Buck Henry

Last updated

Buck Henry
Buck Henry (4970849739) (cropped).jpg
Henry in 1978
Born
Henry Zuckerman

(1930-12-09)December 9, 1930
New York City, U.S.
DiedJanuary 8, 2020(2020-01-08) (aged 89)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education Dartmouth College
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • director
Years active1946–2015
Spouses
  • Sally Zuckerman
  • Irene Ramp [1]

Buck Henry (born Henry Zuckerman; [1] December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020) was an American actor, screenwriter, and director. Henry's contributions to film included his work as a co-writer for Mike Nichols's The Graduate (1967) for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also appeared in Nichols' Catch-22 (1970), Herbert Ross' The Owl and the Pussycat (1970), and Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up, Doc? (1972). In 1978, he co-directed Heaven Can Wait (1978) with Warren Beatty receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director. He later appeared in Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life (1991), and the Robert Altman films The Player (1992) and Short Cuts (1993).

Contents

His long career began on television with work on shows with Steve Allen in The New Steve Allen Show (1961). He co-created Get Smart (1965–1970) with Mel Brooks for which he received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. He also served as a multiple-time host of Saturday Night Live . Henry is a member of SNL's Five Timer's Club having hosted 10 times from 1976 to 1980. He later guest-starred in such popular shows as Murphy Brown , Hot in Cleveland , Will & Grace , and 30 Rock .

Early life

Henry was born in New York City as Henry Zuckerman. His mother was Ruth Taylor (January 13, 1905 – April 12, 1984), a silent film actress, star of the original version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , and his father was Paul Steinberg Zuckerman (April 15, 1899 – December 3, 1965), an Air Force brigadier general and stockbroker. [2] [3] [4] Though the young Zuckerman was nicknamed 'Buck' from childhood, he did not officially change his name to Buck Henry until the 1970s; both his birth name and nickname came from his grandfather. [1] Henry was from a Jewish background. [5]

Henry attended The Choate School, at the time an all-boys institution (now Choate Rosemary Hall). At 15 years old, he made his professional acting debut in a Broadway production of Life with Father , which later toured theaters in Brooklyn, Long Island, and the Bronx. Henry earned a bachelor's degree in English literature and a senior fellowship in writing at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, where he wrote for the university humor magazine, the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern, [6] and met movie director Bob Rafelson.

Following graduation, he enlisted in the Army during the Korean War. He served in West Germany first as a helicopter mechanic [7] and then transferred to Special Services, where he toured with the Seventh Army Repertory Company, performing in a play he both wrote and directed. [6]

Career

Acting and writing

Henry joined the improvisational comedy group the Premise, whose ranks included George Segal and Theodore J. Flicker, [7] performing in the West Village in Manhattan. This helped lead him into a television career. [6]

From 1959 to 1962, as part of an elaborate hoax by comedian Alan Abel, he made public appearances as G. Clifford Prout, the quietly outraged president of the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals, [8] who presented his point of view on talk shows. [9] The character of Prout wished to clothe all animals in order to prevent their 'indecency', using slogans such as "A nude horse is a rude horse". Henry played the character with deadpan sincerity. He was often presented as an eccentric, but was otherwise taken seriously by the broadcasters who interviewed him. "Prout" received many letters of support from TV viewers, and even some unsolicited monetary donations, all of which were invariably returned, as neither Henry nor Abel (who had no intention of following through on the Society's stated aims) wanted to be accused of raising money fraudulently. [10] [11]

Henry became a cast member on The New Steve Allen Show (1961) and the US version of That Was the Week That Was (1964–1965). [1]

He was a co-creator and writer for the secret agent comedy television series Get Smart (1965–1970), with comedian Mel Brooks. [6] The show lasted for five seasons and 138 episodes and won numerous Emmy Awards. Two TV projects created by Henry had short runs: Captain Nice (1967) with William Daniels as a reluctant superhero, and Quark (1978), with Richard Benjamin in command of a garbage scow in outer space. [1]

Henry shared an Oscar nomination with Calder Willingham for their screenplay for The Graduate (1967), in which he also appeared in a supporting role as a hotel desk clerk. Henry's cameo in The Player (1992) had him (playing himself) pitching a 25-years-later sequel to The Graduate, which Henry later claimed led to real-life interest in such a project from some studios. [12]

