Buck Henry

Acting

Buck Henry

Born December 9, 1930 · New York City, New York, USA

Died January 8, 2020 · aged 89

Buck Henry (born Henry Zuckerman; December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020) was an American actor, screenwriter, and director. Henry's contributions to film included, his work as a co-director on Heaven Can Wait (1978) alongside Warren Beatty, and his work as a co-writer for Mike Nichols's The Graduate (1967) and Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up, Doc? (1972). His long career began on television with work o…

Known For

The GraduateThe Graduate · 1967
The Graduate
7.61967
MovieDramaRomance
A disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter.
American SwingAmerican Swing · 2009
American Swing
4.92009
MovieDocumentary
Chronicles the rise and fall of 1970s New York City nightclub Plato's Retreat.
SerendipitySerendipity · 2001
Serendipity
7.02001
MovieComedyRomance
Although strangers Sara and Jonathan are both already in relationships, they realize they have genuine chemistry after a chance encounter – but part company soon after. Years later, they each yearn to reunite, despite being destined for the altar. But to give true love a chance, they have to find one another again.
Catch-22Catch-22 · 1970
Catch-22
6.71970
MovieWarComedy
A WWII military pilot makes a valiant effort to be certified insane in order to be excused from flying missions. But there's a catch.
Get SmartGet Smart · 2008
Get Smart
6.22008
MovieActionComedy
When members of the nefarious crime syndicate KAOS attack the U.S. spy agency Control and the identities of secret agents are compromised, the Chief has to promote hapless but eager analyst Maxwell Smart to field agent. He is partnered with veteran and capable Agent 99, the only spy whose cover remains intact. Can they work together to thwart the evil world-domination plans of KAOS and its crafty operative?
The PlayerThe Player · 1992
The Player
7.21992
MovieMysteryDrama
A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected - but which one?
CandyCandy · 1968
Candy
5.11968
MovieAdventureComedy
A high school girl encounters a variety of kookie characters and humorous sexual situations while searching for the meaning of life.
Grumpy Old MenGrumpy Old Men · 1993
Grumpy Old Men
6.71993
MovieComedyRomance
For decades, next-door neighbors and former friends John and Max have feuded, trading insults and wicked pranks. When an attractive widow moves in nearby, their bad blood erupts into a high-stakes rivalry full of naughty jokes and adolescent hijinks.

