| Ruth Buzzi | |
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| Birth name | Ruth Buzzi |
| Born | July 24 1936 Westerly, Rhode Island |
| Spouse(s) | Kent Perkins (1979-present) |
Ruth Buzzi (born July 24, 1936) is an American actress and comedian of theatre, film, and television. She is especially known for her performances on the comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973. Buzzi was born in Westerly, Rhode Island, although she would later claim to have been born in Wequetequock, Connecticut — perhaps because it sounded funnier. She is the daughter of an Italian sculptor who specialized in making tombstones. Ruth Buzzi was probably born at the Westerly hospital, but her parents' home was definitely in Wequetequock, where her family owned Buzzi Memorials. She attended Stonington High School, about a mile from her home. The family name was pronounced "bootsy," with Italian inflection, but for entertainment purposes Ruth adopted the "buzzy" pronunciation. Buzzi was a member of the regular repertory company on the short-lived CBS variety show The Entertainers (1964-65). In the late 1960s she was featured as a semi-regular on the sitcom That Girl as Marlo Thomas' friend and in a comedy-variety series starring Steve Allen. Her character parts in the Allen sketches were an excellent calling card for NBC's new show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Ruth Buzzi was the only featured player to appear in every episode of Laugh-In. Other perennial stars include Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and announcer Gary Owens. A very versatile comedienne, she could play everything from Southern belles to flashy hookers. Among her recurring characters on Laugh-In were Busy Buzzi, Hollywood gossip columnist; Doris Swizzler, cocktail-lounge habitue who always got riotously smashed with husband Leonard (Dick Martin); and one of the Burbank Airlines Stewardesses, teaming with Debbie Reynolds as two totally inconsiderate flight attendants. Her most famous character was the frowsy spinster "Gladys Ormphby," clad in brown with her bun hairdo covered by a visible hairnet. The character was a well-balanced and believable mix, defending her virginal purity and honor on the one hand, and desperately seeking wild and amorous romance on the other. The "defense" came from her lethal purse, with which she would flail away at anyone who sought to take advantage of her. On Laugh-In, Gladys most often appeared as the unwilling object of the advances of Arte Johnson's "dirty old man" character "Tyrone." In a typical exchange, Tyrone would accost Gladys and ask, "Do you believe in the hereafter?" Gladys snapped, "Of course I do!" Delighted, Tyrone shot back, "Then you know what I'm here after!" NBC collectively called these two characters The Nitwits when they went to animation in the mid 1970s as part of the series Baggy Pants and the Nitwits. Buzzi and Johnson both voiced their respective roles in the cartoon. Buzzi, as "Gladys," later became a regular part of Dean Martin's "Celebrity Roasts," usually punishing Martin for his insults about her unappealing looks and romantic prospects. In one such exchange, Gladys accusingly questioned Martin about who had been chasing her around a hotel room in the wee hours; Martin's response, "The exterminator!" earned him a beating as he broke up laughing along with the audience. Gladys then declared to the audience that, when Martin and other men looked at her, only one thing came to their minds. Martin, still laughing, could barely get out the answer, "Rabies!" which earned him an even fiercer beating from Gladys. Martin's producer, Greg Garrison, enjoyed Ruth Buzzi's work and hired her for his comedy specials starring Dom DeLuise. Buzzi starred with Jim Nabors in the The Lost Saucer produced by Sid and Marty Krofft which aired September 6, 1975. Buzzi also guested as "Chloe," the usually never-seen but often mentioned wife of phone company worker, Henry Beesmeyer on Alice. Buzzi also played the role of the eccentric Nurse Kravitz on NBC's daytime soap Passions Ruth Buzzi had a brief cameo in the Weird Al Yankovic video "Gump". She also appeared on Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, You Can't Do That on Television (during its CTV-produced incarnation Whatever Turns You On), and numerous other television shows. She was also a voice actress for The Smurfs and The Angry Beavers. As of 2007 she is still appearing in movies, and in 2006 and 2007 she made guest appearances on the children's TV series Come on Over. Ruth Buzzi will portray the deranged widow of a renowned Italian sculptor in the upcoming comedy film, City of Shoulders and Noses. The feature film is being produced by Tommy Ardolino, Sybil Danning, and George Parra.
Trivia
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- American post-hardcore/metal band The Bled recorded a song entitled "Ruth Buzzi Better Watch Her Back" for their album Pass the Flask, and later re-released on Pass The Flask (Reissue). The title of the song comes from a line in the movie Wet Hot American Summer.
