Victor Buono
Encyclopedia
Charles Victor Buono was an American
actor
and comic.
, the son of Myrtle Belle (née
Keller; 1909–1979) and Victor Francis Buono (1907–1981). His maternal grandmother, Myrtle Glied (1886–1969), was a Vaudeville
performer on the Orpheum Circuit. When he was a boy, she taught him songs and recitations and encouraged him to perform for visitors. Even though the young Buono enjoyed the polite applause of those captive audiences, but aspired to be a doctor
. When he was sixteen, Father John Aherne, OSA, of St. Augustine High School in San Diego cast him as Papa Barrett in the play
The Barretts of Wimpole Street
. Buono appeared in three plays a year during high school, including Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp and Shakespearean
drama
s, and played the title role of Hamlet
.
He started appearing on local radio
and television station
s, and at the age of eighteen he joined the Globe Theater Players
in San Diego. The director had confidence in Buono and cast him in Volpone
, A Midsummer Night's Dream
and other Globe presentations. He received good notices for his various Shakespearean roles and in modern plays such as The Man Who Came to Dinner
and Witness for the Prosecution
.
In the summer of 1959, a talent scout from Warner Bros.
saw the heavyset Buono play Falstaff
at the Globe and took him to Hollywood
for a screen test
. He made his first network TV appearance playing the bearded poet Bongo Benny in an episode of 77 Sunset Strip
. Over the next few years, he played menacing heavies in nearly every Grade "A" private eye series on TV, and also appeared on The Untouchables
. Because of his size and early hair loss, Buono usually played older characters. After appearing in a few uncredited film roles, director Robert Aldrich
cast him in the psychological horror
movie What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
(1962). The film starred Bette Davis
and Joan Crawford
and Buono played the part of the ne'er-do-well musical accompanist, Edwin Flagg, a performance that earned him an Academy Award
nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
.
(1964) as Big Sam Hollis, the father of Bette Davis
, who had the title role. The film was also directed by Aldrich. In the Biblical epic The Greatest Story Ever Told
(1965), Buono portrayed the High Priest Sorak.
He also appeared in 4 for Texas
(1963
), Robin and the 7 Hoods
(1964), The Silencers
(1966), Who's Minding the Mint?
(1967), Target: Harry
(1969) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes
(1970) and The Mad Butcher (1972).
. He also played unrelated characters in that series' premiere episode and in the second and final Wild Wild West reunion movie, More Wild Wild West (1980).
He was in demand to play villains of various ethnic origins on many programs between 1962 and 1970. In 1962, he played Melanthos Moon, a San Francisco art and antique dealer who hijacks a supply of the paper used for US Currency, in an episode of The Untouchables
entitled Mr. Moon. In a 1963 episode entitled The Gang War, he played Pamise Surigao, a liquor smuggler competing with the Chicago Mob.
Buono played King Tut on the series Batman
. King Tut was a timid history professor who, after being hit in the head with a brick at a peace rally, donned the persona of the Egyptian royal. When he suffered another blow to the head, the villain returned to his meek demeanor. He played another villain in a 1967 unsold TV pilot film based on the Dick Tracy
comic strip.
Buono made a guest appearance as Hannibal Day in the Get Smart
episode Moonlighting Becomes You originally airing January 2, 1970 and appeared three times as Dr. Blaine in the ABC sitcom Harrigan and Son
, starring Pat O'Brien
and Roger Perry
as a father-and-son team of lawyers. He appeared in a segment of NBC's Night Gallery
entitled "Satisfaction Guaranteed". He also appeared in a 1973 episode of Hawaii 5-O (episode 15). He made two memorable appearances on ABC's The Odd Couple
, once in the episode "The Exorcists", and again in "The Rent Strike" where he portrayed Mr. Lovelace. He also made nine appearances in the NBC series Man from Atlantis (1977).
, he frequently recited his poetry. The most popular of his poems was Fat Man's Prayer, a work often erroneously attributed to Dom Deluise
. It included many widely quoted couplets such as:
on Taxi
. Buono died before the end of the series and another actor assumed the role briefly. The character was eventually killed-off and in one episode, Jim learned to cope with his father's death.
