Michael McKean
Biography
Michael McKean, born in New York City, is an American actor, comedian, and musician who also writes screenplays and songs. He first became known for playing Lenny Kosnowski on Laverne & Shirley, a role he held from 1976 to 1983. His film work includes Used Cars (1980), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Clue (1985), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), and Short Circuit 2 (1988). He worked repeatedly with Christopher Guest, appearing in Best in Show (2000) and A Mighty Wind (2003), and later in For Your Consideration (2006). He was in the Saturday Night Live cast from 1994 to 1995, and in 2019 he earned a Primetime Emmy nomination as Chuck McGill on Better Call Saul. On Broadway he played Edna Turnblad in Hairspray in 2004, and he appeared in Superior Donuts and The Little Foxes. He co-wrote songs for A Mighty Wind, one of which won a Grammy and another an Academy Award nomination.
78years old
Turns 79 on October 17in 4 days
- Born New York City
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- Also credited as Michael John McKean
Movie Career
- Films
- 66
- Career span
- 48 years1977 to 2025
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A first
McKean had been a musical guest and then a guest host on Saturday Night Live before he became a cast member there from 1994 to 1995. He was 46, making him the oldest person to join the SNL cast at that time.
Big break
McKean and fellow Carnegie Mellon student David Lander created the characters Lenny and Squiggy, and in 1976 the pair joined the cast of Laverne & Shirley to portray them.
Behind the award
McKean acted in the 2003 Christopher Guest comedy A Mighty Wind and helped write several of its songs. The title track, written with Guest and Eugene Levy, earned the Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
Michael McKean movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Christopher Guest directed four of these films, Rob Reiner two and Jay Oliva two. Two actors appear in seven of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Christopher Guest's page
Harry Shearer's page
Ed Begley Jr.'s page
Parker Posey's page
Jane Lynch's page
Fred Willard's page
All films by Rob Reiner
All films by Jay Oliva
Also four films together2 more actors
- Rob ReinerSpinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025), Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness (2020), A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out (1992) and This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
- Fran DrescherSpinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025), Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness (2020), Jack (1996) and The Big Picture (1989)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Michael McKean's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$612 million
39 of the 66 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 66 films: 39 worldwide figure; 7 us gross only; 8 never in cinemas; 12 figure not found.
- 39Worldwide figure
- 7US gross only
- 8Never in cinemas
- 12Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 59% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$59M9.6% of the total
- 2$58M9.5% of the total
- 3$50M8.1% of the total
- 4$47M7.6% of the total
- 5$44M7.3% of the total
- 6$38M6.2% of the total
- 7$36M5.9% of the total
- 8$31M5.0% of the total
$250 millionfrom the other 31 films with a worldwide figure, 41% of the total
Awards
Two awards and honors from 1990 to 2004, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammy Awards | |||
| 2004 | Best Song Written for Visual Media | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 1990 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.