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Gladys Ormphby Bench - On segments of the comedy
variety show ROWAN AND MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN/NBC/1968-73 Ruth Buzzi played Gladys Ormphby (Ruth Buzzi), a frumpy spinster with a hair net who was constantly
accosted by Tyrone, a dirty old man (Arte Johnson) with overcoat.
Whenever Gladys sat on a city park bench, Tyrone would suggest in a gruff,
gravelly voice some veiled sexual reference while offering Gladys a piece of
candy ("Want a Walnetto?"). Glady showed her gratitude for such actions by
smacking Tyrone over the head with a purse or umbrella.
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Tyrone:
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Would you call my face ruggedly handsome? |
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Gladys: |
[Gladys bashes him over the head with purse] |
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Tyrone:
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Would you call my body sensuously attractive? |
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Gladys: |
[Gladys hits him with her purse] |
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Tyrone:
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Would you call my next of kin? [Tyrone falls off bench]
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Tyrone and Gladys also appeared on the Saturday morning animated cartoon THE
NITWITS in 1977.
Tyrone
To commemorate Ruth Buzzi's Gladys character the maudlin program THIS IS YOUR LIFE did a segment on
comedienne Ruth Buzzi and during the telecast dedicated a park bench at
Westerly, Rhode Island.
TRIVIA NOTE:
The Walnetto is a delicious chocolate
covered chewy caramel filled with California walnuts popular since 1920 and sold
5 pieces to the bar in the 1950s and 1960s You can still buy them today from
The Vermont Country Store.
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