In 1980, Buono appeared in the TV movie
Murder Can Hurt You
as Chief Ironbottom, a parody of the title character from Ironside
. His later roles were more of pompous intellectuals and shady con men, although he also played straight roles. In the TV miniseries Backstairs at the White House (1979), he portrayed President William Howard Taft
.
on January 1, 1982; he died of a sudden heart attack
.
He is entombed with his mother Myrtle in Greenwood Memorial Park
in San Diego, but his name is not inscribed on the crypt.
. "The more you study him," he said, "the greater he grows". He was also highly regarded as a gourmet chef.
In regard to relationships (and the implicit questioning of his sexuality), Buono is quoted as saying "I've heard or read about actors being asked the immortal question 'Why have you never married?' They answer with the immortal excuse 'I just haven't found the right girl.' Because I'm on the hefty side, no one's asked me yet. If they do, that's the answer I'll give. After all, if it was good enough for Monty Clift
or Sal Mineo
..."
Despite his weight, Victor Buono was known to be a playboy, and was with many ladies, according to the commentary on the DVD edition of Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comic.
Early life and career
Buono was born in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, the son of Myrtle Belle (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Keller; 1909–1979) and Victor Francis Buono (1907–1981). His maternal grandmother, Myrtle Glied (1886–1969), was a Vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
performer on the Orpheum Circuit. When he was a boy, she taught him songs and recitations and encouraged him to perform for visitors. Even though the young Buono enjoyed the polite applause of those captive audiences, but aspired to be a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. When he was sixteen, Father John Aherne, OSA, of St. Augustine High School in San Diego cast him as Papa Barrett in the play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
The Barretts of Wimpole Street
The Barretts of Wimpole Street
The Barretts of Wimpole Street is a 1934 American film depicting the real-life romance between poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning , despite the opposition of her father Edward Moulton-Barrett . The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture...
. Buono appeared in three plays a year during high school, including Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp and Shakespearean
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
s, and played the title role of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
.
He started appearing on local radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s, and at the age of eighteen he joined the Globe Theater Players
Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
in San Diego. The director had confidence in Buono and cast him in Volpone
Volpone
Volpone is a comedy by Ben Jonson first produced in 1606, drawing on elements of city comedy, black comedy and beast fable...
, A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
and other Globe presentations. He received good notices for his various Shakespearean roles and in modern plays such as The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Man Who Came to Dinner is a comedy in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939 at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. It then enjoyed a number of New York and London revivals. The first London production was staged at The Savoy Theatre starring Robert...
and Witness for the Prosecution
Witness for the Prosecution (play)
Witness for the Prosecution is a play adapted by Agatha Christie based upon her short story titled "The Witness for the Prosecution". The play opened in London on October 28, 1953 at the Winter Garden Theatre...
.
In the summer of 1959, a talent scout from Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
saw the heavyset Buono play Falstaff
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
at the Globe and took him to Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
for a screen test
Screen test
A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film and/or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a camera to see if they are suitable...
. He made his first network TV appearance playing the bearded poet Bongo Benny in an episode of 77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes....
. Over the next few years, he played menacing heavies in nearly every Grade "A" private eye series on TV, and also appeared on The Untouchables
The Untouchables (1959 TV series)
The Untouchables is an American crime drama that ran from 1959 to 1963 on ABC. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized the experiences of Eliot Ness, a real-life Prohibition agent, as he fought crime in Chicago during the 1930s with the help of a...
. Because of his size and early hair loss, Buono usually played older characters. After appearing in a few uncredited film roles, director Robert Aldrich
Robert Aldrich
Robert Aldrich was an American film director, writer and producer, notable for such films as Kiss Me Deadly , The Big Knife , What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? , Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte , The Flight of the Phoenix , The Dirty Dozen , and The Longest Yard .-Biography:Robert...
cast him in the psychological horror
Psychological horror
Psychological horror is a subgenre of horror fiction that relies on character fears, guilt, beliefs, eerie sound effects, relevant music and emotional instability to build tension and further the plot...
movie What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film)
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 American psychological thriller film produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The screenplay by Lukas Heller is based on the novel of the same name by Henry Farrell...
