# Henry Gibson

James Bateman (September 21, 1935 – September 14, 2009), known professionally as Henry Gibson, was an American actor, comedian and poet. He played roles in the television sketch-comedy series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1971, was the voice of the protagonist Wilbur in the animated feature Charlotte's Web (1973), portrayed country star Haven Hamilton in Robert Altman's film Nashville (1975), the Illinois Nazi leader in The Blues Brothers (1980), and appeared in The 'Burbs (1989). His later film roles included starring in The Luck of the Irish (2001) and smaller parts in Magnolia (1999) and as Father O'Neil in Wedding Crashers (2005). His final major acting role was as Judge Clark Brown on the television show Boston Legal, from 2004 to 2008.

## Early life

Gibson was born September 21, 1935, in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., he served as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force with the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing in France from 1957 to 1960. Early in his career as a professional entertainer, he developed a comedy act in which he played a poet from Fairhope, Alabama. He adopted the stage name Henry Gibson, which is a same-sounding phrase for the name of famed Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen. He also is known to have used the name Olsen Gibson.

## Career

Gibson began his acting career at 8 years old, working as a touring performer for the Mae Desmond Theatre for nine years. He appeared in many stage and theater productions. Gibson made many appearances on Tonight Starring Jack Paar between 1957 and 1962, often reciting his poetry. In 1962, his appearance coincided with guest-host Jerry Lewis. Lewis, charmed by Gibson's demeanor, cast him in The Nutty Professor (1963). Gibson's career took off following this film appearance. That was followed in 1964 by his poetry-reciting cowboy character Quirt Manly on the popular show The Beverly Hillbillies. Around this time, Gibson appeared in an episode of My Favorite Martian.
Gibson spent three years as part of the Laugh-In television show's cast, where he was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1971. He often played "The Poet", reciting poems with "sharp satirical or political themes". Gibson would emerge from behind a stage flat, wearing suit and tie and holding an outlandishly large artificial flower. He would bow stiffly from the waist, state "[Title of poem] — by Henry Gibson" in an ironic Southern U.S. accent, again bow stiffly from the waist, recite his poem and return behind the flat.
Gibson's routine was so memorable that guests on the program occasionally performed it, including John Wayne in his own inimitable style: "The Sky — by John Wayne. The Sky is blue/The Grass is green/Get off your butt/And join the Marine(s)!", whereupon Wayne left the scene by smashing through the flat. Gibson regularly appeared in the "Cocktail Party" segments as a Catholic priest, sipping tea. He would put the cup on the saucer, recite his one-liner in a grave and somber tone, then go back to sipping tea.
In 1962, Gibson recorded a comedy album on Liberty Records, titled Alligator. The album was reissued in 1968, now titled ...by Henry Gibson, following his success on Laugh-In. The liner notes perpetuated the origin story of being a country boy from Fairhope, Alabama. The album did not reach the Billboard Top 200 in either release. In 1968, Gibson appeared on the television show Bewitched as Napoleon Bonaparte. He appeared on Bewitched in 1970 as Tim O'Shanter, a leprechaun. Around this time, Gibson made recurring appearances in the 1969–1974 anthology Love, American Style.
During the 1960s, Gibson had appeared on The Dick Van Dyke Show reading the poem "Keep a-Goin'", which he later turned into a song in the Robert Altman movie Nashville (1975). Notably, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of Haven Hamilton in the film and won the National Society of Film Critics award for the role. The Nashville Tennessean called Gibson "the male superstar most surely to be in line for an Academy Award" and hailed his performance as being "so real to Music Row habitués as to be frightening." Gibson appeared in three other films directed by Altman: The Long Goodbye, starring Elliott Gould, A Perfect Couple, and Health.
In 1978, he appeared in The New Adventures Of Wonder Woman as the arch-villain Mariposa. In 1980, he appeared on The Dukes of Hazzard as Will Jason (Squirt) in the second-season episode "Find Loretta Lynn". The same year, he played the leader of the "Illinois Nazis" in the John Landis film The Blues Brothers. This became one of his better-known film roles. In 1981, he appeared in The Incredible Shrinking Woman. In 1982, he played con man Henry Beemus on "The Love Boat", S6 E11 "A Christmas Presence", which aired December 18, 1982.
In the 1989 Joe Dante comedy The 'Burbs, starring Tom Hanks, Gibson played the villain. In 1990, he reunited with director Dante when Gremlins 2: The New Batch was released, performing a cameo as the office worker who is caught taking a smoking break on camera and fired by the sadistic boss. 1996 saw him playing an unusual dramatic role as former train conductor Robinson, in the independent film Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day with Michael Stipe. In 1996, he was also the voice of Adolf Eichmann in Keith Gordon's film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Mother Night. In 1999, Gibson made an appearance in Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia as an eccentric barfly who antagonizes former child prodigy Donnie Smith, played by William H. Macy.
Gibson worked frequently as a voice actor in animation, most notably portraying Wilbur the pig in the popular Hanna-Barbera children's movie Charlotte's Web (1973). He later worked for the company again on the cartoon The Biskitts. Gibson's voice work was featured on The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy as Lord Pain, King of the Hill as reporter Bob Jenkins, and Rocket Power as grouchy neighbor Merv Stimpleton.
Later television work included a guest role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine playing the Ferengi Nilva in the 1998 episode "Profit and Lace". Gibson also had a leading role in a season 5 episode of Stargate SG-1 entitled "The Sentinel" as the character Marul. His last major roles were in the 2005 film Wedding Crashers as Father O'Neil, and on the television show Boston Legal as recurring character Judge Clark Brown.

