Lily Tomlin is a proud Detroit Cass Tech alumna who, like a phoenix, rose from the ashes of Detroit’s working-class side to become one of America’s most beloved and versatile character actresses.

Known for her unforgettable impersonations, razor-sharp wit, and barrier-breaking presence, Lily Tomlin has taken on every kind of role over the course of her career, from phone operators to bag ladies and backwoods philosophers.

That said, she’s always been a Detroit girl at heart – and the city has never stopped claiming her.

Lily Tomlin grew up on the west side of Detroit in a working-class family; her parents were Southern transplants who relocated to Detroit during the Great Migration in search of better jobs.

Her father worked in a factory, and her mother kept the family going by staying at home.

Lily attended Detroit’s esteemed Cass Technical High School, the same school that produced fellow Detroit legends like Diana Ross and Jack White.

There, Tomlin took up theater, but it was her natural gift of comedy that would really come to life; a talent she developed in large part by paying attention – to the neighborhood ladies at the beauty shop, to her family’s bickering while trying to stretch paychecks, and to the way people used humor as a way to survive when the world gave them little else to work with.

Upon graduating from college and relocating to New York, Tomlin broke into the big leagues with Rowan & Martin’s “Laugh-In” in the late 1960s.

It was there that the entire country would first meet Ernestine, the always snorting, nosy nelly phone operator who terrorized customers with bureaucratic glee, as well as Edith Ann, the too-wise for her age five-year-old who told the truth from an oversized chair.

That said, what made Tomlin so great wasn’t just her excellent timing.

It was her empathy.

She crafted characters that were wacky, yes, but also painfully real.

Characters who felt like family, old friends, lunch ladies, and everyday acquaintances.
She never punched down.

Instead, she listened closely, giving back what she heard with the utmost attention to detail.

Tomlin didn’t want to be typecast as a sketch show actor.

Instead, she brought her wacky characters to Broadway (The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe), film (Nashville, 9 to 5, The Incredible Shrinking Woman), and television (Grace and Frankie), proving she could effortlessly move between comedy and drama.

Quiet as it was kept, Tomlin also defied expectations in another way: by living openly with her longtime creative partner and wife, Jane Wagner, including in a time period long before such public declarations of same-sex love were commonplace or safe.

She never made some big spectacle out of her personal life, yet she also refused to hide, instead letting her work speak for itself when it came to inclusion, curiosity, and defying stereotypes.

Now in her 80s, Lily Tomlin has managed to stay relevant—not by chasing trends, but by always remaining true to herself.
Her recent work on the Netflix hit show Grace and Frankie has gone a long way in introducing her to an entirely new generation, showcasing the same brilliance and timing that made her famous nearly 50 years ago.

An accomplished master of her craft, she’s the proud winner of multiple Emmys, Tonys, and even a Grammy, and she also received the Kennedy Center Honor.

In short:

Lily Tomlin didn’t become a star by appeasing anyone.

Quite the contrary, she held on to her rough edges, spinning them into punchlines, monologues, and masterful character work that made millions laugh—and think.

In short: she’s not just a comedian.

She’s Detroit’s character queen and one of Cass Tech’s most beloved exports, a woman who is still telling stories that matter even into retirement age.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: June 26, 2025