Lillian Gish signed Letter "First Lady of American Cinema" Phyllis Diller 5x7. Nice bold signature. Lillian Diana Gish was an American actress, director, and screenwriter. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was called the "First Lady of American Cinema", and is credited with pioneering fundamental film performance techniques.