Topic: Buck Henry

Henry Zuckerman, better known as Buck Henry (born December 9, 1930), is an American actor, writer, film director, and television director.

Henry was born in New York City, the son of silent film actress Ruth Taylor and Paul S. Zuckerman (April 15, 1899-1966), a former Air Force general and stockbroker. He went to boarding school at Choate Rosemary Hall and graduated from Dartmouth College, where he worked on the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern humor magazine. He soon cultivated a flair for deadpan humor, saying the most nonsensical things with utter conviction. From 1959 to 1962, as part of an elaborate hoax by comedian Alan Abel, he pretended to be G. Clifford Prout, president of the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals. Henry, as the quietly outraged Mr. Prout, presented his point of view on talk shows.

Henry's dry humor attracted attention in the entertainment community. He became a cast member on TV programs such as The New Steve Allen Show (1961) and That Was The Week That Was (1964-65). He was a co-creator and writer for Get Smart (1965-70), with Mel Brooks. Two of his TV projects had short runs but are fondly remembered by fans: Captain Nice (1967) with William Daniels as a reluctant superhero, and Quark (1978), with Richard Benjamin in command of a garbage scow in outer space.