Acting
Buck Henry
Born 1930-12-09
New York City, New York, USA
Department: Acting
Biography
Buck Henry (born Henry Zuckerman; December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. His 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 on shows with Steve Allen in The New Steve Allen Show (1961). He went on to co-create Get Smart (1965-1970) with Mel Brooks, and hosted Saturday Night Live 10 times from 1976 to 1980. Henry later guest starred in such popular shows as Murphy Brown, Hot in Cleveland, Will & Grace, and 30 Rock. He was twice nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Graduate (1967) and for Best Director for Heaven Can Wait (1978) alongside Warren Beatty.
Known For
Prominent works featuring Buck Henry
TV
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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
TMDB4.0
Movie
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Get Smart
2008
TMDB3.1
Movie
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The Graduate
1967
TMDB3.8
Movie
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Serendipity
2001
TMDB3.5
TV
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
TMDB3.8
TV
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Saturday Night Live
1975
TMDB3.5
TV
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30 Rock
2006
TMDB3.8
TV
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Tales from the Crypt
1989
TMDB4.0
Movie
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The Player
1992
TMDB3.6
TV
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Will & Grace
1998
TMDB3.5
Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (123 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | SEGAL | Self | Movie | 2025 |
 | Kiss Kiss Fingerbang | Cat Owner | Movie | 2015 |
 | The Humbling | Screenplay | Movie | 2014 |
 | Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles | Self - Actor | Movie | 2014 |
 | A Fuller Life | Self - Reader (segment "The Pursuit of Happiness") | Movie | 2013 |
 | Mel Brooks: Make a Noise | Self | Movie | 2013 |
 | Passion for Snow | Narrator | Movie | 2013 |
 | Casting By | Self | Movie | 2012 |
 | A Bird of the Air | Duncan Weber | Movie | 2011 |
 | The Story of Film: An Odyssey | Self | TV Series | 2011 |
 | Franklin & Bash | Judge Henry Dinsdale | TV Series | 2011 |
 | Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood | Self | TV Series | 2010 |
 | Hot in Cleveland | Fred | TV Series | 2010 |
 | American Swing | Self | Movie | 2009 |
 | It Came from Kuchar | Self | Movie | 2009 |
 | Get Smart | Characters | Movie | 2008 |
 | Students of 'The Graduate' | Himself | Movie | 2007 |
 | Students of 'The Graduate' | Self | Movie | 2007 |
 | Cinemaville | Self | Movie | 2007 |
 | 30 Rock | Dick Lemon | TV Series | 2006 |
 | The Last Shot | Lonnie Bosco | Movie | 2004 |
| Reel Radicals: The Sixties Revolution in Film | Self (uncredited) | Movie | 2002 | |
 | Serendipity | Customer at Bloomingdales (uncredited) | Movie | 2001 |
 | Town & Country | Suttler | Movie | 2001 |
| Town & Country | Writer | Movie | 2001 |
 | The Directors: Milos Forman | Self | Movie | 2000 |
 | Lisa Picard Is Famous | Buck Henry | Movie | 2000 |
 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Mr. Morton | TV Series | 1999 |
 | Psycho Path | Self | Movie | 1999 |
 | Breakfast of Champions | Fred T. Barry | Movie | 1999 |
 | Dilbert | Dadbert (voice) | TV Series | 1999 |
 | Curtain Call | Charles Van Allsburg | Movie | 1998 |
 | Will & Grace | Leonard | TV Series | 1998 |
 | I'm Losing You | Phillip Dagrom | Movie | 1998 |
 | The Real Blonde | Dr. Leuter | Movie | 1998 |
 | Playboy: The Story of X | Self - Host | Movie | 1998 |
 | 1999 | Mr. Goldman | Movie | 1997 |
 | Shakespeare's Plan 12 from Outer Space | The Priest | Movie | 1996 |
 | To Die For | Mr. H. Finlaysson | Movie | 1995 |
| To Die For | Screenplay | Movie | 1995 |
 | Harrison Bergeron | TV Producer | Movie | 1995 |
 | Shotgun Freeway: Drives Through Lost L.A. | self | Movie | 1995 |
 | Even Cowgirls Get the Blues | Dr. Dreyfus | Movie | 1994 |
 | Grumpy Old Men | Snyder | Movie | 1993 |
 | Short Cuts | Gordon Johnson | Movie | 1993 |
