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Phyllis Diller and Groucho Marx 1955 Diller family photo
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Phyllis Diller and Groucho Marx 1955

A photo of Phyllis Diller (born Phyllis Ada Driver) in 1955 as a contestant on the Groucho Marx show, "You Bet Your Life".

Phyllis was born July 17, 1917 in Lima Ohio. Although she trained as a musician, she began her show business career in Oakland, California in 1952 on a 15 minute television show called "Phyllis Dillis, the Homely Friendmaker". (Sounds like she was already perfecting her homemaker comedy act!)

Her first stand-up act was at the famous Purple Onion in San Francisco, California in 1955. She was famous for making jokes about herself and her husband, "Fang." And for her laugh of course. She pursued a long career as a stand-up comic and in both movies and television, as well as on stage. Her trademark cigarette in a long holder was a prop - she never smoked!

Her first husband was Sherwood Anderson Diller, with whom she had 6 children. She was briefly married actor Warde Donovan.

Phyllis Ada (Driver) Diller died on August 20, 2012 at home, at age 95, ... show more

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Photo taken at Television Studio New York, New York USA on

Phyllis Ada (Driver) Diller

Mini-biography
Born: Jul 17, 1917 in Lima, OH, United States of America
Died: Aug 20, 2012 (age 95) in Brentwood, CA, United States of America
Also in this photo: Phyllis Ada (Driver) Diller at 38 years old  ·  Julius Henry 'Groucho' Marx at 65 years old