Any time an 82-year-old woman welcomes a new adventure in her life in front of millions of television viewers, I salute her spirited approach to living a rich existence. I first remember the former Miss Chicago 1946 (a.k.a. Cloris Leachman) as Mary Richards' hilarious and slightly kooky landlady, Phyllis Lindstrom, on The Mary Tyler Moore Show TV sitcom. Known for saying with dramatic flair, "Oh, Mary, you're just so Mary, Mary," Phyllis pried into every aspect of Mary's life, but you couldn't help but love her character anyway.
Winner of nine Emmys and one Academy Award, Cloris is one of our finest and funniest female entertainers. In a career that has spanned over fifty years, she has played a wide variety of both serious and side-splitting roles such as Ruth Popper in the film, The Last Picture Show and the dreadfully severe Frau Blücher in the movie Young Frankenstein who manages to frighten all the horses within shouting distance every time someone says her name. Her TV spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, appropriately titled Phyllis, won her a Golden Globe award.
Currently, Cloris is appearing as the oldest contestant ever on the television show Dancing with the Stars. She has endured some criticism for appearing on the show, but I think she's fabulous. What a role model she is for women of all ages who might be waiting for adventure to come to them. There's a great quote, "Don't wait for your ship to come in ... swim out to it." Cloris has not only made it to her ship, but she's captaining it too (in a sequined evening gown nonetheless!)
- Vicky De Coster - www.wackywomanhood
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