His many other screen writing credits included the sex farce Candy (1968), the romantic comedies The Owl and the Pussycat (1970) and What's Up, Doc? (1972), the satire Catch-22 (1970), the thriller The Day of the Dolphin (1973), the comedy Protocol (1984), and the dark crime dramedy To Die For (1995). [6] In several of these, such as Candy and Catch-22, he also appeared as an actor. [6] In 1997, Henry was the recipient of the Austin Film Festival's Distinguished Screenwriter Award.[ citation needed ]

Overall he appeared in more than 40 films, including a lead role in Taking Off (1971) and supporting roles in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Gloria (1980), Eating Raoul (1982), Aria (1987), Tune in Tomorrow (1990), Defending Your Life (1991), Short Cuts (1993), and Grumpy Old Men (1993). [6]

Henry in 1990 Buck Henry (211164064) (cropped).jpg
Henry in 1990

He co-directed Heaven Can Wait (1978), [13] the remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan , with the movie's star Warren Beatty and appeared in the film as an officious angel, reprising the character originally played by Edward Everett Horton.[ citation needed ] Henry received a second shared Oscar nomination, this time for Best Director. [14]

Later in his career, Henry became known for guest-starring and recurring roles on television. He appeared in an episode of Murphy Brown ("My Dinner With Einstein", 1989) as Dr. Victor Rudman, a fractal scientist who dated Murphy. He appeared on the television show Will & Grace in 2005. [15] In 2007, he made two guest appearances on The Daily Show as a contributor, billed as the show's "Senior Senior Correspondent".[ citation needed ] He has also appeared as Liz Lemon's father, Dick Lemon, in the 30 Rock episodes "Ludachristmas" (December 13, 2007) and "Gentleman's Intermission" (November 4, 2010). [1] In 2011, he appeared in a multi-episode arc of Hot in Cleveland as Elka's groom. [1]

His Broadway credits included the 2002 revival of Morning's at Seven . Off-Broadway in July 2009, he starred opposite Holland Taylor in Mother, a play by Lisa Ebersole. [16]

Saturday Night Live

Henry hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live ten times between 1976 and 1980, making him the show's most frequent host during its initial five-year run and on November 19, 1977, Henry became the first to host five times. [1] It became a tradition during these years for Henry to host the final show of each season, beginning with the 1976–1977 season. Henry's frequent host record was broken when Steve Martin made his 11th appearance as host of the show on the finale episode of the 1988–1989 season. [17] During the episode of October 30, 1976, Henry was injured in the forehead by John Belushi's katana in the samurai sketch. [1] Henry's head began to bleed and he was forced to wear a large bandage on his forehead for the rest of the show. As a gag, the members of the SNL cast each wore a bandage on their foreheads as well.

Recurring characters on SNL

Celebrity impersonations on SNL

Death

Henry died of a heart attack at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on January 8, 2020, at age 89. [14] [7]

Filmography

Film

Source: Turner Classic Movies [6]

YearTitleRoleNotes
1959 The Bridge Voice, English version
1964 The Troublemaker T.R. KingstonAlso writer
1967 The Graduate Room ClerkAlso writer
1968 The Secret War of Harry Frigg Stockade Commandant
1968 Candy Mental PatientAlso writer
1970 Catch-22 Lieutenant Colonel KornAlso writer
1970 The Owl and the Pussycat Bookstore ManAlso writer
Uncredited
1971 Taking Off Larry Tyne
1971 Is There Sex After Death? Dr. Louise Manos
1973 The Day of the Dolphin Women's Club ManAlso writer
Uncredited
1976 The Man Who Fell to Earth Oliver Farnsworth
1977 The Absent-Minded Waiter Bernie CatesShort
1978 Heaven Can Wait The EscortAlso writer / director
1979 Old Boyfriends Art Kopple
1980 Gloria Jack Dawn
1980 First Family Father Sandstone
TV Anchorman		Also writer / director
1981 Strong Medicine
1982 Eating Raoul Mr. Leech
1987 Aria Preston(segment "Rigoletto")
1989 Rude Awakening Lloyd Stool
1990 Tune in Tomorrow Father Serafim
1991 Defending Your Life Dick Stanley
1991 The Linguini Incident Cecil
1991Shakespeare's Plan 12 from Outer SpaceThe Priest
1992 The Player Himself
1992The Lounge PeopleLewis Louis
1993 Short Cuts Gordon Johnson
1993 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Dr. Dreyfus
1993 Grumpy Old Men Snyder
1995 To Die For H. FinlayssonAlso writer
1997 The Real Blonde Dr. Leuter
19981999Mr. Goldman
1998 I'm Losing You Phillip Dagrom
1998 Curtain Call Charles Van Allsburg
1998The Man Who CountedGeorge PostlewaitShort
1999 Breakfast of Champions Fred T. Barry
2000 Lisa Picard is Famous Himself
2001 Town & Country SuttlerAlso writer
2001 Serendipity HimselfUncredited
2004 The Last Shot Lonnie Bosco
2011 A Bird of the Air Duncan Weber
2013StreetcarSheriffShort
2015Kiss Kiss FingerbangCat OwnerShort

