Nancy Lenehan

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Nancy Lenehan
Kurtwood Smith, Nancy Lenehan (2867376110).jpg
Lenehan with Worst Week co-star Kurtwood Smith in 2008
Born (1953-04-26) April 26, 1953 (age 71)
Long Island, New York, U.S.
Alma mater Yankton College
OccupationActress
Years active1979–present

Nancy Lenehan (born April 26, 1953) [1] is an American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1980 action comedy film Smokey and the Bandit II and later had supporting roles in films She's Having a Baby (1988), Pleasantville (1998), and Catch Me If You Can (2002). Better known for her television appearances, Lenehan was regular cast member in a number of short-lived sitcoms, including Great Scott! (1992), The Faculty (1996), Married to the Kellys (2003–04), Worst Week (2008–09), How to Be a Gentleman (2011), and People of Earth (2016–17). She also had recurring roles on Grace Under Fire , My Name Is Earl , Caroline in the City , Ellen , The New Adventures of Old Christine , and Veep .

Contents

Early life and education

Lenehan was born on Long Island, New York. She attended Yankton College in Yankton, South Dakota. [2]

Career

Lenehan made her screen debut appearing in the 1979 made-for-television movie When She Was Bad... starring Cheryl Ladd and later guest-starred on Alice . She made her big screen debut in the 1980 action comedy film Smokey and the Bandit II playing the supporting role. [3] The following years, Lenehan appeared in films The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981), Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again (1982), Stoogemania (1986), Like Father Like Son (1987), She's Having a Baby (1988) and The Great Outdoors (1988). On television, Lenehan guest-starred on both comedy and dramas including Hill Street Blues , Family Ties , The Facts of Life , Fame , The Twilight Zone , Beauty and the Beast , The Tracey Ullman Show , Murphy Brown , Roseanne , The Golden Girls and Seinfeld. She provided the speaking and singing voice of Helen Henny from Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theater Chuck E Cheese's Pizza Time Theater restaurants from 1983 to 1991.

In 1992, Lenehan starred in the Fox short-lived sitcom Great Scott! . From 1993 to 1998 she had a recurring role in the ABC sitcom Grace Under Fire playing Audrey Sheffield. [1] In 1996 she was regular cast member on the Meredith Baxter' sitcom The Faculty . She also had a recurring role on the ABC sitcom Ellen during its fourth season, playing the title character's realtor, Margaret Reed. [4] [5] She starred as Sandy Kelly, the matriarch in the ABC sitcom Married to the Kellys (2003–2004), and had a recurring role on My Name Is Earl (2005–2008) as Earl and Randy's mother, Kay Hickey. [1] From 2008 to 2009, she co-starred on the short-lived CBS sitcom Worst Week .

Lenehan has appeared in featured, recurring and guest roles in more than 100 television shows, including Malcolm in the Middle , Everybody Loves Raymond , How I Met Your Mother , Judging Amy , Gilmore Girls , Caroline in the City (playing office manager Plum in two episodes in Season 4), Dharma & Greg , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , 3rd Rock from the Sun , ER , Boy Meets World , The Nanny , Quantum Leap , Just Shoot Me! , Ally McBeal , That '70s Show , Nip/Tuck , The New Adventures of Old Christine , The Middle , Black-ish , Superstore , Bless This Mess and Grace and Frankie . From 2014 to 2019 she had a recurring role as Nancy Ryan in the HBO comedy series, Veep . In 2023, she played Senator Jennings in the Amazon political thriller Jack Ryan . [6]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1980 Smokey and the Bandit II Ramona
1986 Stoogemania Connie Smoynek
1988 She's Having a Baby Cynthia
The Great Outdoors Waitress
1992 Roadside Prophets Vegas Motel 9 Desk Clerk
Out on a Limb Miss Clayton
1998 Pleasantville Marge Jenkins
1999 The Limey Lady On Plane
2001 Human Nature Puff's Mother
2002 Full Frontal Woman on Plane
Adaptation Kaufman's Mother
Catch Me If You Can Carol Strong
2005 Beauty Shop Mrs. Struggs
2007 The Savages Counselor
2011 A Better Life Mrs. Donnelley
2014 Sex Tape Linda
2017 Battle of the Sexes Billie's Mom
2022That's AmorLainie
2024 Night Swim Kay