Movies

The GraduateThe Graduate · 1967
The Graduate
7.61967
MovieDramaRomance
A disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter.
American SwingAmerican Swing · 2009
American Swing
4.92009
MovieDocumentary
Chronicles the rise and fall of 1970s New York City nightclub Plato's Retreat.
SerendipitySerendipity · 2001
Serendipity
7.02001
MovieComedyRomance
Although strangers Sara and Jonathan are both already in relationships, they realize they have genuine chemistry after a chance encounter – but part company soon after. Years later, they each yearn to reunite, despite being destined for the altar. But to give true love a chance, they have to find one another again.
Catch-22Catch-22 · 1970
Catch-22
6.71970
MovieWarComedy
A WWII military pilot makes a valiant effort to be certified insane in order to be excused from flying missions. But there's a catch.
Get SmartGet Smart · 2008
Get Smart
6.22008
MovieActionComedy
When members of the nefarious crime syndicate KAOS attack the U.S. spy agency Control and the identities of secret agents are compromised, the Chief has to promote hapless but eager analyst Maxwell Smart to field agent. He is partnered with veteran and capable Agent 99, the only spy whose cover remains intact. Can they work together to thwart the evil world-domination plans of KAOS and its crafty operative?
The PlayerThe Player · 1992
The Player
7.21992
MovieMysteryDrama
A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected - but which one?
CandyCandy · 1968
Candy
5.11968
MovieAdventureComedy
A high school girl encounters a variety of kookie characters and humorous sexual situations while searching for the meaning of life.
Grumpy Old MenGrumpy Old Men · 1993
Grumpy Old Men
6.71993
MovieComedyRomance
For decades, next-door neighbors and former friends John and Max have feuded, trading insults and wicked pranks. When an attractive widow moves in nearby, their bad blood erupts into a high-stakes rivalry full of naughty jokes and adolescent hijinks.
MastergateMastergate · 1992
Mastergate
6.31992
MovieComedy
A "play on words" about a fictional political scandal concerning covert arms deals and double-dealing government operatives, satirizing the Watergate hearings of 1972-1973.
To Die ForTo Die For · 1995
To Die For
6.61995
MovieDramaComedy
Suzanne Stone wants to be a world-famous news anchor and she is willing to do anything to get what she wants. What she lacks in intelligence, she makes up for in cold determination and diabolical wiles. As she pursues her goal with relentless focus, she is forced to destroy anything and anyone that may stand in her way, regardless of the ultimate cost or means necessary.
Short CutsShort Cuts · 1993
Short Cuts
7.21993
MovieDramaComedy
Many loosely connected characters cross paths in this film, based on the stories of Raymond Carver. Waitress Doreen Piggot accidentally runs into a boy with her car. Soon after walking away, the child lapses into a coma. While at the hospital, the boy's grandfather tells his son, Howard, about his past affairs. Meanwhile, a baker starts harassing the family when they fail to pick up the boy's birthday cake.
The Man Who Fell to EarthThe Man Who Fell to Earth · 1976
The Man Who Fell to Earth
6.51976
MovieScience FictionDrama
Thomas Jerome Newton is an alien who has come to Earth in search of water to save his home planet. Aided by lawyer Oliver Farnsworth, Thomas uses his knowledge of advanced technology to create profitable inventions. While developing a method to transport water, Thomas meets Mary-Lou, a quiet hotel clerk, and begins to fall in love with her. Just as he is ready to leave Earth, Thomas is intercepted by the U.S. government, and his entire plan is threatened.
Defending Your LifeDefending Your Life · 1991
Defending Your Life
6.91991
MovieRomanceFantasy
Is there love after death? After he dies suddenly, the hapless advertising executive Daniel Miller finds himself in Judgment City, a gleaming way station where the newly deceased must prove they lived a life of sufficient courage to advance in their journey through the universe. As the self-doubting Daniel struggles to make his case, a budding relationship with the uninhibited Julia offers him a chance to finally feel alive.
Steve Martin Live!Steve Martin Live! · 1984
Steve Martin Live!
6.91984
MovieComedyTV Movie
This video contains three segments. First, the Oscar-nominated short 'The Absent-Minded Waiter' (1977). Then a fake interview with Steve Martin about his art, 'Homage to Steve'. Finally, a full live performance from 28 September 1979, taped at the Universal Amphitheatre.
The Last ShotThe Last Shot · 2004
The Last Shot
5.72004
MovieActionComedy
A movie director-screenwriter finds a man to finance his latest project but soon discovers that the producer is actually an undercover FBI agent working on a mob sting operation.
What's Up, Doc?What's Up, Doc? · 1972
What's Up, Doc?
7.41972
MovieComedyCrime
The accidental mix-up of four identical plaid overnight bags leads to a series of increasingly wild and wacky situations.
Old BoyfriendsOld Boyfriends · 1979
Old Boyfriends
5.11979
MovieDramaComedy
When her marriage falls apart, a psychiatrist seeks out those of her former boyfriends who left the biggest impact on her life, mostly in a bad way.
The Real BlondeThe Real Blonde · 1998
The Real Blonde
5.31998
MovieComedyDrama
An aspiring actor and his girlfriend handle life's frustrations, while his friend seeks fulfillment with a blonde.
Heaven Can WaitHeaven Can Wait · 1978
Heaven Can Wait
6.61978
MovieFantasyComedy
Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.
The Nude BombThe Nude Bomb · 1980
The Nude Bomb
5.31980
MovieActionComedy
When KAOS develops a bomb that can dissolve all clothing, Maxwell Smart is brought in to foil the evil plot.
A Fuller LifeA Fuller Life · 2013
A Fuller Life
6.62013
MovieDocumentary
Friends and admirers of iconoclastic film director Sam Fuller read from his memoirs in this unconventional documentary directed by Fuller's only child, Samantha.
CinemavilleCinemaville · 2007
Cinemaville
2007
Movie
George Kuchar takes his Japanese student on a trip to Los Angeles and meets with his entertainment industry friends including Buck Henry, Christopher Coppola, and Jeffrey Schwarz.
The Owl and the PussycatThe Owl and the Pussycat · 1970
The Owl and the Pussycat
6.21970
MovieComedyRomance
Meek, owlish Felix and strident, catty Doris live in the same apartment building. His incessant typing bothers her; her gentlemen callers bother him. Felix informs the landlord of her activities, so Doris moves in on Felix. When they both get thrown out, they move in with Barney... until they drive him out! That's when Felix and Doris finally decide to put theory into practice. But do opposites attract?
GloriaGloria · 1980
Gloria
6.91980
MovieCrimeDrama
When a young boy's family is killed by the mob, their tough neighbor Gloria becomes his reluctant guardian. In possession of a book that the gangsters want, the pair go on the run in New York.

