Joe Keenan Biography

Fast Facts

• Was nominated for the Thurber Prize for American Humor for "My Lucky Star" in 2007
• Won two Writers Guild of America Awards for episodic comedy for "Frasier" in 1996 and 2001
• Won an Annie Award for best writing in an animated feature production for "Flushed Away" in 2007
• Was invited to create a sitcom for James Burrows and Glen and Les Charles in 1991 after they read his book "Blue Heaven," with the resulting pilot, "Gloria Vane," not getting a network pick-up
• Quote: "[on the "Frasier" finale] "I felt going into it like we were running an egg-and-spoon race with a Fabergé egg - we just wanted to get it over the finish line without dropping it․""
• Quote: "[on "My Lucky Star"] "Virtually nothing that happens to Philip has ever happened to me․ I just enjoy putting him in absurd or intriguing situations, then letting him react as I imagine I would have at his age․""
• Quote: "[on his Thurber Award nomination] "When I learned that I was up against [Bob] Newhart I thought, 'Oh, well! Game over․' I couldn't see [them] ․․․ saying, 'Who needs a beloved television icon? Bring on the obscure gay Wodehouse disciple!'""
• Wrote the books "Blue Heaven," "Putting on the Ritz" and "My Lucky Star," a comic novel about the illusions and reality of Hollywood
• Best known as the writer and executive producer of "Frasier․"