Already at the age of 15, she participated as a singer in her father Karl Nilheim's orchestra, but it was in the Kar de Mumma revue at Folkan in Stockholm that her career took off.
In 1970, she made her debut at Dramaten and the same year, she was employed at Stockholm City Theatre, where she performed over 60 roles over the years, including as Natasja in Ragnar Lyth's production of Gorky's "Natthärbärget" and as Gertrud in Philip Zandén's "Hamlet". When Anette Norberg staged Shakespeare's "Richard III" with an all-female cast in 2007, Lis Nilheim played the king's mother.
For the film "Maria", in which she played the single hairdresser Maria who falls in love with an ex-convict, she received a Guldbagge for Best Actress in 1975. The film, made by Mats Arehn based on two youth novels by Kerstin Thorvall, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Among her many film roles, notable mentions include the maid Alva in the film adaptation and later TV series "You're Not Crazy, Madicken" from 1979. She also participated in Gunnar Hellström's "Raskenstam" (1983), in TV series such as "Rederiet" and "Tre kronor", as well as in 2007 in Johan Kling's acclaimed debut film "Darling".
Lis Nilheim fell asleep peacefully, surrounded by her family, after a long illness. She was 80 years old.
