Phyllis Diller, Self Deprecating Comedian, Dead at 95

Alexander Abad-Santos 20,110 Views Aug 20, 2012

Sad news today, TMZ is reporting that Phyllis Diller, the legendary comedian whose career spanned decades and entire evolution of modern comedy, has died. She was 95. According to TMZ, Diller had recently fallen and experienced several instances of bad health. Starting in the 1950s, Diller had appeared in nearly everything, from the original Batman series to Love, American Style to Blossom, and A Bug's Life. She also starred in her own show in the 1960s. In the 1970s, she was a constant presence on the dais of Dean Martin's roasts.

Here's a video from her on The Ed Sullivan Show from 1969:

Update: 4:25 p.m.: Obituaries are being posted:

Joan Rivers, went to Twitter to voice her sadness: 

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at aabadsantos at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App