Cloris Leachman was an American actress and comedian who received numerous accolades throughout her career. She won eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nominated and, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, most awarded performer in Emmy history. She was also the recipient of an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2011, she was inducted in the Television Hall of Fame.
After studying at the Actors Studio, she appeared in Peter Bogdanovich's drama film The Last Picture Show (1971), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She also received two nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for the comedy films Charley and the Angel (1973) and Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974), and a SAG-AFTRA's Actor Award nomination for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role for the romantic comedy Spanglish (2004).
From 1970 to 1975, Leachman starred in The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Phyllis Lindstrom, Mary Richards' snobbish, self-absorbed and interfering friend and downstairs neighbor. The role earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards for both Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. In 1975, Leachman left the show to star in the spin-off series Phyllis (1975–1977), which won her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Her other Emmy Award–winning work includes the television film A Brand New Life (1973), special appearances in the variety sketch show Cher (1975), the ABC Afterschool Special production The Woman Who Willed a Miracle (1983), the drama series Promised Land (1998), and a recurring role as Ida in Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006).
Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Academy Awards 1972Best Supporting Actress The Last Picture Show
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result British Academy Film Awards 1973Best Actress in a Supporting Role The Last Picture Show
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Primetime Emmy Awards 1972 Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1973 Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role A Brand New Life 1974 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama The Migrants Outstanding Supporting Actress in Comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1975 Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music Cher 1976 Telly... Who Loves Ya Baby? Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Phyllis 1978 Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama or Comedy Special It Happened One Christmas 1984 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Screen Actors Guild 50th Anniversary Celebration 1998 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Promised Land 2001 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Malcolm in the Middle 2002 2003 2004 2005 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Joan of Arcadia 2006 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Mrs. Harris Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Malcolm in the Middle 2011 Raising Hope Daytime Emmy Awards 1984 Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming ABC Afterschool Special (episode: "The Woman Who Willed a Miracle")
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Golden Globes 1972Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture The Last Picture Show 1974 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Charley and the Angel 1975 Young Frankenstein 1976 Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy Phyllis
Actor Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Actor Awards 2005 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Spanglish 2007 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Mrs. Harris
Miscellaneous awards and nominations + Award Year Nominated work Category Result 2005 Spanglish Best Actress 2009 Best Supporting Actress Coronado Island Film Festival Awards 2019 rowspan="2" Legacy Award Dorian Awards 2010 Timeless Star Gemini Awards 2001 Twice in a Lifetime Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series Genie Awards 1980 Yesterday Best Performance by a Foreign Actress Golden Apple Awards 1975 rowspan="3" Female Star of the Year Heartland International Film Festival Awards 2019 Pioneering Spirit Award Hoboken International Film Festival Awards 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards 1972 Best Supporting Actress National Board of Review Awards 1971 Best Supporting Actress National Society of Film Critics Awards 1971 Best Supporting Actress New York Film Critics Circle Awards 1972 Best Supporting Actress Oil Valley Film Festival Awards 2022 Not to Forget Outstanding Supporting Acting – Feature Outfest Awards 2021 Jump, Darling International Narrative Feature – Performance (Special Mention) Satellite Awards 2005 Spanglish Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Stinkers Bad Movie Awards 2007 Beerfest Worst Supporting Actress Most Annoying Accent – Female TCA Awards 2011 Career Achievement Award Theatre World Awards 1951 Best Debut Performance Women's Image Network Awards 2008 Lifetime Achievement 2013 Raising Hope Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Other honors + Other accolades received by Cloris Leachman Organization Year Honor American Academy of Achievement 1974 Golden Plate Emmy Awards 2011 Television Hall of Fame Hollywood Walk of Fame 1980 Star for merits on Television
See also List of Cloris Leachman performances
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