Joan Rivers facts for kids

Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
	Rivers in 2010
Born	Joan Alexandra Molinsky ; June 8, 1933; Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	September 4, 2014 (aged 81); Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Ashes scattered in Wyoming
Occupation	Comedian, actress, writer, producer, television host
Years active	1959–2014
Spouse(s)	James Sanger; (m. 1955; annulled 1955) ; Edgar Rosenberg; (m. 1965; died 1987)
Children	Melissa Rivers
	Comedy career
Medium	Stand-up, film, television, theatre, literature
Genres	Observational comedy, insult comedy, shock comedy, black comedy, blue comedy, improvisational comedy

Joan Alexandra Molinsky (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014), known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedian, talk show host, businesswoman, and celebrity. She was known for her tough manner and loud voice with a heavy New York accent. She was the National Chairwoman of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and was a board member of God's Love We Deliver. She won an Emmy Award in 1990.

Rivers was born in Brooklyn, New York City. She was raised in Larchmore, New York. Rivers studied at Connecticut College and at Barnard College.

Similar to how Phyllis Diller career began, Rivers' comedy act was mainly about bad things about herself.

A friend of Nancy and President Ronald Reagan, Rivers attended a state dinner in 1983, and later, at the invitation of Nancy, spoke at luncheon at the 1984 Republican National Convention.

She was married to James Sanger for a few months in 1955 before their marriage was annulled. She was married to Edgar Rosenberg from 1965 until his suicide in 1987. Rivers and Rosenberg had a daughter, Melissa Rivers.

On the morning of August 28, 2014, Rivers was rushed to the hospital after suffering from cardiac arrest during surgery on her throat in New York City. She was put on life support and was in a medically induced coma.

On September 4, 2014, Melissa announced that Rivers had died at the age of 81 from heart failure caused by respiratory and cardiac arrest.