The Best of Phyllis Diller

Description:

Comedy LP recording of Phyllis Diller titled The Best of Phyllis Diller and released in 1960. Side 1 contains "Don't Eat Here" (1:08); "The Way I Dress" (2:55); "Beadcraft" (1:47); "Hypochondriac" (2:05); "The Management" (4:10); and "Cheese and Turkey" (5:38). Side 2 contains "Tight Wad Airlines" (11:50); "Plastic Surgery" (2:30); "Lipstick" (2:20); and "The New Cosmetic" (1:15).

Phyllis Diller (1917-2012) began her comedy career in the 1950s at the age of 37 and broke barriers in the comedy world to become the first solo female comic to be a household name. She developed a stage persona of an incompetent housewife and dressed in outlandish outfits with wild hair. Her material focused on self-deprecating jokes that tackled the idealized image of American mothers and homemakers. She also created many mythical personas for her stage act including her “husband” Fang, her “neighbor” Mrs. Clean, and her “mother-in-law” Moby Dick.

Date Made: 1961

Publisher: VerveMaker: Diller, PhyllisVerve

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United States

Subject: HumorComedians

Subject:

See more items in: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment, Popular Entertainment, Phyllis Diller, Sound Recordings

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: Gift of Phyllis Diller

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 2003.0289.27Accession Number: 2003.0289Catalog Number: 2003.0289.27

Object Name: Sound Recording

Physical Description: vinyl (overall material)cardboard (overall material)ink (overall material)Measurements: overall: 12 1/2 in x 12 1/2 in; 31.75 cm x 31.75 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-4402-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1247704

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.