Legendary comedian Phyllis Diller passed away today at her home in Los Angeles. She was 95-years-old.
TMZ reports that Diller has been sick for the last few months. She recently fell and hurt her wrist and hip. She passed away this morning surrounded by her family.
Diller started her career in the 1950s and rose to fame with appearances alongside Bob Hope on TV specials like Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number and Eight On The Lam. She had her own show, The Phyllis Diller Show in 1996 and was a regular performer on Laugh In. Diller also appeared on The Red Skeleton Hour, Love American Style, and The Love Boat.
In 2002, Diller announced that she was retiring from acting. The legendary comedian did, however, continue to do voice work for shows like Family Guy, Robot Chicken, and movies like A Bug’s Life .
Diller broke barriers for women comedians and inspired a generation of stand-up comics.
Jim Gaffigan wrote on twitter: RIP Phyllis Diller. Comedy legend. Always made me laugh
Andy Richter wrote: Lucky enough to work with Phyllis Diller a few times. Loved her. Sad to hear she died. A hero of mine.
Here’s a video of Phyllis Diller on the Ed Sullivan Show.
When I grow up, I want to be a “Broad” like Phyllis Diller.
— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) August 20, 2012
Phyllis Diller was a pioneer. An incredibly funny woman who paved the way for many comediennes. She will be missed. # ThankYouPhyllis
— Ashley Esqueda (@AshleyEsqueda) August 20, 2012
If you think it’s hard being a female comic now, you should have tried it back in the ’50s. R.I.P Phyllis Diller (1917-2012)
— Will McKinley (@willmckinley) August 20, 2012
Lucky enough to work with Phyllis Diller a few times. Loved her. Sad to hear she died. A hero of mine.
— Andy Richter (@Andy_Richter) August 20, 2012
Were you a fan of Phyllis Diller? Here’s a look at her TV debut from PBS.
