What was Phyllis Diller’s Net Worth?
Phyllis Diller, the American stand-up comic, actress, and author, had a net worth of $18 million at the time of her death in 2012. Diller was known for her wild stage manner and self-deprecating sense of humor. She was one of the first solo female comedians to become a household name. Diller appeared frequently on television, including game shows, variety shows, comedy and drama series, and her own sitcom. She also appeared in several films and lent her voice to animated movies.
At the time of her death, a significant portion of Diller’s net worth was attributed to her mansion on Rockingham Avenue in LA’s Brentwood neighborhood. Diller passed away at the age of 95.
Early Life and Education
Phyllis Diller, born in Lima, Ohio in 1917, was the only child of Perry and Frances Driver. She was of Irish and German descent and raised Methodist. Diller discovered her talent for comedy while attending Central High School and later studied piano for three years at Columbia College Chicago’s Sherwood Music Conservatory. However, she ultimately decided not to pursue a musical career and transferred to Bluffton College in Ohio, though she did not complete her degree.
Phyllis Diller’s Rise to Fame
After moving to Alameda, California in the early 50s, Phyllis Diller landed a job at KROW radio in Oakland and filmed comedy segments for Bay Area television. She eventually made her debut as a stand-up comic in 1955 at the Purple Onion in San Francisco, resulting in an 89-week booking. Diller became known for her self-deprecating humor, outlandish fashion, and distinctive cackling laugh.
Phyllis Diller’s Television Career
Phyllis Diller made her first national television appearance in 1958 on “You Bet Your Life” hosted by Groucho Marx. She went on to become a regular on popular game shows such as “Match Game,” “Hollywood Squares,” and “Tattletales” in the 60s and 70s. Diller also made frequent appearances on various variety shows, including “The Bob Hope Show,” “The Andy Williams Show,” and “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.”
Diller had her own sitcom, “The Pruitts of Southampton,” from 1966 to 1967, which was later renamed “The Phyllis Diller Show.” In the 80s, she made guest appearances on shows such as “The Love Boat,” “As the World Turns,” and “The Jeffersons.” She continued to appear regularly on game shows, including “Body Language” and “Super Password.”
During the 90s, Diller had recurring roles on the sitcom “Blossom” and the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.” She also lent her voice to several animated series, including “Animaniacs,” “King of the Hill,” and “Hey Arnold!” In the new millennium, Diller appeared on shows such as “Titus,” “7th Heaven,” and “Boston Legal,” and voiced characters on “The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron,” “Robot Chicken,” and “Family Guy.”
Phyllis Diller’s Film Career
Phyllis Diller made her big-screen debut in 1961 in Elia Kazan’s “Splendor in the Grass” and went on to appear in low-budget films throughout the decade, such as “The Fat Spy,” “Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!,” and “Eight on the Lam.” She also lent her voice to the stop-motion animated musical comedy “Mad Monster Party?”
In the 70s and 80s, Diller appeared less frequently on the big screen, with credits including “A Pleasure Doing Business,” “Pink Motel,” and “Doctor Hackenstein.” In the 90s, she appeared in a range of films, including the direct-to-video horror film “The Boneyard,” the Hungarian comedy “The Perfect Man,” and the parody film “The Silence of the Hams.” Diller also voiced characters in a number of animated films, notably Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life.”
In the 00s, Diller appeared in such films as “Everything’s Jake,” “The Aristocrats,” “Unbeatable Harold,” and “Forget About It.”
Phyllis Diller’s Books
Phyllis Diller wrote several books that took a humorous and satirical look at domestic life. Some of her popular titles include “Phyllis Diller’s Housekeeping Hints,” “The Complete Mother,” and “The Joys of Aging & How to Avoid Them.” In 2006, she released her autobiography “Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse: My Life in Comedy,” which was co-written by Richard Buskin.
Phyllis Diller: A Pioneering Female Comedian
Phyllis Diller met her husband Sherwood while at Bluffton College; they married in 1939 and had six children before divorcing in 1965. Diller then married actor Warde Donovan, but filed for divorce just three months later due to his revelation as a bisexual alcoholic. The two reconciled and remained married until 1975.
A decade later, Diller began a relationship with Robert P. Hastings, with whom she was with until his passing in 1996. In August of 2012, Diller died at her home in Los Angeles at the age of 95.
Throughout her career, Diller left a lasting legacy as a pioneering female comedian and outspoken advocate of plastic surgery.
Phyllis Diller’s Brentwood mansion
In 1965, Phyllis Diller purchased a 9,200 square foot, 22-room mansion in LA’s Brentwood neighborhood on S. Rockingham Avenue. Her son listed the 1.2 acre property for sale for $12.6 million a month after her death. The mansion was sold for $9.35 million in December 2012. The new owner demolished the mansion and built a 12,000 square foot mansion that is estimated to be worth $20-30 million today.
