Victor Buono was a talented and versatile actor, comic, and recording artist who rose to fame in the 1960s for his memorable roles in movies and television. He was best known for playing the villainous King Tut in the Batman series and the musician Edwin Flagg in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, for which he received an Oscar nomination. However, his life and career were cut short by a fatal heart attack at the age of 43. What led to his untimely demise and how did his fans and colleagues react to his loss? Here is a brief overview of Victor Buono’s cause of death and its aftermath.
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Early Life and Career
Victor Charles Buono was born on February 3, 1938, in San Diego, California, to Victor Francis Buono and Myrtle Belle Keller. His father was a former police officer and bail bondsman who was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and robbery in 1959. His mother was a nurse who supported her son’s artistic aspirations. His grandmother, Myrtle Glied, was a former vaudevillian who taught him how to sing and recite.
Buono developed a passion for acting and literature at an early age. He started appearing on local radio and television stations in San Diego and joined the Globe Theater Players at 18. He received good notices for his performances in Shakespearean plays and modern dramas. In 1959, he caught the attention of a Warner Bros. talent scout who saw him play Falstaff at the Globe and took him to Hollywood for a screen test.
Buono made his first network TV appearance as the bearded poet Bongo Benny in an episode of 77 Sunset Strip. He soon became a familiar face on television, playing menacing heavies and eccentric characters in various shows such as The Untouchables, The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and The Wild Wild West.
Breakthrough and Success
Buono’s big break came in 1962 when he was cast by director Robert Aldrich in the psychological horror movie What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. The film starred Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as two aging sisters who live in a decaying mansion. Buono played Edwin Flagg, the hapless musical accompanist who tries to exploit Davis’ character for money. His performance earned him critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Buono continued to work with Aldrich in several other films, such as Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967), and The Killing of Sister George (1968). He also appeared in other notable movies such as 4 for Texas (1963), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), The Silencers (1966), Who’s Minding the Mint? (1967), Target: Harry (1969), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), The Mad Butcher (1971), and The Evil (1978).
However, Buono’s most popular role was that of King Tut in the Batman television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. He played the recurring villain who was actually a mild-mannered professor of Egyptology named William McElroy who suffered from a head injury that turned him into a delusional pharaoh. He appeared in eight episodes between 1966 and 1968, becoming one of the show’s fan favorites.
Buono also showcased his comic talents and musical skills in various albums, such as Heavy! (1961), It’s My Life…And I’ll Cry If I Want To! (1962), Man Of La Mancha (1966), The Bells Are Ringing (1967), Victor Buono Reads Everything But You Know What (1970), and More Heavy! (1971). He also wrote poetry and published two books: It Could Be Verse (1972) and Eggheads Anonymous (1973).
Personal Life and Death
Buono was a private person who rarely discussed his personal life with the media. He never married or had children, but he had several close friends in the industry, such as Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Vincent Price, Roddy McDowall, Lee Meriwether, Tallulah Bankhead, Agnes Moorehead, Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, Liberace, Jonathan Winters, Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett, Phyllis Diller, Dom DeLuise, Ruth Buzzi, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Peter Boyle, Kenneth Mars, Richard Pryor, and Gene Hackman.
Buono was also a gourmet cook who loved to entertain his guests with his culinary creations. He was known for his generous and jovial personality, as well as his witty and intelligent humor. He enjoyed reading, writing, painting, gardening, and collecting antiques. He was also a devout Catholic who attended mass regularly.
However, Buono also struggled with his weight and health issues throughout his life. He was diagnosed with diabetes in his 20s and had to take insulin injections daily. He also suffered from high blood pressure, arthritis, and gout. He tried various diets and exercises to lose weight, but none of them worked for him. He once joked that he was “the only man in the world who has flunked Weight Watchers”.
On January 1, 1982, Buono was at his home in Apple Valley, California, when he suffered a massive heart attack. He was rushed to the St. Mary’s Hospital in Apple Valley, but he was pronounced dead on arrival. He was only 43 years old. His death shocked and saddened his fans and colleagues, who paid tribute to him in various ways. His funeral was held at the St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood, California, and he was buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Legacy and Influence
Victor Buono left behind a rich and diverse body of work that spanned over two decades and various genres. He was praised for his versatility, charisma, and talent as an actor, comic, and musician. He was also admired for his kindness, generosity, and humor as a person. He influenced many other performers who followed in his footsteps, such as John Candy, John Goodman, Chris Farley, Kevin James, Jack Black, Zach Galifianakis, Jonah Hill, Melissa McCarthy, Rebel Wilson, and Josh Gad.
Buono’s roles and performances have been referenced and parodied in many movies, television shows, cartoons, comics, books, games, and songs over the years. Some of the most notable examples are:
- In the 1989 movie Batman directed by Tim Burton, Jack Nicholson’s Joker says “This town needs an enema!” which is a line that Buono’s King Tut said in the Batman series.
- In the 1992 movie Batman Returns directed by Tim Burton, Danny DeVito’s Penguin says “I am not a human being! I am an animal! Cold-blooded!” which is another line that Buono’s King Tut said in the Batman series.
- In the 1997 movie Batman & Robin directed by Joel Schumacher, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze says “In this universe there is only one absolute: everything freezes!” which is a variation of a line that Buono’s King Tut said in the Batman series: “In this world there is only one absolute: everything freezes!”
- In the 2004 movie The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie directed by Stephen Hillenburg and Mark Osborne, Jeffrey Tambor’s King Neptune says “Bald! Bald! Bald! Bald! Bald! Bald! Bald!” which is a line that Buono’s King Tut said in the Batman series when he saw Batman without his cowl.
- In the 2005 movie The Producers directed by Susan Stroman, Will Ferrell’s Franz Liebkind says “I’m wet! I’m wet! I’m hysterical and I’m wet!” which is a line that Buono’s Edwin Flagg said in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? when he spilled a drink on himself.
- In the 2012 movie Wreck-It Ralph directed by Rich Moore, John C. Reilly’s Ralph says “I’m bad and that’s good. I will never be good and that’s not bad.” which is similar to a line that Buono’s Leo Kroll said in The Strangler: “I’m bad and I like it. I’ve always been bad and I’ll always be bad.”
- In the 2016 movie Deadpool directed by Tim Miller, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool says “You’re probably thinking ‘This is a superhero movie but that guy in the suit just turned that other guy into a fucking kebab.’ Well I may be super but I’m no hero.” which is reminiscent of a line that Buono’s Edwin Flagg said in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?: “You’re probably thinking ‘This is a musical comedy but that guy at the piano just turned that other guy into a bloody mess.’ Well I may be musical but I’m no comedian.”
Victor Buono’s cause of death was tragic and premature, but his legacy lives on through his work and his fans. He was a unique and unforgettable entertainer who brought joy and laughter to millions of people around the world. He will always be remembered as one of the greats of show business.
