Ruth Buzzi Movies
Though most of Ruth Buzzi's official biographies list her birthplace as Westerly, RI, she herself was fond of claiming that she was born in Wequetequock, CT, perhaps because it sounded funnier. Whatever the case, Buzzi was the daughter of an immigrant Italian stone sculptor who specialized in cemetery monuments. After attending dancing school, 17-year-old Buzzi studied for an acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse. A well-established West Coast character actress by 1959, Buzzi came to Broadway to appear in the short-lived revue Misguided Tour; it was here that she created the first of her many memorable "alter egos," half-witted magician's assistant Shakuntula. It was while playing the woebegone Agnes Gooch in a 1961 stock-company production of Auntie Mame that Buzzi developed the character that would reach full maturity as the whining schlumper Gladys Ormphby. In 1965, she joined the cast of the CBS TV variety series The Entertainers, and that same year provided the voice of Granny Goodwich on the Linus the Lionhearted cartoon weekly. She went to make recurring appearances on That Girl and the 1967 Steve Allen Comedy Hour; and in January of 1968, she began a seven-year hitch on the immensely popular Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Together with Laugh-In co-star Arte Johnson, Buzzi provided the voice for her cartoon likeness in the 1977 Saturday morning animated series Baggy Pants and the Nitwits. Under the aegis of Sid and Marty Krofft, Buzzi starred on the weekend kiddie shows Far Out Space Nuts (1975) and The Krofft Supershow (1976). On the big screen, Ruth Buzzi has been seen in such Disney fare as Freaky Friday (1977), The North Avenue Irregulars (1978), and The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
A grim discovery in the basement of a crumbling prison reformatory reveals a demonic secret that cuts to the very base of mankind's struggle against sin in this supernatural thriller starring Michael Berryman, Bill Moseley, Michael Dorn, Adrianne Curry, and Kevin McCarthy. Far beneath the west cellblock of a turn of the century prison lies a malevolent secret that has lain dormant for one hundred years - a sub-basement structure with only one entrance and one exit. When the skeletal remains of seven brutalized children are discovered inside, a special CSI team is quickly brought in to conduct a more thorough investigation. What they find may change the entire way mankind views the wages of sin, for there dwell seven fallen angels; each responsible for one of the deadly sins and each determined to show mankind just how many ways there are to pass from this mortal realm into the next. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2004
- Add Goodnight, We Love You: The Life and Legend of Phyllis Diller to Queue Add Goodnight, We Love You: The Life and Legend of Phyllis Diller to top of Queue
The comedienne who shot to stardom as "the world's worst housewife" offers an intimate look at her life and career on the eve of her farewell stand-up performance. Phyllis Diller has been keeping her fans in stitches for nearly half-a-century. A gleefully self-depreciating comic whose outlandish sense of style always set her apart from the pack, Diller not only recollects her rise to stardom, but also allows viewers into her home to show just what life is like behind the scenes. A press conference leading up to her final performance showcases the quick-witted Diller at her unscripted best, with additional rehearsal and dressing room footage showing just what an incredible impact she has had on the world of show-business. Additional appearances by Rip Taylor, Don Rickles, Roseanne Barr, Red Buttons, and Lily Tomlin offer a chance for some of Diller's best known fans to reflect on their fondest memories of the star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Phyllis Diller
- 1999
- G
- Add The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland to Queue Add The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland to top of Queue
One of the most popular characters on Sesame Street gets his own movie in this family comedy. Playful Elmo (voice of Kevin Clash) loves his blue blanket and would never want to lose it. So when it gets spirited off to parts unknown in the midst of a tug-of-war with one of his friends, Elmo sets out to find it and ends up in the grumpy kingdom of Grouchland, where Huxley (Mandy Patinkin) and the Queen of Trash (Vanessa Williams) rule over a dark and ill-mannered domain. Along with Elmo, several other favorite Sesame Street characters appear, including Oscar the Grouch (Carroll Spinney), Ernie (Steve Whitmire), and Bert (Frank Oz). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin Clash, Fran Brill, (more)
In this family-oriented action adventure, two bickering brothers settle their differences long enough to stop the crooked business rivals who are trying to destroy their father's career. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Randy Travis, Julie Hagerty, (more)
- 1994
- PG
Two bounty-hunting brothers attempt to patch up their considerable differences in accordance with their mother's desire that the family reunite for the holidays. The main difference between the brothers is that one specializes in freeing wanted criminals for a hefty price, while the other tries to round them up in order to support his large family. The two team up to capture the same crook, but somehow they end up mistaken for bad guys themselves during a bank robbery. Veterans of spaghetti westerns, actors Terence Hill and Bud Spencer direct and star in this uneven parody of the lucrative genre. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, (more)
- 1992
- NC17
