GAVIN MacLEOD - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 10/04/1979 - HFSID 270317

GAVIN MacLEOD
He writes a letter to Phyllis Diller in 1979: "You are full of surprises!"
Typed letter signed: "Gavin [face incorporated into the "G"]", 1 page, 7¼x10¼. No place, 1979 October 4. On stationery imprinted with his name to comedienne and actress Phyllis Diller, Los Angeles, California. Begins: "Dear Phyllis". In full: "You are full of surprises and so is today's edition of The Hollywood Reporter - thanks for including me! If you ever go into Public Relations, let me know - you're the greatest! Still wishing you a Happy Birthday. Love and kisses". Diller's birthday had been on July 17, nearly three months earlier. At the time he signed this letter, MacLeod was starring on The Love Boat. In 1979, he also appeared in his role as Captain Merrill Stubing in two episodes of Charlie's Angels. Actor Gavin MacLeod is best known for his roles on two TV series: as Murray Slaughter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) and as Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat (1977-1986). He had previously appeared in McHale's Navy (1962-1964) and in several feature films, beginning in 1958. His credits include Pork Chop Hill and Operation Petticoat (both 1959), The Sand Pebbles (1966) and Kelly's Heroes (1970), and MacLeod has also appeared in several made-for-TV movies and has guest starred on a long list of TV shows, from Peter Gunn and The Thin Man in 1958 to Touched By An Angel in 2003. 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). 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. Fine condition.