## Personal life and death

On April 6, 1966, Gibson married Lois Joan Geiger. They had three sons together – Jonathan David Gibson, an executive at Universal Pictures; Charles Alexander Gibson, a director and visual effects supervisor; and James Gibson, a screenwriter. Lois died on May 6, 2007, at age 77.
Gibson died of cancer on September 14, 2009, one week before his 74th birthday. He was cremated at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, and his ashes were given to his family.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | The Nutty Professor | College Student | |
| 1964 | Kiss Me, Stupid | Smith | |
| 1965 | The Outlaws Is Coming | Charlie Horse | |
| 1968 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1972 | Evil Roy Slade | Clifford Stool | |
| 1973 | Charlotte's Web | Wilbur | Voice |
| 1973 | The Long Goodbye | Dr. Verringer | |
| 1975 | Nashville | Haven Hamilton | |
| 1977 | The Last Remake of Beau Geste | General Pecheur | |
| 1977 | The Kentucky Fried Movie | United Appeal for the Dead Sketch | |
| 1979 | A Perfect Couple | Fred Bott | |
| 1980 | The Blues Brothers | Head Nazi | |
| 1980 | HealtH | Bobby Hammer | |
| 1981 | The Incredible Shrinking Woman | Dr. Eugene Nortz | |
| 1981 | Tulips | Maurice Avocado | |
| 1986 | Monster in the Closet | Dr. Pennyworth | |
| 1987 | Innerspace | Mr. Wormwood | |
| 1988 | Switching Channels | Ike Roscoe | |
| 1989 | The 'Burbs | Dr. Werner Klopek | |
| 1989 | Brenda Starr | Prof. Gerhardt Von Kreutzer | |
| 1989 | Night Visitor | Jake | |
| 1990 | Gremlins 2: The New Batch | Employee Fired For Smoking | |
| 1990 | Tune in Tomorrow... | Big John Coot | |
| 1992 | Tom and Jerry: The Movie | Dr. Applecheek | Voice |
| 1995 | Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain | Man | Uncredited |
| 1995 | Cyber Bandits | Dr. Knutsen | |
| 1996 | Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day | Robinson | |
| 1996 | Bio-Dome | William Leaky | |
| 1996 | Mother Night | Adolf Eichmann | Voice |
| 1997 | Asylum | Dr. Edward Bellichek | |
| 1999 | A Stranger in the Kingdom | Zack Burrows | |
| 1999 | Magnolia | Thurston Howell | |
| 2001 | The Luck of the Irish | Reilly O'Reilly | TV movie |
| 2002 | The Year That Trembled | Ralph Tyler | |
| 2002 | Teddy Bears' Picnic | Clifford Sloane | |
| 2003 | The Commissioner | Police Chief Jesse Curry | |
| 2004 | Never Die Alone | Funeral Home Director | Uncredited |
| 2005 | Wedding Crashers | Father O'Neil | |
| 2007 | Big Stan | Shorts | Final film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | 77 Sunset Strip | Eddie | Episode: The Toy Jungle |
| 1964 | The Beverly Hillbillies | Mr. Quirt Manly/Henry | Episode: An Man for Elly |
| 1964 | The Littlest Hobo | Ansel | Episode: The Great Manhunt |
| 1964 | Grindl | Private Stoner | Episode: Grindl, Girl Wac |
| 1963–1964 | The Joey Bishop Show | Henry Schultz | 4 episodes |
| 1964 | My Favorite Martian | Homer P. Gibson | Episode: Danger! High Voltage |
| 1965 | Laredo | Ranger Freddy Gruber | Episode: The Pride of the Rangers |
| 1965 | Mister Roberts | Insignia | 3 episodes |
| 1966 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | Doug Bedlork | Episode: Talk to the Snail |
| 1966 | F Troop | Pvt. Wrongo Starr | 2 episodes |
| 1967 | Hey Landlord | Leroy | Episode: Aunt Harriet Wants You |
| 1968–1970 | Bewitched | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1968–1971 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Guest Performer | 84 episodes |
| 1972 | Evil Roy Slade | Clifford Stool | Television Movie |