Poor Michael Moore is one messed-up screenwriter who is more depressed than usual when his girl friend abruptly dumps him. His life forever changes when he saves a diminutive old man from street thugs. The little man has magical powers and as a reward for Michael's kindness gives him a notepad. This is no ordinary pad for anything Michael writes upon it will come true. This comedy-adventure follows what happens when the writer begins to use it. First he scrawls his wish that the lovely bank teller Diane Jacobs will enter his life. Unfortunately, he should have been clearer for they meet after they are both abducted by bank robbers. Fortunately, Mike has his trusty pad and they get out of the situation. Next he makes the mistake of telling his avaricious sister Jody about the magic pad. Wanting all of the family fortune for herself, she promptly plans on getting him declared insane. A trip to the courtroom ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
An average housewife (Susan Blakely) is transformed into a werewolf after being seduced by a stranger (John Saxon). Only her daughter and friend can save her from remaining an animal forever. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- Starring:
- Susan Blakely, John Saxon, (more)
- 1989
- PG
When her grandfather the mortician goes on holiday, a young woman must run the family business. The comedy begins when she goes through grandpa's books and finds out that he is a wanted man and is nearing bankruptcy. Hoping to save him, the clever girl comes up with a few crazy ideas and begins staging extremely creative funerals. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
This gentle comedy hearkens back to 1945, just after the war's end where a crazy small-town family awaits the return of one of their own. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hoyt Axton, Karen Black, (more)
- 1988
- G
- Add Pound Puppies & the Legend of Big Paw to Queue Add Pound Puppies & the Legend of Big Paw to top of Queue
Essentially a long commercial for a popular line of stuffed toys, this tuneful animated feature chronicles the adventures of a pack of adorable pooches who sneak about saving other canines from the dogcatcher. The bulk of this outing has the critters questing for an elusive magical bone reputedly capable of imbuing its owner with fantastic powers. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Rose, B.J. Ward, (more)
- 1988
- R
In this comedy, a reporter (Linda Blair) poses as a homeless person in order to write a piece about the street people of Los Angeles. When the reporter befriends a couple of the people she meets on the street, she ends up getting emotionally involved in her work. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Linda Blair, Murray Langston, (more)
A dog named Milroy is adopted by Santa in this animated Christmas adventure for kids. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- 1986
These bad guys are a couple of inept cops who, when kicked off the force, decide to make their living as professional wrestlers. They become "The Boston Bad Guys" and as such, are pitted against a wrestling team managed by their manager's arch rival. To add intrigue to this wrestling fan's release (who else would watch it?) -- are appearances by several big-name professional wrestlers. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Baldwin, Mike Jolly, (more)
- 1984
Miss Nelson has to leave school for a whole week, and her class is up to mischief as a substitute teacher takes over in this episode of the Reading Rainbow series. In addition to the featured book, Miss Nelson Is Back, the program also includes segments featuring Blackstone the Magician and host LeVar Burton, who is mystified by a treasure hunt that he doesn't realize is actually a surprise birthday party for him. The young critics also review Harlequin and the Gift of Many Colors by Remy Charlip and Burton Supree, Daddy Is a Monster Sometimes by John Steptoe, and The Upside Down Riddle Book edited by Louis Philips. ~ Alice Day, Rovi
- Starring:
- LeVar Burton
- 1984
- R
In this adolescent adventure-comedy, an angry nerd tires of being teased by cruel surfers who play a dirty trick upon him and spike his soda pop with enough female hormones to make him grow miniature breasts. Menlo Schwartzer gets his revenge by spiking their favorite drink, Buzz Cola, with a drink that turns them into zombies with a taste for garbage who will obey his every command. He makes about six of these zombie surfers and uses them to win a big competition. The title is supposed to be a joke. There is no Surf 1. Get it? ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Deezen, Linda Kerridge, (more)
Director Jackie Kong, who later made the cult favorite Blood Diner (1987), directed this terrible monster movie for exploitation pioneer Bill Osco, who stars under the pseudonym "Rexx Coltrane." The plot concerns a mutant child who has become a monster after being exposed to toxic waste in a small Idaho town. Mortimer (Osco) wants to investigate a series of disappearances, only to have his efforts stymied by the town's mayor (José Ferrer), who is worried about the potential economic impact on the local potato industry. This abysmal horror film was made in 1980 and shelved for three years despite a cast which includes Oscar winners Ferrer and Dorothy Malone, Martin Landau, and Kinky Friedman. Other featured performers are Ruth Buzzi, Murray Langston ("The Unknown Comic"), and Kenny Rogers' wife (at the time), Marianne Gordon. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Landau, José Ferrer, (more)
- 1981
Ruth Buzzi guest stars as Chloe, the much-talked-about by heretofore unseen wife of owlish diner patron Henry (Marvin Kaplan). After twenty years of wedded strife, Henry is surprised that his wife is treating him nicely--and concludes that she must be having an affair. To get even, Henry pretends to be engaged in an extramarital relationship of his own...and inasmuch as the name of the series is Alice, guess who's drafted to pose as the "other woman"? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1981
- PG
A former baseball player (Alan Arkin) has descended into alcoholism, and meets up with a has-been entertainer (Carol Burnett) when both spot a briefcase containing secret documents. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alan Arkin, Carol Burnett, (more)
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