ROSS HUNTER - AUTOGRAPH NOTE SIGNED 12/24/1981 - HFSID 270380

ROSS HUNTER
The acclaimed producer sends this postcard to actress and comedienne Phyllis Diller
Autograph Postcard signed: "Russ Hunter" in black ink, color, 6x4. Postmarked Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands, December 24, 1981. 13¢ stamp affixed. Front depicts the Sun Line's Stella Solaris (Greek Registry). Captioned on verso. Addressed in unknown hand to "Phyllis Diller, 163 S. Rockingham Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90049". In full: "Seasons Greetings/ from the/ Caribbean./ Love". Producer ROSS HUNTER (1920-1996), born Martin Fuss, was in Army intelligence during WWII before becoming an actor in such B-movie outings as Louisiana Hayride (1944). He then became the producer of more than 60 films, most of which were star-studded, lavish productions with lush musical scores that emphasized Hunter's love of "old-time" Hollywood. Hunter had his biggest commercial success with Airport (1970), which won him an Academy Award for Best Art Direction. He was also nominated for Oscars for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, and Best Sound. A few of his other notable films include Magnificent Obsession (1954), My Man Godfrey and Tammy and the Bachelor (both in 1957), Imitation of Life and Pillow Talk (both in 1959), Back Street and Flower Drum Song (both in 1961), The Thrill of It All (1963), Madame X (1966), Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), and Lost Horizon (1973). Moreover, he produced a number of made-for-TV movies after moving to Paramount in 1974. Comedienne PHYLLIS DILLER (1917-2012) was known for her outrageous appearance, zany outfits, and distinctive laugh. Her stand-up act featured frequent references to her fictional husband, "Fang", and zingers about her sex appeal and numerous plastic surgeries. Dillergot 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. 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). Interestingly, 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 appeared on TV programs, including two episodes of 7th Heaven (2002, 2003) and had a guest spot on The Wayne Brady Show (2004). Postmark touches "Ross" (completely legible). Lightly creased at corners. Slightly soiled at blank right margin. Otherwise, fine condition.