Phyllis Diller (July 17th, 1917 – August 20th, 2012) was an American stand-up comedian, actress, author, musician, and visual artist, best known for her eccentric stage persona, self-deprecating humor, wild hair and clothes, and exaggerated, cackling laugh. Diller was one of the first female comics to become a household name in the U.S., credited as an influence by Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, and Ellen DeGeneres, among others. She had a large gay following and is considered a gay icon. She was also one of the first celebrities to openly champion plastic surgery, for which she was recognized by the cosmetic surgery industry. Diller also contributed to more than 40 films, beginning with 1961's Splendor in the Grass. She appeared in many television series, featuring in numerous cameos as well as her own short-lived sitcom and variety show. Some of her credits include Night Gallery, The Muppet Show, The Love Boat, Cybill, and Boston Legal, plus 11 seasons of The Bold and the Beautiful. Her voice-acting roles included the monster's wife in Mad Monster Party, the Queen in A Bug's Life, Granny Neutron in The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and Thelma Griffin in Family Guy.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Phyllis Diller was first present at the 1981 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade along with Erik Estrada on the Cinderella float.
Diller would later play a much bigger role as Mother Goose on her newly-painted, self-tiled float at the 60th Anniversary Macy's Parade in 1986. She welcomed a bunch of guest stars entering Herald Square who represent well-known nurses rhyme characters, featuring Ed Fry, Hank Cheyne, and Laurence Lau from NBC's Another World sailing on the Rub-A-Dub-Dub float, Victoria Jackson from NBC's Saturday Night Live riding on Mr. Snail, and John James with Celeste Holm riding on Cinderella's Carriage.