TV Shows

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit · 1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
8.01999
SeriesCrimeDrama
In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson · 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.51962
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
The Mike Douglas ShowThe Mike Douglas Show · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
5.81961
SeriesComedy
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live · 1975
Saturday Night Live
6.91975
SeriesComedy
A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary 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 an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
Falcon CrestFalcon Crest · 1981
Falcon Crest
5.61981
SeriesDrama
Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the Californian wine industry. Jane Wyman starred as Angela Channing, the tyrannical matriarch of the Falcon Crest Winery, alongside Robert Foxworth as Chase Gioberti, Angela's nephew who returns to Falcon Crest following the death of his father. The series was set in the fictitious Tuscany Valley northeast of San Francisco.
30 Rock30 Rock · 2006
30 Rock
7.52006
SeriesComedy
Liz Lemon, the head writer for a late-night TV variety show in New York, tries to juggle all the egos around her while chasing her own dream.
Get SmartGet Smart · 1965
Get Smart
7.91965
SeriesComedySci-Fi & Fantasy
Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show stars Don Adams, Barbara Feldon, and Edward Platt. Henry said they created the show by request of Daniel Melnick, who was a partner, along with Leonard Stern and David Susskind, of the show's production company, Talent Associates, to capitalize on "the two biggest things in the entertainment world today"—James Bond and Inspector Clouseau. Brooks said: "It's an insane combination of James Bond and Mel Brooks comedy." This is the only Mel Brooks production to feature a laugh track. The success of the show eventually spawned the follow-up films The Nude Bomb and Get Smart, Again!, as well as a 1995 revival series and a 2008 film remake. In 2010, TV Guide ranked Get Smart's opening title sequence at No. 2 on its list of TV's Top 10 Credits Sequences, as selected by readers.
Will & GraceWill & Grace · 1998
Will & Grace
6.91998
SeriesComedy
Will Truman and Grace Adler are best friends living in New York, and when Grace's engagement falls apart, she moves in with Will. Together, along with their friends, they go through the trials of dating, sex, relationships and their careers, butting heads at times but ultimately supporting one another while exchanging plenty of witty banter along the way.
The Dick Cavett ShowThe Dick Cavett Show · 1968
The Dick Cavett Show
6.81968
Series
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks.
Murphy BrownMurphy Brown · 1988
Murphy Brown
6.41988
SeriesComedy
Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) is a recovering alcoholic who returns to the fictional newsmagazine FYI for the first time following a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic residential treatment center. Over 40 and single, she is sharp tongued and hard as nails. In her profession, she is considered one of the boys, having shattered many glass ceilings encountered during her career. Dominating the FYI news magazine, she is portrayed as one of America's hardest-hitting (though not the warmest or more sympathetic) media personalities.
Hot in ClevelandHot in Cleveland · 2010
Hot in Cleveland
7.22010
SeriesComedy
Three fabulous, eccentric, LA best friends of a certain age have their lives changed forever when their plane unexpectedly lands in Cleveland and they soon rediscover themselves in this new "promised land."
Tales from the CryptTales from the Crypt · 1989
Tales from the Crypt
8.01989
SeriesComedyMystery
Cadaverous scream legend the Crypt Keeper is your macabre host for these forays of fright and fun based on the classic E.C. Comics tales from back in the day. So shamble up to the bar and pick your poison. Will it be an insane Santa on a personal slay ride? Honeymooners out to fulfill the "til death do we part" vow ASAP?
Franklin & BashFranklin & Bash · 2011
Franklin & Bash
7.32011
SeriesDramaComedy
When they're not hanging out at their favorite hot dog stand pontificating on what they'd go through to enjoy a night with their favorite female celebrities, Jared Franklin and Peter Bash are chasing down their latest clients...sometimes literally. With business cards in hand, they're ready to nab a client within seconds after a car accident, arrest for solicitation or any other incident where their legal services may be needed. Once in the courtroom, they show their flair for the dramatic and the shocking.
The New Alfred Hitchcock PresentsThe New Alfred Hitchcock Presents · 1985
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.21985
SeriesDramaMystery
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1985 to 1986, and on the USA Network from 1987 to 1989. The series is an updated re-imagining of the classic 1955 series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Eek! The CatEek! The Cat · 1992
Eek! The Cat
6.91992
SeriesAnimation