Television

Source: IMDb [26]

YearTitleRoleNotes
1961The New Steve Allen ShowRegular5 episodes
1964–1965 That Was the Week That Was Himself2 episodes
1975 The Owl and the Pussycat Felix ShermanTV pilot
1976–1989 Saturday Night Live Host / Himself17 episodes
1976That Was the Year That Was – 1976News ReporterTV movie
1978 Quark DignitaryUncredited, 1 episode
1984 The New Show Regular9 episodes
1985 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Walter Lang1 episode
1987–1988 Falcon Crest Foster Glenn3 episodes
1989 Murphy Brown Victor RudmanEpisode: "My Dinner With Einstein"
1989 Trying Times Man on TV1 episode
1992 Keep the Change SmittyTV movie
1992 Tales from the Crypt George1 episode
1992 Eek! The Cat CupidVoice, 1 episode
1992 Mastergate Clay FielderTV movie
1995 Harrison Bergeron TV ProducerTV movie
1999 Dilbert DadbertVoice, 1 episode
2005 Will & Grace Leonard1 episode
2007 The Daily Show Contributor2 episodes
2007–2010 30 Rock Dick Lemon2 episodes
2011 Hot in Cleveland Fred3 episodes
2012 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Mr. Morton1 episode
2012 Casting By HimselfDocumentary, HBO
2013 Franklin & Bash Judge Henry Dinsdale2 episodes
2013 Mel Brooks: Make A Noise HimselfDocumentary, PBS

Writing credits

Film

Source: Turner Classic Movies [6]

Television

Directing credits

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

YearAwardNominated workResult
1968 Best Adapted Screenplay The Graduate Nominated
1978 Best Director Heaven Can Wait Nominated

Golden Globe Awards

YearAwardNominated workResult
1967 Best Screenplay The Graduate Nominated
1993Special Award for Ensemble (non-competitive) Short Cuts Recipient

Primetime Emmy Awards

YearAwardNominated workResult
1965 Outstanding Achievements in Entertainment – Writers That Was the Week That Was Nominated
1966 Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Get Smart Nominated
1967Won

Other Awards

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
1967 New York Film Critics Circle Best Screenplay The Graduate Nominated [27]
1968 Writers Guild of America Awards Best Written American ComedyWon
1969 British Academy Film Awards Best ScreenplayWon
1971 Writers Guild of America Awards Best Adapted Drama Film Catch-22 Nominated
Best Adapted Comedy Film The Owl and the Pussycat Nominated
1973Best Original Comedy What's Up, Doc? Won
1979 Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Direction – Film Heaven Can Wait Nominated
1993 Venice Film Festival Special Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Short Cuts Recipient

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorne Michaels</span> Canadian-American television producer, writer, and actor (born 1944)

Lorne Michaels is a Canadian-American television writer and film producer. He created and produced Saturday Night Live and produced the Late Night series, The Kids in the Hall and The Tonight Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevy Chase</span> American comedian, writer and actor (born 1943)

Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He became the breakout cast member in the first season of Saturday Night Live (1975–1976), where his recurring Weekend Update segment became a staple of the show. As both a performer and a writer on the series, he earned two Primetime Emmy Awards out of four nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry David</span> American comedian, writer and actor (born 1947)