(1962). The film starred Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
and Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
and Buono played the part of the ne'er-do-well musical accompanist, Edwin Flagg, a performance that earned him an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
.
Noteworthy film roles
Shortly after What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, he appeared in Hush… Hush, Sweet CharlotteHush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte is a 1964 American thriller film directed and produced by Robert Aldrich, and starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, and Agnes Moorehead....
(1964) as Big Sam Hollis, the father of Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
, who had the title role. The film was also directed by Aldrich. In the Biblical epic The Greatest Story Ever Told
The Greatest Story Ever Told
The Greatest Story Ever Told is a 1965 American epic film produced and directed by George Stevens and distributed by United Artists. It is a retelling of the story of Jesus Christ, from the Nativity through the Resurrection. This film is notable for its large ensemble cast and for being the last...
(1965), Buono portrayed the High Priest Sorak.
He also appeared in 4 for Texas
4 for Texas
4 for Texas is a 1963 American western comedy starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg, Ursula Andress, and featuring screen thugs Charles Bronson and Mike Mazurki, with a cameo appearance by the Three Stooges...
(1963
1963 in film
The year 1963 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* June 12 - Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton premieres at the Rivoli Theatre in New York City....
), Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods is a 1964 American musical film that transplants the Robin Hood legend to a 1930s Chicago gangster setting. Directed by Gordon Douglas and produced by Frank Sinatra, with a screenplay by David R. Schwartz, the movie stars members of the Rat Pack as well as Bing Crosby, Peter...
(1964), The Silencers
The Silencers (film)
The Silencers is the title of an American spy film spoof motion picture produced in 1966 and starring Dean Martin as agent Matt Helm. It is only loosely based upon the novel The Silencers by Donald Hamilton, as well as another of Hamilton's Helm novels, Death of a Citizen.The film was the first of...
(1966), Who's Minding the Mint?
Who's Minding the Mint?
Who's Minding the Mint? is a comedy movie from 1967 with elements of a caper film. Howard Morris directed a cast that included Jim Hutton, Dorothy Provine, Walter Brennan and Milton Berle. It was produced by Norman Maurer for Columbia Pictures....
(1967), Target: Harry
Target: Harry
Target: Harry is a 1969 thriller film directed by Roger Corman....
(1969) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes is a 1970 American science fiction film directed by Ted Post and written by Paul Dehn. It is the second of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs...
(1970) and The Mad Butcher (1972).
Television roles
Buono had a vast body of work in movies, and among his extensive TV appearances was the recurring role of Count Manzeppi in The Wild Wild WestThe Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
. He also played unrelated characters in that series' premiere episode and in the second and final Wild Wild West reunion movie, More Wild Wild West (1980).
He was in demand to play villains of various ethnic origins on many programs between 1962 and 1970. In 1962, he played Melanthos Moon, a San Francisco art and antique dealer who hijacks a supply of the paper used for US Currency, in an episode of The Untouchables
The Untouchables (1959 TV series)
The Untouchables is an American crime drama that ran from 1959 to 1963 on ABC. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized the experiences of Eliot Ness, a real-life Prohibition agent, as he fought crime in Chicago during the 1930s with the help of a...
entitled Mr. Moon. In a 1963 episode entitled The Gang War, he played Pamise Surigao, a liquor smuggler competing with the Chicago Mob.
Buono played King Tut on the series Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
. King Tut was a timid history professor who, after being hit in the head with a brick at a peace rally, donned the persona of the Egyptian royal. When he suffered another blow to the head, the villain returned to his meek demeanor. He played another villain in a 1967 unsold TV pilot film based on the Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
comic strip.
Buono made a guest appearance as Hannibal Day in the Get Smart
Get Smart
Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt...
episode Moonlighting Becomes You originally airing January 2, 1970 and appeared three times as Dr. Blaine in the ABC sitcom Harrigan and Son
Harrigan and Son
Harrigan and Son is an ABC sitcom about a father-and-son team of lawyers, played by Pat O'Brien and Roger Perry as Jim Harrigan, Sr., and Jim, Jr. In supporting roles, as secretaries, are Georgine Darcy as Gypsy and Helen Kleeb as Miss Claridge. The series aired 34 episodes at 8 p.m. Eastern Time...
, starring Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (actor)
Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
and Roger Perry
Roger Perry
Roger Perry is an American film and television actor whose career began in the late 1950s.In the 1960-1961 television season, Perry portrayed a handsome young attorney, Jim Harrigan, Jr., in the ABC and Desilu Studios sitcom Harrigan and Son, with co-stars Pat O'Brien, Helen Kleeb, and Georgine...
as a father-and-son team of lawyers. He appeared in a segment of NBC's Night Gallery
Night Gallery
Night Gallery is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although...
entitled "Satisfaction Guaranteed". He also appeared in a 1973 episode of Hawaii 5-O (episode 15). He made two memorable appearances on ABC's The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple (TV series)
The Odd Couple is a television situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 on ABC. It starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison. It was based upon the play of the same name, which was written by Neil Simon.Felix and Oscar are two divorced men....
, once in the episode "The Exorcists", and again in "The Rent Strike" where he portrayed Mr. Lovelace. He also made nine appearances in the NBC series Man from Atlantis (1977).
Comedy record albums and comic poetry
In the early 1970s, Buono released several comedy record albums, which poked fun at his large stature, and a book of comic poetry called It Could Be Verse. During guest appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
, he frequently recited his poetry. The most popular of his poems was Fat Man's Prayer, a work often erroneously attributed to Dom Deluise
Dom DeLuise
Dominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer, chef, and author. He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of: actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise; actor David DeLuise; and actor Michael DeLuise...
. It included many widely quoted couplets such as:
We are what we eat, said a wise old man,
And Lord, if that's true, I'm a garbage can!
At oleomargarine I'll never mutter,
For the road to hell is spread with butter.
And cake is cursed, and cream is awful,
And Satan is hiding in every waffle.
Give me this day my daily slice—
But cut it thin and toast it twice.
Later career
In the late 1970s and in 1980, Buono played the millionaire father of memory-impaired Reverend Jim IgnatowskiJim Ignatowski
The Reverend Jim "Iggy" Ignatowski, played by Christopher Lloyd, was a fictional character in the 1970s television series Taxi. A gentle soul, Jim was, in his own words, "the living embodiment of the sixties". His most noticeable character trait was his extreme "spaced-out" behavior as a result of...
on Taxi
Taxi (TV series)
Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher...
. Buono died before the end of the series and another actor assumed the role briefly. The character was eventually killed-off and in one episode, Jim learned to cope with his father's death.
In 1980, Buono appeared in the TV movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
Murder Can Hurt You
Murder Can Hurt You
Murder Can Hurt You is a 1980 ABC television movie that parodies detective and police TV shows of the 1960s and '70s, much like the way Murder by Death made fun of literary detectives...
as Chief Ironbottom, a parody of the title character from Ironside
Ironside (TV series)
Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the...
. His later roles were more of pompous intellectuals and shady con men, although he also played straight roles. In the TV miniseries Backstairs at the White House (1979), he portrayed President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
.
Death
Buono was found dead at his home in Apple Valley, CaliforniaApple Valley, California
-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was in 2002.*On average, the coolest month is December.*The lowest recorded temperature was in 1949.*The most precipitation on average occurs in February.-History:...
on January 1, 1982; he died of a sudden heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
.
He is entombed with his mother Myrtle in Greenwood Memorial Park
Greenwood Memorial Park (San Diego)
Greenwood Memorial Park is a cemetery located on county-owned land at 4300 Imperial Avenue in San Diego County, California. The cemetery is adjacent to Mount Hope Cemetery.Opened in 1908, Greenwood covers approximately five miles east of Downtown San Diego...
in San Diego, but his name is not inscribed on the crypt.
Personal life
Buono liked to read and write, and one of his main hobbies was ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. "The more you study him," he said, "the greater he grows". He was also highly regarded as a gourmet chef.
