A tribute to the late, great Eileen Brennan whose career included “Private Benjamin” and “Will & Grace”

I posted a photo of Eileen Brennan on my Facebook page earlier today when I found out that she had died at the age of 80.

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who commented at the passing of this terrific actress who, at the peak of her career, was critically injured after being struck by a car . It took her three years to recover.

Best known for her Oscar-nominated role as Capt. Doreen Lewis in Private Benjamin opposite Goldie Hawn, Brennan reprised the role in the TV series version and won herself an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award.

Before Private Benjamin, she had roles in such classic films as The Last Picture Show and The Sting and was a semi-regular on the TV series Laugh-In. She also was in the films Clue, Daisy Miller and The Cheap Detective.

After recovering from her accident, Miss Brennan went on to earn Emmy nominations for guest spots on Will & Grace, Thirtysomething and Newhart.

I loved her appearances as Jack McFarland’s acting teacher on Will & Grace – she did seven episodes in all.

Below is her memorable scene from The Cheap Detective: