Phyllis Lindstrom, née Sutherland, portrayed by

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 nomin ...

, is a fictional character on the television sitcom ''

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 ...

'' and subsequent spin-off ''

Phyllis Phyllis is a feminine given name which may refer to: People * Phyllis Bartholomew (1914–2002), English long jumper * Phyllis Drummond Bethune (née Sharpe, 1899–1982), New Zealand artist * Phyllis Calvert (1915–2002), British actress * P ...

''.

''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''

Phyllis Lindstrom (born in 1931 in

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 ...

) is

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 ...

' snobbish, self-absorbed and interfering friend/downstairs neighbor. She married

dermatologist Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medical ...

Dr. Lars Lindstrom in 1955; Phyllis frequently mentions and quotes Lars, but he is never seen on the show. The Lindstroms manage the large

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 ...

house in which they live, along with upstairs neighbor (and Mary's eventual close friend)

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 ...

(

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 ...

). Mary also develops a close relationship with Lindstrom daughter Bess ( Lisa Gerritsen). Rhoda and Phyllis maintain an adversarial but talkative relationship. In the series' first episode, Phyllis actively prevents Rhoda from claiming a newly vacated apartment so Mary can move in instead. In season four opener " The Lars Affair", Phyllis clashes with the man-hungry hostess of WJM's ''Happy Homemaker'' show, Sue Ann Nivens (

Betty White Betty Marion White (January 17, 1922December 31, 2021) was an American actress and comedian. A pioneer of early television, with a television career spanning almost seven decades, White was noted for her vast work in the entertainment indust ...

), following Sue Ann's affair with Lars. Phyllis and Sue Ann meet again in the episode "Phyllis Whips Inflation", Leachman's penultimate ''Mary Tyler Moore'' appearance. Colleagues attempt to prevent the pair from running into each other at the station; when they do, self-centered Phyllis plaintively asks Sue Ann if any jobs are available on her show. Phyllis appears in one sixty minute episode " Rhoda's Wedding" (two parts in syndication) of the ''Mary Tyler Moore Show'' spinoff ''

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 ...

''. Phyllis (and Rhoda) later returned to ''

Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), which ...

'' for " The Last Show", the program's March 19, 1977

series finale A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...

. This is the character's only reappearance subsequent to the launch of the spinoff.

''Phyllis''

In 1975 Leachman left ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' to star in spin-off series ''Phyllis,'' in which Phyllis and Bess relocate to Phyllis' hometown

following the death of Lars. They move in with Lars' mother Audrey (

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 Jane ...

) and Audrey's new husband, Judge Jonathan Dexter ( Henry Jones). Phyllis' major nemesis is Jonathan's sharp-tongued mother, Sally (

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 ...

), an irritable, impatient woman known as "Mother Dexter". Mother Dexter gets along well with Bess.

appears as Mary Richards in two ''Phyllis'' episodes, once in the first season and then again in the second. In the first season, Phyllis is employed at Erskine Photography Studio. In the second and final season, the series was retooled and Phyllis works as an administrative assistant for a city supervisor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lindstrom, Phyllis Television characters introduced in 1970 Fictional characters from Minnesota Fictional characters from San Francisco The Mary Tyler Moore Show characters