American actor
Did celebrity impersonations of Robert Evans , Gary Busey , Howard Stern and Bill Clinton on "Saturday Night Live" .
Children: Fletcher McKean and Colin McKean (born to Susan Russell ).
Engaged to Annette OToole in 1998.
At age 46, was the oldest man to join the cast of "Saturday Night Live" .
Dan Aykroyd and McKean are the only ones to have appeared as musical guests, hosts and regulars on "Saturday Night Live" .
The song "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," performed by Mitch & Mickey in A Mighty Wind , was written by McKean and his wife, Annette OToole , as a love song to each other after the movie was conceived. Christopher Guest asked McKean and OToole to write the duet. He almost turned it down after the McKeans performed it. Jamie Lee Curtis convinced her husband (Guest) to use it in the film.
Performed as the comedy group The Credibility Gap with Richard Beebe , David L. Lander and Harry Shearer (among others) in the 1960s and 1970s, best known for their rock band version of the classic Bud Abbott /Lou Costello routine "Whos on First?".
Annette OToole and he were one of three husband/wife teams nominated for an Oscar for the 2003-2004 season. The others were Peter Jackson and his wife Fran Walsh and Shari Springer Berman and her husband Robert Pulcini.
Wrote the song "Potatos In The Patty Wagon" with Annette OToole , his wife, while commuting back and forth from the United States to Canada, where "Smallville" was being filmed. OToole played Martha Kent, Supermans mother, in the series for six seasons. There was ample time to write due to the long checks at the border as this was a few days after September 11th, 2001. The couple first performed the song at a Christmas party that was hosted by Martin Short.
Attended North Shore High School in Glen Head, New York
Has co-starred with wife Annette OToole as a married couple in at least two TV shows: "Boy Meets World" and "Law & Order" .
Son Fletcher attended and graduated from Agoura High School.
Gilbert and Ruth McKean, his parents, hailed from Louisiana. Gilbert was a recording executive for RCA and Columbia. Also he helped found Decca Records. Ruth was a clerk who worked at a school library. The couple, along with Michaels grandmother, attended Louisiana Tech University. He has an older sister. He had a younger brother also.
He began playing the guitar at the age of 14. He plays the piano and the harmonica also.
He decided to become an actor after seeing British actor and comedian Stanley Holloway performing in a one-man show titled "Laughs and Other Events" in New York.
Began his career in Pittsburgh while a student at Carnegie Mellon University. David L. Lander was a fellow student at CMU and their partnership grew after graduation as part of the comedy group The Credibility Gap with comedian Harry Shearer in Los Angeles. McKean and Landers breakthrough came in 1976 when they were cast as Lenny and Squiggy on "Laverne & Shirley" . The twosome were hired as apprentice writers and day players.
Along with Dean Cain , Teri Hatcher , Patrick Cassidy , George Murdock , Rob LaBelle and Richard Gant , he is one of only seven actors to appear in both "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" and "Smallville" .
Is a relative of Thomas McKean, one of the signers of the Declaration Of Independence.
Became an honorary member of the Friars Club in 2000. Has participated in events involving Rob Reiner , Jerry Lewis , Pat Cooper and Jerry Stiller.
Turned down a regular role on "Married with Children" because he felt the show wouldnt be a hit with him in it. Passed on the recurring character of "Dean Cyrus ODell" of Hearst College on "Veronica Mars" , also. He decided to do the West End production of "Love Song" by John Kolvenbach , instead.
Olympia Dukakis was his acting teacher at New York University. Learned improvisation from Omar Shapli. The improvisation class played some dates as a comedy group called Section 10.
Is a member of the Actors Branch of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was a presenter at the 29th Student Academy Awards on June 9, 2002.
He and his fellow cast members from the recent Broadway revival of "The Homecoming" were honored with an Outstanding Ensemble Award at the Drama Desk Awards held in New York on May 18, 2008.
December 28, 2009: Rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange with his fellow "Superior Donuts" cast members.
Stepfather of Nell Geisslinger and Anna Geisslinger.
He has made guest appearances on three different series featuring Clark Kent (Superman) as a regular character: "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" , "Smallville" and "Justice League" .
