Meet Yankton College grad Nancy Lenehan
By Bruce R. Millerbmiller@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Friday, October 24, 2008
Yankton College grad Nancy Lenehan plays the mom on "Worst Week."
LOS ANGELES -- Nancy Lenehan has played so many mothers on television even she can't keep them straight.
"They're all a little different," the Yankton College graduate says. "But some do blend together."
Currently, Lenehan is a mom on "My Name is Earl," "Little Britain" and "Worst Week."
Most recently, she was Mom Kelly in "Married to the Kellys" and, in countless other series, teachers.
"Your careeer dictates where you go," she says with a smile. "People see you as a Midwestern wife and that's how they cast you. I feel very lucky."
To juggle two moms at once? That's divine. In "Earl," the New York-born Lenehan gets a chance to show her blue collar side. In "Worst Week" she traffics in suburbia. "One's got way better shoes and drinks fine champagne," she explains. The other? "Gets to play opposite Beau Bridges."
The "Earl" gig isn't weekly, so she can concentrate on "Worst Week," a new CBS comedy in which just about everything goes wrong for its hapless leading man. Lenehan turns up as his future mother-in-law, a meek woman who cowers in her husband's presence.
Kurtwood Smith -- the dad on "That '70s Show" -- plays Lenehan's husband, a gruff sort.
"People ask, 'Why do you fall into these roles?'" Smith says. "I think some of it has to do with the authoritarian image I have from the past. Before I started doing television comedy, I was always killing and maiming people."
When he was cast in "Worst Week," Smith asked who was going to portray his wife. After he heard the list, he says, "I said, 'You know who would be just perfect for this? Nancy Lenehan.'" The next day he got the word -- "She got the part."
"I've known Nancy for 20 years. She's terrifically easy to work with and very, very funny."
Says Lenehan: "I'm not often cast as the strong lawyer type. You're not going to see Kurt as the softy, softy, softy type. So, he needs someone who married the strong man -- the loving and supporting wife."
In earlier years, she did guest shots in just about every series between 1980 and 2000. She even appeared on "That '70s Show" and figured she'd make a good living as matriarchs because "everybody needs a mother."
During "Meet the Kellys," Lenehan quilted to pass the time. Now, she's learning to play cello.
"For my anniversary my husband presented me with one. It's a beautiful gift but I play so horribly," she says. "That's the gift -- that he endures and listens to me playing. I sound more horrible than you can imagine."
Quilting? "Oh, yes, I still do that. When you've got time on your hands on the set, it's the perfect thing."
Lenehan got into acting when she told a teacher she was interested in the business. The teacher advised her to go to Yankton College.
"Her father was head of the speech and theater department and he was also a farmer. She said, 'Come live on the farm and go to school in Yankton.' It was like Heidi going to the mountains. I was so happy there."
A star in all of the school's shows, Lenehan remembers "everybody -- all the football players" appearing in such productions as "Kiss Me Kate."
Now, she still dreams of coming back to the Midwest to visit.
First, though, there's family business to tend to: "Earl" on NBC; "Worst Week" on CBS.
"When I read the script for 'Worst Week,' my first question was 'Is this a four-camera show or a one-camera show?'" Lenehan says. "When I realized Matt Tarses (the producer) was involved, I thought, 'Oh this could be smart-funny. It made me go, 'Oh, it could be more than I see on the page right away.'"
With "Earl," she knew right away it was going to be a hoot.
"When they called and offered me the role, I was so thrilled. I didn't have to go into my little dance to get the job."
But, if anyone needs a mom who can play a cello and quilt, Lenehan's ready.
"They're all a little different," the Yankton College graduate says. "But some do blend together."
Currently, Lenehan is a mom on "My Name is Earl," "Little Britain" and "Worst Week."
Most recently, she was Mom Kelly in "Married to the Kellys" and, in countless other series, teachers.
"Your careeer dictates where you go," she says with a smile. "People see you as a Midwestern wife and that's how they cast you. I feel very lucky."
To juggle two moms at once? That's divine. In "Earl," the New York-born Lenehan gets a chance to show her blue collar side. In "Worst Week" she traffics in suburbia. "One's got way better shoes and drinks fine champagne," she explains. The other? "Gets to play opposite Beau Bridges."
The "Earl" gig isn't weekly, so she can concentrate on "Worst Week," a new CBS comedy in which just about everything goes wrong for its hapless leading man. Lenehan turns up as his future mother-in-law, a meek woman who cowers in her husband's presence.
Kurtwood Smith -- the dad on "That '70s Show" -- plays Lenehan's husband, a gruff sort.
"People ask, 'Why do you fall into these roles?'" Smith says. "I think some of it has to do with the authoritarian image I have from the past. Before I started doing television comedy, I was always killing and maiming people."
When he was cast in "Worst Week," Smith asked who was going to portray his wife. After he heard the list, he says, "I said, 'You know who would be just perfect for this? Nancy Lenehan.'" The next day he got the word -- "She got the part."
"I've known Nancy for 20 years. She's terrifically easy to work with and very, very funny."
Says Lenehan: "I'm not often cast as the strong lawyer type. You're not going to see Kurt as the softy, softy, softy type. So, he needs someone who married the strong man -- the loving and supporting wife."
In earlier years, she did guest shots in just about every series between 1980 and 2000. She even appeared on "That '70s Show" and figured she'd make a good living as matriarchs because "everybody needs a mother."
During "Meet the Kellys," Lenehan quilted to pass the time. Now, she's learning to play cello.
"For my anniversary my husband presented me with one. It's a beautiful gift but I play so horribly," she says. "That's the gift -- that he endures and listens to me playing. I sound more horrible than you can imagine."
Quilting? "Oh, yes, I still do that. When you've got time on your hands on the set, it's the perfect thing."
Lenehan got into acting when she told a teacher she was interested in the business. The teacher advised her to go to Yankton College.
"Her father was head of the speech and theater department and he was also a farmer. She said, 'Come live on the farm and go to school in Yankton.' It was like Heidi going to the mountains. I was so happy there."
A star in all of the school's shows, Lenehan remembers "everybody -- all the football players" appearing in such productions as "Kiss Me Kate."
Now, she still dreams of coming back to the Midwest to visit.
First, though, there's family business to tend to: "Earl" on NBC; "Worst Week" on CBS.
"When I read the script for 'Worst Week,' my first question was 'Is this a four-camera show or a one-camera show?'" Lenehan says. "When I realized Matt Tarses (the producer) was involved, I thought, 'Oh this could be smart-funny. It made me go, 'Oh, it could be more than I see on the page right away.'"
With "Earl," she knew right away it was going to be a hoot.
"When they called and offered me the role, I was so thrilled. I didn't have to go into my little dance to get the job."
But, if anyone needs a mom who can play a cello and quilt, Lenehan's ready.
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Charlie Hatfield wrote on Oct 28, 2008 2:59 PM: