Waaaaay back in the late 70's, I was cast in a musical review that was scheduled to perform at Harrah's, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
We rehearsed the show in Las Vegas for two weeks, then the cast traveled via car caravan through the beautiful mountains of Tahoe.
Our living arrangements had been made by the director/producer of the show, in which some of us were to stay in the home of the zany comedienne, Phyllis Diller.
She apparently rented out her home whenever our director needed to house cast members for a show he was producing in Tahoe.
The house was beautiful. Not overly decorated or ostentatious, but rather simple, airy and spacious.
We each had our own bedroom and bathroom, but share common areas such as the kitchen, den, and living room. The living room was my favorite place, because it had a huge bay window that over-looked Lake Tahoe and the casino's. Sometimes at night, I would turn off all the lights and sit in a chair; just gazing out over the beautiful twinkling lights below - it was breathtaking.
Everything that Phyllis Diller owned in the house was literally documented in a large book. Everything from furniture, silverware, dishes, appliances, sheets, bath towels....even down to the ashtrays were accounted for and would need to be accounted for, when we left.
And can you blame her?
I mean, I could just imagine some celebrity crazed psycho like myself, trying to smuggle one of her bed pillows in my suitcase and telling everyone, "Look what I have....and just think, Phyllis Diller actually laid her head on this pillow...could you just DIE??"
But that still didn't stop me from snooping around; looking through every room and going through every closet and drawer. It's not like she had a ton of her personal stuff lying around, but did have several family and celebrity photo's, and also some paintings that she had done.
And it was while I was snooping around in the living room one afternoon, that I discovered a curio cabinet standing in the corner.
When I looked inside...I couldn't believe my eyes.
For the cabinet was filled with several pairs of her shoes.
Now here's the freakish part...
...the SIZE.
They had to have been at least a size 11 with a width no more than 1 inch.
I felt like I was holding a pair of 11" kayaks!
I thought to myself, "Who the HELL has feet like this?"
Well, apparently, Phyllis Diller.
And I know this sounds sick and demented, but I was almost tempted to try them on, however, even with my small feet, I knew the width would have been impossible.
Besides, I would have looked like one of the evil stepsisters in Cinderella, attempting to CRAM my foot into a tiny glass slipper....
We rehearsed the show in Las Vegas for two weeks, then the cast traveled via car caravan through the beautiful mountains of Tahoe.
Our living arrangements had been made by the director/producer of the show, in which some of us were to stay in the home of the zany comedienne, Phyllis Diller.
She apparently rented out her home whenever our director needed to house cast members for a show he was producing in Tahoe.
The house was beautiful. Not overly decorated or ostentatious, but rather simple, airy and spacious.
We each had our own bedroom and bathroom, but share common areas such as the kitchen, den, and living room. The living room was my favorite place, because it had a huge bay window that over-looked Lake Tahoe and the casino's. Sometimes at night, I would turn off all the lights and sit in a chair; just gazing out over the beautiful twinkling lights below - it was breathtaking.
Everything that Phyllis Diller owned in the house was literally documented in a large book. Everything from furniture, silverware, dishes, appliances, sheets, bath towels....even down to the ashtrays were accounted for and would need to be accounted for, when we left.
And can you blame her?
I mean, I could just imagine some celebrity crazed psycho like myself, trying to smuggle one of her bed pillows in my suitcase and telling everyone, "Look what I have....and just think, Phyllis Diller actually laid her head on this pillow...could you just DIE??"
But that still didn't stop me from snooping around; looking through every room and going through every closet and drawer. It's not like she had a ton of her personal stuff lying around, but did have several family and celebrity photo's, and also some paintings that she had done.
And it was while I was snooping around in the living room one afternoon, that I discovered a curio cabinet standing in the corner.
When I looked inside...I couldn't believe my eyes.
For the cabinet was filled with several pairs of her shoes.
Now here's the freakish part...
...the SIZE.
They had to have been at least a size 11 with a width no more than 1 inch.
I felt like I was holding a pair of 11" kayaks!
I thought to myself, "Who the HELL has feet like this?"
Well, apparently, Phyllis Diller.
And I know this sounds sick and demented, but I was almost tempted to try them on, however, even with my small feet, I knew the width would have been impossible.
Besides, I would have looked like one of the evil stepsisters in Cinderella, attempting to CRAM my foot into a tiny glass slipper....
"I admit it, I have a tremendous sex drive. My boyfriend lives forty-five miles away" - Phyllis Diller
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
X
Are you SURE they were actual worn shoes and not some kind of Carrot Top-type of prop? You know, like those silly clown shoes?
ReplyDelete<-- size 10
ReplyDelete*shrugs*
And I don't account for everything in the house--heck, I couldn't begin to! ;-)
OH Ron, you know I just ADORE her!!!! I really do.
ReplyDeleteI saw her perform at one of the casinos years ago in A.C. and she had that crazy outfit, the hair, the little boots, the short dress. She was riot!
When I was young, I recorded a performance of hers on t.v. on my tape recorder and listened to it over and over. And I tried to do that laugh of hers. Isn't that the BEST!!
