The penultimate episode of “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage” Season 2 poignantly honors Phyllis Gilliam, though not many viewers are likely to recognize her name or know about her involvement on the Paramount+ sitcom.
Season 2, Episode 21 aired on May 21 and ended by displaying an “In loving memory” message for Gilliam, who was born on January 26, 1959 and passed away on March 23, 2026. A crew member who worked on “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage” Season 1, Gilliam was part of the costumes department as a supervisor. Before that, Gilliam had a track record of working on comedy series in a similar role. She was credited on two episodes of the Netflix sitcom “The Upshaws” in 2025 and contributed to the TBS show “Miracle Workers” in 2023. Moreover, Gilliam served as the costume supervisor of ABC’s “Home Economics” throughout the entirety of the comedy’s run from 2021 to 2023.
Gilliam’s other noteworthy TV ventures include managing costumes on Marvel’s “Agent Carter” Season 2 in 2016 and, in the same year, working on ABC’s crime drama “Legends” — which was Gilliam’s first-ever production job, according to her IMDb page.
Gilliam died following a cancer diagnosis
Gilliam’s obituary shares that she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer roughly one year after her husband Murray learned that he had the same diagnosis in 2024. “They spent the next year and a half courageously battling this terrifying condition, their love growing stronger even amidst the uncertainty and sadness that follows this disease,” the obituary reads. Murray died just two months before Gilliam’s passing at the age of 67.
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Gilliam discovered her passion for costume design while studying for her bachelor’s degree at Xavier University, per her obituary. Furthermore, her favorite movie was the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Gilliam and her husband are survived by their son Robert and daughter Susan. “Let’s remember Phyllis for what a wonderful spirit she was,” the obituary concludes. “A woman who was always ready to help others. A smile that could melt any heart. A compassion that persevered even through the deepest valleys of struggle. In a world of conflict and strife, we should all strive to carry a little bit of Phyllis in all of us.”
TV shows are nothing without those who work diligently behind the scenes, so it’s only right that “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage” paid tribute to someone who helped make the series a reality.