| 1972 | Every Man Needs One | Walt | Television Movie |
| 1972 | Honeymoon Suite | Performer | Episode: First Pilot |
| 1973 | The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie | Mr. Grundy (voice) | Episode: The Mini-Munsters |
| 1969–1973 | Love, American Style | Performer | 5 episodes |
| 1975 | Violence in Blue | Performer | Television Movie |
| 1975 | Get Christie Love! | Garber | Episode: Murder on the High C |
| 1975 | McCloud | Cookie Watkins | Episode: Showdown at Times Square |
| 1975 | Barbary Coast | Dasher | Episode: Sharks Eat Sharks |
| 1975 | Police Woman | Otto Otterman | Episode: Don't Feed the Pigeons |
| 1976 | The Bureau | Chief Peter Davlin | Television Movie |
| 1977 | Escape from Bogen County | Abe Rand | Television Movie |
| 1977 | The Night They Took Miss Beautiful | Rolly Royce | Television Movie |
| 1977 | Halloween is Grinch Night | Max (singing voice) | Television Short |
| 1975–1978 | Wonder Woman | Performer | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Fantasy Island | Fred Wade | Episode: Bet a Million |
| 1979 | $weepstake$ | Sometimes | 1 episode |
| 1979 | The Halloween That Almost Wasn't | Igor | Television Short |
| 1979 | Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill | Milt Cavanaugh | Television Movie |
| 1980 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Squirt | Episode: Find Loretta Lynn |
| 1980 | For the Love of It | George | Television Movie |
| 1980 | The Littlest Hobo | Jeff Farley | Episode: Ghost Rig |
| 1981 | The Nashville Gab | Art Schmeckle | Television Movie |
| 1982 | Magnum, P.I. | Ronald Mills | Episode: Mixed Doubles |
| 1982 | Trapper John, M.D. | Dr. Brownwell | Episode: Candy Doctor |
| 1982 | Simon & Simon | Herbert T. Dowd | Episode: Fowl Play |
| 1983 | Small & Frye | Dr. Calder | Episode: Endangered Detectives |
| 1983 | Quincy, M.E. | Max | Episode: Murder on Ice |
| 1983 | The Biskitts | Downer (voice) | 13 episodes |
| 1984 | The Smurfs | Additional voices | 1 episode |
| 1984 | High School U.S.A. | Vice Principal | Television Movie |
| 1984 | Cover Up | Milton | Episode: The Million Dollar Face |
| 1981–1984 | The Fall Guy | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | The New Mike Hammer | Simon Rondale | Episode: The Deadly Prey |
| 1985 | The Pound Puppies | Nabbit (voice) | Television Short |
| 1985 | CBS Storybreak | voice | Episode: A Tale of Tales |
| 1985 | The Wuzzles | Eleroo (voice) | 13 episodes |
| 1986 | The Twilight Zone | Mayor | Episode: Welcome to Winfield |
| 1986 | Knight Rider | Donald Crane | Episode: Voo Doo Knight |
| 1986 | Slow Burn | Robert | Television film |
| 1986 | Galaxy High School | Doyle & Aimee's Locker (voice) | 13 episodes |
| 1987 | Long Gone | Hale Buchman | Television movie |
| 1987 | Foofur | voice | 13 episodes |
| 1989 | Around the World in 80 Days | Train Conductor | Miniseries |
| 1990 | Return to Green Acres | E. Mitchell Armstrong | Television Movie |
| 1990 | Timeless Tales from Hallmark | Sir Buffon | Episode: The Emperor's New Clothes |
| 1990 | Newhart | Tad Burrows | Episode: Father Goose |
| 1988–1992 | Murder, She Wrote | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1990–1991 | MacGyver | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Eerie Indiana | Mr. Lodgepoole | Episode: The Losers |
| 1991 | Evening Shade | Bud | Episode: Chip off the old Brick |
| 1991 | What a Dummy | Performer | Episode: Tucker's on the Air |
| 1992 | Fish Police | voice | Episode: The Codfather |
| 1992 | Tales from the Crypt | Stanhope | Episode: None But the Lonely Heart |
