Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, and more react to The Graduate writer Buck Henry’s death

Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, Holland Taylor, and entertainers across generations are taking to social media to mourn the legendary Buck Henry.

Henry, the screenwriter behind the classic 1967 film The Graduate and the co-creator of the popular 1960s television series Get Smart died Wednesday in Los Angeles after suffering a heart attack, a family member confirmed to Deadline Hollywood.

Oswalt remembered Henry’s wit by tweeting an exchange the comedian had with David Letterman on his late-night show. “David Letterman: Do you have any hobbies? Buck Henry: I have hobbies. DL: Do you have any pets? BH: I’m not allowed to have pets. DL: Why? BH: Because of my hobbies,” Oswalt wrote, with the hashtag #RIPBuckHenry.

Silverman expressed shock at the news of Henry’s passing, writing, “Oh man, RIP Buck Henry” along with a gif of his appearance in The Graduate as a desk clerk.

Judd Apatow shared a photo of himself and Henry from a panel they did together at SXSW on Instagram, calling the writer “one of the greats.”

“Buck Henry was hilarious and brilliant and made us laugh more times than we even know. I was lucky enough to be on a panel with him at SXSW and he was so funny,” Apatow shared. “He said ‘I don’t like to write with people because if they aren’t as funny as me I hate them and if they are funnier than me I hate them.’”

Taylor, who played Henry’s wife in the 2009 play Mother, remembered her former costar and friend by sharing a photo of them together on Twitter. “The most fun I ever had with a husband. Dear, brilliant Buck. #RIP Safe journey. See ya round the bend,” her heartfelt caption read.

Michael McKean, who starred with Henry in the 1998 short film The Man Who Counted, memorialized Henry in a simple-yet-sweet tweet. Both also worked on Saturday Night Live at different times; Henry in the ’70s and ’80s, and McKean in the ’90s.

“Buck Henry, guys. A brilliant talent and a really lovely guy. RIP,” the Better Call Saul actor wrote.

Dolemite Is My Name and American Crime Story screenwriter Larry Karaszewski also honored his fellow creator on Wednesday night. “R.I.P. Buck Henry – our most fearless screenwriter. Buck was also a big personality & a performer,” he tweeted. “He gave screenwriting a face. Growing up I could turn on Saturday Night Live (which Buck hosted 10 times) and point to the funniest, smartest guy and say – that’s a screenwriter.”

Henry and co-writer Calder Willingham garnered an Oscar nomination for penning Mike Nichols’ 1967 film The Graduate, which featured Dustin Hoffman as a disillusioned college graduate who gets seduced by an older woman (Anne Bancroft). Henry earned another Oscar nod for co-directing 1978’s Heaven Can Wait with the film’s star Warren Beatty.

On the television side, Henry won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy for his work on Get Smart, the series he created with Mel Brooks. 30 Rock fans may also know Henry as Liz Lemon’s (Tina Fey) dad, Dick Lemon.

Here are more reactions below:

Buck Henry’s roles for women were incredible. Aside from Mrs. Robinson, he also scripted my favorite comedy performance of all time (Barbra Streisand in What’s Up, Doc?), Nicole Kidman’s most delicious role (in To Die For) and Gena Rowlands’ too (Gloria). Exhaustingly iconic.

— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) January 9, 2020

Buck Henry’s roles for women were incredible. Aside from Mrs. Robinson, he also scripted my favorite comedy performance of all time (Barbra Streisand in What’s Up, Doc?), Nicole Kidman’s most delicious role (in To Die For) and Gena Rowlands’ too (Gloria). Exhaustingly iconic.

— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) January 9, 2020