
Phyllis Diller passes away at age 95
"She was a true pioneer. She was the first lady of stand up comedy. She paved the way for everybody. And she conquered television, movies, Broadway, record albums, nightclubs, books, and radio. She did it all. A true pioneer."
The comedy legend was born Phyllis Ada Driver in Lima, Ohio in 1917. After a stint as an advertising copywriter, Phyllis Diller got her big break at the age of 37, when she first performed stand-up comedy at the San Francisco nightclub Purple Onion. Her act often revolved around her fictional husband named "Fang" and self-depricating humor about her looks. In the 1960s and 1970s, she was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show, The Flip Wilson Show, and Laugh-In, where her trademark cackle made her a household name. She also created the short-lived series The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show in 1968.
She continued to work in film and television throughout her lengthy career, appearing in Pixar's A Bug's Life and voicing guest roles on Family Guy, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and Robot Chicken. Her appearance in the 2005 documentary The Aristocrats proved that she still had her comedic chops, at the age of 88.
Comments (13)
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CelluloidDreams
I always liked Phyllis Diller in the animated cartoon as a kid ;"The New Scooby-Doo Movies".
Phyllis Diller was in the episode titled" "A Good Medium is Rare".
10 months agoby @2movieguysFlag
CelluloidDreams
Do not grieve at the passing of mortality, for life's but a thing of terrible gravity. And the planets gravitate around you,and the stars shall dance about you, and the angels in heaven adore you, and the saints all stand and applaud you.
So faraway, so faraway and yet so close.
Nick Cave, "Far Away, So Close"
10 months agoby @2movieguysFlag
Vamp
RIP. Comedy has lost one of it's legends.
10 months agoby @vampire2000Flag
THE JOKER
Very sad! You will be missed!!! RIP
10 months agoby @mcleve02Flag
jasdjqs
may she rest in peace, a very funny lady
10 months agoby @jasdjqsFlag
ROFLitschristian
Such a hilarious woman. May she rest peacefully.
10 months agoby @ROFLitschristianFlag
ejk1
I remember the first time I saw Ms. Diller on TV. It was the Hollywood Squares, and she was so damn funny. I always loved her, and hope she rests in peace.
10 months agoby @ejk1Flag
skywise
RIP Phyllis
10 months agoby @skywiseFlag
Vanboy
@artkid04, That's pretty much how she took most pictures and that was her personality. It's actually a perfect picture of her.
10 months agoby @vanboyFlag
Vanboy
Yeah, she died in her sleep. That's the way to go. I guess if Pixar makes Bug's Life 2, the queen won't be in it, like they did with Doc Hudson played by Paul Newman, he passed away before Cars 2, and they had a museum in Radiator Springs. I'm sure Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Princess Ada) will mention her. For that matter Johnathon "Dr. Smith" Harris who played Manny the Praying Mantis passed away, as well as Madeline Khan who played Gypsy The Moth died too. Come to think about it, Roddy McDowell (Mr. Soil) died as well as Pixar vet Joe Ranft who played Heimlich the catapiller. Man I don't know how they could make a sequel to A Bug's Life. Maybe they'll do what they did with Slinky Dog in Toy Story 3; Jim Varney who supplied the voice in the first and part 2, was replace by fellow raspy voice friend and actor Blake Clark. And Hayden Panetiierre who played Dot is all grown up. That's an easy fix; have Dot grown up. At any rate, Mrs. Diller's spunkiness and great comic timing will be missed by all.
10 months agoby @vanboyFlag
Superman81
Thelma Griffin we will miss you!!
10 months agoby @superman81Flag
the MovieGhost
@artkid04 Yeah, perhaps the picture could've been better. But at least she passed peacefully.
10 months agoby @the-movieghostFlag
artkid04
wow, another life gone, don't think thats a good picture (looks like she is being possessed)
10 months agoby @artkid04Flag