Throughout the 1960s, she appeared in more than a dozen, usually low-budget, films. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Rip Taylor, Don Rickles, Roseanne Barr, Red Buttons, Jo Anne Worley and Lily Tomlin are featured, discussing Diller's comedy legacy.[36]. "[53], Fellow comic Joan Rivers paid tribute to Diller's early-career woman's point of view, saying, "She was the first one that there was such rage and such anger in her comedy. Phyllis Diller was born on July 17, 1917. Phyllis Diller, who has died aged 95, was a raucous, zany comedian, with a special line in self-deprecation bordering on flat-out self-mockery. After graduating high school, she continued her studies at Chicago's Sherwood Music Conservatory for three years, before eloping with Sherwood Diller in 1939. [24], In the early '60s, Diller performed at the Bon Soir in Greenwich Village, where an up-and-coming Barbra Streisand was her opening act. "[54] An obituary in Queerty noted her popularity with gay audiences calling her a "strong-willed entertainer who challenged the status quo regarding gender and sexuality." Who Will Replace Mark on 'Live With Kelly' If He Returns to Acting? . TV Special Self 1988 Tattletales 7.6 TV Series Self 1984 1 ep E! as Arnold's grandpa's sister Mitzi, The Powerpuff Girls, Animaniacs, Jimmy Neutron as Jimmy's grandmother, The Wild Thornberrys, and King of the Hill. She published five best-selling books throughout her career, including 1963's Phyllis Diller Tells All About Fang, 1966's Phyllis Diller's Housekeeping Hints, 1967's Phyllis Diller's Marriage Manual, 1969's The Complete Mother and 1981's The Joys of Aging and How to Avoid Them. Student, University of California at Los Angeles, 1972. The Dillers divorced in 1965 and she married Warde Donovan in the same year. Phyllis Diller, the housewife turned humorist who aimed some of her sharpest barbs at herself, punctuating her jokes with her trademark cackle, died Monday morning in her . [11] She was offered film work and became famous after co-starring with her mentor Bob Hope, who described her as "a Warhol mobile of spare parts picked up along a freeway. Through physical therapy, she was able to walk again. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Perry Diller was born on 3 February 1950 in the USA. Phyllis Diller stand-up comedy show, 1977, One of the last full length interviews with Phyllis Diller on how she wants to be remembered, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. In 1968, she was host of a short-lived variety series, The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show. Today's Netflix Top 10 Rankings; In the 36 hours on that final weekend they can pick 36 significant dates to highlight. Even talking about tragedy with her, there was a lot of laughter. PHYLLIS DILLER 1917-2012. "Nothing would stop her," he insists. See Her Beautiful Bikini Photos, Emma Hemming Shares Sweet Video of Bruce Willis Prior to FTD Diagnosis, Chris ODowd Reflects on Career, New Comedy and Filming Bridesmaids. Diller was 95.. Vice president and part-owner The Escrow Shoppe, Encino, California. She was also an actress who co-starred in movies such as "Eight On the Lam" (1967). I remember when she entertained a college crowd at . Add to your scrapbook. Her character was a matriarch in a family fallen on hard times: "Things are so tough, my daughter is thinking of getting married just for the rice.". She made a splash on Broadway when she took over the lead in Hello, Dolly! "She died peacefully in her sleep and with a smile on her face," her longtime manager, Milton Suchin, told The Associated Press. Gypsy Rose Lee played a nosy neighbor. "[25] They worked together in films such as Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!, Eight on the Lam, and The Private Navy of Sgt. Phyllis was my favorite comedian of all time. Profession . gilkey vs champion windows; mary j blige sister jonquell; picrew female character maker; July 4, 2022 perry diller biographydispensary manager job descriptiondispensary manager job description [21] She wrote her own material and kept a file cabinet full of her gags, honing her nightclub act. Her final performance was at the Suncoast that year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Milton Suchin, Diller's longtime manager, told The Associated Press. Phyllis Diller's groundbreaking career as a stand-up comic spanned almost 50 years. [22] Multiple bookings on the Jack Paar Tonight Show led to an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which brought her national prominence as she continued to perform stand-up throughout the U.S.[20][23], Starting in 1959 and throughout the 1960s, she released multiple comedy albums, including the titles Wet Toe in a Hot Socket!, Laughs, Are You Ready for Phyllis Diller?, and The Beautiful Phyllis Diller. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Phyllis Diller, who has died aged 95, was a raucous, zany comedian, with a special line in self-deprecation bordering on flat-out self-mockery. 