Ruth Buzzi, ‘Laugh-In’ Comedian, Dies at 88

Ruth Buzzi, the effervescent Emmy-nominated comedian and voice actor who starred on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” died Thursday at her Texas home, her family announced on Facebook. She was 88.

The zany comedian appeared in every episode of the popular variety show that ran for five seasons, playing characters such as the frumpy, hairnet-wearing Gladys Ormphby. On the show, she was known for using her purse as a weapon to whack Arte Johnson’s dirty old man character on the park bench.

Buzzi won a Golden Globe and received five Emmy nominations during her run on “Laugh-In.” The comedian, who was only 30 years old when she became famous for playing a little old lady, told the AP in 2018, “Gladys is the underdog. Gladys embodies the overlooked, the downtrodden, the taken for granted, the struggler. So when she fights back, she speaks for everyone who’s been marginalized, reduced to a sex object or otherwise abused. And that’s almost everyone at some time or other.”

In 1993, Buzzi joined “Sesame Street” as shopkeeper Ruthie and went on to voice other characters and appear in “Sesame Street” specials, as well as making an appearance in the film “The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland.”

Her extensive voice work included voicing Nose Marie on “Pound Puppies” and Mama Bear on “Berenstain Bears.”

Buzzi also had a recurring role on “That Girl” as Marlo Thomas’ friend Margie. She made appearances on numerous TV series.

On film, she appeared in the original “Freaky Friday,” in the “Lucky Luke” Westerns and in “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash” and “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again.”

Buzzi continued working up until 2021. She remained in the public eye through her Twitter account, which continued to post one-liners to more than 200,000 followers.

Buzzi was raised in Connecticut and started performing at the Pasadena Playhouse at 17. She began traveling as a comedian and singer with Rudy Vallee before moving to New York, where she performed onstage and in commercials.

Her first television appearance came on “The Garry Moore Show.” She went on to make numerous appearances on variety and talkshows such as “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson.” Whether as a guest star or game show celebrity contestant, Buzzi was a staple of TV in the 1970s and ’80s, making her a Gen X favorite.

“Ruth Buzzi brought a singular energy and charm to sketch comedy that made her a standout on Laugh-In and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. Her characters, especially the unforgettable Gladys Ormphby, captured the delightful absurdity of the era. We remember her with admiration and appreciation for the joy and laughter she brought to generations of fans,” said Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center based in Jamestown, N.Y.

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