An outstanding character actor, Cloris Leachman has died at 94. She defied typecasting and if remembered for a wide variety of roles throughout her career.
In her early television career, she appeared as Timmy's mother on the "Lassie" series. She played a frontier prostitute in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," a crime spree family member in "Crazy Mama," and Blücher in Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein," in which the very mention of her name drew equine commentary.
The running gag of the horses neighing in fright at the mention of Frau Blucher's name is even funnier. Mel Brooks thought the German name meant glue. Glue was made from the horses at one time, hence the horses fear at the mention of Frau Blucher's name. Every time I watch the film, I roar with laughter no matter how many times I've seen it.
At 94, Leachman lived at long and a good life. She leaves behind a trove of great performances.