“The Nanny” cast recalls Cloris Leachman peeing in a bucket on set
“The Nanny” cast recalls Cloris Leachman peeing in a bucket on set
Kaitlin SimpsonWed, November 11, 2026 at 6:01 PM UTC
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Cloris LeachmanCredit: Rob Latour/Variety/Penske Media via GettyKey Points -
During a reunion at ‘90s Con, The Nanny cast recalled working with Cloris Leachman when she guest starred on the sitcom in the ‘90s.
Leachman played Clara Mueller, the childhood nanny of Charles Shaughnessy’s character, Maxwell Sheffield.
While in the middle of filming the episode, Leachman took an impromptu restroom break in an unusual place.
Cloris Leachman made her mark on the set of The Nanny.
Charles Shaughnessy, Daniel Davis, Lauren Lane, Nicholle Tom, and Madeline Zima made an appearance at ‘90s Con 2026 to speak about their time working on the Fran Drescher sitcom. As the former costars reflected on the series, they recalled the show’s memorable guest stars. One person who stood out to Davis, who played Niles, was Leachman.
“I was a huge fan of Cloris Leachman. She’s a brilliant actress,” the actor said. “And so she arrived and I’m telling her about all the things that I loved her in and blah, blah, blah.”
Leachman appeared in the 1994 episode titled “The Nanny-In-Law.” The legendary actress played Clara Mueller, the former childhood nanny of Shaughnessy’s character, Maxwell Sheffield.
At one point of filming, the cast was getting ready for a scene that took place around a dining room table. Before the cameras started rolling, Leachman shared that she needed to use the restroom.
Cloris Leachman in ‘The Nanny’Credit: CBS
“We were just about ready to shoot. And she says, ‘Where’s the ladies’ room?’ And the ladies room was way down the hallway outside of the studio,” Davis recalled. “So they opened the door to show her where it was and she said, ‘I’m not going there.’ She turned to our prop man and said, ‘Bring me a bucket.’”
The prop man ultimately found a bucket and handed it to Leachman. The cast was stunned at what the Malcolm in the Middle alum decided to do next.
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“She took the bucket and went behind the dining room set and had a pee in the bucket. And the whole cast is sitting at the dining table, hearing ‘tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,’” Davis said. “And she walks out from behind, carrying the bucket and she tries to give it to the prop man. He said, ‘I’m not taking it.’ And she said, ‘Well, what do you want me to do with it?’ He said, ‘You don’t want me to tell you.’”
The Nanny ran for six seasons from 1993 to 1999. It followed Drescher’s Fran Fine who stumbled into a job as a nanny for the kids of a Broadway producer. The Emmy-winning show was beloved by viewers and critics.
Over the years, the series had several legendary guest stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Whoopi Goldberg, Pamela Anderson, Ray Charles, and Elton John stop by.
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Before joining The Nanny, Leachman was already a household name, rising to fame on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Throughout her seven decades long career, the Young Frankenstein actress earned countless awards including an Oscar, a BAFTA Award, nine Emmys and a Golden Globe. Leachman is tied with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jean Smart, and Allison Janney for the most acting Emmys ever awarded to a performer.
Leachman died in January 2021 after suffering from a stroke. She was 94.
“It’s been my privilege to work with Cloris Leachman, one of the most fearless actresses of our time,” her manager told Entertainment Weekly in a statement at the time. “There was no one like Cloris. With a single look she had the ability to break your heart or make you laugh till the tears ran down your face. You never knew what Cloris was going to say or do and that unpredictable quality was part of her unparalleled magic.”
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