In regard to relationships (and the implicit questioning of his sexuality), Buono is quoted as saying "I've heard or read about actors being asked the immortal question 'Why have you never married?' They answer with the immortal excuse 'I just haven't found the right girl.' Because I'm on the hefty side, no one's asked me yet. If they do, that's the answer I'll give. After all, if it was good enough for Monty Clift
Montgomery Clift
Edward Montgomery Clift was an American film and stage actor. The New York Times’ obituary noted his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men"....
or Sal Mineo
Sal Mineo
Salvatore "Sal" Mineo, Jr. , was an American film and theatre actor, best known for his performance as John "Plato" Crawford opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without a Cause...
..."
Despite his weight, Victor Buono was known to be a playboy, and was with many ladies, according to the commentary on the DVD edition of Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte.
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Greek cleric at wedding plaza | Uncredited | |
| 1962 | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a suspense novel by author Henry Farrell published in 1960 by Rinehart & Company. The novel has earned a cult following and has been made into several movies.-Plot summary:... |
Edwin Flagg | |
| 1963 | My Six Loves | Gatecrasher | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte is a 1964 American thriller film directed and produced by Robert Aldrich, and starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, and Agnes Moorehead.... |
Big Sam Hollis | |
| 1964 | Robin and the 7 Hoods Robin and the 7 Hoods Robin and the 7 Hoods is a 1964 American musical film that transplants the Robin Hood legend to a 1930s Chicago gangster setting. Directed by Gordon Douglas and produced by Frank Sinatra, with a screenplay by David R. Schwartz, the movie stars members of the Rat Pack as well as Bing Crosby, Peter... |
Deputy Sheriff Alvin Potts | |
| 1964 | Leo Kroll | ||
| 1965 | Young Dillinger | Professor Hoffman | |
| 1966 | Tung-Tze | ||
| 1969 | Big Daddy | A. Lincoln Beauregard | Alternative title: Paradise Road |
| 1969 | Boot Hill Boot Hill (film) Boot Hill is a 1969 Italian Spaghetti Western film starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. This film is the last one in a trilogy that started with God Forgives... I Don't! , followed by Ace High... |
Honey Fisher | |
| 1971 | Otto Lehman | ||
| 1972 | Jennings | ||
| 1973 | Arnold | The Minister | |
| 1974 | Moonchild | The Maitre'd | |
| 1978 | The Evil | The Devil | Cameo appearance |
| 1978 | Everett Maddox | Alternative title: China Heat | |
| 1980 | Commodore Anastas | Alternative title: Sam Marlow, Private Eye | |
| 1980 | Target...Earth? | Homer the Archivist | |
| 1982 | Arak "the wolf" | Voice; Alternative title: Flight of the Dragon |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Sea Hunt Sea Hunt Sea Hunt was an American adventure television series that was aired in syndication by Ziv Television Programs from 1958 to 1961 and was popular in syndication for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced... |
Seminard | 1 episode |
| 1960 | Bourbon Street Beat Bourbon Street Beat Bourbon Street Beat is a private detective series which aired on the ABC network from 1959-1960 and featured Andrew Duggan as Cal Calhoun, Richard Long as Rex Randolph, Van Williams as Kenny Madison, and Arlene Howell as Melody Lee Mercer, the secretary at the New Orleans detective agency in which... |
Joe Leslie | 1 episode |
| Surfside 6 Surfside 6 Surfside 6 was an ABC television series which aired from 1960 to 1962. The show centered around a Miami Beach detective agency set on a houseboat and featured Troy Donahue as Sandy Winfield, II; Van Williams as Kenny Madison ; and Lee Patterson as Dave Thorne... |
Mr. Beamish | 1 episode | |
| 1961 | Wikkament | 1 episode | |
| 1962 | Manrique | 1 episode | |
| 1962 | Perry Mason Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, a defense attorney who was the main character in works of detective fiction authored by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason was featured in more than 80 novels and short stories, most of which had a plot involving his client's murder trial... |
Forsette | 1 episode |
| 1962 | Perry Mason Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, a defense attorney who was the main character in works of detective fiction authored by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason was featured in more than 80 novels and short stories, most of which had a plot involving his client's murder trial... |
Alexander Glovatsky | 1 episode |
