Lawrence O’Donnell Biography
Lawrence O’Donnell is an American anchor, screenwriter, actor, liberal political commentator and author working for MSNBC as a host for the podcast, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell every weeknight. He joined the MSNBC news team in 2009, after previously working as a producer.
Lawrence O’Donnell Career
O’Donnell enrolled in St. Sebastian’s School and graduated in 1970, during which he served as the baseball team captain and played as a wide receiver on the unbeaten football team. O’Donnell pursued economics at Harvard College, completing his degree in 1976. During his time at Harvard, he contributed to the Harvard Lampoon.
Writer
From 1977 to 1988, O’Donnell worked as an author. In 1983, he released Deadly Force, a book addressing a case of wrongful death and police brutality, where his father served as the plaintiff’s attorney. The book was adapted into the 1986 film A Case of Deadly Force, featuring Richard Crenna as O’Donnell’s father and Tate Donovan portraying O’Donnell; O’Donnell also served as an associate producer for the movie. In 2017, he authored Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics.
United States Congress
Between 1989 and 1995, O’Donnell held the position of legislative aide to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. During the period from 1989 to 1991, he took on the role of senior advisor to Moynihan. Later, from 1992 to 1993, he assumed the position of staff director for the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which was chaired by Senator Moynihan at the time. Following this, from 1993 to 1995, he served as the staff director for the United States Senate Committee on Finance, once again under the chairmanship of Senator Moynihan.
Acting
In the HBO series Big Love, which revolves around a polygamous family in Utah, O’Donnell took on the role of Lee Hatcher, the Henrickson family attorney. Beyond his involvement as a producer in The West Wing, he also had an on-screen presence in the show, portraying President Josiah Bartlet’s father in a flashback sequence of the episode “Two Cathedrals.” In other television appearances, O’Donnell played the character Judge Lawrence Barr in two episodes of Monk. Additionally, he made a cameo as himself in an episode of Showtime’s Homeland.
From 1999 to 2006, O’Donnell played a significant role in the television series The West Wing, contributing as a writer for 16 episodes. His roles evolved over the years, starting as executive story editor for 12 episodes (1999-2000), co-producer for five episodes in 2000, producer for 17 episodes (2000-2001), consulting producer for 44 episodes (2003-2005), and finally serving as executive producer for 22 episodes (2005-2006). He earned the 2001 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for The West Wing and received a nomination in the same category in 2006. In 2002, he took on the role of supervising producer and writer for the television drama First Monday. Subsequently, in 2003, he assumed the positions of creator, executive producer, and writer for the television drama Mister Sterling.
In 2009, O’Donnell joined Morning Joe with Joe Scarborough as a regular contributor. His assertive debating style on this program and others resulted in several on-air clashes. Some of these clashes include a heated interview with conservative Marc Thiessen on Morning Joe, leading to O’Donnell being temporarily taken off the air by Scarborough. Concurrently, in 2009 and 2010, he began frequently substituting as a host on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, especially during Olbermann’s father’s illness. On September 27, 2010, O’Donnell commenced hosting his own show on MSNBC at 10 p.m., titled The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell. Subsequently, on January 21, 2011, he was announced to assume the 8 p.m. slot from Keith Olbermann, who abruptly terminated his show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
From October 24, 2011, the time slots for The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell and The Ed Show were switched, with Ed Schultz taking the 8 p.m. Eastern slot, and O’Donnell returning to the 10 p.m. Eastern slot.
Lawrence O’Donnell Salary
O’Donnell earns an annual salary of about $47,000-$120,000.
Lawrence O’Donnell Net Worth
O’Donnell has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million – $7 Million which he has earned through his career as an anchor.
Lawrence O’Donnell Age
O’Donnell was born on November 7, 1951, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. He is 73 years old as of 2024, and he celebrates his birthday on the 7th of November every year.
Lawrence O’Donnell Height and Weight
O’Donnell stands at a height of 5 feet 11 inches tall however, information about his weight has not been disclosed.
Lawrence O’Donnell Family
O’Donnell is the son of Lawrence Francis O’Donnell Sr. a member of the Supreme Court Bar and an attorney. His mother is called Frances Marie who is an office manager. He has a brother called Michael.
Lawrence O’Donnell Wife and Children
O’Donnell was married to Kathryn Harrold who is a former film actress best known for her role in the movie, The Hunter and counsellor. They tied the knot in 1994 and they divorced in 2013. Together they have been blessed with one child, whom they named; Elizabeth Buckley Harrold O’Donnell. He resides in New York together with his family.
Lawrence O’Donnell New wife
MSNBC hosts O’Donnell and Tamron Hall are reportedly involved in a romantic relationship away from the television studio. The 60-year-old O’Donnell, host of “The Last Word,” has been discreetly dating Hall, the midday anchor and a burgeoning star at the network, for several months. While maintaining a low profile at work, the couple has been observed enjoying each other’s company at various downtown locations. O’Donnell, known for his role as a “West Wing” producer and having a daughter with his ex-wife Kathryn Harrold, was previously linked to actress Kerry Washington in 2008. MSNBC has chosen not to provide any comments on the matter. The nature of their relationship has always been a subject of uncertainty, as neither of them confirmed nor denied the persistent dating rumors. Over the years, speculation extended to the possibility of an impending marriage.
Several sources suggest that Tamron and O’Donnell initiated their dating journey in 2011, shortly after O’Donnell’s separation from his wife of over 19 years, Kathryn Harrold. Despite being frequently seen together outside the professional realm, the couple made concerted efforts to maintain a high level of privacy. In 2016, the internet buzzed with stories about Tamron and O’Donnell secretly tying the knot. However, akin to their relationship status, none of the involved parties addressed the matter publicly. If the alleged marriage had occurred, it would have marked Tamron’s first and O’Donnell’s second. Speculation around a potential wedding seemed fueled by eager fans expressing their desire to see the two together. Yet, regardless of the fervor on Twitter and elsewhere, it appears that Tamron Hall and O’Donnell, if they were indeed in a relationship, eventually parted ways.
MSNBC
While working for MSNBC O’Donnell co-works alongside:
Social Media Platform
O’Donnell is very active on his Twitter and Instagram pages. He has 7 followers on Twitter and 33.7k followers on Instagram.