Who is Ruth Buzzi?
American actress and comedienne Ruth Ann Buzzi was born in Westerly, Rhode Island USA, on 24 July 1936, making her zodiac sign Leo. She’s had roles in over 120 movies and TV series, and is probably still best known for having been a regular performer in the critically acclaimed musical comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in”, created by Digby Wolfe, and in which Ruth starred alongside Dan Rowan and Dick Martin. It was a ‘rapid fire comedy sketch’, the series aired from 1967 to 1973, and won 18 of its 52 award nominations.
After having portrayed Agnes in the 2021 drama movie “One Month Out”, Ruth revealed on her social media accounts that she was retiring from acting, aged 85.
Education and early life
Ruth was raised in Stonington, Connecticut alongside her older brother Harold, by their father Angelo Peter Buzzi and mother Rena Pauline; Angelo was from Switzerland, and came to the USA in 1923. He was a famous stone sculptor and the owner of Buzzi Memorials, which Ruth’s brother went on to run until 2013, when he retired.
Ruth was interested in a couple of activities while attending Stonington High School, perhaps mostly into dancing, but was also a cheerleader, and enjoyed acting with the school’s drama club and singing.
She was 17 when she matriculated in 1953, and then enrolled at California’s Pasadena Playhouse for the Performing Arts,, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 1957; she then moved to New York City, and went on to appear in nearly 20 off-Broadway musicals, prior to launching her acting career in 1964.
Roles in TV series
Ruth’s debut TV series role was her voicing of Granny Goodwitch in the 1964 episode “Mocking Bird” of the animated comedy “Linus the Lionhearted”, and she could then have been seen appearing in an episode of the musical comedy “The Monkees”, the comedy “That Girl” and the musical comedy “That’s Life”.
She gained recognition in 1975, when cast to play Fi in the science fiction family drama “The Lost Saucer”, created by Marty and Sid Krofft, and in which Ruth starred alongside Jim Nabors and Alice Playten; it follows two people and two androids who’ve become lost in time and space. A couple of Ruth’s TV series roles in the remainder of the ‘70s were in the action adventure comedy “Emergency!”, the drama “Medical Center”, and the family fantasy science fiction “The Krofft Supershow”.
In 1984, she voiced one of the supporting characters in the short animated adventure “Alvin & the Chipmunks”, which also starred Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman, and follows the lives of three chipmunks who’ve been adopted by Dave; the series aired from 1983 to 1990, and was nominated for five awards. Concurrently in 1985 and 1986, Ruth voiced Aunt Pruney in the animated family adventure “Paw Paws”, and the remainder of the ‘80s saw her play and voice characters in the comedy “Check It Out”, another comedy “Life with Lucy”, and the animated family comedy “The Berenstain Bears” (voice role).
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=585033515820448
What marked the ‘90s for her was probably her voicing of several characters in the popular short animated adventure “The Addams Family”, which starred John Astin, Nancy Linari and Debi Derryberry, and follows the lives of members of the well-known Addams family; the series won one of its four award nominations. Ruth could then have been heard voicing Nandy in the 1994 short animated adventure “Cro”, various characters in the 1995 short animated adventure “The Pink Panther”, and several characters in the 1996 short animated adventure “The Savage Dragon”.
Between 1993 and 2006, Ruth voiced Suzie Kabloozie in the animated adventure comedy “Sesame Street”, created by Joan Ganz Cooney, and which starred Jim Henson, Frank Oz and Caroll Spinney. It follows a human and a group of muppets as they’re teaching preschool subjects; the series won 240 of its 570 award nominations.
Ruth’s since appeared in only a single TV series, as Ruthie in the 2007 episode “Surprise, It’s Your Birthday” of the musical family drama “Come on Over”.
Roles in movies
Ruth’s debut movie role was her playing of Ruth Clayton in the 1969 romantic comedy “In Name Only”, while she was then cast to voice Frou-Frou in the critically acclaimed 1970 animated adventure comedy “The Aristocats”, directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, and which starred Phil Harris, Eva Gabor and Sterling Holloway. It follows a cat and her kittens as they’re trying to find their way back home, and the film won three awards.
