Cloris Leachman, R.I.P.

Actress Cloris Leachman, remembered for her portrayal of Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later her spinoff series Phyllis and winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in The Last Picture Show, passed away last night of natural causes. She was 94. 

A contestant in the 1946 Miss America Pageant, Leachman went to New York to study acting under Elia Kazan at the Actor's Studio. Leachman would find steady work on TV during the 1950's as a regular on Charlie Wild, Private Detective and Lassie. During the 1960's, she appeared on TV shows such as Johnny Staccato, Rawhide, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Outlaws, Gunsmoke, The Donna Reed Show, The Untouchables, Route 66, Laramie, Wagon Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 77 Sunset Strip, Dr. Kildare, Perry Mason, The Big Valley, Adam-12, The Name of the Game, Mannix, The Virginian and Ironside. Perhaps her most notable TV appearance came in 1961 on The Twilight Zone where she took a backseat to a very young and very dangerous Billy Mumy in "It's a Good Life". Leachman and Mumy would reprise these roles in 2003.

Leachman would also appear in movies such as Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid and Lovers & Other Strangers. But her career would take off in 1970's when in her mid-40's she was cast as Ruth Popper, a lonely middle aged wife who has an affair with a high school senior played by Timothy Bottoms until he is swayed by the charms of a young Cybil Shepherd. Hell hath no fury.

TV success would soon follow as Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Although not a cast regular, she made enough of an impression to be given her own TV series which lasted two seasons on CBS.

Leachman also appeared in three Mel Brooks' movies - Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety and History of the World, Part 1. Of these, Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein is most memorable with the horse's neigh and her offer of Ovaltine. 

During the 1980's, Leachman appeared in numerous TV movies before being cast to replace Charlotte Rae during the last two seasons of The Facts of Life. 

Leachman was arguably busier during the last 20 years of her life than she was during her first 20 with appearances on The Ellen Show, Touched by an Angel, Joan of Arcadia, Two and a Half Men, Malcolm in the Middle, Raising Hope, Royal Pains and the revival of Mad About You. She also made appearances on the silver screen with Adam Sandler in Spanglish and The Longest Yard. In 2008, Leachman had the distinction of being the oldest contestant on Dancing with the Stars at the age of 82. 

While all things must pass, Cloris Leachman lived a long, rich life and shared the joy and laughter with us for many decades and will continue to do so for many decades to come. R.I.P.