Resembles actor Leon Rippy.
Was hospitalized with a broken leg on May 22, 2012 in New York, after being hit by a car as he was walking. Resumed his stage career after recovery with a stint in an Off-Broadway play directed by Bob Balaban.
Michael McKean played the role of "Perry White" on a "Saturday Night Live" skit, entitled "Wheres Superman", on the March 18, 1995 episode featuring host Paul Reiser. Over 8 years later, McKean would play the same character of "Perry White" on the TV series, "Smallville" . In both depictions of "Perry White", McKean shouts the expression, "Great Caesars ghost!".
(June 2004) Starring in "Hairspray" on Broadway through October 2004.
(February 2006) He is starring as Hines in the hit Broadway revival of "The Pajama Game." It closes on June 17.
Did a TV role in "Off the Map" in Hawaii. Is about to start rehearsals for a new Randy Newman musical.
(October 2004) He is currently working in an original play entitled "A Second Hand Memory" by Woody Allen at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York.
(February 2009) Is about come out with two new Spinal Tap projects this spring: recordings of new material and a series of acoustic dates. Both projects will be with Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest.
(September 2009) Hosted this years edition of "Broadway On Broadway" in Times Square on September 13th. The free concert features performances from Broadway musicals. McKean participated in the event before as well as in the annual "Stars In The Alley."
Recently, he shot a comedy pilot for CBS that stars Laura Benanti.
Hes playing the role of "Harry" in the European premiere of John Kolvenbach s "Love Song", at the New Ambassadors Theatre in Londons West End. The romantic comedy closes March 3rd.
(April 2008) Is getting ready to play Arthur, the owner of a rundown donut shop located in Chicagos Uptown neighborhood, in "Superior Donuts," the new play by Tracy Letts of "August Osage County" fame. The production will run June 19 through August 17 at Chicagos Steppenwolf Theatre.
Will be doing one more week of "Superior Donuts" at Chicagos Steppenwolf Theatre. The show will now close on August 24.
(March 2009) After the "Unwigged & Unplugged" acoustic tour this spring, he will be playing some music festivals as part of Spinal Tap this summer. Is headed to New York to do a new project in August. Is one of 75 comedians to be included in "Satiristas," a new book to be published in October. Paul Provenza put the book together.
Along with real life wife Annette OToole , they will return to the hit series "Smallville" . She will resume her role as Clarks mom, Martha Kent. Michael will resume his role as Perry White. This time as editor & chief of "The Daily Planet."
Is getting ready to host the annual National Corporate Theatre Funds Chairmans Awards Gala in New York on April 14, 2008. This years honorees are Angela Lansbury , Bank Of America and The Actors Theatre Of Louisvilles Humana Festival. The gala raises money for non-profit theaters. McKean is no stranger to hosting theatrical events. He did The 20th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition at Broadways New Amsterdam Theater in April of 2006.
(May 2009) Will be reprising his role as Arthur in "Superior Donuts" on Broadway this fall after doing a workshop for the play in Chicago.
(January 2007) Hes finishing up his role as Harry in "Love Song." The play will close on February 17 due to the theater getting another booking.
(October 2007) Getting ready to head to New York to play the role of Sam in the upcoming Broadway revival of Harold Pinter s "The Homecoming" at the Cort Theatre. Rehearsals start in October. The production begins preview performances on November 23. The play opens on December 13. It closes April 13 of 2008.
(August 2010) Spotted alone, tan and fit, enjoying Hood River, Oregon, laptop and phone fully engaged.
(June 2009) The final concert of the "Unwigged & Unplugged" tour was videotaped in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 31st.
(June 2010) Currently appearing in the role of the "Stage Manager" in Barrow Street Theaters revival of "Our Town" in New York City.
(December 2007) Due to the recent Broadway stagehands strike, he played the role of Sam in the first preview performance of the Broadway revival of Harold Pinter s "The Homecoming" on December 4th. The plays new opening night is December 16th. It will still close on April 13, 2008.
(June 2009) Was interviewed as David St. Hubbins for a BBC Radio 2 documentary about Spinal Tap to air on June 20th.
(July 2004) With wife Annette OToole writing a new musical for the big screen.
