Victor Buono
I had the good fortune of meeting up with actor Victor Buono, famous for movie roles opposite Bette Davis. And famous in my young, teenage eyes because he’d just appeared on television’s “Batman” series as the villain King Tut, opposite Adam West.
The venue was the Augustinian Center at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts in the late 1960’s. Father Aherne from the college, who had known Buono in high school, was still a close friend. My sister attended the college and was doing some college radio work for the yearly two man show Fr. Aherne and Victor Buono would put on.
We were in the hall prior to the show, before the audience was let in. I remember meeting a charming, warm and gracious man of incredible wit and humor.
I was on crutches, having a huge, goose egg-sized hematoma on top of my foot. Mr. Buono asked me, in all interest, what had happened. I told him I’d tripped over the inground garbage can at home.
Without missing a beat he said, “Oh no, my dear! You must never say you tripped over a common garbage can! Say instead you tripped over something uncommon, like a feather or mushroom…”
I never forgot what he said: choosing a will and a way of viewing the world in appreciation, no matter the circumstance!
The show later that evening was immensely entertaining. It was obvious to my young mind he was an actor of depth and of a caliber not often seen.
It was quite a shock to me in the early 1980’s to hear this marvelous man had died of a heart attack in his early 40’s. Thank you, Victor, for adding a bit of wisdom and grace to this lady!
This post was submitted by Mufi Hayes.
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