Auditioned at the Purple Onion in San Francisco

Made debut as comedienne at the Purple Onion, San Francisco at age 40

Stage acting debut "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs"

Film acting debut as famed 1920s nightclub hostess Texas Guinan in "Splendor in the Grass"

Began long relationship with Bob Hope as guest on his numerous variety specials; also later traveled with Hope to Vietnam to entertain US troops

Made first of three films with Hope, "Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!"

TV series debut "The Pruitts of Southampton"

Starred in the feature "Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?"

Headlined the NBC variety series "The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show"

Starred in "Hello, Dolly!" on Broadway; took over the role after Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye and Betty Grable had played the part of Dolly Gallagher Levi

Went public with the first of her numerous plastic surgeries (a facelift), including jokes about it in her comedy routines

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Had a recurring role on the series "Blossom," as Mrs. Peterson

Voiced the Queen in the animated feature "A Bug's Life"

Had a recurring role on "The Bold and the Beautiful"

Wrote her memoir, "Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse"