Lily Tomlin: Movies, Awards & Box Office

Mary Jean 'Lily' Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. Tomlin's career spans over six decades starting as a stand-up comedian during the 1960s. Her breakthrough role was on the variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1969-1973). Tomlin's portrayal of characters created by her then partner, now wife, Jane Wagner in The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe won her the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Her film debut was in Robert Altman's Nashville in 1975, garnering her an Academy Award nomination. Other notable films include All of Me, Big Business, Flirting with Disaster, Tea with Mussolini, I Heart Huckabees, A Prairie Home Companion, and Grandma. She is also known for her collaborations with Jane Fonda and for her roles in the Netflix series Grace and Frankie. She has received numerous accolades, including seven Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, two Tony Awards, and a nomination for an Academy Award. She was also awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014 and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2017.

Tomlin was born in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of housewife and nurse's aide Lillie Mae (Ford) and factory worker Guy Tomlin. She attended Wayne State University and studied biology before moving into stand-up comedy in nightclubs in Detroit and later in New York City. She continued to study acting at the HB Studio. Tomlin's characters including Ernestine, Edith Ann, and Mrs. Judith Beasley have become well-known in American popular culture, and she has been recognized as a key figure in the American entertainment industry.