Biography

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. It may inspire all those bored, discouraged and/or directionless housewives out there to know that the one-time 37-year-old chief bottle washer and diaper disposer of five started out writing comedy routines for her fellow female laundry mates as a sort of reprieve from what she considered her everyday household doldrums. Little did she know she would wind up an entertainment legend who would share the biggest comedy stages with the likes of Bob Hope, George Burns and Jack Benny.

They said it couldn't be done back then (to be a successful lady comic, that is) but the doyenne of female stand-up did just that -- opened the doors for other odd-duck funny girls who dared to intrude on what was considered a man's profession. Initially, the comedienne whipped up an alter-ego that could have only been created with the aid of hallucinogens. Boldly facing the world as a scrawny, witchy-faced, flyaway haired, outlandishly costumed, cigarette-holding, magpie-cackling version of "Auntie Mame", Diller made a virtue out of her weird looks and cashed in on her wifely horror tales and her own idiosyncratic tendencies. Her solid fan base has been thriving now for over five decades.

She was born Phyllis Ada Driver on July 17, 1917 in Lima, Ohio to Perry Marcus and Frances Ada (Romshe) Driver. A student at Lima's Central High School, she went on to study for three years at the Sherwood Music Conservatory in Chicago, before transferring to Bluffton (Ohio) College where she served as the editor of the school's more humorous newspaper articles. She was a serious student of the piano but was never completely confident enough in her performance level to try and act on it as a possible career.

She wed Sherwood Anderson Diller at age 22 in November 1939 and had six children (one of whom died in infancy). On the sly, she was an advertising copywriter. During World War II, the family moved to Michigan where her husband had found work at the Willow Run Bomber Plant. A natural laugh-getter, she began writing household-related one-liners and the feedback from the fellow wives greatly encouraged her. When the family moved to California for job-related reasons, Diller became a secretary at a San Francisco television station. By this time, she had built up the courage to put together a nightclub act.

The local television hosts at the station (Willard Anderson and Don Sherwood) thought her act was hilarious and invited her on their show in 1955. Not long after, at age 38, Diller made her debut at San Francisco's Purple Onion nightclub. What was to be a two-week engagement was stretched out to more than a year and a half. The widespread publicity she received took her straight to the television talk and variety circuits where she was soon trading banter with Jack Paar, Jack Benny and Red Skelton, among others, on their popular television series. She was a contestant on Groucho Marx's popular quiz show You Bet Your Life (1950).

Throughout the 1960s, audiences embraced her bold and brazen quirkiness. Diller formed a tight and lasting relationship with Bob Hope, appearing in scores of his television specials and co-starring in three of his broad 1960s comedy films (Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966), Eight on the Lam (1967) and The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell (1968). Diller joined Hope in Vietnam in 1966 with his USO troupe.

Her celebrity eventually took its toll on her marriage. She separated from and eventually divorced Sherwood in 1965, who had, by this time, become a favorite topic and target of her act in the form of husband "Fang". That same year, she married singer, film actor and television host Warde Donovan who appeared with her in the slapstick movie Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? (1968). They divorced in 1975.

By this time, Diller was everywhere on the small screen. A special guest on hordes of television series and comedy specials and, especially on such riotfests as Laugh-In (1977) and the Dean Martin celebrity series of roasts, she became a celebrity on the game show circuit as well, milking laughs on such established shows as The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965) and The Gong Show (1976). She published best-selling comedy records to her credit and humorous anecdotes to pitch that made it to the bookstore shelves, such as "Phyllis Diller Tells All About Fang". However, stand-up remained her first love.

Her forays on television in her own series were, regretfully, unsuccessful. Her first television series, The Phyllis Diller Show (1966), had her pretty much pulling out all the stops as a wacky widow invariably scheming to keep up a wealthy front despite being heavily in debt. She had the reliably droll Reginald Gardiner and cranky Charles Lane as foils and even Gypsy Rose Lee, but to little avail. Revamped as "The Phyllis Diller Show", several of comedy's best second bananas (John Astin, Paul Lynde, Richard Deacon, Billy De Wolfe, Marty Ingels) were added to the mix, but the show was canceled after a single season. A second try with The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show (1968), a comedy/variety show that had the zany star backed by none other than Rip Taylor and Norm Crosby, lasted only three months.

