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''Phyllis'' is an American
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
television series that aired on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
from September 8, 1975, to March 13, 1977. Created mainly by Ed Weinberger and
Stan Daniels Stanley Edwin Daniels (July 31, 1934 – April 6, 2007) was a Canadian-American screenwriter, producer and director, who won eight Emmy Awards for his work on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' and ''Taxi''. Early life Born in Toronto to Jewish pa ...
, it was the second spin-off of ''
The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Moor ...
'' (the first being ''
Rhoda ''Rhoda'' is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns starring Valerie Harper that originally aired on CBS for five seasons from September 9, 1974, to December 9, 1978. It was the first spin-off of ''The Mary Tyle ...
''). ''Mary Tyler Moore Show'' producer James L. Brooks was also involved with the show as a creative consultant. The show starred
Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...
as
Phyllis Lindstrom Phyllis Lindstrom, née Sutherland, portrayed by Cloris Leachman, is a fictional character on the television sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' and subsequent spin-off '' Phyllis''. ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' Phyllis Lindstrom (born in 193 ...
, who was previously
Mary Richards Mary Richards, portrayed by Mary Tyler Moore, is the main character of the television sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. Character biography Mary Richards, born in Roseburg, Minnesota, is the only child of Walter and Dottie Richards. Prior ...
' friend, neighbor, and landlady on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. In the new series, Phyllis and her daughter
Bess Lindstrom The following is a list of featured characters on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. Main characters Mary Richards Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) is a single native Minnesotan who moves to Minneapolis in 1970 at age 30 and becomes associate produ ...
moved from
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
to
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, after the death of her husband, Dr. Lars Lindstrom. It was revealed that San Francisco was Phyllis and Lars' original home town, prior to their moving to Minneapolis, and that his mother and stepfather still resided there.


Synopsis and production

Left penniless after the death of her husband Lars, Phyllis and her daughter Bess ( Lisa Gerritsen) move in with Lars's mother, the scatterbrained Audrey Dexter (
Jane Rose Jane Prim Rose (February 7, 1913 – June 29, 1979) was an American character actress, perhaps best remembered as Audrey Dexter, the gently befuddled mother-in-law of Phyllis Lindstrom on the CBS sitcom '' Phyllis'' (1975–1977). Early life J ...
) and stepfather Judge Jonathan Dexter ( Henry Jones). Phyllis takes a job as an assistant in a photographic studio. The owner, Julie Erskine, was played by
Barbara Colby Barbara Colby (July 2, 1939 – July 24, 1975) was an American actress. She appeared in episodes of numerous television series before a 1974 appearance on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' led to a main cast role on the new series '' Phyllis''; afte ...
. In the 1974-1975 season, Colby was featured on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' playing Sherry Ferris, a prostitute who Mary Richards (Moore) befriends. Her appearances on that show were so popular with viewers that when ''Phyllis'' was being cast, the producers enthusiastically signed her as a regular cast member. However, after three episodes of ''Phyllis'' had been filmed, Colby was murdered and the part was assumed by
Liz Torres Elizabeth Larrieu Torres (born September 27, 1947) is an American actress, singer, and comedian. Torres is best known for her role as Mahalia Sanchez in the NBC comedy series ''The John Larroquette Show'' (1993–1996), for which she received two ...
. Leo Heatherton (
Richard Schaal Richard Schaal (; May 5, 1928 – November 4, 2014) was an American film and television actor born in Chicago, Illinois. Career In 1962, Schaal joined Chicago's famed Second City, becoming skilled in sketch and improvisational comedy. He was ...
, who was married to
Valerie Harper Valerie Kathryn Harper (August 22, 1939 – August 30, 2019) was an American actress. She began her career as a dancer on Broadway, making her debut as a replacement in the musical ''Li'l Abner''. She is best remembered for her role as Rhod ...
who played the title character in ''Rhoda'') was a well-meaning but bumbling photographer at the studio. Much of the first season's humor stemmed from Phyllis' attempts to fit into the job market having lived for many years as the spoiled wife of a rich dermatologist.
Judith Lowry Judith Carter Lowry (née Ives; July 27, 1890 – November 29, 1976) was an American actress. She had nearly 30 film and television roles and appeared on stage, most notably in the Off-Broadway production of ''The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in ...
guest starred in an early episode ("Leaving Home") as Jonathan's mother, Sally Dexter. She was so well received by viewers that by the end of the first year Lowry became a regular when Mother Dexter joined the household. Aired on Monday nights between two popular shows – ''Rhoda'' and ''
All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series '' Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...
'' – ''Phyllis'' instantly became a top ten hit. Cloris Leachman won a Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. The sitcom was the sixth highest-rated television series for the 1975–76 television season (at the time ranking higher than both ''Rhoda'' and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'').


Season two

Towards the end of the first season, the ratings were beginning to slip. As a result, the series premise was reworked for the second season. Erskine Photography and the characters Julie Erskine (Liz Torres) and Leo Heatherton (Richard Schaal) were dropped with the explanation that Julie had married suddenly, sold the photography studio, and moved away, putting Phyllis out of a job. Leachman, Gerritsen, Jones, Rose and Lowry remained with ''Phyllis''. In the second-season premiere Phyllis was hired as an assistant to a San Francisco City Supervisor. New characters were Phyllis's boss Dan Valenti (
Carmine Caridi Carmine Caridi (January 23, 1934 – May 28, 2019) was an American film, television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles in the films '' The Godfather Part II'' (1974) and ''The Godfather Part III'' (1990). In 2004, Caridi became the ...
), Leonard Marsh ( John Lawlor), an inept politician in the office, and Leonard's secretary Harriet Hastings (
Garn Stephens Garn Stephens is a retired American film, television and theatre actress and writer. She is known for her roles in the television series ''Phyllis'' and the 1982 horror film '' Halloween III: Season of the Witch''. Career Stephens began her c ...
). Harriet was initially Phyllis's rival, but they later became friends. Both Caridi and Lawlor had appeared in two separate episodes of ''Phyllis'' the previous season - Caridi as a junk dealer in the episode "Phyllis's Garage Sale" and Lawlor as a policeman in the episode "Crazy Mama". The ratings continued to drop. ''Rhoda'' was also going through a format change at the time, which may have also affected ''Phyllis’'' ratings. During this time both series' chief competition,
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's ''
Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the Midwestern United States, American M ...
'', flourished. In a December 1976 episode, Jonathan's cranky and outspoken Mother Dexter (Lowry), Phyllis' main nemesis, married Arthur Lanson (
Burt Mustin Burton Hill "Burt" Mustin (February 8, 1884 – January 28, 1977) was an American character actor.Obituary ''Variety'', February 2, 1977, page 94. Over the course of his career, he appeared in over 150 film and television productions. He ...
); both Lowry, 86, and Mustin, 92, died within a month of the episode's airing. (Episodes featuring Lowry continued to air through early February 1977; Mustin's character was mentioned but not seen after the wedding episode.). CBS moved both ''Rhoda'' and ''Phyllis'' to Sunday nights at 8:00 P.M. and 8:30 P.M., respectively. Actress Jane Rose (who played Audrey Dexter) took ill. These cast changes necessitated new storylines. Bess's role became more prominent. She found romance with Mark Valenti (
Craig Wasson Craig Wasson (born March 15, 1954) is an American actor. He made his film debut in ''Rollercoaster'' (1977). He is best known for his roles as Jake Scully in Brian DePalma's ''Body Double'' (1984), and Neil Gordon in Chuck Russell's '' A Nightm ...
), the nephew of Phyllis' boss, and they later married. By the middle of the 1976–77 season, the ratings for ''Rhoda'' had improved but ''Phyllis'' was still faltering. ''Rhoda'' was renewed for an additional season (it would ultimately be canceled in December 1978), but ''Phyllis'' was dropped by CBS in the spring of 1977, finishing in 40th place that season. The complications resulting from the deaths of several cast members during the show's run, as well as the ill health of actress Jane Rose, are said to have been factors in the series' cancellation. The final episode ("And Baby Makes Six") had Bess announcing that she and Mark were expecting their first child. This installment aired Sunday, March 13, 1977. The same week, on Saturday, March 19, Leachman made her last appearance as Phyllis Lindstrom on the final episode of ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''.


