Cloris Leachman died of natural causes yesterday in Encinitas, California, Variety reports. “It’s been my privilege to work with Cloris Leachman, one of the most fearless actresses of our time,” her longtime manager Juliet Green said in a statement confirming her passing. “There was no one like Cloris. With a single look she had the ability to break your heart or make you laugh ’till the tears ran down your face. You never knew what Cloris was going to say or do and that unpredictable quality was part of her unparalleled magic.” She was 94.
Leachman was an extraordinarily successful and hard-working actor. She held the record for many years for the most Primetime Emmys wins by a single performer with eight. (Julia-Louis Dreyfus tied that record in 2017.) Leachman also won an Oscar for Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show in 1972.
She was born in Des Moines in 1926; her father was heir to a lumber family. After attending Northwestern University, she competed in the Miss America pageant in 1946, and started acting soon afterward in anthology programs from the earliest day of television like The Ford Theatre Hour and Actor’s Studio. She made her film debut in 1955 in the Mike Hammer film noir Kiss Me Deadly. She continued to work steadily, stepping in as Timmy’s adoptive mother in the last half of season four of Lassie in 1957, while appearing on shows like Dr. Kildare and 77 Sunset Strip into the ’60s. IMDB notes that on Christmas Eve in 1962, she appeared in three prime-time television series as a guest star: Stoney Burke, Saints And Sinners, and The New Loretta Young Show.
On the big screen, she had a small part in 1969’s Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. But she made her biggest screen impact in 1971’s The Last Picture Show, playing a neglected wife who has an affair with a much younger man. The way Leachman transforms in the role won her the award: She changes from a dowdy housewife to an absolutely radiant woman in love.
By this point she was also starring in The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Mary’s glamorous but flighty friend Phyllis, married to the mysterious, never-seen Lars. As with so many of MTM’s side characters, Phyllis was spun off into her own series, which ran in the mid-’70s and won Leachman a Golden Globe for Best Actress In A Television Series-Comedy.
Around this same time, Leachman she had also become a regular player in Mel Brooks’ stable of actors, appearing as Frau Blücher in Young Frankenstein (in a Golden Globe-nominated performance) and Nurse Diesel in High Anxiety. In addition to her film career, she continued her TV guest spot work, appearing as Queen Hippolyta in The New Original Wonder Woman and several times on The Love Boat. (Her IMDB page lists almost 300 entries.) Other prominent TV roles include replacing Charlotte Rae on The Facts Of Life (1986-88), Ruth on Touched By An Angel (1997-2003), Maw Maw on Raising Hope (2010-14), a voice role as Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s Mom on Phineas And Ferb (2009-14), and winning two Emmys for her portrayal of Ida on Malcolm In The Middle (2001-06). Most recently, she played Zorya Vechernyaya on American Gods (2017-19).
One of Leachman’s more recent appearances as herself may be among her most memorable: In 2008, at the age of 82, she became Dancing With The Stars’ oldest-ever female contestant. Her typically spirited self won her many DWTS fans before getting eliminated in week six of the show’s seventh season, announcing, “I’m not leaving!” (“I’m afraid you are,” host Tom Bergeron responded.) The following year, she was the grand marshal for the New Year’s Day Tournament Of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California. She also published Cloris: My Autobiography in 2009, and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall Of Fame in 2011.
Leachman also was a strong advocate for the animal-rights group PETA, posing in a dress made of cabbage for a PETA “Let Vegetarianism Grow on You” ad, for example, or filming a video encouraging people to neuter their pets. She and George Englund, her husband of 25 years, were divorced in 1978; she is survived by four children, six grandchildren, and a plethora of film and TV credits.
81 Comments
I didn’t know she was in so much stuff. She also had some great stories about working with Mel Brooks. She was also really good in Malcolm in the Middle and Raising Hope
Malcolm in the Middle was my first exposure to her acting & her performance was captivating (terrifying as all buggery, but superb).
“You can’t leave me! I’m pregnant!”
She also played the mother of Doctor Doofenshmertz from Phineas and Ferb, another reason why I love that show. Yes. Yes I do.
I’ve been dreading seeing this headline for a few years. I love Leachman as a performer. She’s one of the best comedic talents of all time. I believe it was Bob Saget’s Comedy Central Roast where she absolutely killed and surpassed a dais full of comedians. I’ll miss her.
“I’m not here to roast Bob Saget. I’m here to fuck John Stamos.”
“That’s not John Stamos!”
somebody check on betty white!!!!!!
Talk about end of an era. She was a comedic icon.
Rest in peace.
And Mel Brooks has now officially outlived his entire regular acting company. Leachman actually very much wanted to play Frau Blucher again in the Young Frankenstein musical, but he was seriously worried it would kill her. Then he saw how spry she still was on Dancing with the Stars and changed his mind, but unfortunately the show closed before she could appear.
Terri Garr is still with us – although it is true she was only in Young Frankenstein for Brooks…
Well, Teri Garr, but I agree with your point.
