Who Was Ruth Buzzi? Find Out as Laugh-In Comedian Passes Away at 88

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of death.

Ruth Buzzi, an Emmy-nominated comedian and voice actor, has passed away at the age of 88. The Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In alum died at her home in Texas, as confirmed by her family through a Facebook post. The comedian became renowned for appearing in every episode of the popular variety show, which ran for five seasons.

On Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, she played multiple characters but was most recognized for the role of Gladys Ormphby. Buzzi was a five-time Emmy nominee and won a Golden Globe Award for her appearances on Laugh-In.

In a 2018 interview, the comedian told the Associated Press that her character, Gladys, was an underdog. “Gladys embodies the overlooked, the downtrodden, the taken for granted, the struggler,” she said. Buzzi believed that whenever her character spoke out, she represented marginalized people.

“She spoke for those reduced to a sex object or otherwise abused. And that’s almost everyone at some time or other,” she added.

In 1993, she joined Sesame Street as a shopkeeper named Ruthie. She also voiced other characters on the show, appeared in various Sesame Street specials, and starred in the film The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. Buzzi’s voice acting credits also include Nose Marie on Pound Puppies and Mama Bear on The Berenstain Bears.

She played Margie, a recurring friend of Marlo Thomas’s character on the beloved series That Girl. Buzzi also appeared in the 2003 hit film Freaky Friday, which starred Mean Girls star Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Her filmography includes titles such as Lucky Luke, Chu Chu and the Philly Flash, and The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again. Although Buzzi did not appear in any projects after 2021, she remained in touch with her fans through her Twitter account.

She continued to post one-liners to more than 200,000 followers. Buzzi is survived by her husband, Kent Perkins.