If you close your eyes and think of 1970s sitcoms, you can probably hear that specific, nasally voice. The one that usually preceded a greasy entrance into a Milwaukee basement apartment. Most people asking who played lenny on laverne & shirley are looking for one name: Michael McKean. But the story of how Lenny Kosnowski came to be—and the incredible career the man behind the greaser went on to have—is way more interesting than just a trivia answer.
He wasn't just a sidekick.
Michael McKean didn’t just land a role; he basically co-created the ecosystem of the show along with David Lander, who played Squiggy. They were a package deal. It’s actually kind of wild when you think about it. Most actors audition for a part written by a room of tired writers. McKean and Lander brought Lenny and Squiggy to the table as fully formed characters they'd developed years earlier in college.
The Birth of Lenny Kosnowski
So, who played lenny on laverne & shirley before the show even existed? That would be Michael McKean during his time at Carnegie Mellon University. He and David Lander were part of a comedy group called The Credibility Gap. They developed these two "greaser" characters as a bit, a sort of satirical nod to the tough guys they saw in the late 50s and early 60s.
They were doing this routine long before Garry Marshall, the legendary producer, ever saw them. When Marshall was looking to flesh out the world of Laverne & Shirley—which was a spin-off of Happy Days—he needed something to balance out the girls' energy. He saw the chemistry between McKean and Lander and realized he didn't need to write new characters. He just needed to hire them.
Lenny was the taller, slightly more "together" half of the duo, though that’s a very low bar to clear. While Squiggy was all bravado and grease, Lenny was the lovable dimwit who occasionally showed flashes of a bizarre, alternate-reality wisdom.
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Beyond the Milwaukee Brewery
It’s easy to pigeonhole Michael McKean if you only know him from the sitcom. You might think he’s just that guy from the 70s with the sideburns. Honestly, that couldn't be further from the truth. McKean is one of the most versatile actors of his generation.
After Laverne & Shirley ended its run in 1983, many actors would have faded into the "Where Are They Now?" files. Not him.
The Spinal Tap Connection
If you want to understand the range of the man who played lenny on laverne & shirley, you have to watch This Is Spinal Tap. Released in 1984, just a year after Lenny hung up his bowling shirt, McKean transformed into David St. Hubbins. He wasn't just acting like a rock star; he was writing the songs. He actually plays guitar. He actually sings.
The character of David St. Hubbins is the polar opposite of Lenny. Where Lenny was a working-class schlub from the Midwest, St. Hubbins was a pretentious, dim-witted British rock god. It remains one of the greatest comedic performances in cinema history. It’s the kind of role that makes you forget Lenny ever existed.
The Christopher Guest Era and SNL
McKean became a staple in the mockumentary genre. He worked with Christopher Guest on Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration. He has this uncanny ability to play "straight" comedy—where the character doesn't know they are funny.
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He also had a stint on Saturday Night Live in the mid-90s. This is a fun piece of trivia: McKean is one of the very few people who was a musical guest on SNL (with Spinal Tap) before he was ever a cast member. He joined the cast when he was 46, making him the oldest person to join the show as a "new" cast member at that time. He brought a veteran stability to a cast that included Adam Sandler and Chris Farley.
Better Call Saul: A Masterclass in Drama
For a younger generation, the answer to who played lenny on laverne & shirley is "Wait, that's Chuck McGill?"
In 2015, McKean took on the role of Chuck McGill in Better Call Saul. If you haven't seen it, Chuck is the brilliant but mentally ill brother of the main character, Jimmy (Saul Goodman). It is a harrowing, deeply dramatic performance. There is no trace of Lenny Kosnowski here. None.
He played a man suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity with such conviction that it was physically uncomfortable to watch. He didn't win an Emmy for it, which many critics—and fans—still consider one of the biggest snubs in television history. It proved that the guy who started out doing "Hello!" entrances on a sitcom was actually one of the finest dramatic actors in the business.
Why Lenny Still Matters in TV History
Lenny and Squiggy represented something unique in 70s television. They were the original "basement dwellers." Long before Wayne’s World or The Big Bang Theory, these two were the outsiders who were perfectly happy in their own weird little bubble.
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McKean played Lenny with a specific kind of physical comedy. The way he leaned against doors, the way he looked slightly confused by the concept of a conversation—it was all deliberate. He wasn't just playing a "dumb guy." He was playing a guy who lived in a completely different reality than everyone else.
The Partnership with David Lander
You can't really talk about Michael McKean's time as Lenny without mentioning David Lander. They were friends for decades. Their timing was telepathic. When Lander was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis during the filming of the show, he kept it a secret from almost everyone except McKean.
McKean supported him throughout the rest of the series, often physically helping him hit his marks or timing gags so Lander didn't have to move as much. That kind of off-screen loyalty is rare in Hollywood. When Lander passed away in 2020, McKean’s tribute to his "partner" was heart-wrenching. They were a duo in the truest sense of the word.
What You Might Not Know About Michael McKean
- He’s an Oscar nominee. Yes, really. He was nominated for Best Original Song for "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from the movie A Mighty Wind.
- He’s a Broadway veteran. He’s appeared in everything from Hairspray to The Little Foxes.
- He’s married to Annette O'Toole. She played Martha Kent in Smallville and was Lana Lang in Superman III. They are one of Hollywood's most enduring (and talented) couples.
- He replaced a legend. On SNL, he was brought in to provide a "grown-up" presence after Phil Hartman left.
Final Thoughts on a Legendary Career
When you ask who played lenny on laverne & shirley, you aren't just looking for a name. You're looking at the starting point of a career that spans over 50 years. Michael McKean is a rarity: a character actor who became a household name without ever losing his edge.
From the grease-stained streets of 1950s Milwaukee to the high-stakes legal drama of Albuquerque, McKean has done it all. He took a character that could have been a one-dimensional joke and turned him into a cultural icon. And then, he had the audacity to go out and do it four or five more times with completely different characters.
If you want to appreciate his work today, the best thing you can do is look beyond the sitcom. Go watch This Is Spinal Tap for the laughs, then watch the "Chicanery" episode of Better Call Saul to see a master at work. You'll realize pretty quickly that Lenny was just the beginning.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you’re diving back into the world of Michael McKean, start with This Is Spinal Tap to see his improvisational genius. Then, move to his Guest-directed films like Best in Show. Finally, if you have the stomach for a heavy drama, binge the first three seasons of Better Call Saul. It’s the most complete way to see the evolution of the man who gave us Lenny Kosnowski.