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Who are Cloris Leachman's children and grandchildren? Emmy and Oscar-winning star dies at 94: 'She'll be missed'

After college, Leachman went to New York and it was there that she met and married film director, producer and actor George Englund, with whom she had five children

Cloris Leachman, an icon in the acting industry, died on January 26, 2021, in Encinitas, California, due to natural causes at the age of 94 with her daughter Dinah by her side. Born on April 30, 1926, in Des Moines, Iowa, the American actress and comedian worked with Des Moines Playhouse by the age of 11 and by 17 had a radio show that catered to women's style. She graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School before studying drama at Illinois State University, and later at Northwestern University. 

After college, Leachman went to New York and it was there that she met and married film director, producer and actor George Englund, with whom she had five children. The couple married in April 1953 and ended up divorcing in 1979, but co-parented their children together. On September 14, 2017, Leachman's ex-husband Englund also died in Palm Springs, California. Leachman is survived by her four children and six grandchildren.

Cloris Leachman's career 

Over the course of her career, Leachman has been a part of over 100 films and TV shows such as 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', 'Malcolm in the Middle', 'Raising Hope', 'The Longest Yard', 'Touched By An Angel' and 'Lassie' and 'Perry Mason'. The actress also worked with legends such as Katharine Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock and Paul Newman. The actress had studied at the Actors Studio in NYC, and according to reports, her earliest acting role was in the TV series 'The Ford Theater Hour' in 1948.

Later, the actress was also cast in the films 'Kiss Me Deadly', 'The Twilight Zone', 'Gunsmoke' and 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'. Many of course remember the actress as Phyllis Lindstorm on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' which ended up seeing the actress in its spinoff 'Phyllis' as well. When it comes to her comedic talent, Leachman was seen in movies such as 'Bad Santa' and even 'Scary Movie 4'. The actress even went on to be honored with an honorary doctorate by Drake University in 2006 and also become the oldest person to compete in 'Dancing With The Stars'.

Who are Cloris Leachman's children and grandchildren?

While the Emmy and Oscar-winning American actress and comedian was known for her work in the industry, she was also a mother and grandmother. The actress shared five children with ex-husband Englund — Bryan, Morgan, Adam, Dinah and George. In a statement to Closer, Leachman's long-time manager Juliet Green spoke of the actress's life as a mother saying, “You never knew what Cloris was going to say or do and that unpredictable quality was part of her unparalleled magic. She loved her children and her grandchildren ferociously." 

In 1986, Leachman's son Bryan died at the age of 30 due to an overdose of ulcer medication. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Leachman said this about the tragedy, "I think about him a lot, more than I used to. It had a big impact on our family. We each had our own relationship with him, so it’s not as if we can talk about it and share. We don’t share; it’s just private." Bryan who was born on January 1, 1956, was an aspiring actor when he died. Reports reveal that he was found by a maid at a YMCA in Manhattan.

Adam Englund, born on October 4, 1953, now works in the entertainment business like his parents. His credits include 'Out of the Dark', 'Lady Avenger' and 'Mortuary Academy'. George, Jr., who was born on May 21, 1957, is now a production manager and composer. Morgan, who was born on August 25, 1963, went on to become an actor and writer with credits such as 'Guiding Light', 'Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom', and 'Carnosaur 3: Primal Species' to his name. Lastly, Dinah, who was born on January 16, 1966, went on to become a production assistant for the movie 'Titanic' and also has credits for TV movies such as 'The Migrants' and 'Death Sentence'.

Along with her five children, Leachman is also a grandmother to six grandchildren named Anabel Englund, Portia, Skye, Arielle, Jackson and Hallelujah. She is also a great-grandmother to Braden. Out of the bunch, Anabel is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Southern California. 

Tributes pour it for late actress

Many took to Twitter to pay tribute to the actress as they named their favorite roles of hers and tweeted many pictures of her time in the industry. "I think it's kind of cool that my two favorite Cloris Leachman performances are both black & white films," wrote one user with two stunning pictures of the actress. Actor Bob Saget also wrote, "So sad over the loss of the brilliant Cloris Leachman. Beyond being an Academy award winner, her hilarious role in “Young Frankenstein,” and being “Phyllis,” I had the pleasure of being roasted by her on television.  My deepest sympathies to her loved ones," alongside a picture with him and the actress.

Another fan of the actress wrote, "RIP Cloris Leachman, star of Kiss Me Deadly. One of my favorite Noir films, bc it has exquisite location footage of Los Angeles in the 1950s. A lot of it was shot around Bunker Hill, a whole neighborhood that no longer exists," along with pictures of Leachman. Another added, "Cloris Leachman was a national treasure & a brilliant comedian. She improvised the famous "ovaltine" scene in Young Frankenstein. I wish I’d had the chance to work on a production crew on one of her films/shows. Rest easy Cloris Leachman, you are a legend. #RIPClorisLeachman."

The official account of The Academy Awards also tweeted, "Cloris Leachman was a comedy legend. From a groundbreaking role on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" to the films of Mel Brooks and her Oscar-winning turn in Peter Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show," she never lost her ability to shock, delight and surprise us. She will be missed." The official account of the Muppets also tweeted, "As a guest star on The Muppet Show, Cloris Leachman kept the show going despite an invasion of pigs and in The Muppet Movie she opened the door to our standard rich and famous contract. A legend and a great friend. Cloris, we will never forget you."