Phyllis Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phyllis Smith
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Smith in 2014
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| Born | August 15, 1949 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Missouri–St. Louis |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1994–present |
Phyllis Smith is an American actress and casting director. She was born on August 15, 1949. She is well-known for playing Phyllis Vance in the TV show The Office. She also voiced the character Sadness in Pixar's animated movies Inside Out.
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Early Life and School
Phyllis Smith was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She went to Cleveland High School.
In 1972, Smith finished her studies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She earned a degree in elementary education. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was a dancer. She was also a cheerleader for the St. Louis Cardinals football team. She performed in dance shows, wearing costumes with feathers. She had to stop dancing because of a knee injury. Later, she worked in Hollywood, California as an actress and helped with casting for movies and TV shows.
Acting Career Highlights
Phyllis Smith was working as a casting associate for the TV show The Office. A casting associate helps find actors for roles. The show's creators liked her so much that they made a special character just for her. This character was Phyllis Lapin, a quiet saleswoman. Phyllis Lapin often disagreed with the office manager, Michael Scott.
Smith won awards for her acting in The Office. She received Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006 and 2007. These awards were for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series." This means the whole cast did a great job together. In June 2008, she appeared on Celebrity Family Feud with her co-stars from The Office.
In 2011, Smith had a supporting role in the movie Bad Teacher. In 2015, she lent her voice to the character Sadness in the Pixar movie Inside Out. Critics praised her performance as Sadness. In 2016, she starred as Betty Broderick-Allen in the Netflix series The OA. She returned to voice Sadness again in Inside Out 2, which came out in 2024.
Film Roles
- 2006: I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With as Marsha
- 2011: Bad Teacher as Lynn
- 2011: Butter as Nancy
- 2011: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked as Flight Attendant
- 2015: Inside Out as Sadness (voice)
- 2015: Riley's First Date? as Sadness (voice) (Short film)
- 2021: Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar as Delores
- 2024: Inside Out 2 as Sadness (voice)
Television Roles
- 2005: Arrested Development as Carla (One episode)
- 2005–2013: The Office as Phyllis Vance
- 2006: The Office: The Accountants as Phyllis Vance (One episode)
- 2008: The Office: The Outburst as Phyllis Vance (One episode)
- 2013: Trophy Wife as Mrs. Patty Steinberg (3 episodes)
- 2014: The Middle as Mrs. Huff (One episode)
- 2016–2019: The OA as Betty Broderick-Allen (12 episodes)
- 2024: Chad as Herself (One episode)
- 2024: Dream Productions as Sadness (voice) (4 episodes)
Video Game Roles
- 2015: Disney Infinity 3.0 as Sadness (Voice)
- 2024: Disney Speedstorm as Sadness (Voice)
Behind-the-Scenes Work
Phyllis Smith also worked behind the scenes in Hollywood. She was a casting associate, helping to find actors for many TV shows.
- 1994–1997: Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (Casting associate for 88 episodes)
- 1999: Roswell (Casting associate for 1 episode)
- 2000–2002: Spin City (Casting associate for 45 episodes)
- 2005: Curb Your Enthusiasm (Casting associate for 10 episodes)
- 2005: The Office (Assistant Casting Director for 6 episodes)
See also
In Spanish: Phyllis Smith para niños