 | Mastergate | Clay Fielder | Movie | 1992 |
 | Eek! The Cat | Cupid (voice) | TV Series | 1992 |
 | Keep the Change | Smitty | Movie | 1992 |
 | The Player | Buck Henry | Movie | 1992 |
 | 'The Graduate' at 25 | Self | Movie | 1992 |
 | The Lounge People | Lewis Louis | Movie | 1992 |
 | The Graduate at 25 | Himself | Movie | 1992 |
 | The Linguini Incident | Cecil | Movie | 1991 |
 | Defending Your Life | Dick Stanley | Movie | 1991 |
 | The Republic Pictures Story | Self | Movie | 1991 |
 | Tune in Tomorrow... | Father Serafim | Movie | 1990 |
 | Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary | Self | Movie | 1989 |
 | Rude Awakening | Lloyd Stool | Movie | 1989 |
 | Tales from the Crypt | George | TV Series | 1989 |
 | Murphy Brown | Dr. Victor Rudman | TV Series | 1988 |
 | Hot to Trot | Fred's Dad | Movie | 1988 |
 | Aria | Preston | Movie | 1987 |
 | The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Walter Lang | TV Series | 1985 |
| The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Writer | TV Series | 1985 |
 | The Best of John Belushi | Various Characters | Movie | 1985 |
 | Protocol | Screenplay | Movie | 1984 |
 | Steve Martin Live! | Self | Movie | 1984 |
 | The New Show | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1984 |
 | Eating Raoul | Mr. Leech | Movie | 1982 |
 | Falcon Crest | Foster Glenn | TV Series | 1981 |
 | Strong Medicine | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1981 |
 | First Family | Father Sandstone / TV Anchorman | Movie | 1980 |
| First Family | Writer | Movie | 1980 |
| First Family | Director | Movie | 1980 |
 | Great Railway Journeys | Self - Presenter | TV Series | 1980 |
 | Gloria | Jack Dawn | Movie | 1980 |
 | The Nude Bomb | Characters | Movie | 1980 |
 | Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration | Self | Movie | 1979 |
 | Old Boyfriends | Art Kopple | Movie | 1979 |
 | Heaven Can Wait | The Escort | Movie | 1978 |
| Heaven Can Wait | Director | Movie | 1978 |
 | The Absent-Minded Waiter | Bernie Cates | Movie | 1977 |
 | Quark | Dignitary (uncredited) | TV Series | 1977 |
| Quark | Writer | TV Series | 1977 |
| Quark | Creator | TV Series | 1977 |
 | The Man Who Fell to Earth | Oliver Farnsworth | Movie | 1976 |
 | Saturday Night Live | Self - Host | TV Series | 1975 |
| Saturday Night Live | Self (uncredited) | TV Series | 1975 |
 | The Day of the Dolphin | Man Standing Outside Women's Club (uncredited) | Movie | 1973 |
| The Day of the Dolphin | Screenplay | Movie | 1973 |
 | What's Up, Doc? | Screenplay | Movie | 1972 |
| Is There Sex After Death? | Dr. Louise Manos | Movie | 1971 | |
 | Taking Off | Larry Tyne | Movie | 1971 |
 | I Miss Sonia Henie | Doctor | Movie | 1971 |
| I Miss Sonia Henie | Director | Movie | 1971 |
| I Miss Sonia Henie | Writer | Movie | 1971 |
 | The Owl and the Pussycat | Man Looking Through Doubleday's Bookstore (uncredited) | Movie | 1970 |
| The Owl and the Pussycat | Screenplay | Movie | 1970 |
 | Catch-22 | Lt. Col. Korn | Movie | 1970 |
| Catch-22 | Screenplay | Movie | 1970 |
 | Candy | Mental Patient (uncredited) | Movie | 1968 |
| Candy | Screenplay | Movie | 1968 |
 | The Dick Cavett Show | Self - Guest | TV Series | 1968 |
 | The Secret War of Harry Frigg | Stockade Commandant | Movie | 1968 |
 | The Graduate | Room Clerk | Movie | 1967 |
| The Graduate | Screenplay | Movie | 1967 |
 | Get Smart: A Man Called Smart | Writer | Movie | 1967 |
 | Captain Nice | Writer | TV Series | 1967 |
| Captain Nice | Executive Producer | TV Series | 1967 |
| Captain Nice | Creator | TV Series | 1967 |
 | ABC Stage 67 | Writer | TV Series | 1966 |
 | Get Smart | Writer | TV Series | 1965 |
| Get Smart | Story Editor | TV Series | 1965 |
| Get Smart | Teleplay | TV Series | 1965 |
| Get Smart | Creator | TV Series | 1965 |
 | The Troublemaker | T. R. Kingston | Movie | 1964 |
| The Troublemaker | Screenplay | Movie | 1964 |
| The Troublemaker | Original Story | Movie | 1964 |
 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self | TV Series | 1961 |
 | The Bridge | Voice of American Soldier | Movie | 1959 |
 | Mary Woronov: Cult Queen | Self | Movie | — |
| Untitled Get Smart Reboot | Characters | Movie | — |