by Conan Simmons – January 31, 2021 – 6:06 pm
Born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 30, 1926 Cloris Leachman enjoyed a long an illustrious career on both the silver and small screen in a nearly 70 year career. She passed away January 26 in Encinitas, California at the age of 94.
Beginning her career on television in 1948 in an episode of ‘The Ford Theatre Hour’ entitled ‘Night Must Fall’, Cloris Leachman became a mainstay on the small screen from then on appearing in such 1950’s television shows as ‘Tales of Tomorrow’ and ‘Suspense’.
In 1955 Cloris Leachman would make her big screen debut in the classic film noir ‘Kiss Me Deadly’, an adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer series of novels. Immediately moving back to television, Leachman made her mark in series ranging from ‘Lassie’, ‘Rawhide’, ‘Thriller’, ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive’, and ‘Gunsmoke’.
The 1960’s saw Cloris Leachman with steady work on television, ‘Perry Mason’, ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’, ‘The Twilight Zone’, ‘Hawaiian Eye’, ’77 Sunset Strip’, ‘The Untouchable’s’ and ‘Wagon Train’ were among many of the series she made frequent appearances on. In 1969 she would make a return to the silver screen in the classic western, ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ alongside Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
From the 1970’s on Cloris Leachman would be a fixture on the awards circuit. Her performance in 1971’s Peter Bogdanovich directed ‘The Last Picture Show’ won her the Oscar and BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress along with a Golden Globe nomination for the same.
While she didn’t win the Golden Globe for that particular role she did manage to win the Globe for Best Actress in a TV Series Comedy for ‘Phyllis’ in 1975. She was nominated for two other Golden Globes, in 1973 for ‘Charley and the Angel’ and in 1974 for the Mel Brooks classic ‘Young Frankenstein’, both in the category for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
As she continued to appear on television in the 1970’s on such shows as ‘Adam-12’, ‘Mannix’, ‘Ironside’ and ‘Lancer’ she would play the part of Queen Hippolyta on the series ‘Wonder Woman’ starring Lynda Carter.
Of the eight total Emmy’s she won half of them came in the 1970’s beginning with a Lead Actress award for ‘A Brand New Life’ in 1973 followed by consecutive wins for Best Supporting Actress in the hits series ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ in 1974 and ’75. She would also win Best Supporting Actress in a Variety or Musical for her appearance on ‘Cher’ in 1975.
Other Emmy wins would come with 1984’s performance on ‘Screen Actors Guild 50th Anniversary Celebration’, Guest Actress in a Drama Series for 1998’s ‘Promised Land’ and two wins for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ in 2002 and 2006.
Cloris Leachman’s multitude of Emmy nominations include for Best Supporting Actress on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ in both 1972 and ’73. Lead Actress in a Drama for 1974’s ‘The Migrants’. Best Supporting Actress in Variety or Musical for 1976’s ‘Telly… Who Loves Ya, Baby?’. Best Lead Actress for ‘Phyllis’ in 1976. Supporting Actress for ‘It Happened One Christmas’ in 1977 and for 1984’s ‘Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter’. Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005. Best Actress in a Drama Series in 2005 for ‘Joan of Arcadia’. Supporting actress in a Miniseries or Movie in 2005’s ‘Mrs. Harris’. And, finally, for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, ‘Raising Hope’ in 2011.
CLoris Leachman was married to director-producer George Englund form 1953 until their divorce in 1979. They had five children together.