Friday, March 5, 2010

George Carlin & Phyllis Diller : Ask them a Question


Found this article on George Carlin and Phyllis from the Daily Review in Hayward, CA, 18 Aug 1968. Quite a find on ancestry.com.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Astounding Woman - Dec. 30, 1958






This article is so good I had to share it. $500.00 a week Phyllis got at the Purple Onion in 1955!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Diller comes to SF....September 20, 1962


The Fairmount's Venetian Room is where my Grandpa had his wedding reception on February 14, 1942. How odd?

Phyllis' first show back in 1952!


This article dated 19 Nov 1952, from the Daily Review in Hayward, jumped up at me while I was doing research on Phyllis. It says that she had a show and it was filmed on telefilm, an early form of television. Don Sherwood gave the intro to her show, a real shocker. Both my Grandpa and Don had something to do with her career, starting it! This show never made it, I guess.

Diller and Bob Hope




Diller and Hope appeared on tv in 1964 with Dean Martin and the whole gang. I just love the photos of Phyllis in these 2 ads. Classic.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Pyllis Diller: April 23, 1955


Phyllis appeared on KGO-TV's 'Pop Club' on April 23, 1955. The young stand-up comedienne was approached by my very own grandfather, Willard Severin Anderson, who invited her onto his show. Phyllis started her career at the Purple Onion on March 7, 1955, 1 month before the show. The owner of the Purple Onion, Barrymore Drew, thought she was not doing good in that first month, Phyllis' job there was in jeopardy. Willard told Phyllis to get Barrymore to watch the 'Pop Club' on t.v. and to rethink her future. After her appearance, Barrymore Drew signed a long term contract for Phyllis and she remained there for the next 4 years, selling out there 87 straight weeks. The article I found from the Alameda Times-Star revealed that she was a vocalist on the show. She must have cracked a few jokes on the show.