Joan Rivers and daughter Melissa at a fashion show in 1973. (Kathleen Ballard / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers directs her first movie, “Rabbit Test,” in 1977. (Kathleen Ballard / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers in 1977. (Mary Frampton / Los Angeles Times)
Fox Chairman Barry Diller and Joan Rivers in 1986. (Con Keyes / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers in 1990. (Steve Fontanini / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers performs in Anaheim in 1991. (Rod Boren / For The Times)
Joan Rivers, left, with her daughter, Melissa Rivers, at the 57th annual Golden Globes Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Joan and Melissa Rivers at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers and her daughter Melissa Rivers stand on the red carpet prior to the start of the 2002 Emmy Awards. (Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)
Joan and Melissa Rivers arrive at the 55th Emmy Awards in 2003. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers during her 2010 Tribeca Film Festival opening of ‘Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work’ in New York. (Jason Szenes/EPA )
File photo of comedian Joan Rivers arriving for the premiere of the documentary “Joan Rivers - A Piece Of Work” in Park City.
(Lucas Jackson/Reuters)
Joan Rivers at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood in 2010. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers works on a segment with Kelly Osborne, right, during a break in her show “Fashion Police” (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers talks to Jason Biggs before his segment on “Fashion Police.” (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers jokes with George Kotsiopoulos during a break in her show “Fashion Police. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers chats with audience members during a break in her show “Fashion Police.” (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Joan Rivers visits “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” (Theo Wargo / Getty Images)
Joan Rivers talks with people off the street while promoting her new book “Diary of a Mad Diva” in New York City. (Rob Kim / Getty Images)