Ruth could then have been seen appearing in the 1972 comedy “The Singles”, the 1974 comedy “Paradise”, and the 1976 family fantasy comedy “Freaky Friday”.
The year 1979 saw her play Damsel in Distress in the western comedy “The Villain”, directed by Hal Needham, and which starred Kirk Douglas, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ann-Margaret; it follows a bank robber who’s been caught, and has made a deal with the banker.
Reunion time for three very lucky gals: JoAnne, Lily and me! pic.twitter.com/FmZSeKOp0K
— RUTH BUZZI (@Ruth_A_Buzzi) March 7, 2019
A couple of Ruth’s most notable performances in the ‘80s were perhaps in the 1981 comedy “Chu chu and the Philly Flash”, the 1986 comedy “Bad Guys”, and the 1989 horror comedy “My Mom’s a Werewolf”.
In 1994, she was cast to play Maw in the family western comedy “Troublemakers”, directed by Terence Hill, who also starred in it alongside Bud Spencer and Bots Southerland; it follows two brothers who don’t like each other, but now have to spend Christmas together. Ruth could then have been seen appearing in the 1999 family comedy “Boys Will Be Boys”, the family comedy “The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland” in the same year, and the 2000 comedy “Nothing But the Truth”.
In 2006, she portrayed Perril in the horror thriller “Fallen Angels”, and Ruth’s since had only three movie roles: in the 2019 animated comedy “Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm” (voice role), the 2020 comedy “Glenn’s Gotta Go”, and the 2021 drama “One Month Out”.
Other credits
Ruth’s sang songs in various series, including “The Lost Saucer” in 1975, “The Muppet Show” in 1976 and “Pound Puppies” in 1986.
She’s been featured in over 30 documentaries, most recently in the 2006 mini-series “The 100 Greatest TV Quotes & Catchphrases”, the 2008 TV special “The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards” and the 2009 short movie “According to Dom”.
Ruth’s made a guest appearance in talk-shows “Super Bloopers and Practical Jokes”, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show”, and “Headliners & Legends with Matt Lauer”, amongst others.
Awards and nominations
Ruth’s won only one of her nine award nominations: a 1973 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television, for her performance in “Laugh-In”.
She was also nominated for three Primetime Emmys in 1969, 1972 and 1974: the first two for her performance in “Laugh-In”, and the third for “The Dean Martin Show”.
Love life and husband
Although quite secretive about her love life, it’s still widely known that Ruth’s married twice.
She wed her first husband, American non-celebrity Basil Peter ‘Bill’ Keko on 28 November 1965, in a small and private ceremony attended by not more than 100 people. Ruth and Basil divorced in September 1975, and although the reasons behind the divorce remain undisclosed, most of Ruth’s fans believe that Basil wanted children, and she didn’t.
She married her second husband, American actor, screenwriter and producer Kent Perkins on 10 December 1978, and they’ve been together ever since.
Ruth hasn’t mentioned other men whom she’s perhaps dated, and she’s married to her second husband Kent Perkins as of October 2022; she doesn’t have children.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Ruth’s an avid painter, and even though her oil paintings have never been offered for sale in public by her, she’s donated some of these to charity, being sold for over $6,000.
She’s volunteered with and donated money to many charities, while she’s perhaps mostly involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Special Olympics and Make a Wish Foundation.
Ruth launched her Twitter account in October 2010, and she’s since tweeted nearly 6,500 times, while there are today over 200,000 people following her; she’s currently mostly focused on tweeting about her health, as she’s recently had a stroke, but Ruth’s revealed that she’s steadily recovering.
She’s a ventriloquist.
Ruth’s left-handed.
Her favorite actresses are Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep, and some of her favorite movies include “After the Wedding”, “Maps to the Stars”, and “The Glorias”.
Height, eyes and wealth
Ruth’s age is 86. Her eyes are brown and she has long brown hair, she weighs around 110lbs (50kgs) and is 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall.
Ruth’s net worth’s been estimated at over $20 million, as of October 2022.