Koombaya, it's Eek the cat and all his friends. Annabelle, Eek's 800-pound girlfriend, Sharky the vicious but lovable sharkdog, and Elmo the elk. Plus you can watch the Terrible Thunderlizards try to make Bill and Scooter, the cavemen, extinct. Plus there's Klutter who's, well, we're not exactly sure what Klutter is, but watch and find out for yourself.
DilbertDilbert · 1999
Dilbert
6.81999
SeriesAnimationComedy
Dilbert, a socially awkward but highly competent engineer, works in a dysfunctional workplace. The series satirizes corporate culture, featuring clueless managers, pointless meetings, bizarre company policies, and the daily frustrations of modern office life.
Captain NiceCaptain Nice · 1967
Captain Nice
6.31967
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyComedy
Carter Nash was a chemist in a police department who discovered a liquid which could turn him into Captain Nice, an odd sort of superhero: very shy and dominated by his mother. Captain Nice flew (he feared heights) in his tattered leotards, fighting bad guys because his mother told him to do so.
The Story of Film: An OdysseyThe Story of Film: An Odyssey · 2011
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
7.72011
SeriesDocumentary
A worldwide guided tour of the greatest movies ever made and the story of international cinema through the history of cinematic innovation.
ABC Stage 67ABC Stage 67 · 1966
ABC Stage 67
6.81966
SeriesDramaDocumentary
ABC Stage 67 is the umbrella title for a series of 26 weekly shows that included dramas, variety shows, documentaries, and original musicals. It premiered on American Broadcasting Company on September 14, 1966 with Murray Schisgal's The Love Song of Barney Kempinksi, directed by Stanley Prager and starring Alan Arkin as a man enjoying the sights and sounds of New York City in his last remaining hours of bachelorhood. Arkin was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance By An Actor in a Leading Role in a Drama and the program was nominated as Outstanding Dramatic Program. Future programs included appearances by Petula Clark, Bobby Darin, Sir Laurence Olivier, Albert Finney, Peter Sellers, David Frost, and Jack Paar. ABC's effort to bring culture to the masses was a noble but unsuccessful experiment. Scheduled first against I Spy on Wednesdays and then The Dean Martin Show on Thursdays, the show consistently received low ratings. Its last production, an adaptation of Jean Cocteau's one-woman play The Human Voice starring Ingrid Bergman, aired on May 4, 1967. "Stage 67" was not actually a part of the primary ABC facilities in Los Angeles. It was produced at the old Monogram Studios backlot that was later sold to KCET.
Great Railway JourneysGreat Railway Journeys · 1980
Great Railway Journeys
7.01980
SeriesDocumentary
Great Railway Journeys, originally titled Great Railway Journeys of the World, is a recurring series of travel documentaries produced by BBC Television. The premise of each programme is that the presenter, typically a well-known figure from the arts or media, would make a journey by train, usually through a country or to a destination to which they had a personal connection. There were four series broadcast on BBC Two between 1980 and 1999, with the shorter series title being used for all but the first. In 2010 a similar series also aired on BBC Two, Great British Railway Journeys.
QuarkQuark · 1977
Quark
6.81977
SeriesComedySci-Fi & Fantasy
Quark is an American science fiction situation comedy starring Richard Benjamin broadcast on NBC. The pilot first aired on May 7, 1977, and the series followed as a mid-season replacement in February 1978. The series was cancelled in April 1978. Quark was created by Buck Henry, co-creator of the spy spoof Get Smart. The show was set on a United Galaxy Sanitation Patrol Cruiser, an interstellar garbage scow operating out of United Galaxies Space Station Perma One in the year 2226. Adam Quark, the main character, works to clean up trash in space by collecting "space baggies" with his trusted and highly unusual crew. In its short run, Quark satirized such science fiction as Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Flash Gordon. Three of the episodes were direct satires of Star Trek episodes. The series won one Emmy Award nomination, for costume designer Grady Hunt's work in the episode "All the Emperor's Quasi-Norms, Part 2". The complete series was released on DVD on October 14, 2008.
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of HollywoodMoguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood · 2010
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
5.42010
SeriesDocumentary
Each installment focuses on a different era of American movie history, from the invention of the first moving pictures to the revolutionary, cutting-edge films of the 1960s.
The New ShowThe New Show · 1984
The New Show
4.81984
SeriesComedy
The New Show is a NBC sketch comedy show produced by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, which ran for only one season from January 6 to March 23, 1984. Apart from being 60 minutes in length and entirely pre-recorded, the show is similar in format to SNL. It was the lowest rated of 94 programs that aired during the 1983-84 television season, averaging a dismal 7.81 household rating. It was opposite 20/20 & Falcon Crest.