Phyllis Diller broke into the comedy biz later in life – when she was a 37-year-old mother of five. She was known for her self-deprecating jokes and unforgettable laugh, but also for her wild hair and outfits, which were a part of her less-than-glamorous shtick. It was a series of TV specials with Bob Hope that first put her on the map. She later went on to appear on her own shows ("The Phyllis Diller Show" and "The Beautiful Phyllis Diller ... more 

Phyllis Diller broke into the comedy biz later in life – when she was a 37-year-old mother of five. She was known for her self-deprecating jokes and unforgettable laugh, but also for her wild hair and outfits, which were a part of her less-than-glamorous shtick. It was a series of TV specials with Bob Hope that first put her on the map. She later went on to appear on her own shows ("The Phyllis Diller Show" and "The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show") and made guest appearances on "Laugh-In" and "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson.” More recently, she provided the voice of Peter Griffin's mother on "Family Guy," and spiced things up as William Shatner's love interest in a 2007 episode of "Boston Legal." Diller lived to be 95, passing away in her sleep on August 20 at her home in Los Angeles. less