Ruth Buzzi, the Lady With the Handbag on ‘Laugh-In,’ Dies at 88

by

Actress Ruth Buzzi, famously known for her hysterical portrayal of spinster Gladys Ormphby, who wielded her handbag as a formidable weapon on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, has passed away at the age of 88.

On Thursday, Buzzi passed away at her home in Fort Worth, Texas, due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease, as confirmed by her long-term representative, Mike Eisenstadt, to The Hollywood Reporter. In July 2022, her husband, actor Kent Perkins, shared that she had become bedridden and incapacitated following a series of strokes.

Buzzi made an appearance in the initial Broadway performance of the musical comedy ‘Sweet Charity’, portrayed Marlo Thomas’ friend Margie “Pete” Peterson on the TV show ‘That Girl’, acted alongside Jim Nabors in the Saturday morning series ‘The Lost Saucer’, and spent a significant part of his career on ‘Sesame Street’.

Or, more concisely:

Buzzi starred in ‘Sweet Charity’ on Broadway, played Marlo Thomas’ friend on ‘That Girl’, acted with Jim Nabors on ‘The Lost Saucer’, and was a regular on ‘Sesame Street’.

At the beginning of her professional journey, Buzzi teamed up with Dom DeLuise for a comedic performance. In this act, DeLuise portrayed the bumbling magician Dominic the Great, while Buzzi took on the role of his assistant, Shakuntala.

Buzzi joined George Schlatter’s team for the debut of Laugh-In in 1967 and stayed with the show until its conclusion in March 1973. Throughout its duration, she portrayed numerous characters including Doris Swizzle (a tipsy character), Busy Buzzi (gossip columnist), Kim Hither (a prostitute), and Laverne Blossom (silent movie star). However, it is her character Gladys that stands out as indelible.

Completely clad in drab brown attire and donning a hairstyle pulled back into a bun covered by a middle-forehead-knotted net, Gladys could often be spotted sitting on a park bench. There, the unsavory character Tyrone F. Horneigh (Arte Johnson) would usually approach her, making lewd and disrespectful comments. In response, Gladys would retaliate by hitting him with her handbag, though it appeared menacing, it was in fact filled with old pantyhose and cotton.

The petite comedian gained three out of her five Emmy nominations for portraying the character, with one being recognition from a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast in 1974. (Additionally, she made an appearance as Gladys in “Weird” Al Yankovic’s 1995 music video titled “Gump.”)

In 2016, Buzzi shared with Nick Thomas that numerous individuals have requested her to strike them using her handbag. Incidentally, at a party in Beverly Hills some time ago, Elton John arrived and promptly approached her, exclaiming, “For heaven’s sake, Ruth, please swing your purse at me! That’s something I’ve wanted to do for years!

She hails from Westerly, Rhode Island, born on the 24th of July, 1936. Growing up, she spent her days in Connecticut. Her dad was a talented sculptor. During a challenging dance class, she joked about it, and her teacher suggested an alternative — a humorous form of ballet, as she mentioned in a 1983 interview with Orange Coast Magazine.

As a gamer, “The teacher said, ‘Everyone else plays it conventionally, but you’ll bring something unique.’ Well, I went ahead and played it, and it was a smash hit. That sparked my journey [into creating comedic content,] and I kept coming up with humorous moves and funny elements throughout high school.

When she turned 18, she courageously relocated to the other side of the country to attend the Pasadena Playhouse. Notable peers during her time there were Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman. Later, she starred opposite Rudy Vallee in a San Francisco production of “Jenny Kissed Me”.

Afterward, Buzzi graced the stage in the Broadway reboot titled “Misguided Tour“. In this production, she skillfully brought multiple characters to life. Notably, “The New York Times” praised her performance by saying she exhibited a charm reminiscent of a young Nancy Walker.

In 1961, while portraying Agnes Gooch in a Pennsylvania stage adaptation of “Auntie Mame,” she exaggerated the slovenly nature of the role, setting the standard for how Gladys would be presented later on.

Afterward, she lent her voice to Granny Goodwitch in the cartoon “Linus! The Lion Hearted” and starred in TV commercials. In 1964, she made an appearance on “The Garry Moore Show,” and the following year, she was seen alongside DeLuise on the variety show “The Entertainers,” which was hosted by Carol Burnett and Bob Newhart.

In January 1966, she started a 18-month run with the musical comedy “Sweet Charity,” produced by Bob Fosse and Neil Simon, featuring Gwen Verdon. Later, she moved on to work for “The Steve Allen Comedy Hour,” which temporarily replaced the Smothers Brothers’ show during the summer. While she was engaged there, she received an offer to join “Laugh-In.

During her audition for Schlatter, she didn’t present him with polished 8-inch-by-10-inch photographs; instead, she displayed images of Gladys posing inside a trash can.

OR

At her audition for Schlatter, rather than carrying glossy 8-by-10 photos, she exhibited pictures of Gladys in a dumpster to him.

OR

In contrast to bringing shiny 8-by-10 photographs at her audition for Schlatter, she demonstrated images of Gladys situated within a garbage can to him.

Back in 1976, I found myself playing time-traveling androids alongside Buzzi on the ABC series “The Lost Saucer”, produced by the Krofft brothers. Later on, I got the chance to portray Screech’s mom on the beloved sitcom “Saved by the Bell” and even starred in an Italian Western TV show titled “Lucky Luke”. What a journey it has been!

In the 90s, Buzzi played Ruthie, the proprietor of Finders Keepers store on Sesame Street. Later, she reprised the role of Ruthie in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999). Additionally, Buzzi provided the voice for Suzie Kabloozie on the program.

Furthermore, Buzzi made appearances on large screens in movies like “Freaky Friday” from 1976, “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again” from 1979, “The Villain” and “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash” from 1981.

She is survived by her spouse, who she wedded in December 1978. They departed Hollywood 15 years ago to reside on a sprawling 600-acre cattle and equestrian estate in Erath County, Texas.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

In a statement, Journey Gunderson, director at the National Comedy Center, acknowledged Ruth Buzzi’s unique spirit and allure in sketch comedy that set her apart on shows like Laugh-In and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. Her characters, particularly Gladys Ormphby, embodying the whimsical absurdity of the time, will long be cherished. We fondly remember her for the laughter and delight she shared with countless generations of fans.

Read More

2025-05-02 17:56