Leachman, Cloris (1926–)

views updated

Leachman, Cloris (1926–)

American actress. Born April 30, 1926, in Des Moines, IA; sister of Claiborne Cary (actress); m. George Englund (producer-director), 1953 (div. 1979); children: Adam, Bryan, George, Morgan, and Dinah Englund (all actors).

Was Miss Chicago and runner-up in Miss America pageant (1946); made film debut in Kiss Me Deadly (1955), followed by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Lovers and Other Strangers, Crazy Mama, Dillinger, Daisy Miller, The North Avenue Irregulars, Herbie Goes Bananas, and in 3 films of Mel Brooks: High Anxiety, History of the World Part 1, and as Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein (1974); appeared as Phyllis on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970–77) and in title role of the spinoff "Phyllis" (1975–77). Won Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for The Last Picture Show (1971); won 6 Emmys.