Lawrence Gene David is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He and Jerry Seinfeld created the NBC television sitcom Seinfeld, of which David was head writer and executive producer for the first seven seasons. He gained further recognition for creating and writing the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, in which he also stars as a fictionalized version of himself. David's work on Seinfeld won him two Primetime Emmy Awards in 1993, for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series; he was nominated 17 other times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Feldon</span> American actress (born 1933)

Barbara Feldon is an American actress primarily known for her roles on television. Her most prominent role was that of Agent 99 in the 1965–1970 sitcom Get Smart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Attell</span> American stand-up comedian

David Attell is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer best known as the host of Comedy Central's Insomniac with Dave Attell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Lovitz</span> American actor and comedian (born 1957)

Jonathan Michael Lovitz is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990 for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Segal</span> American actor (1934–2021)

George Segal Jr. was an American actor. He became popular in the 1960s and 1970s for playing both dramatic and comedic roles. After first rising to prominence with roles in acclaimed films such as Ship of Fools (1965) and King Rat (1965), he co-starred in the classic drama Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Kinnear</span> American actor (born 1963)

Gregory Buck Kinnear is an American actor and former talk show host. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in As Good as It Gets (1997).

In the early years of the 1970s comedy TV show Saturday Night Live, John Belushi portrayed an archetypal samurai — he has a strong sense of honor, speaks only (mock) Japanese, and wields a katana. Sketches featuring the character showed him in different occupations that would not be expected for a samurai. He always performed his tasks perfectly, despite scaring his clients quite a few times. The character was modeled after Toshiro Mifune's character in Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenan Thompson</span> American actor and comedian (born 1978)

Kenan Thompson is an American actor and comedian. He has been a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history. He was also the first regular cast member born after the show's premiere in 1975. Outside of SNL, Thompson starred on NBC's sitcom Kenan from 2021 to 2022.

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an American late-night live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The show's premiere was hosted by George Carlin on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary American culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, with featured performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that is usually based on political events and ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Poehler</span> American actress and comedian (born 1971)

Amy Poehler is an American actress and comedian. After studying improv at Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic in the early 1990s, Poehler co-founded the improvisational-comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade. The group moved to New York City in 1996, where their act became a half-hour sketch-comedy series on Comedy Central in 1998. Along with other members of the comedy group, Poehler is a founder of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roseanne Roseannadanna</span> "Saturday Night Live" character created and portrayed by Gilda Radner

Roseanne Roseannadanna is a character created and portrayed by Gilda Radner on Weekend Update in the early seasons of Saturday Night Live (SNL). She was the segment's consumer affairs reporter who, like an earlier Radner character Emily Litella, editorialized on current issues, only to go off-topic before being interrupted by the anchor. Unlike Litella's meek and apologetic character, Roseannadanna was brash and tactless. The character was based on Rose Ann Scamardella, a former anchorwoman on WABC-TV's Eyewitness News in New York City. The character also appeared later in Radner's live one-woman shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Corden</span> American actor (1920–2005)

Henry Corden was a Canadian-born American actor, best known for assuming the voice of Fred Flintstone after the death of Alan Reed in 1977. His official debut as Fred's new voice was in a 1965 Hanna-Barbera record, Saving Mr. Flintstone, although he had previously provided the singing voice for Reed in the 1966 theatrical film The Man Called Flintstone and the Hanna-Barbera specials Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid like You Doing in a Place like This? (1966) and Energy: A National Issue (1977). He took over the role as Fred Flintstone full time starting with the syndicated weekday series Fred Flintstone and Friends for which he provided voice-overs on brief bumper clips shown in-between segments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Samberg</span> American comedian and actor (born 1978)

Andy Samberg is an American comedian, actor, rapper, singer and songwriter. He is a member of the comedy music group the Lonely Island with Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone. Samberg was also a cast member and writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2012, where he and his fellow group members are credited with popularizing the SNL Digital Shorts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Hader</span> American actor and comedian (born 1978)

William Thomas Hader Jr. is an American actor and comedian. He gained widespread attention for his eight-year stint as a cast member on the long-running NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2013, for which he received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Peabody Award. He became known for his impressions and especially for his work on the Weekend Update segments, where he played Stefon Meyers, a flamboyant New York City nightclub tour guide.

