Ruth Buzzi was basically the queen of the 1960s "mean girl" vibe, but with a twist. She wasn't some high school cheerleader with a designer bag. Instead, she was Gladys Ormphby. You remember her. The hairnet. The drab brown dress. The purse that looked like it was stuffed with bricks.
Most people associate the ruth buzzi laugh in old lady character with a very specific kind of chaos. It wasn't just a giggle. It was a weaponized, snorting, "don't-you-dare-touch-me" sound that usually preceded a heavy thwack to the head of anyone within swinging distance.
Who Was the Woman Behind the Hairnet?
Gladys Ormphby didn't just appear out of thin air. Honestly, she was born out of a stage play where Buzzi played Agnes Gooch in Auntie Mame. When Buzzi first stepped onto that stage in Pennsylvania wearing the frumpy outfit, the audience didn't just chuckle. They lost it. They laughed for ten straight minutes. That’s when Buzzi knew she had something special.
She wasn't just a one-trick pony, though. Buzzi was a classically trained actress from the Pasadena Playhouse. She shared classes with Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman. Think about that for a second. While they were doing Method acting, Buzzi was perfecting the art of hitting people with a purse.
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That Iconic Ruth Buzzi Laugh in Old Lady Skits
The magic of the ruth buzzi laugh in old lady performances usually happened on a park bench. It was the perfect stage for the most uncomfortable "date" in TV history. Arte Johnson would sit down as Tyrone F. Horneigh, the "dirty old man" in the yellow raincoat. He’d lean in, offer her a "Walnetto," and try to charm her with some creepy one-liner.
Gladys would just sit there. Stone-faced. Her eyebrows were brushed together to meet in the middle—a look she once called "repulsive" but hilarious. When she finally did laugh or react, it was explosive.
The Anatomy of the Purse Swing
- The Look: Drab brown dress, boy's sweater, and those thick cotton stockings.
- The Hair: A tight bun held together by a visible hairnet with a knot dead-center on her forehead.
- The Sound: A sharp, frantic cackle that signaled Tyrone was about to get it.
- The Weapon: A black felt purse.
Buzzi later admitted the purse wasn't actually dangerous. It was filled with cotton and old pantyhose. It sounded like a lead pipe when it hit, but it was basically a pillow. Still, when she let loose on Muhammad Ali or Dean Martin, it looked like she was trying to take their heads off.
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Why Gladys Ormphby Still Matters
In the middle of the sexual revolution of the late '60s, Gladys was the counter-culture. While everyone else was wearing miniskirts and talking about free love, she was the "spinster" who wouldn't take any crap. She was the "overlooked and the downtrodden," as Buzzi herself put it in 2018.
Watching those old clips of the ruth buzzi laugh in old lady sketches feels different now. It’s not just slapstick. It’s a woman standing her ground. Even if that "ground" is a park bench and she's being hit on by a guy in a raincoat who looks like he hasn't showered since the Truman administration.
The Secret Success of the Character
The character was so popular that she outlasted Laugh-In itself. She showed up on The Dean Martin Show and famously beat the living daylights out of some of the biggest stars in the world. It became a badge of honor. If you were a celebrity in the '70s and you didn't get hit by Gladys Ormphby's purse, did you even exist?
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Even Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin couldn't keep a straight face. There's a famous clip where Gladys tells Dean, "Last night you were yearning for my body," and he shoots back, "That wasn't yearning, it was yawning." The purse assault that followed is legendary.
What to Do Next if You're a Fan
If you want to experience the peak of 1970s comedy, don't just take my word for it. Go back and watch the original Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In episodes. You can find most of the Gladys and Tyrone compilations on YouTube.
Specifically, look for the 1971 "Ruth Buzzi Day" footage from her hometown of Westerly, Rhode Island. They actually dedicated a park bench to her. It’s a weirdly touching tribute to a character who spent most of her time being "repulsive" for the sake of a laugh.
Ruth Buzzi passed away in May 2025 at the age of 88, but Gladys is essentially immortal. She’s currently "retired" (as Buzzi joked), probably waiting in a box to be sent to the Smithsonian. But for those of us who grew up watching her, that hairnet and that sharp cackle will always be the gold standard for sketch comedy.
How to Find More Classic Buzzi Moments
- Search for "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts": This is where Gladys really shines against A-list celebrities.
- Check out "Sesame Street" archives: Buzzi played Ruthie for six years. It’s a completely different side of her talent.
- Look for the Farkle Family sketches: Another Laugh-In staple where Buzzi showed off her range.
The ruth buzzi laugh in old lady persona wasn't just about being "ugly" or "mean." It was about timing. It was about a woman who knew exactly how to use a prop and a facial expression to steal a scene from the biggest stars in Hollywood. Honestly, we probably won't see anything like it again.