In spite of a difficult childhood and severe ill health in her later years, Lady Ella remained strong and positive. Her talent was incredible, but so was her genuine drive to make the world a better place. One hundred years after her birth, Ella remains the Queen of Jazz and a monumental figure for everything she gave to the arts—and to the world.
PHYLLIS DILLER FIRST SOLO FEMALE STAND-UP COMEDIAN
FULL NAME: Phyllis Ada Driver Diller
BORN: JULY 17, 1917, LIMA, OHIO, U.S.A.
DIED: AUGUST 20, 2012, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.
NATIONALITY: AMERICAN
Phyllis Diller, 2010
LARGER THAN LIFE
Phyllis Diller’s big break, in 1955, was as unique as the woman herself. As a contestant on comedian Groucho Marx’s game show, You Bet Your Life, Phyllis was memorable. So memorable, in fact, that she was offered a comedy debut at a San Francisco comedy club. Phyllis was already 37 and the mother of five children. Phyllis exaggerated her already larger-than-life makeup, costumes, expressions, and cackle and quickly created her unique comic persona.
Phyllis became known for her one-liners and monologues, and she played up her role as a typical American housewife with everyday problems. Audiences loved her—and by 1961, she had found her way into film and theater. But her talents still didn’t end there: Phyllis was also an accomplished pianist and the author of five best-selling books.
| FABULOUS FIRSTS | |
|
|
FIRST FEMALE STAND-UP COMEDIAN |
PAVING THE WAY
Phyllis earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1975. In 1992, she received the American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Her trailblazing role in the entertainment industry, as well as her caricature of life as a suburban housewife, led to her place as a feminist icon. Phyllis paved the way for the funny women who would follow in her footsteps and onto the stage. Comedians as diverse as Zooey Deschanel, Amy Poehler, and Joan Rivers credit Phyllis for their place at the mic.
Honoring fellow comedian Bob Hope in 2003, Phyllis Diller celebrates with members of Hope’s family and fellow actors, including Kelsey Grammer.
MARGOT FONTEYN ONE OF GREATEST BALLET DANCERS OF ALL TIME
FULL NAME: Margaret Evelyn Hookham
BORN: MAY 18, 1919, REIGATE, SURREY, U.K.
DIED: FEBRUARY 21, 1991, PANAMA CITY, PANAMA
NATIONALITY: BRITISH
TRUE GRACE
Born Margaret Evelyn Hookham in Surrey, England, to a British father and an Irish-Brazilian mother, Margaret came from a very artistic family. At the age of four, she began ballet classes. At eight, her family moved to China, where she began studying ballet with a Russian teacher. At 14, Margaret returned to London to concentrate on her dancing. Not yet a teenager, the young Margot had already invested a lot into the study of ballet around the world. Margaret’s stage name, Margot Fonteyn, was a play on her own mixed-race roots.
A NATIONAL TREASURE
In 1934, at the age of 15, Margot made her professional debut with the Vic-Wells Ballet in London (later to be called the Royal Ballet—with whom she would spend the rest of her career). The following year, she became one of the troupe’s leading dancers. Margot was renowned for her outstanding interpretations of the classics. Her portrayal of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, in 1939, is still considered to be the best ever. In addition, she was loved for her creation of contemporary roles in more modern productions. Margot was said to be technically perfect, but she also had great style and musicality. Her charm and charisma also opened up ballet to a wider audience.
| FABULOUS FIRSTS | |
|
|
FIRST BRITISH DANCER TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL BALLET STAR |
For several years, Margot’s dance partner was Rudolf Nureyev. The two of them are seen here at the Stockholm Opera, in 1969.
Ballet sensation Margot Fonteyn, pictured in 1969
All of this built her status as an international star—the first to come from an English dance company, and Margot stayed true to her national roots, too. In 1954, Margot became the president of the Royal Academy of Dancing, and in 1956 she was made Dame of the Order of the British Empire (making her Dame Margot Fonteyn, DBE). For many years, Margot’s dance partner was the Soviet ballet sensation Rudolf Nureyev, and their performances wowed audiences across the globe. On Margot’s 60th birthday, she was appointed Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Royal Ballet—an honor awarded to her by Queen Elizabeth II, and held until Margot’s death.
MARIA CALLAS MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE OPERA SINGER OF THE 20TH CENTURY
FULL NAME: Anna Maria Sofia Cecelia Kalos
BORN: DECEMBER 2, 1923, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, U.S.A.
DIED: SEPTEMBER 16, 1977, PARIS, FRANCE
NATIONALITY: GREEK-AMERICAN
A Greek postage stamp, circa 1997, honors the great diva
LA DIVINA
Think “Diva” and you most likely picture a modern-day celebrity strutting her stuff on stage. But the original diva was actually an opera singer, born almost 100 years ago. Maria Callas was a Greek-American soprano singer, nicknamed “La Divina” (the Divine) and “The Tigress.” Maria was one of the most important opera singers of the 20th century. Her vocal range was huge, and her performances were incredibly dramatic, whether in traditional operas or musical dramas.
AN ALL-AROUND PERFORMER
Maria was born in New York, but her parents were Greek and moved to the U.S.A. when Maria’s mother was pregnant with her. When Maria was a young teenager, she moved back to Greece again. Maria’s Greek heritage remained important to her throughout her life. From the age of three, Maria’s singing talent was obvious. Her mother often made her sing, and Maria did not enjoy singing to begin with. But by her teenage years, Maria was receiving proper voice training. She took it very seriously and began to “devour” anything musical. Her stage debut was in 1939 in a school production.