<i>The Owl and the Pussycat</i> (film) 1970 film by Herbert Ross

The Owl and the Pussycat is a 1970 American romantic film directed by Herbert Ross from a screenplay by Buck Henry, based on the 1964 play of the same name by Bill Manhoff. The film follows Doris, a somewhat uneducated actress, model, and part-time prostitute who moves in temporarily with her neighbor Felix, an intellectual aspiring writer. Despite their many obvious differences, the two begin to admire each other over time. Comedian and actor Robert Klein appears in a supporting role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mulaney</span> American comedian and actor (born 1982)

John Edmund Mulaney is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Mulaney first rose to prominence for his work as a writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2008 to 2013, where he contributed to numerous sketches and characters, including Stefon, a recurring character that he and Bill Hader co-created. Since his departure from SNL, Mulaney has hosted it six times, becoming a member of the SNL Five Timers Club in 2022.

The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 24, 1977, and May 20, 1978, the third season of SNL.

Bowen Yang is an American actor, comedian, podcaster, and writer. Yang was hired to join the writing staff of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in September 2018, ahead of its 44th season, and a year later was promoted to on-air cast status for SNL's 45th season. He made history becoming the first SNL featured player to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021. He was promoted to repertory status before the 47th season.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Weber, Bruce (January 9, 2020). "Buck Henry, Who Helped Create 'Get Smart' and Adapt 'The Graduate,' Dies at 89". The New York Times . Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Buck Henry Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  3. ↑ "That Old Feeling: Sweet Smells". Time . March 21, 2002. Archived from the original on March 28, 2002. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Paul S. Zuckerman, Broker Here, Was 66". The New York Times. December 4, 1965. p. 31. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Jews in the News: Carrie Fisher, Norman Lear and Stephen Tobolowsky". Tampa Jewish Federation. January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Overview for Buck Henry". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 Barnes, Mike (January 8, 2020). "Buck Henry, Fun-Loving Screenwriter and Actor, Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  8. ↑ "One Man's Mission To Clothe Nude Animals For Decency's Sake". Ripley's Believe It or Not! . May 29, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  9. ↑ Crockett, Zachary (March 16, 2016). "The Hoaxster Who Revealed Sad Truths About America". Priceonomics. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  10. ↑ Sheridan, Tim (April 29, 2004). "Naked Animals and Sacred Cows: Buck Henry: The Unabridged Interview". stopsmilingonline.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Buck Henry (RIP) & The Society for Indecency to Naked Animals (SINAUS)". The WOW Report. January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  12. ↑ Myers, Scott (October 27, 2016). "Great Scene: "The Player"". Medium. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  13. ↑ Newman, Scott (January 9, 2020). "Buck Henry, Screenwriter And Actor Famous For 'The Graduate' And TV Comedy, Dies At 89". NPR. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  14. 1 2 Pedersen, Erik (January 8, 2020). "Buck Henry Dies: 'The Graduate' Writer, 'Get Smart' Co-Creator & Early 'SNL' Favorite Was 89". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  15. ↑ "NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY GUEST SPEAKERS - BUCK HENRY". New York Film Academy. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  16. ↑ Gans, Andrew (May 11, 2009). "Buck Henry and Holland Taylor Cast in Lisa Ebersole's play, Mother". Playbill . Archived from the original on May 15, 2009. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  17. ↑ As of 2017, Alec Baldwin is the most frequent male host in SNL history with 17 episodes beginning in 1990.
  18. ↑ "SNL Archives (Howard)".
  19. ↑ "SNL Archives (Marshall DiLaMuca)".
  20. ↑ "SNL Archives (Mr. Dantley)".
  21. ↑ "Al Franken And Uncle Roy". The American Conservative. November 16, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Saturday Night Live: 15 Most Controversial Sketches Of All Time". ScreenRant. May 9, 2017. Archived from the original on October 8, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  23. ↑ "SNL Archives (Charles Lindbergh)".
  24. ↑ "SNL Archives (John Dean)".
  25. ↑ "SNL Archives (Ron Nessen)".
  26. ↑ "Buck Henry". IMDb .
  27. ↑ "Buck Henry". IMDb .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.