Phyllis Diller: Composer and Harpsichord(!)

Posted at 8:49 AM on August 21, 2012 by John Birge

Props to my colleauges Lynne Warfel and Tom Crann for pointing out that before the late comedienne Phyllis Diller ever considered a career in comedy, she wanted to be a classical musician. She played piano as a girl, and after graduating from high school in Lima Ohio, Phyllis Diller went to Chicago to study piano at Sherwood Music Conservatory of Columbia College. She still played in her private life, and owned a custom-made harpsichord, which once appeared on Liberace's variety show:

She was a pretty good composer, too!