Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 26, 2021) was an American actress and comedian, whose career spanned over seven decades. She won various accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nominated and, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, most awarded actress in Emmy history. In addition, she won an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Daytime Emmy Award.
Leachman's breakthrough role was the nosy and cunning landlady Phyllis Lindstrom in the landmark CBS sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–75), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1974 and 1975; its spin-off, Phyllis (1975–77), earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress – Musical or Comedy.
Academy Awards
Best Supporting Actress
British Academy Film Awards
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Known For
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
(2015)
Miss Fielder
The Croods: A New Age
(2020)
Gran Crood (voice)
The Iron Giant
(1999)
Mrs. Lynley Tensedge (voice)
The Wedding Ringer
(2015)
Grandma Palmer
The Croods
(2013)
Gran Crood (voice)
Scary Movie 4
(2006)
Mrs. Norris
The Longest Yard
(2005)
Lynette
Sky High
(2005)
Nurse Spex
Bad Santa
(2003)
Grandma (uncredited)
The Animal
(2001)
Cat Lady (uncredited)
I Can Only Imagine
(2018)
Memaw
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
(1969)
Agnes
Crazy Mama
(1975)
Melba
Young Frankenstein
(1974)
Frau Blücher
Lake Placid 2
(2007)
Sadie
Spanglish
(2004)
Evelyn Wright
Full Filmography
Acting
Kiss Me Deadly
(1955)
Christina Bailey
The Rack
(1956)
Caroline
The Chapman Report
(1962)
Miss Selby
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
(1969)
Agnes
Silent Night, Lonely Night
(1969)
Ginny
The People Next Door
(1970)
Tina Hoffman
Lovers and Other Strangers
(1970)
Bernice Henderson
WUSA
(1970)
Philomene
The Steagle
(1971)
Rita Weiss
Suddenly Single
(1971)
Joanne Hackett
The Last Picture Show
(1971)
Ruth Popper
Haunts of the Very Rich
(1972)
Ellen Blunt
Of Thee I Sing
(1972)
Mary Turner
Happy Mother's Day, Love George
(1973)
Ronda
Charley and the Angel
(1973)
Nettie Appleby
Dying Room Only
(1973)
Jean Mitchell
Crime Club
(1973)
Hilary Kelton
Dillinger
(1973)
Anna Sage
A Brand New Life
(1973)
Victoria Douglas
Daisy Miller
(1974)
Mrs. Ezra Miller
Young Frankenstein
(1974)
Frau Blücher
Hitchhike!
(1974)
Claire Stevens
The Migrants
(1974)
Viola Barlow
Thursday's Game
(1974)
Lois Ellison
Death Sentence
(1974)
Susan Davies
Death Scream
(1975)
Mrs. Singleton
Someone I Touched
(1975)
Laura Hyatt
A Girl Named Sooner
(1975)
Old Mam Hawes
Crazy Mama
(1975)
Melba
Telly...Who Loves Ya, Baby?
(1976)
Self
High Anxiety
(1977)
Nurse Charlotte Diesel
The Mouse and His Child
(1977)
Euterpe (voice)
Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera
(1977)
Self
It Happened One Christmas
(1977)
Clara Oddbody
Long Journey Back
(1978)
Laura Casella
Willa
(1979)
Darla Jean
Scavenger Hunt
(1979)
Mildred Carruthers
Mrs. R's Daughter
(1979)
Ruth Rendell
The Muppet Movie
(1979)
Lord's Secretary
The North Avenue Irregulars
(1979)
Claire
S.O.S. Titanic
(1980)
Molly Brown
Herbie Goes Bananas
(1980)
Louise Trends
Foolin' Around
(1980)
Samantha
The Oldest Living Graduate
(1980)
Maureen
Perfectly Frank: Frank Loesser Revued
(1981)
Performer
Yesterday
(1981)
Mrs Kramer
The Acorn People
(1981)
Nurse Betty Nelson
Advice to the Lovelorn
(1981)
Maggie Dale
History of the World: Part I
(1981)
Madame Defarge
Miss All-American Beauty
(1982)
Agatha Blaine
The Woman Who Willed a Miracle
(1983)
May Lemke
The Demon Murder Case
(1983)
Joan Greenway
Dixie: Changing Habits
(1983)
Sister Eugenio
Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter
(1984)
Mary Kovacs
Donald Duck's 50th Birthday
(1984)
Self
Love Is Never Silent
(1985)
Mrs. Anglin
Deadly Intentions
(1985)
Charlotte Raynor
