Michael McKean

Co-starred in Woody Allen's New York–based comedy "Whatever Works"

Will play the lead role of a doughnut shop owner in Tracy Letts' "Superior Donuts" on Broadway; first played the role at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre in 2008

Appeared on Broadway in the revival of Harold Pinter's "The Homecoming"

Co-starred with Sam Rockwell in the dramedy "Joshua"; screened at the Sundance Film Festival

Re-teamed with Guest to play a screenwriter in "For Your Consideration"

Played a prison trustee in the movie musical "The Producers," based on the stage musical by Mel Brooks and starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick

Replaced Harvey Fierstein in the role of Edna Turnblad in the broadway production of "Hairspray"

Co-starred in the Hollywood/Bollywood satire "The Guru"

Featured in the comedy "A Mighty Wind," with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy; received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song

Had supporting role in the fiftysomething romantic comedy "Never Again"

Starred in writer-director Harry Shearer's ensemble corporate retreat comedy "Teddy Bears' Picnic"

Appeared in director Christine Lahti's debut feature "My First Mister"

Co-starred as bandleader Adrien Van Vorhees on the Comedy Central series "Primetime Glick"; starring Martin Short

Appeared in the beauty pageant spoof "Beautiful"

Cast as one half of a gay couple in "Best in Show" directed by Christopher Guest

Hosted a series of specials on Comedy Central, "Uncomfortably Close With Michael McKean"

Portrayed the high school principal in "Teaching Mrs. Tingle"

Had featured role in the feature remake of "That Darn Cat"

Cast as the villainous neighbor in "The Brady Bunch Movie"

Joined the regular cast of NBC's variety series, "Saturday Night Live"

First TV producing credit, the NBC comedy special, "A Spinal Tap Reunion"; also co-wrote and recreated his role as David St. Hubbins

Directed four episodes of the HBO comedy series, "Dream On"; also had a recurring role on the show

Played Dan Carver on the six-episode HBO comedy series, "Sessions"

Wrote and directed episodes of the short-lived CBS sitcom, "Morton & Hayes"; executive produced by Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest

Played one of the leading roles, that of Tom Smithson, on the NBC comedy series, "Grand"

Co-starred with Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum in "Earth Girls Are Easy"

Penned second film, "The Big Picture"; starring Kevin Bacon and directed by Christopher Guest

Directed the Showtime comedy special, "The Rich Hall Show"

Played two roles in the TV-movie spy spoof, "Double Agent"

Played first leading role in a TV-movie, "Classified Love"; also marked his first romantic lead on TV

First feature credit as screenwriter, song performer and songwriter, "This Is Spinal Tap"; directed by Reiner and co-starred Reiner, Guest and Shearer, who also co-wrote

First leading role in a feature, "Young Doctors in Love"

First collaboration with Christopher Guest (and also Harry Shearer from The Credibility Gap), "The T.V. Show"

Appeared in first TV-movie, "More Than Friends"; first collaboration with Rob Reiner

Feature film debut, "Cracking Up"

Made TV series debut on the hit ABC sitcom "Laverne and Shirley" playing Lenny Kosnoski

Hired as a writer for the ABC sitcom "Laverne and Shirley," along with Shearer and Lander; reportedly, series star Penny Marshall suggested that McKean and Lander could play recurring oddball characters, which led to the roles of Lenny and Squiggy

Also toured with The Credibility Gap

Moved to Los Angeles and formed the comedy group The Credibility Gap, which featured Harry Shearer, David L. Lander and Richard Bebe

Began acting in plays at age 14 and performed in numerous high school productions

Performed with the Left Banke singing group in the late 1960s before enrolling in New York University's school of the arts