Buck Henry, the legendary screenwriter behind The Graduate and What’s Up, Doc? who also co-created Get Smart and was a regular presence in the early years of Saturday Night Live, died tonight of a heart attack at Cedars-Sinai Health Center in Los Angeles. He was 89.
A family member confirmed the news to Deadline.
Henry scored a pair of Oscar nominations — one for his and Calder Willingham’s adapted screenplay for The Graduate and another for directing with Warren Beatty the 1978 movie Heaven Can Wait. He also won a writing Emmy in 1967 for Get Smart, the spy spoof he created with Mel Brooks, among many other accolades.
He became a familiar face to a new generation of TV viewers by hosting Saturday Night Live several times during its first five seasons. He might be best remembered as John Belushi’s foil in the classic “Samurai” skits.
Henry also had more...
A family member confirmed the news to Deadline.
Henry scored a pair of Oscar nominations — one for his and Calder Willingham’s adapted screenplay for The Graduate and another for directing with Warren Beatty the 1978 movie Heaven Can Wait. He also won a writing Emmy in 1967 for Get Smart, the spy spoof he created with Mel Brooks, among many other accolades.
He became a familiar face to a new generation of TV viewers by hosting Saturday Night Live several times during its first five seasons. He might be best remembered as John Belushi’s foil in the classic “Samurai” skits.
Henry also had more...
- 1/9/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
When Neil Patrick Harris returns to TV next week, he won't be cracking jokes in another sitcom. Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris (debuting on September 15th on NBC) marks the return — overdue or not — of the variety show, that long-dormant format in which kooky skits, musical guests, and frenzied production numbers are jammed into an hour of family-friendly entertainment. "When you think of the variety shows we all grew upon — Sonny and Cher and Donny and Marie — those [programs] all said, 'Sit on the couch, be entertained with a little song,...
- 9/10/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Among the many tributes to Michael Jackson we've seen over the past few days, one that might be unexpected is an essay by Steve Martin. They don't seem to have much in common, although both are Grammy winners and tremendous live performers. But Martin did have something to say on the passing of Jackson, which was published today at the online home of The New Yorker.
Martin recollects a Jackson spoof he performed on TV, one which I vaguely remembered even while watching it a few moments ago. Lorne Michaels launched another sketch comedy show in the 1980s called The New Show. It only lasted a few weeks. But the show was christened in January 1984 by Martin emulating Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." Perhaps a reason the show only lasted five weeks: "Billie Jean" was a year old in January 1984.
"The hard move was that little leg twist that he did.
Martin recollects a Jackson spoof he performed on TV, one which I vaguely remembered even while watching it a few moments ago. Lorne Michaels launched another sketch comedy show in the 1980s called The New Show. It only lasted a few weeks. But the show was christened in January 1984 by Martin emulating Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." Perhaps a reason the show only lasted five weeks: "Billie Jean" was a year old in January 1984.
"The hard move was that little leg twist that he did.
- 6/30/2009
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
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