| 1963 | GE True GE True GE True is an American anthology series sponsored by General Electric. Telecast on CBS, the series presented stories previously published in True magazine. Articles from the magazine were adapted to TV by Gene Roddenberry and other screenwriters.Jack Webb produced and hosted the 33 episodes during... |
Charles Colvin | 1 episode |
| 1965 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series) Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is a 1960s American science fiction television series based on the 1961 film of the same name. Both were created by Irwin Allen, which enabled the movie's sets, costumes, props, special effects models, and sometimes footage, to be used in the production of the... |
Dr. Tabor Ulrich | 1 episode |
| 1965 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre is an anthology television series, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967... |
General Leo Chareet | 3 episodes |
| 1966 | Colonel Hubris | 1 episode | |
| 1966 | Batman Batman (TV series) Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to... |
King Tut | 8 episodes |
| 1966 | I Spy | Karafatma | 1 episode |
| 1967 | Sir Cecil Seabrook | 1 episode | |
| 1967 | T.H.E. Cat | General Burek | 1 episode |
| 1967 | Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (TV series) Daniel Boone is an American action/adventure television series starring Fess Parker as Daniel Boone that aired from September 24, 1964 to September 10, 1970 on NBC for 165 episodes, and was made by 20th Century Fox Television. Ed Ames co-starred as Mingo, Boone's Native American friend, for the... |
Milo Quaife | 1 episode |
| 1968 | Count Mario Vincenzo Robespierre Manzeppi | 2 episodes | |
| 1969 | Marko "The Magnificent" Antonio | 1 episode | |
| 1969 | Here's Lucy Here's Lucy Here's Lucy is Lucille Ball's third network television sitcom. It ran on CBS from 1968 to 1974.-Background:Though The Lucy Show was still hugely popular during the previous season, finishing in the top five of the Nielsen Ratings , Ball opted to end that series at the end of that season and create... |
Mr. Vermillion | 1 episode |
| 1969 | It Takes a Thief | Mr. Kent | 1 episode |
| 1970 | Get Smart Get Smart Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt... |
Hannibal Day | 1 episode |
| 1970 | O'Hara, U.S. Treasury O'Hara, U.S. Treasury O'Hara, U.S. Treasury is an American television crime drama broadcast by CBS during the 1971-72 television season. Jack Webb's Mark VII Limited packaged the program for Universal Television. Webb and longtime colleague James E. Moser created the show; Leonard B. Kaufman was the... |
Al Connors | 1 episode |
| 1973 | Mannix Mannix Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors... |
Hamilton Starr | 1 episode |
| 1973 | Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,... |
Eric Damien | 1 episode |
| 1976 | Ellery Queen Ellery Queen (TV series) Ellery Queen is an American television detective mystery series that ran for one season from 1975 to 1976 on NBC. It starred Jim Hutton as Ellery Queen, and David Wayne as his father, Inspector Richard Queen... |
Dr. Friedland | 1 episode |
| 1976 | Judge Bernard Gluck | 1 episode | |
| 1976 | Alice Alice (TV series) Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to July 2, 1985 on CBS. The series was based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job... |
Mr. James | 1 episode |
| 1977 | Seth Taylor | 1 episode | |
| 1979 | Supertrain Supertrain Supertrain is an American television drama/adventure series that ran on NBC from February 7 to May 5, 1979. Nine episodes were made, including a 2-hour pilot episode.-Overview:... |
Misto | 1 episode |
| 1980 | Fantasy Island Fantasy Island Fantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:... |
Dr. Albert Z. Fell | 1 episode |
| 1980–1981 | Vega$ Vega$ Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981. It was produced by Aaron Spelling. The series, was filmed in its entirety in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is believed to be the first television series produced entirely in Las Vegas... |
"Diamond" Jim | 4 episodes |
| 1981 | Here's Boomer Here's Boomer Here's Boomer is an American adventure/drama series produced by Paramount that aired on the NBC beginning in March 1980. A television movie called A Christmas for Boomer aired on December 6, 1979 and served as the pilot. The show ran for two seasons, ending its run in August 1982... |
Dr. Frankenstein | 1 episode |
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Academy Award | Nominated | Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the... |
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? |
| Golden Globe Award Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign... |
Best Supporting Actor | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? | ||
| Laurel Awards | Top New Male Personality |