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Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin
Usage Conditions Apply
Artist
Richard Amsel, 1947 - 1985
Sitter
Lily Tomlin, born 1 Sep 1939
Date
1977
Type
Painting
Medium
Paint and pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
Image: 59.7 × 46.1 cm (23 1/2 × 18 1/8")
Sheet: 74.2 × 60.5 cm (29 3/16 × 23 13/16")
Topic
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Top hat
Symbols & Motifs\Star
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Bowtie
Lily Tomlin: Female
Lily Tomlin: Literature\Writer
Lily Tomlin: Performing Arts\Performer\Actor
Lily Tomlin: Performing Arts\Producer
Lily Tomlin: Performing Arts\Performer\Comedian
Lily Tomlin: Grammy
Portrait
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Time magazine; conserved with funds from The Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© Richard Amsel
Object number
NPG.78.TC787
Exhibition Label
Born Detroit, Michigan
This star-studded portrait appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1977 with a caption declaring Lily Tomlin the “New Queen of Comedy.” Tomlin had rocketed to fame impersonating eccentric characters (ranging from the snooty telephone operator Ernestine to the lisping kindergarten-age philosopher Edith Ann) on the popular television show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. Her uncanny insights into character led to a string of movies, beginning with her Oscar-nominated performance in Robert Altman’s Nashville (1975), and including The Late Show (1977), 9 to 5 (1980), and All of Me (1984). Eight years after debuting the first one-woman show on Broadway, Tomlin returned to the stage in 1985 with her Tony Award-winning solo performance in The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, written by her longtime partner (now wife) Jane Wagner. Today, Tomlin stars alongside Jane Fonda in the hit Netflix series Grace and Frankie.
Nacida en Detroit, Michigan
Este retrato salpicado de estrellas apareció en la portada de la revista Time en 1977 con una leyenda que declaraba a Lily Tomlin la “Nueva reina de la comedia”. Tomlin había saltado a la fama interpretando personajes excéntricos (desde la altanera operadora Ernestine a la filósofa ceceante de preescolar Edith Ann) en el popular programa de televisión Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. Su insólita aproximación a los personajes la llevó a realizar una serie de películas, comenzando con su interpretación nominada para el Oscar en Nashville (1975) de Robert Altman, así como otras en The Late Show (1977), 9 to 5 (1980) y All of Me (1984). Ocho años después del debut de su espectáculo unipersonal en Broadway, Tomlin regresó al escenario 1985 con la interpretación como solista que le ganaría un premio Tony en The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, escrita por su pareja de muchos años (ahora esposa) Jane Wagner. En la actualidad, Tomlin protagoniza la exitosa serie de Netflix Grace and Frankie junto con Jane Fonda.
Collection Description
In 1978, Time magazine donated approximately eight hundred works of original cover art to the National Portrait Gallery. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of individuals who have shaped the United States, and the Time Collection—featuring prominent international figures and events—enriches our understanding of the United States in a global context.
En 1978, la revista Time donó a la National Portrait Gallery cerca de 800 obras de arte originales creadas para sus portadas. Nuestro museo se dedica a narrar la historia de figuras que han contribuido a forjar el desarrollo de Estados Unidos, y es así que la Colección Time, que incluye retratos de importantes personalidades internacionales, nos ayuda a comprender mejor a nuestra nación en un contexto global.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Location
Currently not on view