1960 Throughout the 1960s, audiences embraced her bold and brazen quirkiness. "I have energy, but I don't have lasting energy," she told the AP in 2006. Diller lived in St. Louis with her family from 1961 to 1965 and was inducted into the. However, her most notable theatre performance was in 1970, when she replaced Carol Channing as Dolly Levi in Broadway's Hello, Dolly!. Posted 2016. You can still catch a flavour of it all on the YouTube clips where she auditions for the Spice Girls ("I want to be 65 again; the way I looked when I was 30") or takes part in that bizarre US television habit of "roasting" a much-loved celebrity ("Joan Collins was so popular as a teenager, she was 21 before she discovered that cars had front seats; since then, she's had 15 husbands, four of her own"). Absence Explained, Out for a Swim! Member Republican National Task Force, Washington, 1984-1986, Mayor's Fund for Homeless. talked about her connection with other females: Diller received a Lifetime comedy achievement award. Ms. Diller had 5 children: Perry, Peter, Sally, Stephanie. August 20, 2012. What Caused Richard Pryors Death? Her performances were spiced with humor, but she took the music seriously. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Education Student, United States International University, 1971. This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 00:06. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Phyllis Diller, the housewife turned humorist who aimed some of her sharpest barbs at herself, punctuating her jokes with her trademark cackle, died Monday morning in her Los Angeles home at age 95. Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, and Jonathan Winters were early influences, but Diller developed a singular comedic persona a surreal version of femininity. She had five kids with him before they got a divorce in 1965. She was a great cook, and thats where a lot of the activity was, Perry Diller said. Named to Honorary Order Kentucky Colonels, 1986. With hair dyed by Alcoa, pipe-cleaner limbs and knees just missing one another when the feet are wide apart, this is not Princess Volupine. She stated that making people laugh is a powerful art form. Phyllis Diller (Phyllis Ada Driver) was born on 17 July, 1917 in Lima, Ohio, USA, is an Actress, Soundtrack, Make Up Department. Last week Miz Diller's son, Perry Diller, told the L.A. Times the kitchen was the "center of their family life" and that Miz Diller was a capable cook who would whip up culinary concoctions she gleefully saddled with unappetizing names like "garbage soup" and "heart burn salad." "We had five kids at the time. Born Sherwood Anderson Diller on July 27, 1913 to Waldo Diller and Maude Anderson Diller, he was the first husband of famed comedienne Phyllis Diller. Her routine included a fictional husband called Fang, whose idea of a seven-course dinner was a six-pack and a bologna sandwich: "The last time I said let's eat out, we ate in the garage." She was 95 years old, and was survived by three children and several grandchildren. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,.css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}contact us! There was a problem getting your location. Diller was also an accomplished pianist and author. She created two poorly received television series: the sitcom The Pruitts of Southampton in 1966, and the variety show The Phyllis Diller Show two years later, in 1968. But he deserved it, poor thing. He had all sorts of mental problems, Perry says of his dad. The comedian, who suffered a. He died of cancer. It was titled "Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse," which pretty much says it all when. She was a victorious loser hero, the female iteration of Chaplin's Little Tramp. Astrological Sign: Cancer, Death Year: 2012, Death date: August 20, 2012, Death State: California, Death City: Los Angeles, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Phyllis Diller Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/phyllis-diller, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 19, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. Among her signature dishes was a Depression-era concoction called garbage soup, he said, which involved any sort of leftovers that were on hand. Although she could be serious during interviews, sooner or later a joke would pop out, often as not followed by that outrageous "AH-HHAAAAAAAAAAAA-HA-HA-HA!" Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? Diller, who suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 1999, was found by her son, Perry Diller. She patented this frank, outspoken line in female bodily imperfections well ahead of Joan Rivers but, unlike Rivers, who appeared on stage without props or wacky wigs, more or less as herself, with Diller it was all an act. [10], She attended Lima's Central High School and discovered she had the gift of humor early on. For decades she would recommend it to aspiring entertainers, even buying it for them sometimes. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Californias snowpack is approaching an all-time record, with more on the way, Friends and colleagues recall Merce Cunningham*, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene. 1 . This account has been disabled. Her baby grand sat on a stage at one end of the room. Shortly after her divorce she married entertainer Warde Donovan, but they separated within months. Try again later. