Born in Los Angeles, CA; daughter of silent film actress Jean Manahan; educated at Georgetown University and AADA. Distinctive American character actor and sometime leading lady with a smoky voice, curly hair and a slightly wild-eyed expression, adept at both dramas and zany comedy. Brennan enjoyed stage success in the early 1960s Off-Broadway in Little Mary Sunshine (which won her an Obie® Award) and with Broadway's Hello, Dolly!, where she played Irene Malloy. She began a prolific run of TV appearances later in the decade, most notably on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" where her zippy comic timing garnered nationwide attention. Although success in features was gradual, Brennan did rack up several very interesting credits in films including THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971), THE STING (1973) and DAISY MILLER (1974). Brennan had long displayed a keen sense of camp, and in AT LONG LAST LOVE (1975) showed an affinity for the tough but good-hearted working women of 30s backstage musicals and 40s film noirs. Her greatest success in features came in the late 70s as tough but neurotic old-style dames in comedies including MURDER BY DEATH (1976) and THE CHEAP DETECTIVE (1978). Her work as a tough Army captain in PRIVATE BENJAMIN (1980), meanwhile, showed a nuanced yet disciplined reining-in of her flair for the outlandish, and she won a supporting Oscar® nomination for her efforts. Brennan recreated her role (and won an Emmy®) as the hardened Captain Lewis in the early 1980s sitcom of the same name. Her career, though, was put on hold for several years after a car accident confined her to a wheelchair. Brennan was later quite open about the dangers of becoming addicted to prescription painkillers, and successfully resumed her acting career in 1985. Feature films (CLUE, 1985, TEXASVILLE, 1990, I DON'T BUY KISSES ANYMORE, 1992) have generally been a bit disappointing, but Brennan managed to enliven the small screen in the late 80s and 90s with memorable, Emmy-nominated guest spots on "Newhart" and "thirtysomething." Notable later credits include FREAKY FRIDAY and RECKLESS (both 1995), CHANGING HABITS (1997), MOONGLOW (2000), JEEPERS CREEPERS and DUMB LUCK (both 2001), THE MOGULS and MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED & FABULOUS (both 2005), NAKED RUN (2006), and PEANUT BUTTER (2007). Brennan had recurring roles on the TV series "7th Heaven" and "Will & Grace".  Nominated for Supporting Actress 1980: PRIVATE BENJAMIN 1 nomination