Fright wig worn by Phyllis Diller
Fright wig worn by Phyllis Diller
Previous
Next
Usage conditions apply
- Description
- As part of her signature look, Phyllis Diller generally wore a fright wig: a wig with hair that stands out from the head. Diller began bleaching her hair early in her career in an attempt to look less like the average girl next door. After years of bleaching her hair it began to thin. A beauty parlor gave her a special rubber massage brush to stimulate hair regrowth, and while it did not lead to more hair growth it did make her hair stand on end, which quickly became her signature style. This style progressed and became more outlandish until she began wearing fright wigs like this one.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- Wig
- place made
- Japan
- Physical Description
- synthetic fibers (overall material)
- kanekalon (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 17 in x 14 in x 5 in; 43.18 cm x 35.56 cm x 12.7 cm
- ID Number
- 2003.0289.11
- accession number
- 2003.0289
- catalog number
- 2003.0289.11
- Credit Line
- Gift of Phyllis Diller
- subject
- Humor
- Comedians
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
- Popular Entertainment
- Phyllis Diller
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.
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.
Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.
