Is it just me, or do all boomers whinney at the mention of Cloris Leachman or her indelible character Frau Blucher? (Gen Xers, watch Young Frankenstein.) I’ve always loved her. She embraced her characters, playing them to the outer edges of hysterical and past. Ms Leachman died last week. In her obituary for the AP, Lynn Elber quoted Leachman from another’s interview in 1973.
“Basically I don’t care how I look, ugly or beautiful. I don’t think that’s what beauty is. On a single day, any of us is ugly or beautiful….I’m kind of like that in life…I’m magic, and I believe in magic. There’s supposed to be a point in life when you aren’t supposed to stay believing in that. I haven’t reached it yet.”
Neither have I, Ms. Leachman, and like you, I never plan on it. Thank you for conjuring so much laughter from so many of us over the decades.
What a delight it was several years ago (neither Linda nor I remember exactly how many years ago) when Cloris Leachman put on her one-woman show at what used to be a theatre here in VOC. She was tiny and wore extremely high heels–until after the show when she put on slippers to greet the audience in the lobby. Funny, smart, witty, personal, vulnerable. What a treasure she was, whether on screen (big and small) or in person. I’m sure she’s already making everyone roar wherever she may be.
Anita, fabulous story! Did you see her when she moderated
the movie Is that a Gun in your pocket? She was in town for the film
festival. The movie was a total hoot and she was fabulous in the
movie (natch) and in the Q&A that followed. I wish I’d seen the
show. You are right. She was a treasure.