The Loquacious Limey

Henry Gibson succumbs to Cancer at 73

Henry Gibson, whose diverse portrayals of the full spectrum of life from Nazis to poets delighted and endeared him to three generations, has died at his home in Malibu after a brief battle with cancer. He was 73.

Born James Bateman, on September 21, 1935 in Germantown, Pennsylvnia, Henry took his stage name from the Norwegian poet, Henrik Ibsen, because, as he once explained to a fan, “if you say his name with a Southern accent it sounds like Henry Gibson”

Like most of those born to act, Henry was a child prodigy, first taking the stage at the age of just six. As his career progressed, his natural talent soon got him noticed and he landed a small part in Paramount’s 1963 classic, ‘The Nutty Professor’ with the great Jerry Lewis.

Three years later fame truly arrived – Henry was cast as a rather hip poet in NBC’s ground-breaking sketch show, “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In.” Each week he’d appear all alone, holding a book and a flower, and recite short, satirical poems – which he also wrote – that often had strongly political themes.

In 1975, Henry debuted the role that secured both his fame, and his first ‘Golden Globe’ nomination; He played the insincere country singer, Haven Hamilton, in Robert Altman’s music-themed movie, ‘Nashville.’

Five years later, the 5′3” acting maven gained a far wider, almost cult-inspired audience when he appeared as an unbalanced Nazi chasing two soul-singing deadbeats across the US, in the John Landis’-helmed classic ‘The Blues Brothers.’ If you’ve not yet seen it, you must!

Henry’s most recent appearance was as ‘Judge Clark Brown’ in over a dozen episodes of ABC’s ‘Boston Legal,’ plus an extended spell as the voice of Bob Jenkins in Mike Judge’s ‘King of the Hill.’

Throughout a varied career, covering more than 40 years and 130 separate appearances on both TV and in movies, Henry was supported by the love of his life, Lois Geiger, who herself died of cancer in 2007. They had three sons, Jon, Charles and James, who are all now successful in the field of production, so Henry’s passion and legacy are sure to live on.

A memorial service is pending. Donations can be made in his name to the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, and to ‘Friends of the Malibu Public Library.’

Partial Source: LA Times

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Henry Gibson succumbs to Cancer at 73

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