Legendary Comedienne Phyllis Diller Dead at 95
Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller, the legendary comedienne who paved the way for many female comics, has died. She was 95.
Diller died Monday at her Los Angeles home surrounded by family, TMZ reports. Diller had reportedly fallen recently, but the accident isn't believed to be associated with her death.
Born Phyllis Ada Driver, Diller began her career on an Oakland, Calif. radio show in 1952. From there she went on to film a 15-minute television series called Phyllis Dillis, the Homely Friendmaker. Soon she began co-starring with Bob Hope on multiple television specials and films in the 1960s. Hope then brought her on his USO tour in Vietnam in 1966.
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Diller, who was a regular on Laugh-In, starred in her own television series, The Phyllis Diller Show on ABC in 1966 as well as The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show on NBC in 1968. The following year she starred on Broadway in Hello, Dolly!
More recently, Diller appeared on 7th Heaven, The Drew Carey Show, did a cameo on Boston Legal and voiced characters on The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Family Guy. Her most recent appearance was this year on two episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful.
Diller earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993.