'Laugh-In,' Film Actor Henry Gibson Dies

By PopEater Staff Posted Sep 16th 2009 05:25PM

Henry Gibson, the quintessential character actor who played Nazis, priests, drunks and nosy neighbors during a 45-year career that included a stint as an original cast member on 'Laugh-In,' died Monday at his home in Malibu. His son, James, said Gibson died after a brief battle with cancer. He was 73.

Beginning with a role in 'The Nutty Professor' in 1963, Gibson worked steadily until just last year. His big break arrived in 1968 when he began a 3-year stint on 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In,' where each week he would hold a flower and read a poem.

The rest of the 1960s and 1970s were spent working on acclaimed TV shows, including 'Love, American Style,' and more meaty film projects like Robert Altman's 1975 country music opus, 'Nashville,' for which Gibson earned a Golden Globes nomination.

In 1980, he played an Illinois Nazi going after a pair of soul-singing louts in 'The Blues Brothers' and later in the decade played the villainous neighbor in Tom Hanks' hit 'The Burbs.'

Other memorable films include a 'Gremlins' sequel, Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Magnolia,' and most recently a turn as a clergyman who gets an earful from Vince Vaughn in 'Wedding Crashers.'

Until last year, he carried on a recurring role on 'Boston Legal.'

Born James Bateman in Germantown, Pa., Gibson began acting professionally at age 8. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

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Recent Losses in Tinseltown

Patrick Swayze, Sept. 14: The 'Dirty Dancing' star passed away at the age of 57. The actor fought nearly a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

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Deaths in Hollywood

Henry Gibson, Sept. 14: The actor known for roles in 'Blues Brothers,' 'The Burbs' and 'Laugh-In' died at his home in Malibu after battling cancer. He was 73.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Army Archerd, Sept. 8: The iconic entertainment columnist (right) who wrote for Daily Variety for more than 50 years died at the age of 87.

Getty Images

Patrick Swayze, Sept. 14: The 'Dirty Dancing' star passed away at the age of 57. The actor fought nearly a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Susan Sterner, AP

John Hughes, August 6: The filmmaker responsible for iconic '80s movies like 'Pretty in Pink,' 'Sixteen Candles' and 'The Breakfast Club,' suffered a fatal heart attack while visiting New York City.

Paul Natkin, WireImage

Brenda Joyce, July 4: The actress, who played Jane in several 'Tarzan' films with Johnny Weissmuller (pictured in 'Tarzan and the Amazons') and later Lex Barker, died at age 92. Joyce quit showbiz after completing 1949's 'Tarzan's Magic Fountain.' She went on to work for the government.

Everett Collection

Harve Presnell, June 30: The 'Fargo' star succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 75.

Jim Smeal, WireImage

Karl Malden, July 1: The Academy Award-winning actor, known for roles in cinematic milestones 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'On the Waterfront' and for his jump to TV in the 1970s with 'The Streets of San Francisco,' died of natural causes at his home in California. He was 97.

Barry King, WireImage

Mia Farrow's brother, sculptor Patrick Farrow, was found dead in his Vermont art gallery after an unnamed woman made an emergency call. Police have called the death "suspicious."

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Shih Kien, June 3: The Hong Kong movie legend, who spent decades playing the enemy in dozens of martial arts films including the Bruce Lee classic 'Enter the Dragon,' has died at age 96.

Television Broadcasts Limited / AP

David Carradine, June 4: The kung fu cult hero with more than 200 movies and TV shows to his credit passed away in his Bangkok hotel room. The 'Kill Bill' actor was 72 years old.

Getty Images

Tags: henry gibson, HenryGibson, obits

Comments

(118)

Wednesday 16 September

By Anita

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Laugh In!
I can't say anything bad about that show. It is sad to hear this.

By Monique

Hi,
Do you ever realize that, when it comes to actors dying, it always comes in 3's.

By Jack

He was the best. Wasn't it he who would tip over on the tricycle on Laugh In? And I seem to remember him bein assualted by the purse weilding Ruth Buzzy on occasion. Goldie Hawn must be sad tonight.

By Danz

Sad. You commented on 3's earlier. I get home tonite and Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary is gone. A sad day. She was a talented person.

By bea

ditto- will miss him ALOT

Thursday 17 September

By Lita

Some of you are confusing Henry Gibson's Laugh-In work with that of Arte Johnson. It was Johnson who was rode the tricycle and was pummeled by Ruth Buzzi's purse. I enjoyed him so much on Laugh-In and was happy to see him as a frequent guest on Boston Legal. I will miss him.

By Michael

For years, I've run into Henry in the local grocery store. And he was almost always clothed in that light blue sport jacket. Always a smile on his face. Always a kind word for everyone he encountered. A really sweet, gentle guy. Malibu's loss . . .

By Bobby G

I loved watching that show when I was a kid. People used to immitate Henry Gibson's skits all the time, especially the Nazi hiding in the bushes with the cigarette. "Veddy interesting...but STUPID!" he would say with a funny accent after another player's sketch. He was always popping up with that funny line. The guy was one of the key players in that highly successful, ground breaking show. What a character. RIP.

Ooops! You are right. I mixed him up with Arte Johnson. Gibson mainly did the short poems holding the flower. Johnson deserves the credit for the legendary German soldier. Sorry Arte. You were still funny, Henry. I can still do his voice when he announced a poem, "...by Henry Gibson..." RIP.

Friday 18 September

By ycav4424

Vote down Vote up Report this

That guy was funny and added a lot of humor to the show. Another good entertainer has passed. RIP

Velly interesting!!

By ceebee

But not funny!! LOL I loved Henry Gibson on "Laugh In". How many people remember the poem "Birdy Birdy in the sky/Why did u do that in my eye"??? R.I.P. Henry.

By DoMaJoReMc

I think that was Arte Johnson

By larry

not velly interesting...but veddy interesting....see how much better that works...lol

Saturday 19 September

By Gordon

Many of us made a mistake attributing the phrase,"Very Interesting" to Henry. It was actually Arte Johnson who made that phrase famous. Sorry, Arte. RIP Henry.

By Rick from Cleveland

He was great on laugh-In. Good bye and may God bless you.

By brian lawson

Did he do very interesting but stupid

By John

Henry Gibson was the consummate gentlemen and an accomplished actor, who was kind in spirit, generous with his time and skill, and gentle in his dealings with everyone he met, great and not so great. He sought to engemder the best qualities in people. He awill be missed and his work will always bring a smile to the viewer.

By Ted C. Mc Neel Sr.

John, you took the words right our of my mouth about Mr Henry Gibson. What enjoyment he brought to us older people, who were fairly you when "Laugh In" first appeared on TV. Wasn't he simply great in "The Blues Brothers" movie as the NaziI Kommandant! Thank God we have his TV work and movies to always remember him by! Thank for your comments John, I appreciate them!

By poughkeepsiejohn

The Death Of Henry Gibson
by poughkeepsiejohn

The Death Of Henry Gibson makes me feel so blue
His poems on "Laugh-In" made me laugh so true
He made us all smile from sea to shining sea
But he'll always be an Illinois Nazi to me!

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