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 Lander's breakthrough came in 1976 when they were cast as Lenny and Squiggy on "Laverne & Shirley" (1976).

At age 46, was the oldest man to join the cast of _"Saturday Night Live" (1994).

Son Fletcher attended and graduated from Agoura High School.

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.

Is a descendant of Thomas McKean, one of the signers of the Declaration Of Independence.

Children: Fletcher McKean and Colin McKean (born to Susan).

The song "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," performed by Mitch & Mickey in A Mighty Wind (2003), was written by McKean and his wife, Annette O'Toole, as a love song to each other after the movie was conceived. Christopher Guest asked McKean and O'Toole 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.

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.

He began playing the guitar at the age of 14. He plays the piano also.

Gilbert and Ruth McKean, his parents, hailed from Louisiana. Gilbert was a recording executive who worked for RCA and Columbia as well as being one of the founders of Decca Records. Ruth was a library clerk at North Shore High School. The couple, along with Michael's grandmother, attended Louisiana Tech University. He has an older sister also.

Attended North Shore High School in Glen Head, New York

Annette O'Toole and him 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.

Engaged to Annette O'Toole in 1998.

Has co-starred with wife Annette O'Toole as a married couple in at least two TV shows: "Boy Meets World" (1993) and "Law & Order" (1990).

Performed as the comedy trio The Credibility Gap with 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 "Who's on First?".

Wrote the song "Potato's In The Patty Wagon" with Annette O'Toole, his wife, while commuting back and forth from the United States to Canada, where "Smallville" (2001) was being filmed. O'Toole played Martha Kent, Superman's 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.

Did celebrity impersonations of Robert Evans, Gary Busey, Howard Stern and Bill Clinton on "Saturday Night Live" (1975).

Is the only person to have appeared as a musical guest, hosted, then become a regular cast member, in that order, on "Saturday Night Live" (1975).

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 also.

Along with Dean Cain, Patrick Cassidy and Richard Gant, he is one of only four actors to appear in both "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993) and "Smallville" (2001).

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 in "Married with Children" (1987) because he felt the show wouldn't be a hit with him in it. Also, passed on the part of Dean Cyrus O'Dell of Hearst College in "Veronica Mars" (2004). He decided to do the West End production of "Love Song" by John Kolvenbach instead.