Shadow Play
(1986)
Millie Crown
My Little Pony: The Movie
(1986)
Hydia (voice)
The Facts of Life Down Under
(1987)
Beverly Ann Stickle
Walk Like a Man
(1987)
Margaret Shand
Sparky's Magic Piano
(1987)
The Little Troll Prince
(1987)
Hansel and Gretel
(1988)
Griselda The Witch
Going to the Chapel
(1988)
Mrs. Haldane
Prancer
(1989)
Mrs. McFarland
Love Hurts
(1990)
Ruth Weaver
The Giant of Thunder Mountain
(1990)
Narrator / The Elder Amy
Texasville
(1990)
Ruth Popper
Fine Things
(1990)
Ruth Fine
In Broad Daylight
(1991)
Ruth Westerman
Mary Tyler Moore: The 20th Anniversary Show
(1991)
Herself
Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas
(1991)
Self
A Little Piece of Heaven
(1991)
Edwina 'Ed' McKevin
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
(1993)
Aunt Agatha / Aunt Sofia
Without a Kiss Goodbye
(1993)
Mrs. Samuels
Spies
(1993)
Pamela Beale
The Beverly Hillbillies
(1993)
Granny
Miracle Child
(1993)
Doc Betty
Fade to Black
(1993)
Ruth
My Boyfriend's Back
(1993)
Maggie The Zombie Expert
A Troll in Central Park
(1994)
Queen Gnorga (voice)
Now and Then
(1995)
Grandma Albertson
Between Love and Honor
(1995)
Anna Collura
Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West
(1995)
Laura Evans
Never Too Late
(1996)
Olive
Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein
(1996)
Frau Blücher (archive footage)
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
(1996)
Old Woman On Plane And Bus (voice)
Annabelle's Wish
(1997)
Aunt Agnes (voice)
The Last Picture Show: A Look Back
(1999)
Self
Music of the Heart
(1999)
Assunta
The Iron Giant
(1999)
Mrs. Lynley Tensedge (voice)
Gen 13
(2000)
Helga (voice)
Hanging Up
(2000)
Pat Mozell
The Amati Girls
(2001)
Dolly Amati
The Animal
(2001)
Cat Lady (uncredited)
Manna from Heaven
(2002)
Helen
The Mary Tyler Moore Reunion
(2002)
Self
Alex & Emma
(2003)
Grandmother
Bad Santa
(2003)
Grandma (uncredited)
Spanglish
(2004)
Evelyn Wright
Buzz
(2005)
The Californians
(2005)
Eileen Boatwright
The Longest Yard
(2005)
Lynette
Sky High
(2005)
Nurse Spex
Beerfest
(2006)
Great Gam Gam
Scary Movie 4
(2006)
Mrs. Norris
Mrs. Harris
(2006)
Pearl "Billie" Schwartz
Lake Placid 2
(2007)
Sadie
New York, I Love You
(2008)
Mitzie
Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget
(2008)
Self
The Women
(2008)
Maggie
Hitchcock and Mel: Spoofing the Master of Suspense
(2009)
Self
American Cowslip
(2009)
Sandy
Love Takes Wing
(2009)
Hattie Clarence
You Again
(2010)
Helen (uncredited)
Expecting Mary
(2010)
Annie
The Fields
(2011)
Gladys
Foodfight!
(2012)
Brand X Lunch Lady (voice)
The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure
(2012)
Dotty Rounder
Gambit
(2012)
Grandma Merle
Adult World
(2013)
Mary Ann
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
(2013)
Self (archive footage)
The Croods
(2013)
Gran Crood (voice)
Phineas and Ferb: Night of the Living Pharmacists
(2014)
Mrs. Feyersied (voice)
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
(2015)
Self / Phyllis Lindstrom (archive footage)
Baby, Baby, Baby
(2015)
Actress
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
(2015)
Miss Fielder
This Is Happening
(2015)
Estelle (Grandmother)
The Wedding Ringer
(2015)
Grandma Palmer
Unity
(2015)
Narrator (voice)
Enzian: When the Lights Go Up
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Bronx Bull
(2016)
Lilian Forrester
So B. It
(2016)
Alice Wilinsky
Is That a Gun in Your Pocket?
(2016)
Maxine
The Comedian
(2016)
May Conner
A Wig and a Prayer: The Peaches Christ Story
(2016)
Self
I Can Only Imagine
(2018)
Memaw
It's Who You Know
(2018)
Liz
Lez Bomb
(2018)
Josephine
Being and Nothingness
(2019)
Ivy
The Croods: A New Age
(2020)
Gran Crood (voice)
When We Last Spoke
(2020)
Itasca
High Holiday
(2021)
Nana
Dear Diary: World's First Pranks
(2021)
Gran (voice)
Not to Forget
(2021)
Donna
Jump, Darling
(2022)
Margaret
Crew