Was a pre-med student at Wayne State University before choosing acting as a career.
Studied mime with Paul Curtis.
She gave away genuine locks of her hair as a bonus for buyers of her home video library in 1993.
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1977" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 29.
One of Lily's first "professional" gigs was as a waitress in Howard Johnsopn's on Broadway near Times Square. Her comments to customers and staff heard over the eatery's microphone attracted her first big-city audience.
Was to star in a flim called "Illegitimate" around 1980. The film was never made. [Reported in "Playboy" magazine]
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (2000) (TV) .... Herself
Kid, The (2000) .... Janet
... aka Disney's The Kid (2000) (USA: complete title)
Picking Up the Pieces (2000)
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars (1999) (TV)
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary (1999) (TV) .... Herself
Tea with Mussolini (1999) .... Georgie
... aka Te con Mussolini, Un (1999) (Italy)
Get Bruce (1999) .... Herself
Krippendorf's Tribe (1998) .... Ruth Allen
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life (1997) (TV) .... Herself
Reno Finds Her Mom (1997)
Getting Away with Murder (1996) .... Inga Mueller
Flirting with Disaster (1996) .... Mary Schlichting
Blue in the Face (1995) .... The waffle eater
Celluloid Closet, The (1995) .... Narrator
... aka Celluloid Closet (1996) (France)
... aka Gefangen in der Traumfabrik (1995) (Germany)
"Magic School Bus, The" (1994) TV Series (voice) .... Ms. Frizzle
... aka "Scholastic's The Magic School Bus" (1994) (USA: complete title)
Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman In Carver Country (1993) .... Himself/Interviewee
... aka Luck, Trust and Ketchup (1993) (USA: short title)
Beverly Hillbillies, The (1993) .... Miss Jane Hathaway
Short Cuts (1993) .... Doreen Piggot
And the Band Played On (1993) (TV) .... Dr. Selma Dritz
Player, The (1992) .... Herself
Shadows and Fog (1992) .... Prostitute
Search for Signs of Inteligent Life in the Universe, The (1991)
"Murphy Brown" (1988) TV Series .... Kay Carter-Shepley (1996-1998)
Big Business (1988) .... Rose Ratliff/Rose Shelton
Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987) (TV)
Lily Tomlin (1986) .... Lily Tomlin
All of Me (1984) .... Edwina Cutwater
Lily: Sold Out (1981) (TV)
Incredible Shrinking Woman, The (1981) .... Pat Kramer/Judith Beasley
Nine to Five (1980) .... Violet Newstead
... aka 9 to 5 (1980)
Moment by Moment (1978) .... Trisha
Late Show, The (1977) .... Margo Sperling
Nashville (1975) .... Linnea Reese
"Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (1968) TV Series .... Regular Performer (1970-1973)
... aka "Laugh-In" (1968)
"Music Scene, The" (1969) TV Series .... Regular (1969-70)
Producer - filmography
Reno Finds Her Mom (1997) (executive)
Miscellaneous crew - filmography
Nashville (1975) (lyricist)
Notable TV guest appearances
"X Files, The" (1993) playing "Lily" in episode: "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" (episode # 6.8) 12/13/1998
"Roseanne Show, The" (1998) playing "Herself/Edith Ann"(episode # 1.8) 9/23/1998
"Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993) playing "Rose Halligan" in episode: "Hat, The" (episode # 4.10) 1/19/1996
"Frasier" (1993) playing "Rita"(voice) in episode: "Unkindest Cut of All, The" (episode # 2.2) 9/27/1994
"Flip Wilson Show, The" (1970) playing "Herself" 1970
