Michael McKean American actor, comedian and musician Date of Birth: 17.10.1947 Country: USA

Biography of Michael McKean

Michael McKean, an American actor, comedian, and musician, began playing the guitar at the age of 14 and later learned to play the piano and harmonica. His career in entertainment began during his time at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he co-founded the comedy group "The Credibility Gap" with David Lander and a few other actors.

McKean gained his first fame in 1976 with the sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," where he and Lander worked both in front of and behind the camera as actors and writers. In 1979, at the peak of the show's popularity, McKean, who had always been passionate about music, released a music album titled "Lenny and the Squigtones," featuring the characters Lenny and Squiggy, played by McKean and Lander, respectively. Christopher Guest was also involved in the group.

Following this, McKean had a series of supporting roles in films such as "Used Cars," "Young Doctors in Love," "1941," and others. His true popularity came in 1984 with the release of the mockumentary film "This Is Spinal Tap," which he co-created with Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and director Rob Reiner. The film depicted a fictional rock band's world tour during their decline in popularity. McKean played the lead vocalist of the band, David St. Hubbins. The film accurately captured the rock atmosphere of the late 70s and gained a cult status by the 90s.

Interestingly, the film project somewhat came to life in 1990 when the fictional band reunited for real, giving concerts, appearing on TV shows, and even releasing their own album. This became a unique experiment in the history of cinema and pop culture. McKean commented on the original project, saying, "This phenomenon was bigger than us, probably because we don't look too bad on stage." In 2003, the trio of "Spinal Tap" reunited again for a new musical parody called "A Mighty Wind."

Overall, McKean's filmography is extensive, with over 170 roles from 1974 to 2009. Most of his roles are in the comedy and musical comedy genres. One of his best films is the 1985 comedy "Clue." In 1987, he starred alongside Steve Martin and John Candy in the brilliant comedy "Planes, Trains & Automobiles." In 1992, McKean acted in John Carpenter's "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" alongside Chevy Chase. In 1996, he appeared in Francis Ford Coppola's comedy "Jack," starring Robin Williams and Diane Lane. In 1997, McKean starred with Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence in Steve Oedekerk's comedy "Nothing to Lose." Some of his recent works include the 2007 comedy "Joshua," the 2008 musical comedy "Adventures of Power," and Woody Allen's "Whatever Works" in 2009.

In addition to his work in film and television, McKean is actively involved in theater and voice acting for various projects, including films and video games. McKean has been married twice. His first marriage to Susan Russell ended in 1993, and he later married renowned actress and producer Annette O'Toole.