Eileen Brennan, an actress who successfully was able to do musical theater and then land somewhat of a niche in comedic roles, and is probably most remembered for her portrayal of a ball busting Captain in Private Benjamin, has died at the age of 80 after a lengthy battle with bladder cancer reports USA Today.
Brennan first cut her teeth in the acting community with various Broadway stints, she had showcased a penchant for singing with light comedy, as evidenced by her Obie winning performance in the 1960 New York production of Little Mary Sunshine. Hello Dolly was also part of her resume, and she then rounded out the decade with some theatrical films and appearances on TV variety programs, mainly the smash hit Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. That led to more TV, programs as genre stretching as All in the Family, the gritty cop drama Kojak, the soppy nautical light fare The Love Boat and others. She exhibited a versatility, which kept her employed prolifically as a utility character actress in Hollywood.
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