Television

YearFilmRoleNotes
1982 Hill Street Blues Katy Moore2 episodes
1982 Family Ties Roberta1 episode
1983 We Got It Made Paulette1 episode
1984 Faerie Tale Theatre Georgette1 episode
1985 Fame Brenda Haskell1 episode
1985 Tall Tales & Legends Lyda1 episode
1986 Heart of the City Linda Kilmer1 episode
1986 It's a Living Phylis Caruso1 episode
1987 My Sister Sam Judy1 episode
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Vivian1 episode
1987 Mr. President Lenore1 episode
1987 Beauty and the Beast Lucy1 episode
1987 Student Exchange Mrs. BartonTelevision film
1988 Newhart Kristi Castetter1 episode
1988 Beverly Hills Buntz Mrs. Fairchild1 episode
1989 ALF Laverne Litwak1 episode
1989 Paradise Marti Brandt1 episode
1989 Night Court Ms. Abrams1 episode
1989 Sister Kate Mrs. Crenshaw1 episode
1989 Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon Mrs. HarrisTelevision film
1990 The Golden Girls Nun1 episode
1990 Murphy Brown Sydney1 episode
1990 Roseanne Happy Customer1 episode
1990 Dear John Mrs. Williams1 episode
1990 The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story Harriet Alvena Baum NealTelevision film
1991 Sisters Joy Zimmer2 episodes
1991 Nurses Cheryl Pinson1 episode
1991 Quantum Leap Colleen McBain1 episode
1992 Civil Wars Paula Richardson1 episode
1992 Great Scott! Beverly MelrodMain role, 7 episodes
1993 Dudley Nancy1 episode
1993 CBS Schoolbreak Special Susan Thomas1 episode
1993 Bakersfield P.D. Amy Baker1 episode
1993–1998 Grace Under Fire Audrey SheffieldRecurring role, 12 episodes
1994 Step by Step Mrs. Tubman1 episode
1995 Mad About You Dr. Wallach1 episode
1996 The Faculty Daisy SkelnickMain role, 13 episodes
1996 Townies Lila1 episode
1996 The Cherokee Kid Sister FaithTelevision film
1996–1997 Ellen Margaret Reed4 episodes
1997 Boy Meets World Susan Kalliback1 episode
1997 3rd Rock from the Sun Mrs. St. Clair1 episode
1997 Ink Nancy Milford1 episode
1997 The Practice Nurse MacKenzie1 episode
1997 George and Leo Mimi1 episode
1998 Working Meredith Hirsh1 episode
1998 The Tony Danza Show Mrs. Erlich1 episode
1998 Caroline in the City Plum2 episodes
1998 Buffy the Vampire Slayer PatEpisode: "Dead Man's Party"
1999 ER Edie Harvell1 episode
1999 Dharma & Greg Karen Love2 episodes
1999 Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane Mrs. Needles1 episode
1999 Providence Jane1 episode
1999 Just Shoot Me! Bunny1 episode
1999–2000 Two Guys and a Girl Dr. Peel2 episodes
1999–2001 Felicity Faye Rotundi3 episodes
2000 Yes, Dear Judy1 episode
2000 Malcolm In the Middle Christie / Helen2 episodes
2001 FreakyLinks Dr. Gibson1 episode
2001 Judging Amy Mrs. Hoeller1 episode
2001 Gilmore Girls LaDawn1 episode
2001 Men, Women & Dogs Jan1 episode
2002 Ally McBeal Principal Deborah Harkness2 episodes
2002 Titus Faye1 episode
2002 Everybody Loves Raymond Pamela1 episode
2003 What I Like About You Linda1 episode
2003 That '70s Show Nina's Mom1 episode
2003 Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off Mrs. HadleyTelevision film, uncredited
2003–2004 Married to the Kellys Sandy KellyMain role, 20 episodes
2004 Jack & Bobby School Secretary1 episode
2005 Joan of Arcadia Erica Marx1 episode
2005 Close to Home Patty2 episodes
2005 Nip/Tuck Sue Alderman1 episode
2005 The Bernie Mac Show Sister Lane1 episode
2005–2008 My Name Is Earl Kay Hickey Recurring role, 10 episodes
2006 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Mrs. Jeter1 episode
2006–2010 The New Adventures of Old Christine Principal Marcie NunleyRecurring role, 6 episodes
2007 My Boys Eileen1 episode
2008 Little Britain USA Kelly Pincher3 episodes
2008–2009 Worst Week Angela ClaytonMain role, 16 episodes
2009 Accidentally on Purpose Lara1 episode
2011–2012 How to Be a Gentleman Diane CarlsonMain role, 9 episodes
2012 The Middle Penny1 episode
2013–2014 How I Met Your Mother Cheryl2 episodes
2014–2019 Veep Mrs. RyanRecurring role, 11 episodes
2016–2017 People of Earth Margaret FloodMain role, 20 episodes
2018–2020 Man with a Plan Alice2 episodes
2018 Champions Maureen1 episode
2018 Jack Ryan Senator Joan Henshaw1 episode
2018 Forever Heather Jacoby1 episode
2019 Black-ish Barbara Piermont1 episode
2019–2020 Bless This Mess DebRecurring role, 13 episodes
2020 Superstore Judy1 episode
2021 Generation Nonna1 episode
2022 Grace and Frankie Rosemary1 episode
2022 A League of Their Own Vivienne2 episodes
2023 American Auto Winnie1 episode

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Nancy Lenehan - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  2. ↑ "Nancy Lenehan | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Archived from the original on 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  3. ↑ "Nancy Lenehan". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  4. ↑ "Nancy Lenehan". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  5. ↑ "Nancy Lenehan | TV CAST LIST". www.tvcastlist.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  6. ↑ Petski, Denise (November 23, 2021). "'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan': Zuleikha Robinson, Louis Ozawa, Okieriete Onaodowan Among Five Cast In Amazon Series". Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
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