Beginning her career in the 60s, Lily Tomlin has proved that she can do it all. Let’s take a look at her remarkable achievements.

Early life

Born in 1939 and raised in Detroit, Tomlin studied biology at college. It was while at college that Tomlin auditioned for a play, sparking her interest in the theatre – she soon changed her major and began performing at local comedy clubs.

Career

Tomlin’s first television appearance was on The Merv Griffin Show in 1965, but it was joining the cast of sketch comedy show Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In in 1969 that brought her to national attention. Tomlin became known for creating popular and recurring characters, such as Ernestine the telephone operator.

Her film debut came in 1975 with a role in Robert Altman’s Nashville. It was a role for which she was Oscar-nominated as Best Supporting Actress. A steady stream of film roles followed, including comedy hits 9 to 5 with Jane Fonda, and Big Business with Bette Midler.

Tomlin won a Tony award for her performance in the one-woman show The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.

More recent television roles have included West Wing, Desperate Housewives, and Grace and Frankie.

Personal life

Tomlin has talked publicly about her sexuality since around 2006. She married Jane Wagner in 2013, but the couple have been together since 1971.