Buck Henry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buck Henry
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Henry in 1978
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Henry Zuckerman
December 9, 1930 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | January 8, 2020 (aged 89) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Education | Dartmouth College |
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| Years active | 1961–2015 |
| Spouse(s) | Sally Zuckerman Irene Ramp |
Buck Henry (born Henry Zuckerman; December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020) was a talented American actor, screenwriter, and director. He was known for his clever writing and funny performances.
Henry helped write the famous movie The Graduate (1967), which earned him a nomination for an Academy Award (an Oscar) for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also acted in many movies like Catch-22 (1970) and What's Up, Doc? (1972). In 1978, he co-directed Heaven Can Wait and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.
On television, Henry co-created the popular secret agent comedy show Get Smart (1965–1970) with Mel Brooks. He won an Emmy Award for his writing on the show. He was also a frequent host of Saturday Night Live, hosting the show 10 times. This made him a member of the special SNL's Five Timer's Club. Later in his career, he appeared in many other TV shows, including Murphy Brown, Will & Grace, and 30 Rock.
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Early Life
Buck Henry was born Henry Zuckerman in New York City. His mother, Ruth Taylor, was a silent film actress. His father, Paul Steinberg Zuckerman, was an Air Force general and a stockbroker.
Even though his birth name was Henry Zuckerman, people called him 'Buck' since he was a child. He officially changed his name to Buck Henry in the 1970s. Both his birth name and his nickname came from his grandfather. Henry grew up in a Jewish family.
He went to The Choate School, which was an all-boys school at the time. When he was 15, he started acting professionally in a Broadway play called Life with Father. He later toured with the play in other cities.
Henry studied English literature at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. There, he wrote for the university's humor magazine. After college, he joined the Army during the Korean War. He worked as a helicopter mechanic in West Germany. Later, he joined the Special Services, where he performed in a play he wrote and directed.
Career Highlights
Starting in Comedy
After the Army, Buck Henry joined an improvisational comedy group called the Premise. This group performed in New York City and helped him start his television career.
From 1959 to 1962, he made funny public appearances as a character named G. Clifford Prout. This character would share his unique views on talk shows. Many TV viewers believed Prout was real and sent him letters of support.
Henry became a regular cast member on The New Steve Allen Show (1961) and the US version of That Was the Week That Was (1964–1965).
Famous TV Shows
Buck Henry is well-known for co-creating and writing the secret agent comedy series Get Smart (1965–1970) with comedian Mel Brooks. The show was very popular, lasting five seasons and winning many Emmy Awards.
He also created two other TV shows that had shorter runs: Captain Nice (1967), about a superhero who didn't want to be one, and Quark (1978), a space comedy.
Movies and Writing
Henry received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for The Graduate (1967). He co-wrote it with Calder Willingham. Henry also had a small acting role in the movie as a hotel clerk. Years later, his cameo in the movie The Player (1992) showed him joking about a sequel to The Graduate. This even led to some real interest from movie studios!
He wrote many other movies, including:
- 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).
- The crime dramedy To Die For (1995).
Henry also acted in over 40 films. He had a main role in Taking Off (1971) and supporting roles in movies like The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Defending Your Life (1991), and Grumpy Old Men (1993).
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In 1978, he co-directed Heaven Can Wait with the movie's star Warren Beatty. Henry also acted in the film as a funny angel. For this movie, he received another Oscar nomination, this time for Best Director.
Later TV Appearances
Later in his career, Buck Henry was known for his guest roles on popular TV shows.
- He appeared in an episode of Murphy Brown (1989) as a scientist.
- He was on Will & Grace in 2005.
- In 2007, he made funny appearances on The Daily Show as a "Senior Senior Correspondent."
- He played Liz Lemon's father, Dick Lemon, in two episodes of 30 Rock (2007, 2010).
- In 2011, he had a multi-episode role in Hot in Cleveland.
He also acted in Broadway and Off-Broadway plays.
Saturday Night Live
Buck Henry hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL) ten times between 1976 and 1980. This made him the most frequent host during the show's early years. It became a tradition for him to host the last show of each season.
During one episode in 1976, Henry was accidentally cut on the forehead by John Belushi's fake sword during a samurai sketch. His head bled, and he had to wear a bandage for the rest of the show. As a joke, the other cast members also wore bandages on their foreheads!
Some characters Buck Henry impersonated on SNL
- Charles Lindbergh
- John Dean
- Ron Nessen
Death
Buck Henry passed away from a heart attack in Los Angeles on January 8, 2020. He was 89 years old.
Images for kids
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Buck Henry in 1978
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Buck Henry in 1990
See also
In Spanish: Buck Henry para niños
