Mike Henry obit

Mike Henry, NFL Player and Actor, Dies at 84

 

He was not on the list.

Mike Henry, a former NFL linebacker and actor known for playing Tarzan in the 1960s, has died. He was 84.

Henry died Jan. 8 at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank after many years of dealing with chronic traumatic encephalopathy and Parkinson’s disease brought on by the head injuries in the NFL and at the University of Southern California.

He traded football for acting and went on to star in the Tarzan films of the 1960s and worked alongside Burt Reynolds in the “Smokey and the Bandit” movies.

Henry grew up in East Los Angeles. In high school, former city council member John Ferraro saw him play football and facilitated his tryout for USC’s football team. After college, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, for which he played from 1958 to 1961. Here he played with guys like Tom Tracy, Bobby Layne, Pete Brewster, Jimmy Orr, George Tarasovic, Ed Modzelewski, Bert Rechichar, Buddy Dial, John Nisby, Rudy Bukich, John Henry Johnson and Frank Varrichione. Wanting to try his luck with acting, Henry requested a transfer to play for the Los Angeles Rams. Here he played with guys like Roman Gabriel, Merlin Olsen, Dick Bass and Red Phillips.

In one of his final games as a Ram linebacker, a producer spotted Henry and asked him to test for the role of Tarzan. Between 1966 and 1968, he starred in three films based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ creation: “Tarzan and the Valley of Gold,” “Tarzan and the Great River” and “Tarzan and the Jungle Boy.”

But he was best known for his role in three “Smokey and the Bandit” action comedies from 1977, 1980 and 1983. He played Junior, the son of Jackie Gleason’s character. His other movie roles included 1974’s “The Longest Yard,” 1973’s “Soylent Green,” 1970’s “Rio Lobo” and 1968’s “The Green Berets.” TV roles included “General Hospital,” “Lou Grant,” “Rhoda,” “Fantasy Island,” “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “77 Sunset Strip.”

Henry worked behind the scenes in film and TV for the rest of his professional career until he retired in 1988 as a result of Parkinson’s disease.

“You could not find anyone who ever spoke ill of Mike. He was one of the loveliest men ever to grace this earth,” said Cheryl Henry, his wife of 36 years.

Mike Henry is also a survived by a daughter, Shannon Noble.

 

Actor (38 credits)

 1988 The New Gidget (TV Series)

Duke

- Avacado Heads (1988) ... Duke

 1987 Outrageous Fortune

Russian #1

 1983 Smokey and the Bandit Part 3

Junior Justice

 1981 Fantasy Island (TV Series)

Mike

- The Artist and the Lady/Elizabeth's Baby (1981) ... Mike

 1980 Smokey and the Bandit II

Junior

 1978 Lou Grant (TV Series)

Frank

- Sports (1978) ... Frank (as Michael D. Henry)

 1977 M*A*S*H (TV Series)

Lt. Col. Donald Penobscott

- The M*A*S*H Olympics (1977) ... Lt. Col. Donald Penobscott

 1977 Smokey and the Bandit

Junior

 1976 No Way Back

 1976 Rhoda (TV Series)

Man

- If You Want to Shoot the Rapids, You Have to Get Wet (1976) ... Man

 1975 Adiós Amigo

Mary's Husband

 1975 Mean Johnny Barrows

Carlo Da Vince

 1974-1975 The Six Million Dollar Man (TV Series)

Tatashore / Cliff Platt

- One of Our Running Backs Is Missing (1975) ... Tatashore

- Run, Steve, Run (1974) ... Cliff Platt

 1975 The Bob Newhart Show (TV Series)

Frank Nugent

- Bob Hits the Ceiling (1975) ... Frank Nugent

 1974 The Longest Yard

Rassmeusen

 1973 Soylent Green

Kulozik

 1973 The New Temperatures Rising Show (TV Series)

Jason

- Super Doc (1973) ... Jason

 1972 The New Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Series)

Man at the Admitting Desk

- The Needle (1972) ... Man at the Admitting Desk

 1972 Skyjacked

Sam Allen

 1972 The Magical World of Disney (TV Series)

Fargo

- Michael O'Hara the Fourth: Part 2 (1972) ... Fargo

- Michael O'Hara the Fourth: Part 1 (1972) ... Fargo

 1972 Michael O'Hara the Fourth (TV Movie)

Fargo

 1971 The Smith Family (TV Series)

Johnny Forster

- Taste of Fear (1971) ... Johnny Forster

 1971 Inside O.U.T. (TV Movie)

Chuck Dandy

 1970 Rio Lobo

Sheriff Tom Hendricks

 1970 Dan August (TV Series)

Heap Canfield

- When the Shouting Dies (1970) ... Heap Canfield

 1970 Daniel Boone (TV Series)

Creole Jim

- Bringing Up Josh (1970) ... Creole Jim (as Michael Henry)

 1969 Number One

Walt Chaffee

 1969 More Dead Than Alive

Luke Santee

 1968 The Green Berets

Sgt. Kowalski

 1968 Tarzan and the Jungle Boy

Tarzan

 1967 Tarzan and the Great River

Tarzan

 1966 Tarzan and the Valley of Gold

Tarzan

 1963 Palm Springs Weekend

Doorman (uncredited)

 1963 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (TV Series)

Big Guy

- Getting Wally in Shape (1963) ... Big Guy

 1963 Spencer's Mountain

Spencer Brother (uncredited)

 1963 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series)

Sgt. Johnny Rossi / Desk Sergeant

- To Catch a Mink (1963) ... Sgt. Johnny Rossi

- Reunion at Balboa (1963) ... Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

 1963 General Hospital (TV Series)

Rudolpho (1988)

 1957 Curfew Breakers

Reagan

 

Self (4 credits)

 2016 The Bandit (Documentary)

Self

 1969 The Rosey Grier Show (TV Series)

Self

- Mike Henry, Lew Alcindor (1969) ... Self

 1965 I've Got a Secret (TV Series)

Self - Contestant

- Episode dated 29 March 1965 (1965) ... Self - Contestant

Archive footage (1 credit)

 1996 Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of Tarzan (Video documentary short)