Phyllis Diller (July 17, 1917 – August 20, 2012) was an American actress and comedienne. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes self-deprecating jokes about her age and appearance, her terrible cooking, and a husband named "Fang", while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder. Diller's signature was her unusual laugh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
She always made me laugh. She was one of the first women to do standup comedy, and she made it big-time, opening the doors that the comediennes of my generation further shoved apart.
This short clip is very funny, and typical. Unfortunately, it is also "embedding disabled by request."
http://www.youtube.com/...
Her first network TV performance:
From her final standup performance. You know you're old when...
Diller began her career working at KROW radio in Oakland, California in 1952. In November of that year, she began filming a television show titled Phyllis Dillis, the Homely Friendmaker.
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Diller first appeared as a stand-up at The Purple Onion on March 7, 1955 and remained there for 87 straight weeks. Diller appeared on "Del Courtney's Showcase" on KPIX television on November 3, 1956. After moving to Webster Groves, in St Louis in 1961, Diller honed her act in St. Louis clubs such as Gaslight Square's Crystal Palace. Mid-1960s - St Louis was always home to her. Getting her first start on the Charlotte Peters Show in St Louis, where many got their start. Diller's fame grew when she co-starred with Bob Hope in 23 television specials and three films in the 1960s: Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!, Eight on the Lam, and The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell. Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! performed well at the box office and Diller accompanied Hope to Vietnam in 1966 with his USO troupe during the height of the Vietnam War
Roasting Joan Collins:
More standup:
Appearing on What's My Line?
Another wonderful embedding-disabled clip:
http://www.youtube.com/...
Ms. Diller was 95 years old, and had a long and hilarious career. RIP, Phyllis. Thanks for the laughs...and as Bob Hope would say, the memories.