There are certain Hollywood homes that belong in the Smithsonian. Count Phyllis Diller's among them -- at least her Wig Room. Diller, who died in August at age 95, entertained generations with her on-stage persona of a wild-haired crazy housewife with a husband named "Fang." Her Los Angeles house, which she bought in 1965, was just listed at $12.9 million. The eight-bedroom, five-bath home is more than 9,000 sq. ft., and sits on 1.25 acres.
Much was made about Candy Spelling's The Manor having had multiple gift-wrapping rooms, but nothing may trump Diller devoting a room to storing the many wigs she wore. Diller also named many of her home's 22 rooms. She considered comic actor Bob Hope her mentor and called her living room the Bob Hope Salon. A large oil painting of Hope is featured prominently in the room, a gift from her comedian friend. The home furnishings will be sold at auction.
While the public knew Diller as a comedienne, she was also a classically trained musician who played the piano, organ and harpsichord. The Bach Room, which did double-duty as an office and salon, held a baby grand piano. Her sense of humor and fondness for sight gags was also in evidence as she named her rooms: one guest room, painted yellow, was dubbed the Canary Suite and a room with an organ in it was called the Pump Room. A powder room was named after Edith Head, the Academy Award winning costume designer, and there was a mirrored telephone room known as the John Wilkes Booth.
