Born Mary Jean Tomlin in Detroit, MI; educated at Wayne State University, Detroit (pre-med); studied acting with Peggy Feury. Multi-talented performer and writer who came to attention in 1969 as a featured performer on the kaleidoscopic TV comedy show "Laugh-In." A gifted comedienne and actress, the long-faced, sharp-featured Tomlin created a memorable gallery of characters during her various stints on TV in the late 1960s and 70s, including the snide telephone operator, Ernestine, and the mischievous child, Edith Ann. In 1975 she made a justly acclaimed dramatic film debut as the mother of two deaf children who has a brief affair with a womanizing country singer (Keith Carradine) in Robert Altman's penetrating NASHVILLE (1975). Her subsequent film work has been uneven, with sympathetic performances in Robert Benton's offbeat mystery, THE LATE SHOW (1977) and in the title role of Joel Schumacher's underrated comedy, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN (1981), alongside starring roles in a number of forgettable features. One of Tomlin's most widely seen films was the employee's revenge-fantasy farce 9 TO 5 (1980), in which her comic prowess easily outshone that of co-stars Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton. She showcased her remarkable energy, versatility and talent as a sketch performer in two award-winning, one-woman Broadway shows, Appearing Nitely (1977) and The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1986), which she committed to film in 1991. Her feature career was revitalized when she received raves for her recreation of Nancy Kulp's Miss Hathaway in the hit film version of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (1993) and stood out among the ensemble of another Robert Altman panorama, SHORT CUTS (1993). She appeared as the Waffle-Eater in BLUE IN THE FACE (1995) and two 1996 features: FLIRTING WITH DISASTER and GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER. She played Ruth Allen in KRIPPENDORF'S TRIBE (1998) and Georgie in TEA WITH MUSSOLINI (1999). Other recent credits include THE KID (2000), ORANGE COUNTY (2002), the TV series "The West Wing" (2002-2006), I HEART HUCKABEES (2004), A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION (2006), and THE WALKER and SENIORS (both 2007). She has appeared on many television specials and made-for-TV movies, many based on characters she created, especially "Edith Ann." Tomlin has co-authored most of her material with her longtime collaborator Jane Wagner.  Nominated for Supporting Actress 1975: NASHVILLE 1 nomination