ARTHUR HILLER - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 06/20/1996 - HFSID 270296

ARTHUR HILLER
The Canadian director signs this letter to Phyllis Diller telling her she is a delight and has talent
Autograph letter signed: "Arthur", 1 page, 8½x11. Los Angeles, California, 1996 June 20. On imprinted letterhead to comedienne and actress Phyllis Diller. Begins: "Dear Phyllis -". In full: "I loved my 'stamp' on an envelope. How clever! So why have I taken a year to thank you? Guilt. Guilt makes me think about you even more & what a delight you are - & what a talent! Warmly". In the year he wrote this letter, Hiller directed the feature film, Carpool. He also appeared as himself on television in an episode of Biography that honored comic Richard Pryor. Canadian film director ARTHUR HILLER (1923-2016) made his debut in 1955 when he directed a few episodes of Matinee Theatre. After directing other television anthologies such as Playhouse 90 (1956-1958), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958-1961), and Naked City (1961), he moved on to feature films. His directorial efforts include The Americanization of Emily (1964), Silver Streak (1976), The In-Laws (1979), The Babe (1992). He was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for directing Love Story (1970). Hiller's career behind the camera lasted over half of a century. Comedienne PHYLLIS DILLER (1917-2012), known for her outrageous appearance, zany outfits, distinctive laugh and a stand-up act that featured frequent references to her fictional husband, "Fang", and zingers about her sex appeal and numerous plastic surgeries, got her big break in March 1955 (at age 37), when she debuted at San Francisco's Purple Onion club. A subsequent appearance on The Tonight Show hosted by Jack Paar launched her national career, which got a big boost after Bob Hope saw Diller in a Washington, D.C. club. A favorite of the comedian, Diller would appear in three of Hope's films and 23 of his TV specials. Diller, who recorded her first comedy record album in 1959, took her groundbreaking "funny hausfrau" act to nightclubs and television variety shows and specials and she also appeared on the big screen. Her feature film credits include Splendor in the Grass (1961), The Fat Spy (1966), Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966), The Sunshine Boys (1975) and The Silence of the Hams (1994), and she provided the voice of the Queen in A Bug's Life (1998). By 2000, the comedienne, who had trained as a concert pianist before her marriage (1939-1965) to Sherwood Anderson Diller, had appeared as a piano soloist with 100 symphony orchestras across the U.S. Despite retiring from nightclub/stage tours in May 2002 at the age of 84, Diller continued to make films (Motorcross Kids, 2004; Forget About It, 2005) and occasionally appear on TV programs, including two episodes of 7th Heaven (2002, 2003) and a guest shot on The Wayne Brady Show (2004). Lightly creased with folds, not at signature. Otherwise, fine condition.