Comedienne and actress Ruth Buzzi, best known for appearances on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, passed away Thursday, according to an announcement on her Facebook page. She was 88.
“Ruth Buzzi died peacefully in her sleep at home in Texas,” reads the post. “She was in hospice care for several years with Alzheimer’s disease.”
The post added that in lieu of flowers, her family asks that donations be made to Alzheimer’s research.
Born July 24, 1936, Buzzi gained fame in the ’60s through appearances on variety shows like The Gary Moore Show and The Steve Allen Comedy Hour. But her career took off thanks to Laugh-In, where she was the only comedian to appear in every episode, including the pilot and TV specials.
Her most well-known character was spinster Gladys Ormphby, who always wore a hairnet and would inflict harm using her purse.
As an actress, Buzzi was a regular on the Marlo Thomas series That Girl and starred opposite Jim Neighbors in the ’70s series The Lost Saucer. She also appeared on several Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and joined the cast of Sesame Street as shop keeper Ruthie in 1993.
Buzzi announced her retirement from acting in 2021.
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