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Phyllis Diller – Bio, is she still alive? Her husband, her fortune and her children
Phyllis Diller was an American actress, comedian, writer, and self-taught artist. She was a typical housewife, raising her children in suburban San Francisco before venturing into comedy at the age of 37. Previously, her friends would often tell her that she was funny and that she would tell jokes at PTA meetings at Edison Elementary School.
She never thought of turning her talent into a career until her husband lost his job. With his encouragement, she hired a drama coach and eventually made her comedy debut on March 7, 1955 at the Purple Onion in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.
Subsequently, Phyllis registered her name under The First Female Comics in the United States to Become a Household Name. She was popular for her unconventional stage persona, self-deprecating jokes, wild hair/outfits, and most importantly, cackling laugh.
Phyllis Diller bio
Born Phyllis Ada Driver on July 17, 1917 in Lima, Ohio, the talented comic book woman was the only child of her late parents, Perry Marcus Driver, an insurance salesman, and Frances Ada (née Romshe). Her parents had her aged 55 and 36, giving her both German and Irish roots.
The Methodist-turned-atheist studied at Lima’s Central High School, where she discovered early on that she had the ability to make people laugh. Although she kept her jokes aside during school hours and described herself as a calm and dedicated student, she enjoyed making people laugh once school was over.
In 1952 Phyllis Diller moved to Alameda, California and began broadcasting at KROW Radio in Oakland. Later that year, she filmed various segments of the series, Phyllis Dillis, the Homemade Friend Maker, for Bay Area Television. She also worked as a lyricist for KSFO Radio in San Francisco and as a singer for Pop Club , a music review television show.
After her husband’s business crashed, Diller agreed to give stand-up comedy a chance. She got a two-week booking to perform at a club called The Purple Onion, but due to the huge success of her first professional show, the booking was extended to 89 consecutive weeks. According to her, she became a comedian because she had a “sit down husband.”
In 1958, Phyllis Diller made her television debut as a contestant on the quiz show, You Bet Your Life. She was later booked several times on the Tonight Show hosted by Jack Paar and this led to her appearing on the TV variety show called The Ed Sullivan Show. This marked the beginning of her fame in the US and opened doors for more stand-up comedy performances across the country.
Diller released comedy albums beginning in 1959. She also starred in more than 40 films with Praise the Grass (1961). In addition, she has appeared in many television series including: Gallery of Night, The Muppet Show, The Love Boat, Cybill , Boston Legal , and her own sitcom and variety show. She also appeared in eleven seasons of The Bold and the Beautiful .
In 2002, the icon retired from stand-up comedy, citing advanced age and a lack of “sustained energy.” Despite this, she never really retired from the entertainment industry. Phyllis Diller enjoyed a large following among gays and was considered a symbol for gay representatives. She was also among the first celebrities to openly support plastic surgery.
your fortune
The legendary comedian is said to have had an estimated net worth of $15 million. Of course, the wealth came from her various endeavors in the entertainment industry.
is she still alive
After her 80th birthday in 1997, Diller became ill, suffering from many illnesses. In 1999 she was hospitalized and over time her heart stopped. She was fitted with a pacemaker to get her heart working again, but unfortunately she responded poorly to a drug and became paralyzed. However, she was able to go through physical therapy again.
Diller was scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show in July 2007 and had planned to celebrate her 90th birthday during the show. On July 11, it was reported that she had fractured her back and couldn’t make it to the show.
The star had her last interview on May 15, 2012, and was honored by her hometown with the Lifetime Achievement Award for being a member of a comedy jury.
Phyllis Diller died of natural causes on August 20, 2012 at the age of 95 at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea.
Phyllis Diller’s husband and children
The comedian met her first husband, Sherwood-Diller, at Bluffton College, and they married in 1939. The couple had six children – Peter, Sally, Perry (died two weeks after birth), Suzanne, Stephanie, and their sixth child, also named Perry.
Phyllis Diller’s second child, Sally, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and Phyllis worked very hard to ensure she was cared for at home. Eventually, Sally was sent to a mental institution. In 1998 her first son Peter died of cancer and in 2002 Stephanie died of a stroke.
After the end of her marriage to Sherwood Diller, she remarried actor Warde Donovan on October 7, 1965. Three months later, she filed for divorce after discovering he was bisexual and an alcoholic. A day before the final divorce, the couple reconciled and the marriage lasted until 1975, when Phyllis divorced Donovan.
She became involved with Robert P. Hastings in 1985 and they remained partners until he died on May 23, 1996.
