LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Ruth Buzzi, best known for her portrayal of the frumpy, purse-swinging Gladys Ormphby on the iconic sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” has died at age 88, her family announced Friday.
Buzzi died “peacefully in her sleep” at her home near Fort Worth, Texas, from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a Facebook post from her family.
In July 2022, her husband, actor Kent Perkins, shared that she was incapacitated following a series of strokes.
Shortly before her death, Perkins posted a message on her Facebook page thanking fans and saying, “She wants you to know she probably had more fun doing those shows than you had watching them.”
Perkins said Buzzi was in hospice care for several years.
“She was warm, loving and funny — a great person who was considered a family member,” her longtime agent Mike Eisenstadt told City News Service.
Buzzi was one of producer George Schlatter’s first hires for “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” in 1967 and remained with the show throughout its run until March 1973.
She portrayed a variety of characters, including Doris Swizzle, gossip columnist Busy Buzzi, prostitute Kim Hither and silent film star Laverne Blossom.
However, it was her role as the purse-wielding Ormphby that became her signature. The character often sat on a park bench where the character Tyrone F. Horneigh, played by Arte Johnson, would approach with a suggestive comment. She would quickly respond by smacking him with her handbag.
Buzzi brought her act to the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts in Las Vegas, where she famously swung her handbag at stars including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Lucille Ball.
Nancy Sinatra, daughter of the legendary singer, paid tribute to Buzzi in a post Friday on X.
“Ruth Buzzi was a comedic genius,” Sinatra wrote. “Working alongside her on `Laugh-In’ was the most fun I ever had working. I treasured her friendship and I am heartbroken to wake up to the news that she is gone. I love you, Ruthie. Godspeed, old friend.”
Buzzi also reprised her role as Ormphby in “Weird” Al Yankovic’s 1995 music video “Gump.”
She won a Golden Globe and received five Emmy nominations during her run on “Laugh-In.”
“So many people ask me to hit them with my purse,” Buzzi told the Post-Journal, a Jamestown, New York, publication, in 2017. “In fact, a few years ago, we were at a Beverly Hills party and in walked Elton John. He immediately made his way over to me and said, `For God’s sakes, Ruth, please hit me with your purse. That’s been on my bucket list for years!”‘
Buzzi was born on July 24, 1936, in Westerly, Rhode Island, and grew up in Connecticut. When she was 17 years old, Buzzi began studying at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Two years later, she joined singer Rudy Vallee on tour in a musical- comedy act, which led to her earning her Actors’ Equity card before completing her studies at the Playhouse’s College of Theatre Arts.
Buzzi got her first national TV break in 1964 on “The Garry Moore Show,” appearing as a clumsy magician’s assistant to Dom DeLuise’s character.
She also appeared regularly on the CBS variety series “The Entertainers,” which featured hosts including Carol Burnett and Bob Newhart.
In 1966, she joined the original Broadway cast of “Sweet Charity.”
Buzzi appeared in a 1967 episode of “The Monkees.” Following news of her death, the band’s official account posted a tribute Friday on Instagram, saying: “So saddened to learn of Ruth Buzzi’s passing. A comedy legend in her own right, she also guest starred in `The Monkees’ episode `A Coffin Too Frequent.’ A huge loss to entertainment — the laughs live on. Thank you, Ruth.”
Buzzi also appeared in several films, including “Freaky Friday” in 1976, “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again” in 1979, “The Villain” in 1979 and “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash” in 1981.
In 1993, Buzzi joined “Sesame Street” as shopkeeper Ruthie and later voiced additional characters, appearing in various Sesame Street specials and the feature film “The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland.”
Buzzi kept working until 2021 and stayed active in the public eye through her Twitter account, where she shared one-liners with more than 200,000 followers.
She joked on social media on April 26, “You know you’re old when your walker comes with curb feelers and an airbag.”
She is survived by her husband, whom she married in December 1978. The couple moved out of Hollywood 15 years ago to settle on a ranch in Texas.
“Living in the beauty and solitude of this ranch is the perfect way to unwind from a hectic career and the hustle and bustle of Hollywood,” Buzzi told the Post-Journal.
Perkins wrote on social media in 2022, “I am living with an attitude of gratitude for 43 years of marriage to my best friend, the greatest person I ever met, the one and only Ruth Buzzi.”
He added, “Her love for others knows no bounds, and she has spent a lifetime making people smile.”
In lieu of flowers, her family requested that donations be made to Alzheimer’s research at www.alz.org.
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