She had such funny characters to joke about... Fang, his Mother, his sister, and how about this one where she's talking about her fictional 'sexy' sister:
It took the driving instructor two days to teach her how to sit up in a car....She was the original meter maid -- all you had to do was meet her, you got her made....She broke her ankle in a glove compartment....She spent more time with the team than the coach....She told me she wanted a white wedding; I told her, "You'd better pray for snow..."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I'm so glad that you had the experience of staying in her home. It must have been really enjoyable. Thanks for sharing.
But what about those shoes???? Were they really hers?? Maybe she had an even better sense of humor and put them on display to make people think they were. LOL
Now I have to go find her autobiography at Barnes ones of these days soon. It's called 'Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse' so I'm sure it's really really funny. Have you read it??
Thanks again, Ron for posting about Phyllis. She's just one of my absolute favs!
Have a glorious weekend too! It's supposed to be HOT!
Phyllis may indeed have the big sole, but you, my friend, are the Sole Man! Great post!
ReplyDeleteEFH
How cool is that? Being able to say in Ms. Diller's house!
ReplyDeleteI watched a documentary about her on A&E, she is quite a woman. Way ahead of her time, I think.
I'll have to look at her feet next time I see her on T.V. Those shoes sound very odd. Thank Gods, you didn't find a cabinet full of her wigs! You might have died of fright!
Aloha Debi!
ReplyDeleteNo...they were shoes that she actually had worn - kinda like a fancy dress shoe. The pair I remember holding were like a chocolate brown.
I went online and googled her a few days ago, to try and find her exact shoe size, but only found one photo of her shoes/boot that were placed in a hollywood museum. And MY GOD...you should have seen them...they were GRANDE'! I bet they could have even been a size 12!?!
Thanks for stopping by, Deb!
Hope you got some sleep in and that Shu is eating.
Have a great weekend!
Mornin' Mel!
ReplyDeleteOh...you're so cute, dear lady!
You see....it was more of the WIDTH of her shoes that surpised me, than the length.
They really did resemble a little kayak!
I bet I could have floated around Lake Tahoe in them!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
ALWAYS great seeing, Mel!
Enjoy your day and have wonderful weekend!
We're getting some warmer Spring weather this weekend!
Being a child of the 70's, my first exposure to Ms. Diller was in the animated form, when she had a run in with the Mystery Machine on Scooby Doo.
ReplyDeleteDoubtful the folks at Hanna-Barbera wrote in any shoe gags.
Hellooooo Crystal Chick!
ReplyDeleteYes, my neighboring friend...I SO thought of YOU while writing this post, knowing your love of her. I've been meaning to share this experience, so few days ago I put it together.
Yes...they were her actual shoes, because our producer/director knew her very well. Unfortunately, the size had been rubbed off the inner shoe from wear, so I can only estimate the size - but they were very long and very narrow.
For me, her sense of humor is exactly the type that I enjoy....DRY and SARCASTIC.
..."She told me she wanted a white wedding; I told her, "You'd better pray for snow"....
OMG....that was HYSTERICAL!!!
And no...I've heard of her biography and have seen it online when I was doing research for this post. The title just CRACKED me up!! I read a brief outline about it, and discovered that she had a very rough life and used comedy to get through it. I have to look for it in our city library and read it.
YES!!!...holy shit....I heard the weather may even hit 86 degrees!! You should have heard me MOANING at work yesterday!
Thanks for dropping by, M!
Glad you enjoyed the post!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Howdy Expat!
ReplyDeleteaawww...thank you always for your kind word, sir!
ALWAYS such a pleasure seeing ya here!
Thank you for stopping by!
Have an AWESOME weekend!!!
Howdy Lady Nitebyrd!
ReplyDeleteI briefly read a review on her biography and was surpise to hear that she had a very rough life. I will try and find that A&E documentary at my video store.
And I SOOO totally agree with you about her being WAAAAAY ahead of her time.
Our producer knew her very well, and shared that she is a VERY smart lady and knows exactly what she's doing with her career.
Hey listen, funny you should mention her WIGS, because there was not a ONE to be found in that house.
(and don't think I wasn't DYING to find one...and try it on)
bwhahahahahahhha!
Have an FABU weekend, Sis!
Thanks for dropping by!!
Howdy MVD!
ReplyDeleteOMG...now you've got me so curious to go to the video store and rent episodes of Scooby Doo!
I use to watch that show and can't remember seeing an animated character of her, but I'm sure it was a RIOT!
I bet her feet were drawn like water ski's!
bwhahahahahah!
Thanks for stopping by, bud!
Enjoy your weekend!
I always found PD very funny. Like you, I wouldn't have been able to resist snooping! Are you sure the shoes were hers and not some exhibit types like 'just the right shoe'?
ReplyDeleteAfternoon Akelamalu!
ReplyDeleteOH MAN...don't LOVE snooping???
I can't help it...I'm a natural born DETECTIVE!
YES...they were in fact, her shoes. Only because our producer knew her and had used the house several times. I think a lot of cast members had probably asked him that same question...
