Chloris Leachman is the Queen of the Comedy,she is so funny,loved the way she made poor Mary run after her in the MTMS and the hate/hate realationship with Rhoda!
One of Phyllis' best moments in MTMS was when Phyllis look a liking to one of Mary's dates,while Lars family were over from Sweden,she rightly got her own show.
"Phyllis" started off so well,with her wacky in laws,her long suffering boss,Julie(so tragic about Barbara Colby)always found Leo annoying,but Mother Dexter was the real star,after Chloris Leachman.
Don't know what the idea of putting Phyllis in a tax office in the 2nd season was all about,Boring describes it all,Phyllis in an estate agency or something would have been better,liked the drunken tramp,Phyllis used to confide in.
Not in the same league as Rhoda or MTMS but with a little thought,could have been really big,still there were good episodes,especially in the first season.

I think Phyllis had some VERY funny moments on the MTM show and was still funny on her show.

Yes, Mother Dexter was hilarious!
What happened to Barbara Colby?

Hiya Goldie,
Barbara Colby,the orginal Julie in "Phyllis" was shot dead with her actor boyfriend in 1975,in a drive by shooting,after only completing three episodes of "Phyllis",the part was then recast to Liz Torres.
A tragic waste of two lives!

That's terrible.
I was confused in learning that Barbara Colby was the character on the MTM show and also played the part of Julie on the Phyllis show, was trying to place her face to the part. Now I realize why the confusion: I was thinking of Liz Torres; didn't remember that she was the replacement for the character.

Peace ~

Barbara Colby played the part of a hooker in MTM, in the episode where Mary is put in jail,for not revealing the source of her story regarding a politican.
Barbara was a gifted comedian and no offence to Liz Torres but she was the better Julie.