15 Incredible Photos of Young Joan Rivers That Show She Was Always Iconic
Even as a little girl in elementary school, the iconic comedian knew she was a "witty kid."
Can we talk? Throughout her long and dynamic career, Joan Rivers quickly made a name for herself as a trailblazing comedian, actress, entertainer, and TV host whose life and legacy will be honored in NBC’s special, Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute.
“Joan Rivers is deserving of her status as one of the funniest and most influential comedians of all time,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events and Specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “She paved the way for so many women who came after her, and this special is a way to honor her for all of her incredible achievements both on the stage and off.”
Rivers, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 81, knew she had a special knack for comedy since she was a young girl. In a 1983 interview with TODAY’s Bryant Gumbel, Rivers said she knew she was funny when she was 8 or 9 years old. “I was funny in school,” she said. “Teachers thought so! Not smartass funny, I was a funny kid, witty kid.”
Once Rivers got her big break in the 1960s, she was unstoppable and has been revered as a fearless icon ever since. Read on to see vintage photos of Rivers from the early days of her career.
Rivers’ comedy career dates back to the 1960s when she joined Second City and once said she "was born a comedian" at the Chicago theater. She then made an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and, by 1965, she had been invited to be a guest on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show. “God, you’re funny,” Carson told her. “You’re going to be a star.”
Rivers would go on to make many more television appearances in that decade, including hosting her own program, That Show Starring Joan Rivers, showcasing her quick wit. As she opened one show in 1968, "Hi, I'm Joan Rivers and today we're going to be discussing nudism. So get undressed all of you out there."
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By the 1970s, Rivers' status as a famous comedian and television personality continued to grow with more gigs, appearing on programs including The Carol Burnett Show and Hollywood Squares. She also hosted many episodes of The Shape of Things, a feminist variety and comedy show.
In one especially memorable segment from The Shape of Things in 1973, Rivers cracked jokes about the idea of liberation and shaving. "I don't really like today's fashions. You know what I miss? I miss the midi, don't you?" she said. "It was terrific. If you went to work, you only had to shave up to [your knee]. It was a winner! Then the midi left and hot pants came in. I look like a gorilla in sweat socks."
The '70s also marked a big moment in Rivers' entertainment career. In 1978, she made her directorial debut with Rabbit Test, a comedy she wrote starring actor and Saturday Night Live alum Billy Crystal.
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In every sense of the phrase, Rivers was booked and busy in the '80s. On April 9, 1983, Rivers hosted her first and only episode of Saturday Night Live and recalled in an interview with the Television Academy that she "loved" acting with Eddie Murphy in a variety of sketches.
In 1986, Rivers began hosting The Late Show with Joan Rivers where she interviewed many celebrity guests including Elton John, Cher, and Pee-wee Herman.
Just a few years later, Rivers began hosting her self-titled talk show, The Joan Rivers Show, from 1989 to 1993. Sometime during this era, as she'd sit down and chat with a variety of guests, her famous catchphrase — "Can we talk?" — was born. And it wasn't intentional.
“It came about because I always try to be very honest — my humor is truly stripping everything bare!” she explained in an interview. “I didn’t realize I was saying it to the audience, and then they began repeating it back to me, so I don’t say it anymore. Totally spontaneous.”
Rivers added that it was comedian Rodney Dangerfield who told her that would be known as her catchphrase. "Rodney Dangerfield figured out, ‘I don’t get no respect,’ and he said to me, ‘Can we talk?’ And I was like, ‘What? Can we talk?’ And he said, ‘Oh, you use that phrase!’" she recalled.
With Rivers steering the ship, The Joan Rivers Show proved to be such a hit that she won the Daytime Emmy in 1990 for Outstanding Talk Show Host. And during her acceptance speech, she, of course, had the audience in stitches. "I always had a fantasy, you know, as a child that I'd win one of these and I never thought I'd be this old when the fantasy came true, but here it is," she said while holding her Emmy.
After sharing that she didn't have a speech prepared because she didn't think she'd win, Rivers went on to thank the many people who helped make the show happen, shared gratitude for her daughter Melissa, and dedicated her award to her late husband, Edgar Rosenberg.
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Rivers once described herself as a "no-holds barred type of person" and that's exactly the type of comedy she delivered throughout her inspiring career. In fact, some of her best life advice serves as a reminder to not take things too seriously. "Never be afraid to laugh at yourself," she once said. "After all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century."
How to watch Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute
Featuring an impressive lineup of comedies such as Tiffany Haddish, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nikki Glaser, Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute premieres on Tuesday, May 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
You can also stream an uncensored, extended version of the tribute special the next day on Peacock.
