Phyllis Smith

Awards and Nominations:
• 2009 (nomination) - SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for The Office. Shared with castmates.
• 2008 (win) - SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for The Office. Shared with castmates.
• 2007 (win) - SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for The Office. Shared with castmates.
• 2006 (win) - Women in Film's WIN Award for Outstanding Comedy Series for The Office. Shared with female castmates.

Phyllis admits to being a total geek in high school.

Phyllis thought she was just doing her job as a casting director, when she was asked to read lines for The Office characters during auditions for the show. The show's producers were really auditioning Phyllis.

She has been living in Los Angeles, California. (2009)

She has worked as the receptionist for an aerospace defense company, where she earned the "Employee of the Year" award.

She has been a part of Screen Actors Guild (SAG) for more than eighteen years.

She studied with Marjorie Mendolia of the San Carlo Opera Company for ballet and tap.

She received full scholarships in dance from Kansas University and Tulsa University, where she attended during high school and college.

She has worked in the following movies:
The 40 Year Old Virgin as Andy's Mother; I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With as Marsha.

She is very hardworking and has worked as a pre-school teacher, a warehouse worker, a receptionist and a movie theater ticket taker.

Her greatest passion is dancing.

She made her acting debut in the year 2005 in the TV series Arrested Development.

She likes knitting.

She has previously worked as a receptionist for casting agencies.

Phyllis worked as a casting director for shows such as Arrested Development, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Freaks and Geeks.

Phyllis had to quit dancing when she suffered a knee injury.

The role of Phyllis Lapin was not originally written into the pilot for The Office. She was working as a casting director for the show, and the producers were so impressed with her line readings they created the role just for her.

Phyllis has toured the country as a dancer for a burlesque show, and was a dancer and comic skit performer for the Mercer Brother's show Giggles Galore.

Phyllis earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

Phyllis is a former ballet dancer with the St. Louis Civic Ballet and the St. Louis Dance Theater.

Phyllis is one of four secondary characters on The Office to share their first name with their character. The other three are Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, and Creed Bratton.