The Phyllis Diller Papers include business papers, correspondence, sheet music, media, and memorabilia from the private collection of the comedienne and actress. Diller broke ground as one of the first and most prominent woman comedians through her stand-up act, films, television appearances, books, and records. Post-retirement in 2002, Diller wrote an autobiography titled Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse: My Life in Comedy (2005), turned her hobby of drawing and painting into another career, and has continued to make appearances on television and in film. She continues to add material to the collection every year.
The collection was processed in the Center for Primary Research and Training by Ben Sher, a Ph.D. student in UCLA’s Cinema and Media Studies program. The project was supported by a generous donation from Bette Midler.
