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 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 talks with people off the street while promoting her new book “Diary of a Mad Diva” in New York City. (Rob Kim / Getty Images)
Joan Rivers visits “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” (Theo Wargo / Getty Images)
Joan and Melissa Rivers arrive at the 55th Emmy Awards in 2003. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Red carpet fashion commentator Joan Rivers, right, checks out her daughter Melissa’s outfit as they arrive for the Emmys in 2002. (Laura Rauch / Associated Press)
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 at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles 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)
In this Jan. 19, 2012, file photo, Joan Rivers attends a screening of the Season 2 premiere of WE TV’s “Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?” in New York. (Charles Sykes / AP)
