Among the quirky, zany cast of characters in 1981’s Porky’s, Edward “Pee Wee” Morris manages to stand out – though not always for reasons he would want. He was expertly brought to life in the teen film by actor Dan Monahan. But what else did he do with his career after trying to get Pee Wee’s dreams to come true?
Monahan was born on July 20, 1955, and called Ohio home for many of his formative years until he graduated from Ohio State University, originally majoring in both drama and business. His acting studies came from the college’s celebrated Professional Actors Training Program.
A solid start to character acting
Monahan proved himself quickly when his career started in earnest in ’78. He showed the range of his strong sense of timing and his magnetic personality in Paradiso Blu (1980). This helped him earn attention from none other than director Bob Clark, who cast him in his most iconic role, Pee Wee in Porky’s.
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From there, he was a go-to for similar, if somewhat adjacent, genres, from Up the Creek to From the Hip. Other notable credits include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and How the West Was Won. As his acting career progressed, he returned increasingly to theatre both at home and across the pond, from Florida’s Burt Reynolds Theatre to Ireland’s Abbey Theatre Company.
But his interests in the arts would guide him in yet another very different direction still.
What is Dan Monahan doing now?
Monahan continued to work as an actor until 2000, with his last credit listed as Romeo and Juliet, where he played Father Lawrence that very year – although his last very prominent role was 1997’s Night Flier, inspired by the work of Stephen King. Before completely wrapping up his career, he married Sharon Killius, a teacher, in 1982. Together, they had one child.
Monahan turned this July and is perfectly comfortable with his quieter life away from acting. In place of film work, he spends his time golfing, but he hasn’t totally strayed away from the arts; in his free time, Monahan is a passionate photographer.
Instead of pursuing different movies or shows as career goals, he sets his eyes on different golf courses to put on. He’s been to the Old Course in Scotland and next hopes to get a hole-in-one in Augusta.
Who was your favorite Porky’s character?