Cloris Leachman has died aged 94.
Cloris Leachman
The famed actress, who was best known for her roles in iconic film and television projects such as ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’, passed away from natural causes on Tuesday (26.01.21) in Encinitas, California.
Her longtime manager, Juliet Green, confirmed the news in a statement which read: “It’s been my privilege to work with Cloris Leachman, one of the most fearless actresses of our time. 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 loved her children and her grandchildren ferociously. A lifelong vegetarian, she was a passionate advocate for animal rights. The family requests that any donations in her name be made to PETA or Last Chance for Animals.”
Cloris made a name for herself playing the nosy and cunning landlady Phyllis Lindstrom in the landmark CBS sitcom ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ between 1970 and 1975, where she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy series in both 1974 and 1975.
She then went on to star in her own spin-off series titled ‘Phyllis’, which earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
The actress was also an Oscar winner, having taken home the gong for Best Supporting Actress for her part in 1971’s ‘The Last Picture Show’, for which she also won a BAFTA.
Cloris won additional Emmy Awards for her roles in ‘A Brand New Life’, ‘Cher’, ‘The Woman Who Willed a Miracle’, ‘Promised Land’, and ‘Malcolm in the Middle’.
After being inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2011, the star continued to act right up until her passing, having appeared in the movies ‘High Holiday’, ‘Jump, Darling’, and ‘The Croods: A New Age’, in 2020.
Cloris is survived by her children, including sons Adam, George Jr. and Morgan, and a daughter, Dinah.