Cast

*
Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...
as
Phyllis Lindstrom Phyllis Lindstrom, née Sutherland, portrayed by Cloris Leachman, is a fictional character on the television sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' and subsequent spin-off '' Phyllis''. ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' Phyllis Lindstrom (born in 193 ...
, an arrogant, self-centered woman who moves to
San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
from Minneapolis, Minnesota, after her husband, Lars, dies and leaves her and her daughter with no savings. She suddenly finds herself having to find a job after being the pampered wife of a dermatologist for decades. In season one, she works as a photographer's assistant, and in season two, she works as a political assistant. Phyllis was previously a featured character on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' as Mary Richards' good friend and landlord. Leachman made her final appearance as Phyllis on the finale of ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', a week after the spinoff series ended its run. In the episode, she visits Mary with her frenemy,
Rhoda Morgenstern Rhoda Faye Morgenstern, portrayed by Valerie Harper, is a fictional character on the television sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' and subsequent spin-off, ''Rhoda''. Character background The original opening of the series ''Rhoda'' establis ...
, in order to cheer Mary up when she gets fired from her job. * Henry Jones as Judge Jonathan Dexter, the calm and level-headed second husband of Audrey Dexter. Phyllis' husband Lars was his stepson. He is protective and judgmental of his mother Sally, whose obscene and overt behavior usually leads to his chagrin. *
Jane Rose Jane Prim Rose (February 7, 1913 – June 29, 1979) was an American character actress, perhaps best remembered as Audrey Dexter, the gently befuddled mother-in-law of Phyllis Lindstrom on the CBS sitcom '' Phyllis'' (1975–1977). Early life J ...
as Audrey Dexter, the ditzy and ever-cheerful wife of Jonathan. She had a son named Lars Lindstrom with her first husband. After Lars' death in 1975, her penniless, widowed daughter-in-law and granddaughter move from Minnesota to live with them in California. Rose became ill with cancer toward the end of the show's run, leading the show to depend more on characters like Bess and Mark to provide plots for later episodes. * Lisa Gerritsen as
Bess Lindstrom The following is a list of featured characters on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. Main characters Mary Richards Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) is a single native Minnesotan who moves to Minneapolis in 1970 at age 30 and becomes associate produ ...
, Phyllis' highly intelligent and mature daughter. Bess is a 17-year-old senior in high school during season one and an 18-year-old freshman in college during season two. Upon moving to San Francisco, Bess goes through many boyfriends and heartbreaks before entering a whirlwind romance with Mark Valenti, the nephew of her mother's boss. She quickly marries Mark and announces that she is pregnant with their child in the series finale. She and Phyllis both appeared on The Mary Tyler Moore Show before moving to the new show. *
Judith Lowry Judith Carter Lowry (née Ives; July 27, 1890 – November 29, 1976) was an American actress. She had nearly 30 film and television roles and appeared on stage, most notably in the Off-Broadway production of ''The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in ...
as Sally "Mother" Dexter, Jonathan's cantankerous, sharp-tongued, 86-year-old mother. While she has a soft spot for Bess, Mother Dexter acts abrasively toward Phyllis. Mother Dexter has a lascivious side, frequently demonstrating her sexual feelings for actor
Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and war ...
. In season two, she shocks the rest of her family by shacking up with her boyfriend, Arthur Lanson, in his mobile home. After talking over the situation with her family and Arthur, the couple decide that they want to get married and have their wedding officiated by Jonathan in the living room of the Dexter home. Lowry appeared as Mother Dexter in five episodes after the wedding episode. She had died of a heart attack at the age of 86 in November 1976, a month before the wedding episode aired. Burt Mustin, who portrayed Arthur, died two months after Lowry. *
Barbara Colby Barbara Colby (July 2, 1939 – July 24, 1975) was an American actress. She appeared in episodes of numerous television series before a 1974 appearance on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' led to a main cast role on the new series '' Phyllis''; afte ...
as Julie Erskine #1 (1975), Phyllis' first boss. Along with Burt Mustin, Colby came to Phyllis after playing a different role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She had previously played a prostitute who befriended Mary Richards when they spent the night in jail together. The character of Erskine was recast with
