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PHYLLIS DILLER FIRST SOLO FEMALE STAND-UP COMEDIAN

FULL NAME: Phyllis Ada Driver Diller

BORN: JULY 17, 1917, LIMA, OHIO, U.S.A.

DIED: AUGUST 20, 2012, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.

NATIONALITY: AMERICAN

Phyllis Diller, 2010

LARGER THAN LIFE

Phyllis Diller’s big break, in 1955, was as unique as the woman herself. As a contestant on comedian Groucho Marx’s game show, You Bet Your Life, Phyllis was memorable. So memorable, in fact, that she was offered a comedy debut at a San Francisco comedy club. Phyllis was already 37 and the mother of five children. Phyllis exaggerated her already larger-than-life makeup, costumes, expressions, and cackle and quickly created her unique comic persona.

Phyllis became known for her one-liners and monologues, and she played up her role as a typical American housewife with everyday problems. Audiences loved her—and by 1961, she had found her way into film and theater. But her talents still didn’t end there: Phyllis was also an accomplished pianist and the author of five best-selling books.

FABULOUS FIRSTS
	FIRST FEMALE STAND-UP COMEDIAN

PAVING THE WAY

Phyllis earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1975. In 1992, she received the American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Her trailblazing role in the entertainment industry, as well as her caricature of life as a suburban housewife, led to her place as a feminist icon. Phyllis paved the way for the funny women who would follow in her footsteps and onto the stage. Comedians as diverse as Zooey Deschanel, Amy Poehler, and Joan Rivers credit Phyllis for their place at the mic.

Honoring fellow comedian Bob Hope in 2003, Phyllis Diller celebrates with members of Hope’s family and fellow actors, including Kelsey Grammer.