She was great in everything she was in. As much as I loved her in Brooks’ movies, I got a kick out of the fact that she was in Beavis And Butthead: Do America. “I’ll mostly be doing the slots!” Yeah, I’m hoping to do a lot of sluts too. Are there a lot of sluts in Las Vegas?” “Oh, there are so many slots, you won’t know where to begin!”. “Hey, this chick is pretty cool!”Yes, she was. R.I.P.My heart goes out to Mel Brooks. For someone who had a very sickly childhood, he has really defied the odds. Stay with us, Mel Brooks, we love you!
My kind jumped to Beavis and But-head Do America too. It was almost certainly my first exposure to her. To my shame I’ve never watched The Last Picture Show, despite owning the DVD and then upgrading to the blu-ray a couple of years ago. Definitely time to fix that.
Last Picture Show struck me as an American Graffiti knockoff, but with country instead of early 60s rock.
Last Picture Show came out two years earlier.
Doh!
And is a better film, IMHO. And Leachman’s performance is a big reason why, despite not having a huge role. She has a few scenes that are devastating.
TELL ME YOU’RE KIDDING.
Last Picture Show struck me as an American Graffiti knockoff, but with country instead of early 60s rock.That’s weird, considering The Last Picture Show predated Graffiti by a couple years.eta: of course, had I scrolled a bit further before commenting, I’d have seen that was already pointed out.
Definitely not a knockoff. It was based on Larry McMurtry’s 1966 novel. Memories, but not nostalgia. It’s the role I always remember her for. On Dancing With the Stars she was terrible, but so much fun! Every actor should have a career like hers.
I’ve never seen TLPS either, so I’m definitely looking it up. I really want to watch Young Frankenstein right now!
She also did a Bob’s Burgers episode and had a little throwaway part on The Office. Of course she was great on both
Talented lady. But while she may be dead, she’ll never be over the hill. Not in the car she drives!
*horses whinny “Taps” in the distance*
RIP. Her performance in “The Last Picture Show” was fully deserving of the Oscar. It’s an absolutely incredible performance that really broke my heart the first time I saw the film. She was SO talented and great in so many films. Even “Crazy Mama”, a low budget AIP film is lifted by her acting.
New World. Not AIP. Roger and Gene Corman left AIP and set up New World as their own in 1970. Not giving you shit over this. Just filling in the picture.
I’ll KILL YOU! I also upvoted you because good call, and Corman’s New World had so much greatness come out of it.
It’s where the Roger Corman Film School really begins.
Also, awesome screenname.
I was thinking literally last night about how sad it is that we lost Valerie Harper and Mary Tyler Moore, and how lucky we were to still have Cloris for the time being. Looks like I spoke too soon. A great talent and an absolute class act. Sad she’s gone, but she lived a long life and accomplished a ton, so I take solace in that.
I worked with her for about 5 weeks on the set of a TV movie way back in 1980. She was a sweet, gentle, funny lady and even though I haven’t seen her in 40 years I’ll miss her.
RIPI think the first show I ever watched her in was when she joined The Facts of Life.
My 4 and 2 year old were just introduced to her on the 70s Wonder Woman.Damn.
She’s done a lot of work, a lot of which I’ve seen, but the first thing I thought of when I saw she passed away was her as Jack Black’s love interest in the movie in an episode of the Office. It was weird and felt out of place, but it left an impression.
I’d like to watch something in tribute, but the fact she was so good in so many good things makes it hard to choose.
Watch “The Last Picture Show” then “Crazy Mama”. The first is her best performance and she’s incredible: and the second is her starring in an AIP comedy and she’s great.
I was kind of hoping that they would not have inserted that clip from The Last Picture Show, because I wanted people to go see the movie just for that. Mostly for that. Also for Ben Johnson. I love how she’s jealous, but she is the one having an affair, but she nails it. Reputedly did that scene in one take.
I’m definitely watching Young Frankenstein. With some OVALTINE!
You have Ovaltine, I’ll have warm milk.
No….THANK you. I’m quite…TIRED.
I’ll opt for fruit cup. I’ll just have to try not to be tardy.
If you have Disney+, can I recommend her 2 episode arc on Girl Meets World? – S1e6 Girl Meets Populars2e1 Girl Meets GravityYou get to see her play a lovable comedy character & the second episode has a beautiful send-off for her character that seems rather fitting for Leachman too.
If you want to enjoy a really sweet bit part for Cloris in a very underrated movie, check out Spanglish.
An icon. That’s all I’ve got to say.
This woman was so good in so many things, but I especially loved her as the grandmother in “Spanglish.” The scene where she’s sitting in on Flor’s English lessons never fails to make me laugh.
She’s off to that great cornfield in the sky. Godspeed Cloris.It’s no small testament to her talent that her portrayal of Phyllis on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” genuinely unnerved me as a kid and did, in some small way, actually help prepare me for the real world horrors of middle aged white women.
Damn, that is a loss for us. She pretty much could steal any scene that she was in, absolutely fantastic. I hope she went into the light peacefully and my condolences to her family.
My favorite Cloris Leachman performance will always be Great Gam Gam in Beerfest.RIP you magnificently hilarious old whore
She was immensely talented, beautiful, and eternally cool. RIP.
