Henry Gibson dies at 73
Actor Henry Gibson, best known in recent times for his role as Judge Clark Brown on Boston Legal, has died after a short battle with cancer at the age of 73.
Gibson started acting on the stage at the age of seven, before spending time as in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence officer. Returning to his performing roots, Gibson’s first break came in the 1963 Jerry Lewis film The Nutty Professor. Gibson was a favorite of Robert Altman, who cast him in four movies: The Long Goodbye, Nashville, A Perfect Couple and Health. His role in Nashville saw him nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
It was his roles on television that made him a true household name, with Gibson spending three years as a member of the Laugh-In television show’s cast.
He appeared in a number of films in the 1980’s, including playing the leader of the “Illinois Nazis” The Blues Brothers in 1980, and the role of the villain in the 1989 Tom Hanks comedy The ‘Burbs. Later roles included a leading role in a Season 5 episode of Stargate SG-1 entitled “The Sentinel” and alongside Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in the 2005 comedy Wedding Crashers.
He is survived by his three sons and two grandchildren.
