Ruth Buzzi, best known for playing Gladys Ormphby on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, died at her home in Texas on May 1, 2025, aged 88. Her family announced her death the following day.
When did Ruth Buzzi die?
Buzzi died on May 1, 2025, at her Texas home. She was 88. Her family announced the news on May 2, and her agent also confirmed her death, according to the Associated Press.
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What was Ruth Buzzi known for?
Buzzi’s best-known role was Gladys Ormphby, the purse-wielding character she played on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. The variety show ran from 1968 to 1973. The Associated Press reported that Buzzi was the only regular cast member to appear in all six seasons, including the pilot.
Her career spanned 45 years and included more than 200 television appearances, the AP reported. She also worked in film and animation, and played shopkeeper Ruthie on Sesame Street. In a recollection quoted by The Washington Post, Buzzi described Gladys’s prop purse as looking “vicious” but being made of felt and filled with old pantyhose and cotton.
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What was reported about her illness?
The AP reported that Buzzi had Alzheimer’s disease and was receiving hospice care. Her husband, Kent Perkins, told The Washington Post that the cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease. The family statement quoted by the Los Angeles Times said she died peacefully in her sleep at home and had been in hospice care for several years with Alzheimer’s disease.
The Washington Post also reported that Buzzi announced her retirement from performing in 2021 and that her family said a stroke disabled her in 2022.
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- The first season of Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In" featured a groundbreaking combination of shocking and hilarious one-liners, short skits and features that left us in hysterics and disbelief
- Regulars included Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, Pamela Austin, Eileen Brennan, Ruth Buzzi and more
- Guest stars included Milton Berle, Sonny and Cher, Johnny Carson, Sammy Davis Jr, Sally Field, Jerry Lewis and many more
- Includes bonus features such as the pilot episode, 25th Anniversary Reunion, Bloopers and more| 4 DVDs with over 14 hours run time
Her career and awards
Buzzi won a Golden Globe and received Emmy nominations. Published accounts disagree on the number: the AP described her as a two-time nominee, while The Washington Post reported five nominations. Because those reports conflict, the nomination count is not stated here.
In a message posted on her Facebook page shortly before her death, Perkins shared Buzzi’s words: “She wants you to know she probably had more fun doing those shows than you had watching them.”
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