Seldom did she manage or receive offers to take her funny face off long enough to appear for dramatic effect. Somewhat more straightforward roles came later on episodes of Boston Legal (2004) and 7th Heaven (1996). Back in 1961, interestingly enough, she made both her stage and film debuts in the dramas of William Inge. Her theatrical debut came with a production of "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" and she appeared first on film in the highly dramatic Splendor in the Grass (1961), lightening things up a bit with a cameo appearance as larger-than-life nightclub hostess Texas Guinan. Diller later impressed with her harridan role in the film The Adding Machine (1969) opposite Milo O'Shea.

Diller enjoyed a three-month run on Broadway in "Hello, Dolly!", co-starring Richard Deacon and appeared in other shows and musicals over time: "Wonderful Town" (she met her second husband Warde Donovan in this production), "Happy Birthday", "Everybody Loves Opal" and "Nunsense". In 1993, Diller was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Her cackling vocals have enhanced animated features, too, what with Mad Monster Party? (1967) and A Bug's Life (1998). It took a heart attack in 1999 to finally slow down the comedienne and she eventually announced her retirement in 2002.

Aside from the baby who died in infancy, 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). Her surviving children are Sally Diller, Suzanne Sue Diller and Perry Diller. As late as January 2007, she made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992). She was set to return on her 90th birthday in July but a back injury forced her to cancel. She died at age 95 of heart failure on August 20, 2012 in her home in Brentwood, California.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net

Mentioning her fictional husband "Fang" in her stand-up act.

Wild and Frizzy, Unkempt Hair

She suffered a serious heart attack and had pacemaker implanted. Although not expected to live, she recovered well enough to return to the stage for a couple of years (1999).

Had numerous facelifts, a popular topic in her comedy routines.

Studied at Chicago's Sherwood Music Conservatory for three years before eloping with Sherwood Anderson Diller (1939).

Nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Shame for her recorded version of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction".

She was a housewife in a San Francisco suburb with five children and an underemployed husband who eventually convinced her to make money with the talent she regularly displayed in PTA skits.

Breakthrough came in March 1955, at age 37, with he debut at San Francisco's Purple Onion club, and her career was launched with a subsequent appearance on Jack Paar's show. Later she got a major boost from Bob Hope, who saw Diller in a Washington, D.C. club. She went on to appear in three of Hope's movies and 23 of his television specials.

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 137-139. New York: Facts on File (1992). ISBN 0816023387.

Retired from acting and stand-up routine in 2002 at age 84, due to ill health. Continued to lend her voice to animated characters in movies.

Had a large collection of Waterford Crystal which she has collected over a period of 50 years.

In the mid-1960s, the trademark quirky dresses that she wore during performances were designed by Gloria Johnson of Omaha, Nebraska. Phyllis jokingly referred to Johnson as "Omar of Omaha", as tent dresses were in vogue at the time.

The cigarette with holder that she was famous for using in her stand-up routines in the 1960s and 1970s was only a prop for the act. She was a lifelong non-smoker.

Often erroneously attributed as being the mother of Susan Lucci. Although their ages do not preclude this, they are not related.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7001 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 15, 1975.

She was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame at 6366 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri on May 16, 1993.

Interviewed in "The Great Comedians Talk About Comedy" by Larry Wilde (1968).

Per the 1940 census, Phyllis and her husband Sherwood Diller lived at 403 Cherry Street, Bluffton (Allen County), Ohio with Sherwood's widowed mother, Maude Anderson Diller and Sherwood's siblings, Jeanne K. and Milburn Diller. Phyllis went to college for four years. In 1935, Phyllis (who was single) lived in Lima, Allen County, Ohio. Her father was born in Virginia; mother born in Ohio.

Alumna of Stella Adler Studio of Acting.

Her home in Brentwood (Los Angeles 90049) was at 163 S. Rockingham. She lived a block from Pat O'Brien, who lived at the corner of Marlboro.

A stand-up comic is judged by every line. Singers get applause at the end of their song no matter how bad they are.

Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home.

My house used to be haunted, but the ghosts haven't been back since the night I tried on all my wigs.

I still take the pill because I don't want any more grandchildren.

I never made "Who's Who" but I'm featured in "What's What?".

Most children threaten at times to run away from home. This is the only thing that keeps some parents going.

I love to go to the doctor. Where else would a man look at me and say "Take off your clothes"?

My timing is so precise, a heckler would have to make an appointment just to get a word in.