Phyllis Diller

• Birthplace: Lima, Ohio, USA
• Birthday: July 17, 1917

A groundbreaking pioneer in American comedy, comedienne Phyllis Diller represented the face of the female stand-up comic for a generation of baby-boomers. She predated Roseanne Barr’s “Domestic Goddess” shtick by more than two decades, shooting to stardom in the 1950s with her eccentric, strangely attired housewife alter ego. An ironic underdog with a head of frazzled hair and excessive make-up, Diller endeared herself to an era of prosperous post-war middle Americans through stand-up, as well as musical and comedy routines. Her countless…more