Liz Torres Elizabeth Larrieu Torres (born September 27, 1947) is an American actress, singer, and comedian. Torres is best known for her role as Mahalia Sanchez in the NBC comedy series ''The John Larroquette Show'' (1993–1996), for which she received two ...
after Colby was killed in a drive-by shooting while walking out of an acting class. *
Liz Torres Elizabeth Larrieu Torres (born September 27, 1947) is an American actress, singer, and comedian. Torres is best known for her role as Mahalia Sanchez in the NBC comedy series ''The John Larroquette Show'' (1993–1996), for which she received two ...
as Julie Erskine #2 (1975–1976). Torres replaced Barbara Colby after she was murdered in July 1975. The character was written out of the series after the first season. *
Richard Schaal Richard Schaal (; May 5, 1928 – November 4, 2014) was an American film and television actor born in Chicago, Illinois. Career In 1962, Schaal joined Chicago's famed Second City, becoming skilled in sketch and improvisational comedy. He was ...
as Leo Heatherton (1975–1976), Phyllis' well-meaning, but bumbling co-worker at the photography studio. Along with Julie, the character of Leo was written out of the series after season one ended in an attempt to rework the series and boost ratings. *
Carmine Caridi Carmine Caridi (January 23, 1934 – May 28, 2019) was an American film, television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles in the films '' The Godfather Part II'' (1974) and ''The Godfather Part III'' (1990). In 2004, Caridi became the ...
as Dan Valenti (1976–1977), Phyllis' boss in season two when she becomes a political assistant. His nephew, Mark, eventually becomes Bess' husband. * John Lawlor as Leonard Marsh (1976–1977), Phyllis' co-worker in season two. Leonard does not tend to get along with Phyllis. *
Garn Stephens Garn Stephens is a retired American film, television and theatre actress and writer. She is known for her roles in the television series ''Phyllis'' and the 1982 horror film '' Halloween III: Season of the Witch''. Career Stephens began her c ...
as Harriet Hastings (1976–1977), Phyllis' co-worker in season two. Like Leonard, Harriet does not have a very friendly relationship with Phyllis. *
Burt Mustin Burton Hill "Burt" Mustin (February 8, 1884 – January 28, 1977) was an American character actor.Obituary ''Variety'', February 2, 1977, page 94. Over the course of his career, he appeared in over 150 film and television productions. He ...
as Arthur Lanson (1976), the devoted suitor, and later husband, of Mother Dexter. He is an elderly veteran of World War I who lives in a trailer park. He enjoys hanging out with fellow World War I veterans and exchanging stories of their time in combat. He is mentioned during the latter half of season two but disappeared from the show soon after the episode in which he and Mother Dexter marry. Mustin became ill not long after the episode's airing, and died in January 1977, right before his 93rd birthday. He was the third cast member of the series to die in its relatively short run. *
Craig Wasson Craig Wasson (born March 15, 1954) is an American actor. He made his film debut in ''Rollercoaster'' (1977). He is best known for his roles as Jake Scully in Brian DePalma's ''Body Double'' (1984), and Neil Gordon in Chuck Russell's '' A Nightm ...
as Mark Valenti (1977), Dan's college-aged nephew who has dreams of becoming a successful musician. He and Bess fall in love toward the end of season two and quickly get married. Bess announces she is pregnant with their child in the series finale.


Syndication

* During the 1990s, ''Phyllis'' was aired on Nick at Nite alongside ''Rhoda'' and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. Eventually, all three shows were moved to sister-network
TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cla ...
for a short while before simply disappearing altogether. Also in the early 1990s, the series was aired on HA! before it merged with
The Comedy Channel The Comedy Channel (promoted on air as comedy) is a defunct Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, and Optus Television. The channel ceased broadcasting on 1 September 2020. History A joint venture between Artist Serv ...
and became
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...
. * In January 2010, AmericanLife Network (ALN) began airing the series and is again shown alongside ''Rhoda'' in syndication. However, this time, the network stopped showing ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' when it added ''Rhoda'' and ''Phyllis'' to its lineup. The series was removed from the lineup in September 2010.


Home media

In July 1992, a VHS titled ''Phyllis—Volume 1'' containing the first two episodes was released by MTM Home Video; however, a second volume was never released.


References


External links

* * {{MTM Enterprises 1975 American television series debuts 1977 American television series endings 1970s American sitcoms 1970s American workplace comedy television series American television spin-offs CBS original programming English-language television shows Television series about widowhood Television shows set in San Francisco Television series by MTM Enterprises The Mary Tyler Moore Show