Cloris Leachman, Sitcom Standout and Oscar Winner, Dies at 94

[brooklynite]

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Cloris Leachman, the Miss America contestant who won an Oscar for her work in The Last Picture Show, then collected two of her record nine Emmys for playing the quirky Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, has died. She was 94.

Leachman, the bawdy Iowa native also known for her hilarious turns in the Mel Brooks-Gene Wilder classic Young Frankenstein (1974) and on the TV shows Malcolm in the Middle and Raising Hope, died of natural causes on Wednesday, according to her manager.

Leachman is perhaps best known for playing Mary Richards' delusional, self-centered landlady Phyllis on the legendary CBS sitcom and then on her own spinoff show in which her character, now a widowed single mother, moved from Minneapolis to San Francisco. The actress received Emmy nominations each year from 1972 through 1976, winning in 1974 and '75.

Phyllis has been described as "neurotic," but Leachman "didn't find any fun in that word," she once said. "I decided to be perfect. And there's nothing more boring than somebody's that's perfect. She was insufferable."

Read more: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cloris-leachman-dead-phyllis-star-oscar-winner-was-xx-1014460?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

[applegrove]

1. She was fun. Vibes to her loved ones.

[Sneederbunk]

2. Excellent in The Last Picture Show.

[Billytee]

36. Yes and Young Frankenstein

[Marie Marie]

3. Oh what a loss. She played so many wonderful roles.

[catbyte]

4. Awwwww, R.I.P, Frau Blucher.

[PirateRo]

5. So sad!

Some people shouldn’t die! She was wonderful!

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

6. I remember her on the Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life"as little Anthony's mother.

I didn't realize she was nominated for 5 Emmys for her Phyllis Lindstrom character. The Mary Tyler Moore show had such a great array of talent who went on to stardom in other shows.

My sympathy and condolences go out to Ms. Leachman's family and close friends.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. R.I.P.

[handmade34]

8. ...

[Initech]

9. Man that sucks. Loved her in Beerfest.

[Clash City Rocker]

10. Very talented, incredibly prolific

Her first TV appearance was in 1948, and she made two films in 2020.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Wow. What a loss.

She was from that generation that smoothly crossed between film, theater, and television. Hadn't heard that much from her recently.

R.I.P., condolences to her family, and thanks for the laughs!

[displacedtexan]

12. I remember her first as a stand up comedian.

I remember laughing when she complained about her husband, Fang.

[SharonClark]

13. Two different women, I hope you knew that.

[displacedtexan]

14. Duh. I'm an idiot.

I loved both of them.

[Paladin]

15. RIP. (nt)

[Auggie]

16. Great actress. She could do anything.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. So sorry

Hadn't heard about her in years. RIP.

[pansypoo53219]

18. bummer. she was great in high anxiety.

[MissMillie]

19. A truly gifted person. RIP (n/t)

.

[forgotmylogin]

20. RIP.

I saw Ms. Leachman in a stage show called "Twigs" in the 80s and she played three sisters and their mother during the evening. It was a tour-de-force.

[chowder66]

21. Oh NOOooooo.

[Behind the Aegis]

22. No!

I just started re-watching "Raising Hope".

She was just a wonderful actress.

[BuddhaGirl]

25. Her Maw Maw character

was hilarious. She was in her mid 80's when that show started, I believe.

R.I.P.

[niyad]

23. Requiescat in pace. Thank you for so many laughs.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

24. Nurse Diesel vs Frau Blucher

Such a great comedienne. One of a kind.

[cayugafalls]

26. Never you mind hunny...never you mind.

RIP fair maiden.

[scarletwoman]

28. Such a tour de force! She was so chillingly good!

She left such an outstanding body of work!

[cayugafalls]

30. I could not agree more, I am torn between her dramatic work and her comedy.

They are all wonderful, but her dramatic talent was excruciatingly real and visceral. She brought you inside the character and made you feel their every emotion.

We will miss her...

[LudwigPastorius]

29. That scene between Ruth and Sonny at the end of the movie, was the first, and only, take they did.

[cayugafalls]

32. That is what made it real...she just did it. Real, visceral...we all felt it.

Such a wonderful moment. The Last Picture Show is one of the all time great films...Grapes of Wrath comes to mind and a few others.

We were privileged to be able to see her shine.

[scarletwoman]

27. A young and beautiful Ms. Leachman in this 1959 episode of "One Step Beyond:"

The Dark Room

See also: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0507812/?ref_=tt_urv

[John1956PA]

34. Thanks for posting! I saw a rerun of the episode in the late 1960s, and it frightened me.

Until I read your post, I was unaware that the main character of the episode was portrayed by Cloris Leachman. Her beauty and talent are timeless.

[turbinetree]

31. And to you "Gran" ................

[LaMouffette]

33. Thank you for all your hilarious moments, Cloris Leachman! I will be having Ovaltine in your honor!

From Young Frankenstein:

[oasis]

35. Bravo for her excellent work. Rest in peace.