Phyllis Diller 1917-2012 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 08-20-2012, 03:28 PM

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Comedian, actress, artist, and author Phyllis Diller died Monday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 95.
“She was a true pioneer,” Diller’s longtime agent Fred Wostbrock told EW. “She was the first lady of stand up comedy. She paved the way for everybody. And she conquered television, movies, Broadway, record albums, nightclubs, books, and radio. She did it all. A true pioneer.”
The housewife-turned-advertising copywriter and mother of six got her big showbiz break in 1955 at the age of 37 when the owner of San Francisco’s now-defunct Purple Onion nightclub gave her a substitute stand-up spot one night. “When I went on, the room went totally quiet and I knew that I had this magnetic thing that you had to be born with,” Diller told EW in 2005. “You can’t buy it or even learn it.” Diller’s shtick — often revolving around her pathetic fictional husband “Fang” and her less-than-gorgeous looks (“I love to go to the doctor. Where else would a man look at me and say, ‘Take off your clothes?’”) — quickly made her famous. She became a legend to generations of female comics (“To a lot of us she was better than Bob Hope,” Roseanne Barr told EW).

In the 1960s and ’70s, Diller became a frequent guest on The Tonight Show, The Flip Wilson Show, and Laugh-In, though TV series meant to showcase the comic (The Phyllis Diller Show, The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show) never took off. She continued to get work as she got older, appearing in movies like A Bug’s Life as well as TV shows such as Family Guy, 7th Heaven, and The Drew Carey Show. In 2005, the same year she published her autobiography (Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse), she appeared along with Sarah Silverman and Bob Saget in the humor documentary The Aristocrats, proving that even 88-year-olds can tell dirty jokes — in her case, in a typically zany wig and punctuated by her trademark cackle of a laugh.

CommonTater · 08-21-2012, 12:46 PM

This made me so sad when I heard yesterday. We have lost so many great ones this year, not many left.

RIP Phyllis

scrapple · 08-23-2012, 10:27 PM

I loved Phyllis in "The Pruitts Of Southampton". Hopefully, someone with better computer skills than me will post that great great theme song to the show. It captures the essence (and laugh!) of the the great Miss Diller.

Zoneboy · 08-23-2012, 10:42 PM

OH Nuts! · 08-23-2012, 11:11 PM

I loved Phyllis Diller. Not only was she a trail -blazing comedienne, but a fine pianist and painter. She was a lovely human being. She'll be deeply missed. God Bless her.

WalrusIsPaul · 08-24-2012, 12:15 PM

R.I.P. , she was great at what she did and had a lot of fans.I just couldn't get into her. But she was an icon though

Heidi Dawn · 08-24-2012, 01:20 PM

I remember seeing Phyllis Diller on Full House, Blossom, The Muppets, and Emily of New Moon (which was shot not too far from where I live).

She had that memorable laugh too.

08-20-2012, 03:28 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,352	Phyllis Diller 1917-2012 Link Comedian, actress, artist, and author Phyllis Diller died Monday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 95. “She was a true pioneer,” Diller’s longtime agent Fred Wostbrock told EW. “She was the first lady of stand up comedy. She paved the way for everybody. And she conquered television, movies, Broadway, record albums, nightclubs, books, and radio. She did it all. A true pioneer.” The housewife-turned-advertising copywriter and mother of six got her big showbiz break in 1955 at the age of 37 when the owner of San Francisco’s now-defunct Purple Onion nightclub gave her a substitute stand-up spot one night. “When I went on, the room went totally quiet and I knew that I had this magnetic thing that you had to be born with,” Diller told EW in 2005. “You can’t buy it or even learn it.” Diller’s shtick — often revolving around her pathetic fictional husband “Fang” and her less-than-gorgeous looks (“I love to go to the doctor. Where else would a man look at me and say, ‘Take off your clothes?’”) — quickly made her famous. She became a legend to generations of female comics (“To a lot of us she was better than Bob Hope,” Roseanne Barr told EW). In the 1960s and ’70s, Diller became a frequent guest on The Tonight Show, The Flip Wilson Show, and Laugh-In, though TV series meant to showcase the comic (The Phyllis Diller Show, The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show) never took off. She continued to get work as she got older, appearing in movies like A Bug’s Life as well as TV shows such as Family Guy, 7th Heaven, and The Drew Carey Show. In 2005, the same year she published her autobiography (Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse), she appeared along with Sarah Silverman and Bob Saget in the humor documentary The Aristocrats, proving that even 88-year-olds can tell dirty jokes — in her case, in a typically zany wig and punctuated by her trademark cackle of a laugh.
	__________________ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Full House Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even Mighty Mouse. All My Children We're Nestled All Snug In Their Beds While Visions Of Sugarbakers Danced In Their Heads.

08-21-2012, 12:46 PM	#2
CommonTater no longer a forum member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 09, 2010 Posts: 298	This made me so sad when I heard yesterday. We have lost so many great ones this year, not many left. RIP Phyllis
	__________________ It's amazing how differently we see things once we truly suffer. Please be kind to others, we never know what someone is dealing with. How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.

08-24-2012, 01:20 PM	#7
Heidi Dawn Muppets Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 01, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 883	I remember seeing Phyllis Diller on Full House, Blossom, The Muppets, and Emily of New Moon (which was shot not too far from where I live). She had that memorable laugh too.
	__________________ Complete Series Box Sets I own: MASH, Three's Company, Gilligan's Island, The Dukes Of Hazzard, The Golden Girls, The Monkees, The Brady Bunch, Full House, I Dream Of Jeannie, Bewitched, Taxi, Gimme A Break, Dallas, Charlie's Angels, Joanie Loves Chachi, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, The Cosby Show, The Facts of Life, Family Ties, Diff'rent Strokes, Green Acres.

08-23-2012, 10:27 PM	#3
scrapple Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 03, 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 259	I loved Phyllis in "The Pruitts Of Southampton". Hopefully, someone with better computer skills than me will post that great great theme song to the show. It captures the essence (and laugh!) of the the great Miss Diller.

08-23-2012, 10:42 PM	#4
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,352

08-23-2012, 11:11 PM	#5
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	I loved Phyllis Diller. Not only was she a trail -blazing comedienne, but a fine pianist and painter. She was a lovely human being. She'll be deeply missed. God Bless her.

08-24-2012, 12:15 PM	#6
WalrusIsPaul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 04, 2001 Location: Pgh,Pa.US Posts: 264	R.I.P. , she was great at what she did and had a lot of fans.I just couldn't get into her. But she was an icon though