Ruth Buzzi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Buzzi
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Buzzi in 1996
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| Born |
Ruth Ann Buzzi
July 24, 1936 Westerly, Rhode Island, U.S.
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| Died | May 1, 2025 (aged 88) Stephenville, Texas, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1956–2021 |
| Spouse(s) |
Basil Peter Keko
(m. 1965; div. 1975)Kent Perkins
(m. 1978) |
Ruth Ann Buzzi (pronounced BUZ-ee) was a talented American actress and comedian. She was born on July 24, 1936, and passed away on May 1, 2025. Ruth Buzzi performed on stage, in movies, and on television. She was most famous for her funny characters on the comedy show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973. For her work on the show, she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for five Emmy Awards.
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Ruth Buzzi's Early Life
Ruth Buzzi was born in Westerly, Rhode Island. Her father, Angelo Peter Buzzi, was a famous stone sculptor who came from Switzerland. Ruth grew up in a stone house in Stonington, Connecticut, right by the ocean. Her family's business, Buzzi Memorials, was run by her older brother.
Ruth went to Stonington High School where she was the head cheerleader. When she was 18, she moved to California to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts. Famous actors like Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman were her classmates. She finished her studies with high honors in 1957.
A Career in Comedy and Acting
Even before she graduated, Ruth Buzzi was already working as an actress. Her first job was at age 19, touring with singer Rudy Vallée in a live show. This helped her get her union card for actors. After college, she moved to New York City and quickly got a lead role in a musical show. She performed in many shows and made lots of TV commercials, some of which won awards.
First Big TV Appearances
Ruth first became known on national television in 1964 on The Garry Moore Show. She played "Shakundala the Silent," a clumsy assistant to her comedy partner Dom DeLuise, who was "Dominic the Great." She was also a regular on the CBS show The Entertainers from 1964 to 1965. Later, she appeared in the Broadway musical Sweet Charity with Gwen Verdon.
Starring on Laugh-In
In 1967, Ruth Buzzi joined Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, a new comedy show on NBC. She was the only main actor to appear in every single episode! She played many funny characters, including:
- Flicker Farkle, the youngest in a silly family.
- Busy-Buzzi, a Hollywood gossip reporter.
- Doris Swizzler, a lady who always got tipsy with her husband.
- One of the rude Burbank Airlines Stewardesses.
Her most famous character was Gladys Ormphby, a "spinster" (an older single woman) with a hairnet and a bun. Gladys often used her purse as a weapon, hitting anyone who made her angry. She was often chased by Arte Johnson's "dirty old man" character, Tyrone F. Horneigh. These two characters were so popular that they even got their own cartoon show called Baggy Pants and the Nitwits, with Ruth and Arte voicing their roles.
Ruth also played Gladys in many of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. She would playfully attack the famous guests, like Muhammad Ali and Lucille Ball, with her purse.
More TV Success
Ruth Buzzi continued to have a busy career on television. She was on the comedy show That Girl and starred with Jim Nabors as time-traveling robots in The Lost Saucer. In 1979, she was on the Canadian children's comedy show You Can't Do That on Television.
She also sang! In 1977, her song "You Oughta Hear the Song" made it onto the national Country Music chart. Ruth joked that she was glad it wasn't a huge hit because it meant she got to spend more time at home.
Ruth was a guest star on many popular TV shows, including Alice, Donny & Marie, The Carol Burnett Show, The Monkees, and Emergency!. She also appeared on game shows and was a judge on The Gong Show. She was on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson eight times.
Voice Acting and Children's Shows
Ruth Buzzi was also a talented voice actress. She voiced Nose Marie in the cartoon series Pound Puppies and Mama Bear in Berenstain Bears. She lent her voice to hundreds of other cartoons, like The Smurfs and The Angry Beavers.
In 1993, she joined the cast of Sesame Street as Ruthie, a friendly shopkeeper. Ruthie ran a store called Finders Keepers, which sold items that once belonged to fairy tale characters. Ruth also voiced Suzie Kabloozie and her cat Feff in animated parts of the show. She appeared in several Sesame Street specials and the movie The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland.
Ruth Buzzi appeared in music videos for "Weird Al" Yankovic and other bands. She was on Saved by the Bell and The Muppet Show. She also played Nurse Kravitz on the soap opera Passions. Ruth had roles in more than 20 movies, including Freaky Friday, The North Avenue Irregulars, and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. In 2021, she announced that she had retired from acting.
Ruth Buzzi's Personal Life
Ruth Buzzi enjoyed painting as a hobby. She often donated her oil paintings to charities, where they sold for a lot of money.
She cared deeply about children's charities, supporting groups like the Make a Wish Foundation, Special Olympics, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She also helped animal causes, like the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in Texas.
Ruth lived with her husband, actor Kent Perkins, on a large ranch in Stephenville, Texas. They loved collecting old cars, especially classic English cars like Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Some of their cars have even been shown in the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
Ruth Buzzi was mentioned in several songs, showing how well-known she was in pop culture. She passed away peacefully at her home in Texas in 2025, at the age of 88.
Ruth Buzzi's Film and TV Roles
Ruth Buzzi had a long career in both movies and television.
Movies
She appeared in many films, often in funny or memorable roles. Some of her movie roles included:
- The Aristocats (1970) - voice of Frou-Frou
- Freaky Friday (1976) - Opposing Coach
- The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) - Old Tough Kate, also known as 'Granny'
- Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw (1988) - voice of Nose Marie
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999) - Ruthie
Television Shows
Ruth was a frequent guest and regular on many TV series. Here are some highlights:
- Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In (1967–1973) - Regular Performer
- The Carol Burnett Show (1968–1973) - Various characters
- The Lost Saucer (1975–1976) - Fi
- Baggy Pants and the Nitwits (1977–1978) - voice of Gladys
- The Berenstain Bears (1985–1987) - voice of Mama Bear
- Pound Puppies (1986–1987) - voice of Nose Marie
- Sesame Street (1993–2008) - Ruthie, voice of Suzie Kabloozie and Feff
Awards and Honors
Ruth Buzzi received many awards for her amazing work:
- She won a Golden Globe Award in 1973 for her performances on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. She was also nominated for five Emmy Awards.
- In 2014, she received the Topaz Award from Women in Film in Dallas, Texas, which is their highest honor.
- She was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2002, along with the cast and crew of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.
- In 1971, she was honored by the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.
- She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pasadena Playhouse of the Performing Arts.
- Ruth won a Clio Award for being the best spokesperson in a TV commercial for her Clorox-2 ads.
- In 2008, she was named a "Distinguished Woman of Northwood" by Northwood University.
Images for kids
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Buzzi in 1996
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Buzzi in 2008
