Phyllis Diller spent five decades in entertainment after entering the world as Phyllis Ada Driver. Her distinctive brand of humor stood out alongside an equally striking hairstyle and signature laugh. With a brash, quick-paced style that stayed entirely free of profanity, she skewered topics ranging from her spouse Fang to the hardships faced by an impoverished, self-mocking homemaker. Most of her stage work took place in supper clubs worldwide, while her appearances as a piano virtuoso featured more than 100 orchestras. Countless sitcoms and dramatic series hosted her over the years, among them The Carol Burnett Show, The Love Boat, and 7th Heaven. She also took roles in numerous motion pictures, televised specials, and Broadway shows. Three Bob Hope films included her as a co-star; five comedy albums carried her voice; and four books bore her name. The American Comedy Awards presented her with a 1992 Lifetime Achievement Award in comedy, followed by a Lucy Award in 2000. Humanitarian causes consistently drew her support.
Her professional path began at age 37 with a guest spot as a contestant on the 1950s game show You Bet Your Life, where Groucho Marx served as host. That exposure led to a two-week engagement at San Francisco’s Purple Onion nightclub, which stretched into an additional 87 weeks. Subsequent touring dates followed directly from that run.
Training at Chicago’s Sherwood Music Conservatory and Bluffton College in Ohio shaped her earlier years. Five children shared her life, and she entered and exited two marriages. Los Angeles remained her home until she passed away there in her sleep on August 20, 2012, at the age of 95.