| 1993 | Sisters | Cyrus Calhoun | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Rugrats | Hairdresser/Counselor (voice) | Episode: Chuckie's First Haircut |
| 1995 | Santo Bugito | Mothmeyer | Episode: My Name is Revenge |
| 1995 | Daisy-Head Mayzie | Cat in the Hat (voice) | Television Short |
| 1995 | Escape to Witch Mountain | Ravetch | Television movie |
| 1995 | The John Larroquette Show | Priest | Episode: Several Unusual Love Stories |
| 1995 | Coach | Ted Tilly | Episode: Turtle World |
| 1996 | Mad About You | Henry Gibson | Episode: Dream Weaver |
| 1996 | Duckman | (voice) | Episode: A Room with a Bellevue |
| 1997 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Dick's Please (voice) | Episode: Respect |
| 1995–1997 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Mayor/Husband/Maurice (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 1997–1999 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Witch Judge / Judge Samuels | 4 episodes |
| 1998 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Nilva | Episode: Profit and Lace |
| 1998 | Maggie Winters | Hotel Clerk | Episode: Angstgiving Day |
| 1999 | Providence | Mr. Berry | Episode: You Bet Your Life |
| 1999 | Sunset Beach | Wayne Landry | Episode: #1.667 |
| 1999 | The Wild Thornberrys | Rhino (voice) | Episode: Born to Be Wild |
| 1999 | Total Recall 2070 | Belasarius | Episode: Bones Beneath My Skin |
| 1999 | Hey Arnold! | Patty's Father (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | The Amanda Show | Helicopter Pilot | Episode: #1.1 |
| 1999–2004 | Rocket Power | Merv Stimpleton / Young Merv / Reporter #1 / Townsperson No. 3 (voices) | 23 episodes |
| 2000 | Early Edition | Mr. Quigley | Episode: Luck o' the Irish |
| 2001 | The Luck of the Irish | Reilly O'Reilly | Television Movie |
| 2002 | Stargate SG-1 | Marul | Episode: The Sentinel |
| 2002 | She Spies | Dr. Meelbow | Episode: The Martini Shot |
| 2002 | Charmed | Sandman | Episode: Sand Francisco Dreamin' |
| 2002 | Rocket Power: Race Across New Zealand | Merv Stimpleton (voice) | Television movie |
| 2003 | The Guardian | Phil Hostetler | Episode: Big Coal |
| 2003 | Becker | Deputy Secretary | Episode: Chock Full O'Nuts |
| 2004 | Stripperella | Mr. Scrundle (voice) | Episode: Eruption, Junction |
| 2004 | Cracking Up | Dr. Bollas | Episode: Pilot |
| 2004 | Malcolm in the Middle | Frank Ralston | Episode: Kitty's Back |
| 2005 | The Batman | Bagely (voice) | Episode: Topsy Turvy |
| 2004–2007 | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | Lord Pain (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2004–2008 | Boston Legal | Judge Clark Brown | 24 episodes |
| 2005–2008 | King of the Hill | Bob Jenkins/Travis/Jenkins (voice) | 7 episodes |
| 2006 | Eloise: The Animated Series | Mr. Noblesse (voice) | Episode: Eloise Goes to School Part 1 |
| 2007 | All Grown Up! | Dr. Schleprizzi (voice) | Episode: Trading Places |

## Discography

* The Alligator (1962)
* The Grass Menagerie (1968)

## Books

* A Flower Child's Garden of Verses (1970)

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1970 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Television | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Nominated |
| 1975 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Film | Nashville | Nominated |
| 1975 | Grammy Awards | Best Score Soundtrack | Nashville | Nominated |
| 1975 | National Society of Film Critics | Best Supporting Actor | Nashville | Won |
| 1975 | New York Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actor | Nashville | Nominated |