Following the death of actor-director-screenwriter Buck Henry on Wednesday, Fans, friends and admirers in the entertainment industry paid tribute to the co-creator of “Get Smart” and writer behind “The Graduate.”
“Buck Henry was hilarious and brilliant and made us laugh more times than we even know. I was lucky enough to be on a panel with him at SXSW and he was so funny. He said ‘I don’t like to write with people because if they aren’t as funny as me I hate them and if they are funnier than me I hate them,’” Judd Apatow said about the two-time Oscar nominee in a post to Instagram. “He wrote The Graduate and To Die For and co created Get Smart and was a riot hosting SNL back when they would let a writer host SNL. One of the greats.”
“So sad to hear of the passing of Buck Henry,” said Illeana Douglas, who appeared in the Henry-written 1995 film “To Die For.” “Just an honor to get to speak his dialogue in ‘To Die For’ and have him off camera smile, sometimes critique. His ear for comedy was flawless.
“In writing comedy, drama, or acting there are few as deeply, hilariously talented as Buck Henry. Sad day. ‘The Graduate,’ ‘Get Smart,’ ‘SNL.’ Etc. etc, etc. RIP,” comedian Christopher Titus said.
“‘The Graduate’ and ‘Heaven Can Wait’ are perfect screenplays, and ‘Get Smart’ was hilarious. Another comedy legend gone,” Producer David Zuckerman wrote.
See a sampling of tributes to Henry below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7FgO1xF0mk/?igshid=1b3xfyop7hjek
So sad to hear of the passing of Buck Henry. Just an honor to get to speak his dialogue in To Die For and have him off camera smile, sometimes critique. His ear for comedy was flawless. #RIPBuckHenry
— Illeana Douglas (@Illeanarama) January 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/TitusNation/status/1215134756066623488
Buck Henry
Unforgettable #BuckHenry pic.twitter.com/C9QMc4K50e— Harris-Walz 2024 (@GregProops) January 9, 2020
RIP #BuckHenry. The Graduate and Heaven Can Wait are perfect screenplays, and Get Smart was hilarious. Another comedy legend gone.
— David Zuckerman (@David_Zuckerman) January 9, 2020
Oh man. RIP Buck Henry. pic.twitter.com/OTPegK2TWD
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) January 9, 2020
RIP Buck Henry. #Legend #BePeace
— Carl Weathers (@TheCarlWeathers) January 9, 2020
RIP #BuckHenry Thanks for the countless laughs.
— Richard Marx (@richardmarx) January 9, 2020
Something you have to admire about Buck Henry is after writing THE GRADUATE, (an astronomical hit surpassed only by DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, THE SOUND OF MUSIC and 101 DALMATIANS in the entire 1960s box office), his next film as screenwriter was CANDY. pic.twitter.com/hZoIyt0wLe
— Ryan Perez (@ryguyperez) January 9, 2020
Buck Henry was one of the great American screenwriters, leaving behind a body of work filled with classics. What a career. pic.twitter.com/yueVxobOSE
— C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) January 9, 2020