Mike Henry Passes On

Mike Henry, the former NFL player who starred as Tarzan in three movies, died on January 8 2021 at the age of 84. He had been diagnosed in 1988 with Parkinson's disease and for years had dealt with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Mike Henry was born on August 15 1936 in Los Angeles. He played football in high school and played for the University of Southern California. Following his graduation from college. Mike Henry played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1958 to 1961. He requested a transfer to the Los Angeles Rams as he was interested in becoming an actor.

Mike Henry made his film debut in a small role in Curfew Breakers in 1958. In the early Sixties he was the choice of Ed Graham Productions to play Batman in a prospective television series, that would have been more serious than the classic 1966 TV series Batman produced by William Dozier. Mike Henry never got a chance to play Batman, as Ed Graham lost the rights to the character. Mike Henry appeared in small roles in Spencer's Mountain (1963) and Palm Springs Weekend (1963) before playing Tarzan in three films: Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966), Tarzan and the Great River (1967), and Tarazan and the Jungle Boy (1968). Mike Henry was offered the lead role in the TV series Tarzan, but declined the role. It then went to Ron Ely. In the Sixties he also appeared in the movies The Green Berets (1968), More Dead Than Alive (1969), Number One (1969), and Rio Lobo (1970). He guest starred on the shows General Hospital, 77 Sunset Strip, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Daniel Boone, and Dan August.

In the Seventies Mike Henry guest starred in the M*A*S*H  "The M*A*S*H Olympics" as Major Margaret Houlihan's fiancé  Lt. Colonel Donald Penobscott. He also guest starred on the shows The Smith Family, The Wonderful World of Disney, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Temperatures Rising, The Bob Newhart Show, The Six Million Dollar Man, Rhoda, and Lou Grant. He played Junior, the none too bright son of Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), in the movies Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Smokey and the Bandit II (1980). He appeared in the movies Skyjacked (1972), Soylent Green (1973), The Longest Yard (1974), Mean Johnny Barrows (1975), and Adiós Amigo (1975).

In the Eighties Mike Henry guest starred on Fantasy Island and appeared in the movies Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983) and Outrageous Fortune (1987).

Athletes turned actors are generally not noted for their talent, but Mike Henry actually displayed talent in his acting career. Indeed, he played both Tarzan in three movies and Junior Justice in the "Smokey and the Bandits" movies, two roles that could not be more different. He was even convincing playing the corrupt Sheriff "Blue Tom" Hendricks in Rio Lobo. He gave solid performances in guest appearances on many television shows. While some athletes turned actors aren't known for their acting talent, Mike Henry should be.