Bud Corliss is the main antagonist in the late Ira Levin's 1953 novel A Kiss Before Dying, and its 1956 film adaptation. He is a psychopathic killer who murders his way into a wealthy family.

He was portrayed by Robert Wagner, who also portrayed Number Two in the Austin Powers franchise.

Biography[]

Bud Corliss is an ambitious university student who woos fellow student Dorothy Kingship in order to inherit her father's mining fortune. When he learns that Dorothy is pregnant with his child, he realizes she is quite likely to be disinherited by her father, Leo Kingship, However Dorothy does not care about being disinherited, saying she feels "like me" for the first time in her life, free of her father's control. Bud assures Dorothy that he will "take care of her", although he hesitates when Dorothy insists on marrying, but then seemingly agrees to it.

After Dorothy experiences a fall on some bleachers, Bud spends the days leading up to their arrangement establishing an elaborate staged plan for what would appear to be her suicide. He nearly panics when this fails on the first attempt. On the day they are to supposed be married, Bud purposely has Dorothy meet up with him at the municipal building within the lunch hour when the pertinent office is closed. He suggests they go to the roof for some air to which she agrees. There, he manipulates her into position then shoves her off of the building; her death is considered a suicide because of a letter Bud had forged and mailed in anticipation of his original plan working.

A few months later, Dorothy's sister, Ellen, starts dating Bud; in order to give himself a second shot at ingratiating himself with Leo Kingship. Ellen is completely unaware of Bud's previous relationship with Dorothy; she has, however, always had doubted her death was suicide. She has an idea that if she can find out who her sister's boyfriend had been, it will be proven that he murdered her. For help, Ellen contacts Gordon Grant, who tutored Dorothy. Shortly after, Ellen believes she has identified the boyfriend, Dwight Powell. Bud learns of the investigation and manages to eliminate Powell from the equation by murdering him. His death is also ruled as a suicide.

Ellen who is satisfied that Powell was the man who killed Dorothy becomes engaged to Bud. Gordon shows up during the engagement party to tell her that he has discovered that Powell could not have committed the crime. While leaving, he is introduced to Bud; while driving home, he stops at a phone booth to call his uncle, the chief of police, to reveal that he believes he had seen Bud with Dorothy at the university. Gordon returns to Ellen's and informs Leo Kingship that he is certain Bud was dating Dorothy and likely murdered Ellen. They give Ellen the news, which she rejects outright.

The next morning, Bud and Ellen drive to the Kingship mine so Bud can see the family fortune being made. Meanwhile, Gordon's uncle confirms that Bud was truly Dorothy's boyfriend.

During casual conversation, Bud lets it slip both that he knows more about the smelter than he should, considering he supposedly has been talking only with Ellen about her family, and that – concurrent with Dorothy – he had gone frequently to concerts in the university town. He then admits to Ellen that he knew her sister, that he "even had a few dates with her". He lies to Ellen and tries to tell her that he was being considerate of her emotions by keeping it a secret; they argue and Bud stalks to the edge of the open mine pit. Ellen goes after him, still hoping he is not a murderer. They continue to talk and since he uses "Dorie" for the victim's name, a name that only he called her by, Ellen learns that he, indeed, is guilty. Her father and Gordon arrive and witness Bud struggling to throw Ellen into the pit; in a desperate attempt to kill her, he shoves her in front of an oncoming truck, which swerves and instead hits him, knocking him over the cliff and killing him.

Gallery[]

Bud talking to Dorothy.

Bud poisoning pills.

Bud talking to Ellen.

Bud falling to his death after being hit by a truck.

Trivia[]

• Bud Corliss was Robert Wagner's first villainous role.
• In the 1991 remake of the original film, he is renamed Jonathan Corliss.