Terry Sweeney was born on March 23, 1960. He is a writer and actor, known for MADtv (1995), Shag (1989) and Saturday Night Live (1975). He has been married to Lanier Laney since 1981.
Sweeney told an interviewer for afterelton.com that very few staff writers other than Sweeney himself and Sweeney's boyfriend, Lanier Laney, were interested in writing parts for him on "SNL" (because of their stated hesitance in writing for a gay cast member)--with the exception of Al Franken and Franken's writing partner, Tom Davis. Franken, who was always interested in writing politically themed skits, was the first person who told Sweeney that, due to his resemblance to Ron Reagan Jr., Sweeney should try playing Nancy Reagan in a skit. Playing the then-first lady proved to be Sweeney's most memorable role on "SNL," and Franken eventually parlayed his interest in politics into becoming a US senator from Minnesota.
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Before becoming a cast member of Saturday Night Live (1975), Sweeney was hired as a writer. He wrote a number of spec skits and then got them directly into the hands of then-head producer Jean Doumanian by buying a bunch of sandwiches and sides from the Carnegie Deli and telling the security guard that he was a delivery man with lunch for the "SNL" offices. Once inside her office, he admitted to Doumanian that he knew she hadn't really ordered the sandwiches, but he gave her the scripts (and the lunch) anyway; about a week later, she called him and offered him a job.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Tripping the Rift: The Movie
2008
Video
Tripping the Rift
TV Series writer - 6 episodes, 2004 - 2007 story - 1 episode, 2007
Hype
TV Series creator - 3 episodes, 2001 writer - 3 episodes, 2001
MADtv
TV Series writer - 61 episodes, 1997 - 2000 written by - 14 episodes, 1997 - 1998
Shag
1989/I
screenplay / story
Love at Stake
1987
Saturday Night Live
1980-1986
TV Series writer - 31 episodes
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Baby Daddy
2014
TV Series
Henry
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
2003
TV Series
Heart Curator
Pros & Cons
1999
Decorator
Family Matters
1996
TV Series
Snooty Ticket Agent
Bombmeister
1995
Magic Island
1995
Video
Funny Face (voice)
Platypus Man
1995
TV Series
Alan
Seinfeld
1995
TV Series
Keith
Something Wilder
1994
TV Series
Clerk
Saturday Night Live
1981-1986
TV Series
Various
Nancy Reagan
Joan Rivers
...
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Tripping the Rift
TV Series creative consultant - 5 episodes, 2004 story editor - 4 episodes, 2004
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hype
2001
TV Series executive producer - 3 episodes
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Saturday Night Live
1986
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost & Found
2005
TV Special documentary
Himself
Coming Out Party
2003
Video
Himself
Saturday Night Live
1986
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash
1992
TV Special
Nancy Reagan (uncredited)
Saturday Night Live Goes Commercial
1991
TV Special
Yuppie (uncredited)
Known for movies
Seinfeld 1995 as Keith
Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 1992 as Nancy Reagan
$1.5 Million
