Vale: Buck Henry

US screenwriter & actor Buck Henry, best known for Get Smart, The Graduate and What’s Up Doc? has died aged 89.

He died of a heart attack on Wednesday in a Los Angeles hospital.

Henry co-created Get Smart with legendary Mel Brooks which ran from 1965–70, a pilot that was originally turned down by ABC. But NBC used it as a vehicle for Don Adams and the rest is history. Henry, who came up with the cone of silence, was once even referenced in an episode, paged over an airport speaker.

When he was asked to adapt The Graduate into a screenplay in 1967, Henry wasn’t known as a writer, but had been a cast member on The New Steve Allen Show (1961) and That Was The Week That Was (1964–65). It went on to land Oscar nominations, and a win for director Mike Nichols.

Other credits included Catch-22, Heaven Can Wait, The Troublemaker, The Owl and the Pussycat, To Die For, Town & Country and Grumpy Old Men.

He also acted in many shows including Hot in Cleveland, 30 Rock, Will & Grace, Murphy Brown, Falcon Crest and Saturday Night Live, regularly appearing in skits.

Source: Hollywood Reporter