This really stings. I’ve been rewatching Raising Hope the past few weeks and it’s hard to stand out in such an immensely talented cast, but Leachman as Maw Maw managed to do just that.
sooooo funny & wonderful in “young frankenstein” & “high anxiety.” such a talent, such a loss, such a joy that we got to enjoy her talent for so many years.
It wasn’t a great movie, but Leachman was great as the Clampet family matriarch in The Beverly Hillbillies.
was it bad for real? i watched it like 10 times; i loved it.
Did I say bad? It’s not great, but one thing it has in is favor is great casting. Leachman, Jim Varney as Jed, Dabney motherfucking Coleman as Mr. Drysdale, the peerless Lily Tomlin as Mrs. Hathaway, and pre-Drew Carey Show Diedrich Bader killing it as Jethro.
I seriously miss Dabney Coleman.
He’s still alive (just turned 88 this month) and still working. His IMDb says he was in an episode of Yellowstone and NCIS among a few other things in 2019, and is attached to something called Someday Sometime which is in pre-production.
I knew he was still alive. I just thought that he had retired. Looks like he’s just been in things I haven’t watched for the past 10 years. Admittedly, that’s mostly due to me moving further and further away from TV.
I had to look up his IMDb page to make sure he wasn’t dead, let alone know that he’s still working. NCIS isn’t really a show I watch, and although I’ve heard decent buzz about Yellowstone, like you I watch a lot less TV
A standout even on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, maybe the greatest sitcom cast ever. RIP.
looking back, the level of talent on that show was astounding.there’s an episode of hot in cleveland that was basically a MTM ladies reunion. it was cheesy, but the good kind of cheese.
Yah, sometimes it’s nice just to see friends & talent hanging out together even if they’re not changing the world.
Casting, writing, acting, direction, performance—that show had the whole package. Though it brought a good helping of contemporary zeitgeist as well, it holds up in reruns even now.(Makes me want to revisit the non-sitcom spinoff Lou Grant as well, which seems oddly absent from the nostalgia channels.)
If you ever needed a old woman with a German accent, she was your go to.She stole the show in “Beerfest.”
That’s an underrated movie start to finish. Even Monique gets some good lines, playing off Leachman very well.
FRAU BLUCHER is DEAD?!
(horse whinny)
And they just had a funeral for Olga on American Gods. On another note, I loved her as Nurse Diesel in the (my opinion) classic “High Anxiety”. Her voice in that is nuts!
Definitely an underrated and largely forgotten Mel Brooks movie. I’ll take High Anxiety over Space Balls or Men In Tights any day.
Mel Brooks, that’s where I know her from. I thought she was one of the Golden Girls.
She was amazing in the Twilight Zone episode, “It’s a Good Life.” So much terror and pain conveyed through her eyes while she kept a smile plastered on her face. Truly one of the scariest pieces of media I’ve ever experienced.
Aww I just watched her Stoney Burke episode a couple of nights ago, and she was superb in it. She plays a young Bruce Dern’s crazy cousin and kind of beats the shit out of an equally young Warren Oates. But it all ends up being weirdly sweet and heartwarming. In any event, that episode had had me thinking about her lately. RIP to a very talented lady.
I signed up with Kinja just so I could comment on this.
Cloris Leachman was one of the finest talents America has ever produced.
“The Lars Affair” (Mary Tyler Moore) was a masterclass in comedic acting, from the whole cast, but especially Cloris Leachman in the scene about the pie.
Kiss Me Deadly, Last Picture Show, Bob’s Burgers…. RIP to one of the most singular, interesting talents we’ve ever had. No one could do a role like she could.
Sad to see her go, she was a champ and one of the greats. She looks a crazy amount like Toni Collette in the header image.
An absolute legend. RIP.
Its hard to pick one person as the best actor in Young Frankenstein. But Cloris? She might have actually been it. The utterly randomness of the horses freaking out when her name is said, still brings me joy after dozens of rewatches. God what a woman! I miss her already.
Her reaction to the horses is what helps sell it.
I love that the horse still freaks out even when they are deep in the laboratory. Amazing.
As someone else said, I first saw Cloris on Facts of Life, in one of the ultimate thankless roles. When I started watching the Nick at Nite repeats of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, I was not prepared for just how tremendously good her work as Phyllis would turn out to be – one of the best sitcom characters, always insufferable and poignant in equal terms. Just a wonder to watch, and the material (on MTM, anyway) does not get old.I did not enjoy her turn on Dancing With the Stars, as she mostly seemed to be treated as a joke by her very annoying, smug partner, but at least it helped get some attention for her autobiography, which is worth a read. She seemed to have such passion for her craft, so I’m glad she kept working up to the end in roles that tested her.
A lot of great roles are getting mentioned in the comments here, but I have to give a shoutout to the first performance of hers I ever saw (or rather, heard)- her voice role as Dola in the English dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky. A lot of these dubs tend to go for big-name stars who aren’t really distinctive as voice actors, but Cloris gave one of my favorite voice acting performances in that movie. She totally sells the arc from antagonist to mentor, and she’s hilarious all the way throughout.