Actress and comedian Ruth Buzzi, best known for her work on the sketch comedy show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, died Thursday. She was 88.
Buzzi died peacefully in her Texas home while sleeping, according to a post on her social media page. She had been in hospice care for several years after battling Alzheimer's disease.
Buzzi was a regular performer on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In in the late 1960s and early 70s. She often played the character Gladys Ormphby, a woman who would hit others with her purse.
Over a career spanning six decades, Buzzi appeared in numerous television programs, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She also made appearances on the children's series Sesame Street.
Her work earned her five Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe win. See her awards. She also performed in films such as the 2003 comedy Freaky Friday and the 1983 horror film The Being.
Born in Westerly, R.I., in 1936, Buzzi was raised in Stonington, Conn. She studied at the Pasadena Playhouse in California. She gained national attention on The Garry Moore Show in 1964.
Tributes appeared on social media following the news of her death.
"Thank you for the laughs," wrote San Francisco-based comedian Lisa Geduldig in a reply to the Facebook post. "I'll always remember Gladys Ormphby."