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. [20] In 1981 she published The Joys of Aging & How to Avoid Them. She had a great time to the very end.. But it didn't stop her from wisecracking: "I still take the pill 'cause I don't want any more grandchildren.". Mystery Guests. True Hollywood Story 6.5 TV Series Self 2001 1 ep Credits Edit IMDbPro Self Previous 5 Perry Diller 1943 - 1943. Chili, spaghetti and pork chops and sauerkraut were family favorites. [8][9] Her father and mother were older than most when she was born (55 and 36, respectively) and Diller attended several funerals while growing up. Szlei Perry and Frances Driver. Managed by: Private User Last Updated: December 2, 2016 It's music. Diller was one of the first female comics to become a household name in the U.S., credited as an influence by Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, and Ellen DeGeneres, among others. Phyllis started her career in comedy in 1955 at the Purple Onion nightclub, which was located in San Francisco. Drag images here or select from your computer for Peter Diller memorial. O'Farrell, all critically panned, but Boy did well at the box office. Make sure that the file is a photo. "You have to know your limitations.". An upstairs gallery is filled with Dillers artwork in oil, acrylics and watercolor and the walls in many rooms of the eight-bedroom, five-bathroom home are lined with art. "I'm a comic. The Life Summary of Sherwood Anderson. Her most notable routines were filled with anecdotes about her fictitious husband, "Fang," and her numerous face-lifts. The cause of her death has not been released. Try again later. A Chicago Tribune columnist, describing her appearance at a nightspot there in 1958, noted she was from San Francisco, hailed her as "the weirdest, wildest yet" and made sure to mention her five youngsters. Share: Birthday: July 17, 1917 (95 years) Died: August 20, 2012 (10 years Ago) "It was brutal," says. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Diller went to Lima's Central High School and this is where she discovered . Through both marriages and other relationships, the foibles of "Fang" remained an integral part of her act. "Roseanne Barr: 'Phyllis Diller was a genius'". "It's my real laugh," she once said. She divorced him in 1975. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Diller passed away back in 2012 at the age of 95. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Perry Diller -- Son. At the age of 37 in 1955, Phyllis made her debut at the Purple Onion in San Francisco, but as one of the first female stand-ups, she wasn't often met with a warm welcome. The Dillers moved to California and struggled to make a living, Sherwood in a variety of jobs, Phyllis in local newspapers and as an advertising copywriter, moving on to PR jobs and finally regaling private parties with barbed accounts of life in the kitchen. "[4], In 2003, after hearing of the donation of Archie Bunker's chair to the Smithsonian Institution, Diller opened her doors to the National Museum of American History. She worked in acrylics, watercolors, and oils throughout the 1970s and filled her Brentwood, California home with her portraits and still lifes. Additionally, Diller made recurring appearances on Hope's annual Christmas Special (1965-94). At the time she stated, "If you can't dance to comedy, forget it. In addition to her comedic talents, Diller could boast that she was both an accomplished concert pianist and author. Diller continued to work in film, making an appearance as Texas Guinan, the wisecracking nightclub hostess in Splendor in the Grass. All Rights Reserved. Failed to remove flower. Peter Diller -- Son. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Diller continued working in television throughout the '70s and '80s, appearing as a judge on premiere and subsequent episodes of The Gong Show[33] and as a panelist on the Match Game PM show. When she was born, the couple was rather old. Her public admission to having several facelifts, nose jobs and other procedures added promotional and comedic value to her act. More than one room was devoted to her wigs and costumes. Robin J. Skone-Palmer, Pete Barbutti, Rip Taylor, Red Buttons, Milton B. Suchin, Lily Tomlin, Jo Anne Worley, Perry Diller, Corrine Hanley, Ruta Lee, Gregg Barson, Karen China (II . Phyllis Diller (July 17, 1917-August 20, 2012) is widely considered to be the first woman stand-up comic to perform as a solo act. Between 1999 and 2003 she played roles in 7th Heaven and The Drew Carey Show. Vice president Equity Title, Santa Monica. It was brutal, says Buskin. She was a typical housewife, raising her children in suburban San Francisco before venturing into comedy at the age of 37. Her last big-time stand-up appearance was in Las Vegas in 2002, and she was asked three years later if she missed performing: "I don't miss the travel," she said. [19] Her first professional show was a success and the two-week booking stretched out to 89 consecutive weeks. President and chief executive officer Diller Escrow, Woodland Hills, Computer Data Control, Calabasas.Founder 1st Charter Bank Los Angeles, also board directors. Diller built her stand-up act around the persona of the corner-cutting housewife ("I bury a lot of my ironing in the back yard") with bizarre looks, a wardrobe to match (by "Omar of Omaha") and a husband named "Fang". Popularly known as the Queen of one-liners, Phyllis Diller, was one of the greatest comedians of her time. In the late 1960s, Diller focused her creative efforts toward television. [2] She had a large gay following and is considered a gay icon. In 1992, she received the