Lily Tomlin was born on September 1, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. After attending Wayne State University, she began performing stand-up comedy in Detroit and New York. In 1965, she appeared on television for the first time on The Merv Griffin Show. A few short years later, Tomlin joined the cast of the sketch comedy show Laugh In and soon became known for several of her characters, including Ernestine, the hilarious telephone operator; as well as for the bratty five year old Edith Ann. Tomlin has also appeared in several movies, including the 1975 drama Nashville, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress; Nine to Five, which also starred Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda; and the 1981 film The Incredible Shrinking Woman. Throughout the years, Tomlin has appeared on several television series, including Murphy Brown, the prime-time comedy hit Will and Grace, and the dramatic series The West Wing. Lily was the voice of teacher Ms. Frizzle on the educational children’s cartoon The Magic School Bus. Her upcoming films include Seniors and The Last Guy on Earth.

Although Tomlin has been involved with a wide variety of projects, she is most successful and recognized as a comedian. Her one woman comedic Broadway show, The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, was a hit with audiences and critics alike. The performance earned her a Tony Award for Best Actress and the show was eventually turned into a feature film. Lily’s 1971 comedy album, This is a Recording, earned her a prestigious Grammy Award. In recent years, her talents have been honored with an induction to the Michigan Woman’s Hall of Fame in 1998, and a Mark Twain Prize for Humor, which was awarded to Tomlin in 2003.

Tomlin has been in a relationship with frequent collobarator Jane Wagner for thirty years. Wagner, in addition to being Lily’s partner, was also the writer of Tomlin’s award-winning Broadway show. Although Lily was always known for being involved with feminist and gay-friendly productions, she officially acknowledged that she was a lesbian in 2000. Tomlin says she never purposely hid her sexuality but that reporters consistently chose not to cover that aspect of her life.

YUDDY