VICTOR BUONO

February 3, 1938

Victor Charles Buono was born in San Diego, California. His grandmother was a vaudeville performer who taught him songs and recitations  to perform for visitors.
 He was best known for playing the villain King Tut on the TV series “Batman” and Edwin Flagg in the film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), which earned him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. 

His large size and sonorous voice, he made a career of playing men much older than he was.

He made his screen debut as an uncredited performer on an episode of the TV series “Bronco” starring Ty Hardin, in December 1959, at age 19.  

In 1961, he joined the Desilu family playing Dr. Blaine in three episodes of “Harrigan and Son”, a one-season show also filmed at Desilu Studios. 

In 1961 and 1962, he did two episodes of Desilu’s “The Untouchables,” playing two different characters. 

His next project would be his break-out role in Whatever Happened To Baby Jane (1962), a film that would be mentioned on the first season of “The Lucy Show.” Viv wants to see the film, but Lucy thinks it will be too scary.

On February 24, 1969, he guest-starred on “Here’s Lucy” in “Lucy Gets Her Man” (HL S1;E21).  

Buono played Arthur Vermillion, who may be a Russian spy – or just a greeting card writer!  

A few weeks later, in April 1969, Buono did a wordless cameo on the Dinah Shore special “Like Hep” which featured Lucille Ball and Diana Ross. 

On August 16, 1971, Buono, Ball, and Ballard (Kaye) were all on the couch on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.”  This would be the last time Lucy and Victor would appear together. 

Like many other of Lucille Ball’s guest stars (Ethel Merman, Milton Berle, Rudy Vallee, to name a few), Buono became one of the arch villains of “Batman” in ten episodes from 1966 to 1968. A Jekyll-and-Hyde character, William McElroy was a timid professor of Egyptology who, after being hit in the head with a brick at a peace rally, assumes the persona of the charismatic, monomaniacal Egyptian King Tut. The role proved to be the most frequently featured original villain in the series and was one of Buono’s favorites.

Buono was closeted like most gay actors at the time but lived with same-sex partners, and referred to himself as a “conscientious objector” in the “morality revolution” of the 1960s.

Buono was found dead at his home on New Year’s Day 1982; he died of a sudden heart attack at age 43.

His final screen appearance was in the TV pilot “Two Guys from Muck” which was filmed in 1979, but not aired until March 1982, three months after his death.  He played a character named Mr. Big.