American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement. ", "Stand-up comedienne Phyllis Diller dead at 95", "Goodnight, We Love You: The Life and Legend of Phyllis Diller,", "Jay Leno on Bill Cosby: 'I Don't Know Why It's So Hard to Believe Women', "Property from the Estate of Phyllis Diller The First Lady of Stand-up Comedy,", Phyllis Diller interview with Fred Wostbrook, "There's No Free Laugh (Anymore): The Emergence of Intellectual Property Norms and the Transformation of Stand-Up Comedy", "Anderson Cooper: 'Queens Of Comedy' Kathy Griffin, Joy Behar, Phyllis Diller & Joan Rivers Talk Betty White, OWN & More,", "Comedian Phyllis Diller dies 'with a smile on her face', "The Power Of Comedy And Phyllis Diller,", "Roseanne Barr Hails the Comedic Genius of Phyllis Diller,", "Gays mourn the passing of legendary comic Phyllis Diller at age of 95,", "Performing Marginality: Humor, Gender, and Cultural Critique,", Phyllis Diller American comedienne and actress, "The Webster Groves housewife who made us all laugh,", The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, Phyllis Diller's TV Debut with Groucho Marx, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phyllis_Diller&oldid=1141820295, United Service Organizations entertainers, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Short description is different from Wikidata, Turner Classic Movies person ID same as Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, American culture, racism, self-deprecation, everyday life, religion, current events, Performer on Fictional Television Program, Episode: "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, Unless You're a Banana", Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell sisters, Episode: "Richard's Rosebuds vs. Phyllis Fighters", Episode: "The Funny Men vs.the Funny Women", Episode: "The Never-Want-To-Go-To-Bedders Cure", recurring role; 18 episodes, (final appearance), 2 episodes ("Grandma Titus" and "Houseboat"). Phyllis Diller survived Sherwood by 19 years. Named to Honorary Order Kentucky Colonels, 1986. Phyllis Diller, the housewife turned comedian who aimed some of her sharpest barbs at herself, punctuating her jokes with her trademark cackle, died yesterday morning in her Los Angeles home at. I do miss the actual hour that hour is a high; it's as good as you can feel. A wonderful, wonderful happiness, and great power. Diller was born as Phyllis Ada Driver on July 17, 1917, in Lima, Ohio. Diller was also predeceased by her eldest son, Peter (who died of cancer in 1998) and her daughter, Stephanie Diller (who died of a stroke in 2002). Parents. (opposite Richard Deacon), as the second to last in a succession of replacements for Carol Channing in the title role, which included Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, and Pearl Bailey. , co-author of Phyllis autobiography, tells, . Learn more about merges. "Don't confuse him with my real husbands. These people did not want her to be successful," son Perry Diller, 67, tells Closer of the gender barriers his mom had to break through in the '50s as she desperately tried to support her family. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. She also began a career in voice work, providing the voice of the Monster's Mate in Mad Monster Party (1967). She made her professional debut at the Purple Onion, a San Francisco nightclub, in 1955. Phyllis married Sherwood Anderson Diller in 1939, at age 21. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Diller, who avoided blue comedy, did a version of an old, risqu vaudeville routine, in which she describes herself passing out when she first heard the joke, forgetting the actual content of the joke. [41][42], Diller credited much of her success to a motivational book, The Magic of Believing (1948) by Claude M. Bristol, which gave her confidence at the start of her career. Through it all, she was also a busy mother. That was her natural laugh, Richard Buskin, co-author of Phyllis autobiography, tells Closer. Dont confuse him with my real husbands, she once quipped. The cause of her death has not been released, but Diller, who suffered a near-fatal heart attack back in 1999, was found by her son, Perry Diller. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. [38], Publishing her first best seller in 1966 and releasing more throughout the decade, Diller's books on domestic life featured her self-deprecating humor. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. She received a Golden Globe nomination in 1967 for her role in Pruitts. After graduating high school, she continued her studies at. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. There is a problem with your email/password. based on information from your browser. Phyllis Diller was born Phyllis Ada Driver on July 17, 1917, in Lima, Ohio. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. BlogFeed. 100 greatest heavyweight boxers of all time She voiced characters in several television series, including Robot Chicken, Family Guy, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, Captain Planet, Cow and Chicken, Hey Arnold! Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Try again later. Egyedi stlust alaktott ki, fellpsei alkalmval rendkvl vad hajjal s feltn ruhkban jelent meg. Failed to report flower. "You'll find them in every bridge club, at every country club. She died peacefully at her home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, California on the morning of August 20, 2012. She offered them some of her most iconic costume pieces, as well as her gag file, a steel cabinet with 48 file drawers with more than 50,000 jokes she had written on index cards during her career. Bob Einstein , Kelly Cord and Perry Diller Comedienne Phyllis Diller attends The Friars Club of California, with her son Perry and his wife Julia, where Diller was inducted to the Wall of Fame. - Brentwood, 2012. augusztus 20.) Phyllis Diller actress Born July 17, 1917 in Lima, Ohio, USA Diller put out an autobiography in 2005 in her late 80s, and entitled it "Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse", which pretty much says it all when recalling the misfit life and career of the fabulous, one-of-a-kind Phyllis Diller. When she turned 90 in July 2007, she fractured a bone in her back and was forced to cancel a planned birthday appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. 12-May-1975) . Some of her credits include Night Gallery, The Muppet Show, The Love Boat, Cybill, and Boston Legal, plus 11 seasons of The Bold and the Beautiful. To use this feature, use a newer browser. The comedian dropped out of college at the age of 22 to marry her first husband, Sherwood Anderson Diller. When Sherwood Anderson Diller was born on 27 July 1913, in Shannon, Richland Township, Allen, Ohio, United States, his father, Waldo Edgar Diller, was 32 and his mother, Maude Elvira Anderson, was 28. The cause of her death has not been released. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Phyllis Ada Diller (ne Driver; July 17, 1917 August 20, 2012) was an American stand-up comedian, actress, author, musician, and visual artist, best known for her eccentric stage persona, self-deprecating humor, wild hair and clothes, and exaggerated, cackling laugh. Her natural habitat was the comedy and cabaret club, with stand-up appearances on US TV on the Tonight Show and later the Ed Sullivan Show, where she developed a huge cult following for her outrageous one-liners. Six of seven nights were sellouts.. She died in her sleep and was found smiling even though life had left her body. In January 2012, she recorded a version of Charlie Chaplin's song "Smile" with Pink Martini's Thomas Lauderdale for the album Get Happy. In 2011, the Albert H. Small Documents Gallery at the National Museum of American History displayed Diller's file and some of the objects that became synonymous with her comedic personaan unkempt wig, wrist-length gloves, cloth-covered ankle boots, and a bejeweled cigarette holder.[11]. Diller was the only child of Frances and Perry Driver. Her marriage to actor Warde Donovan lasted 10 years. [45] Diller portrayed herself as a horrible cook in her stand-up routines, but she was reputed to be an excellent cook. She died on 4 July 2002, in California, United States, at the age of 53. Thats just how she rolled., Growing up the only child of older parents in Lima, Ohio, Phyllis had to entertain herself, and thats why she had such a vivid imagination, son, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), What Happened to Chase on 'Fixer to Fabulous'? Sally Diller is the daughter of Phyllis Diller. According to an Associated Press article, Diller's longtime manager, Milton Suchin, said that Diller "died peacefully in her sleep, and with a smile on her face.". Closer Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It is Phyllis Diller, the poor man's Auntie Mame, only . Reg Livermore interviews Phyllis Diller at home in 1996 Reg Livermore 44K views 10 years ago Almost yours: 2 weeks, on us 100+ live channels are waiting for you with zero hidden fees Dismiss Try. . Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Phyllis Diller, Birth Year: 1917, Birth date: July 17, 1917, Birth State: Ohio, Birth City: Lima, Birth Country: United States. She had six children from her marriage with her first husband Sherwood Anderson Diller, and she outlived two of her grown children. When Stephanie Diller was born on 9 September 1948, in Alameda, California, United States, her father, Sherwood Anderson Diller, was 35 and her mother, Phyllis Ada Driver, was 31. She wore outrageous fright wigs and deliberately shopped for stage shoes that made her legs look as skinny as possible. Failed to delete memorial. Diller's delivery was accentuated by her animated facial expressions, eccentric costumes, overdone make-up and signature loud, cackling laugh. Phyllis Diller, the housewife turned humorist who aimed some of her sharpest barbs at herself, punctuating her jokes with her trademark cackle, died Monday morning in her Los Angeles home at. He got the house, the car and an apartment building, she said. Photograph: Stewart Cook/Rex Features. Phyllis Diller, the cackling comedian with electric-shock hair who built an influential career in film and nightclubs with stand-up routines that mocked irascible husbands . They still do.". [18] Maya Angelou, who was already performing at the club, wrote that Diller would not change her name because when she became successful she wanted everyone to know it was, indeed, her herself. Get To Know Her Husband Jeff Richmond, Who Is an Award-Winning Composer, How Did Tina Fey Get Her Scar? Comedienne and actress Phyllis Diller performs on the Colgate Comedy Hour on May 11, 1967 | Photo: Getty Images.