..."Are these REALLY hers??"....
I should have really taken a picture of them at the time - I don't know what I was thinking!?!?
Thanks for stopping by, dear lady!
Enjoy your Spring weekend!!!
Detective is a good way of putting it!! Very cool!!
ReplyDeleteOMG...Casdok!!!
ReplyDeleteI JUST this minute saw on my google reader that you posted today!!!!
YAY!!...so I'll be over something this evening to enjoy!
GRRRRRREAT seeing ya, sweet lady!
Yes...doesn't "detective" sound so much nicer than NOSEY???
hahahahahahahahaha!
MUCHO thanks for dropping by today!
Love to you and C!
XX
ron, I just knew you were going to find shoes and I also thought you would wear them and think you might have had they been your size, *grin*
ReplyDeletewhat a weird size...I want to know your size as you say you have small feet...can't help it, call me curious :)
have a good weekend...mine will be busy, the last one with the little ones, they are off on tuesday.
You're so RIGHT Linda!
ReplyDeleteI'm damn sure I would have tried those suckers on!!
But Phyllis's feet are just waaay too narrow.
My shoe size is 7 1/2. Sometimes I need an 8, depending on the shoe.
I wear a woman's 9.
And the only reason I know this, is because I had to wear women's shoe's when I played the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella!
HONEST!
Enjoy your last weekend with the KIDDIES, dear friend!
I know you'll very happy on Monday!
tee, hee!
xo
Hahaha...you crack me up. You should have definitely tried on her shoes and left her a polaroid.
ReplyDeleteHow fabulous that you got to stay in her house. Did you take any pictures?
ReplyDeleteI'm a big snoop, too. My secret dream is to be a detective. I would be so tempted to steal something. Think of the bidding wars on eBay!
BTW, love the green background!
Have a good weekend~
Hahaahhaahah....OMG TINA!!!
ReplyDeleteThat was BRILLIANT!!!
That's EXACTLY what I should have done!!!
A POLAROID!!!!
OMG...can imagine what she would have thought?
CRAZY MAN!
It's so great seeing ya, girl!
Thanks for stopping by!
Enjoy your weekend!
Hi Chrissy!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNo...can you believe I never got a single picture while I was there?? Hell...if I had, I could have sold the photo's of her home on Ebay.
For some reason, back then, I never took pictures. I don't think I even owned a camera.
Years later, I turned into a video freak and had my video recorder with me EVERYWHERE I went. I still have a ton VHS movies that I made of all the backstage stuff that went on during my shows - some of it is hysterical!!!
Thank you...I'm so glad you enjoy the green background. Last week I suddenly went BONKERS and changed the whole color scheme.
God knows what the hell I'll come up with in the next two months!?!?
Thanks for dropping by, my friend!
Enjoy your weekend!!
I love Phyllis Diller. One of the great commediennes. I also remember the Scooby Doo episode. Those were the days when children's Saturday morning programming was actually entertaining. Those were the days.
ReplyDeleteMorning Jen!
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see ya!
Isn't Miss Diller a HOOT? She and Paul Lynne sorta have the same sense of hysterical "timing" in their comedy deliveries.
He's another one I always loved!
OH BOY....you said it!
Saturday's for me as a kid were the BOMB! Jetson's, Flintstones, HR Buff and Stuff, and old Bette Davis films in the afternoon.
The best!
Hope you're enjoying your weekend, Jen!
Thanks for stopping by!
OMG the wicked stepmother!?!?! i had to rush back and make sure you didn't say wicked step sister and so you looked old did you?? hahahah, no i'm kidding but you must have or maybe it's cause you were a man you had the part as the mean old bitch? why were you the wicked mom and not the sis?
ReplyDeletea size 7?????????????????????????????? omg...what a dinky little foot you have...positively delicate in it's proportions...i bet you take really good care of them too .....i bet...well nevermind...i am just simply out of my mind tonight, what can i say, i am even posting another comment on the diller post just to sort of have a little chat...call me lonely but it's actually exhaustion probably...ok bye sweetie xoxoxo
just erase this after you read it, in case someone reads it, i'd be embarassed .......................................................................................................................................................NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG...Linda!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're a RIOT!!!!
Yes...I did say wicked stepmother!!
I posted a photo of me dressed up as her on this blog. It's way back in my archives, but I know it's here somewhere. Maybe it's before you started reading.
If you want, I can email you the picture. Let me know.
Yes....DINKY feet! But they're WIDE, so sometimes I need an 8 shoe - it all depends on the shoe.
And no, I'm not going to erase your comment, cause it's HYSTERICAL!!!
Peace, Love and Bobby Sherman!
XOXOXOO
i was sooooo in love with bobby, however did you know???
ReplyDeletei'd love to see you as wicked step mom!
xoxox
Heyho Linda!
ReplyDeleteYou and I must be the around the same age, because Bobby Sherman was like the "hearthrob" of the 60's!!!
Also...David Cassidy.
But Bobby was so much better!!!
I'll email the photo of the wicked stepmother sometime this weekend, ok?
XOXOOXO