Phyllis Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phyllis Smith
|
|
|---|---|
Smith in 2014
|
|
| Born | August 15, 1949 |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri–St. Louis |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1980–present |
Phyllis Smith (born August 15, 1949) is an American actress, comedian and casting associate. She is best known for playing Phyllis Vance in the television series The Office and her critically acclaimed voice role as Sadness in Pixar's animated franchise Inside Out. She also starred as Betty Broderick-Allen on the critically acclaimed Netflix series The OA.
Contents
Early life
Smith was born on August 15, 1949 in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Cleveland High School.
Education
Smith graduated from the University of Missouri–St. Louis in 1972 with a degree in elementary education. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was a dancer, a cheerleader for the St. Louis Cardinals football team, and a burlesque performer. She said that there was "no stripping, but I did wear feathers." She was forced to quit dancing after suffering a knee injury. She later worked in Hollywood, California as an actress and in casting.
Career
Smith was working as a casting associate under the direction of Allison Jones on the television series The Office, when she was offered the role of Phyllis Lapin, a character created specifically for her, a soft-spoken saleswoman who tended to disagree with pompous office manager Michael Scott. She received Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006 and 2007 for her performance in The Office in the category "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series". In June 2008, she appeared with the cast of The Office on Celebrity Family Feud. In 2011, she played a supporting role in the film Bad Teacher. In 2015, she voiced the character Sadness in the Pixar film Inside Out, receiving high critical praise for her performance. Later, she appeared as a regular in the Netflix series The OA. In February 2023, Smith reunited with The Office co-star and friend Leslie David Baker in an advertisement for Honey Nut Cheerios. She reprised her role as Sadness in Inside Out 2 in 2024.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The 40-Year-Old Virgin | Andy's Mother | Uncredited role |
| 2006 | I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With | Marsha | |
| 2011 | Bad Teacher | Lynn Davies | |
| Butter | Nancy | ||
| Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked | Flight Attendant | ||
| 2015 | Inside Out | Sadness (voice) | |
| Riley's First Date? | Short film | ||
| 2021 | Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar | Delores | |
| 2024 | Inside Out 2 | Sadness (voice) |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Arrested Development | Carla | Episode: "The Immaculate Election" |
| 2005–2013 | The Office | Phyllis Vance | Recurring role (season 1); main role (season 2–9) |
| 2006 | The Office: The Accountants | Phyllis Vance | Episode: "Phyllis" |
| 2008 | The Office: The Outburst | Phyllis Vance | Episode: "The Explanation" |
| 2013 | Trophy Wife | Mrs. Patty Steinberg | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | The Middle | Mrs. Huff | Episode: "The Sinkhole" |
| 2016–2019 | The OA | Betty Broderick-Allen | Main role |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Disney Infinity 3.0 | Sadness | Voice |
Production work
| Year | Title | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–1997 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Casting associate | 88 episodes |
| 1999 | Roswell | 1 episode | |
| 2000–2002 | Spin City | 45 episodes | |
| 2005 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | 10 episodes | |
| The Office | Assistant Casting Director | 6 episodes |
See also
In Spanish: Phyllis Smith para niños
