What is Phyllis Smith’s Net Worth and Salary?
Phyllis Smith, an American actress and former casting associate, has a net worth of $4 million.
She is best known for her role as Phyllis Lapin-Vance on the NBC series “The Office” from 2005 to 2013.
Smith also voiced Sadness in the Disney film “Inside Out” in 2015.
Her film credits include “Bad Teacher” and “Butter” in 2011, and “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” in 2021.
Additionally, Smith had a recurring role as Betty Broderick-Allen on the Netflix series “The OA” from 2016 to 2019.
Early Life and Career
Phyllis Smith was born on July 10, 1951, in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up in The Hill neighborhood and began taking ballet lessons at age 7. After graduating from Cleveland High School in 1968, she enrolled at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and earned a degree in elementary education in 1972. Despite receiving full dance scholarships from Tulsa University and Kansas University, she decided to pursue a career in education.
After college, Smith worked as a cheerleader for the St. Louis Cardinals NFL team and as a dancer and burlesque performer. She studied with Marjorie Mendolia and taught classes at her dance studio. She later joined the St. Louis Civic Ballet and St. Louis Dance Theatre, working under Raoul Appel as a professional jazz dancer. Smith toured the U.S. with the Able’s Baggy Pants Burlesque vaudeville show and the Mercer Brother’s Giggles Galore show. However, she quit dancing after injuring her knee and briefly worked as a telemarketer for three hours.
Phyllis Smith’s Acting Career
Phyllis Smith started her acting career as an extra in the 1980 film “Caddyshack.” She worked in various roles such as casting assistant, casting associate, and narrator for several television series and films.
Smith became a series regular and appeared in 186 episodes over nine seasons of “The Office,” a popular American TV series. She also worked in various other films like “Bad Teacher,” “Butter,” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.”
In 2015, Smith voiced the character of Sadness in the hit animated film “Inside Out.” She has also guest-starred on television series such as “Trophy Wife,” “The Middle,” and “The OA.” In 2021, she co-starred in the comedy “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.”
Awards and Recognitions
“The Office” cast won seven Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, among other recognitions. “Inside Out” earned Smith an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production, an Indiana Film Journalists Association Award, and an Online Film & Television Association Award nomination. The “Inside Out” cast also received two Behind the Voice Actors Awards for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film, and Phyllis was nominated for Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Feature Film.
