwriter, "This Is Spinal Tap", directed by Reiner and co-starring Reiner, Guest and Shearer; the four of them also co-wrote the screenplay |
| 1986 | Played first leading role in a TV-movie, "Classified Love"; also marked his first romantic lead on TV |
| 1987 | Directed the Showtime TV comedy special, "The Rich Hall Show" |
| 1987 | Played two roles in the TV-movie spy spoof, "Double Agent" |
| 1989 | Co-wrote the screenplay for a second film, "The Big Picture", directed by Christopher Guest |
| 1989 | First non-US film, "Earth Girls Are Easy" |
| 1990 | Joined cast of HBO comedy series "Dream On" in recurring role of Gibby |
| 1990 | Played one of the leading roles, that of Tom Smithson, on the NBC comedy series, "Grand" |
| 1991 | Directed one episode, and wrote another, for the short-lived CBS sitcom, "Morton & Hayes", whose executive producers included Rob Reiner (who also "hosted" the series) and Christopher Guest |
| 1991 | Played Dan Carver on the six-episode HBO comedy series, "Sessions" |
| 1992 | First TV producing credit, as one of the co-producers of the NBC rock'n'roll comedy special, "A Spinal Tap Reunion"; was also one of the writers of the special, and recreated his role as David St. Hubbins from the film, "This Is Spinal Tap" |
| 1994 | Joined the regular cast of NBC's variety series, "Saturday Night Live" |
| 1995 | Cast as the villainous neighbor in "The Brady Bunch Movie" |
| 1997 | Had featured role in the feature remake of "That Darn Cat" |
| 1999 | Portrayed the high school principal in "Teaching Mrs. Tingle" |
| 2000 | Appeared in the beauty pageant spoof "Beautiful" |
| 2000 | Cast as one half of a gay couple in "Best in Show", directed by Christopher Guest |
| 2001 | Appeared in director Christine Lahti's debut feature "My First Mister" |
| 2001 | Co-starred as bandleader Adrien Van Vorhees on the Comedy Central series "Primetime Glick", starring Martin Short |
| 2002 | Had supporting role in the fiftysomething romantic comedy "Never Again" |
| 2002 | Starred in writer-director Harry Shearer's ensemble corporate retreat comedy "Teddy Bears' Picnic" |
| 2003 | Co-starred in the Hollywood/Bollywood satire "The Guru" |
| 2003 | Featured in the comedy "A Mighty Wind", with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy; received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song |
| 2004 | Replaced Harvey Fierstein in the role of Edna Turnblad in the broadway production of "Hairspray" |
| 2005 | Played a prison trustee in the movie musical "The Producers," based on the stage musical by Mel Brooks and starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick |
| 2006 | Reunited with Guest to play a screenwriter in "For Your Consideration" |
| 2007 | Co-starred with Sam Rockwell in the dramedy "Joshua"; screened at sundance |
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