Later this year, Buck Henry will turn 80 years old, and in his eight decades the diminutive, bespectacled satirist has racked up a staggering CV of comedy touchstones: From his early days writing for The New Steve Allen Show and his co-creation (with Mel Brooks) of television's Get Smart! to his Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Graduate (and so many more, from What's Up, Doc? to To Die For ), to say nothing of his 10-time stint as host during Saturday Night Live's heyday. (How badass was Henry? He took the wrong end of Belushi's samurai sword to his forehead and kept going ; the cast wearing bandages on their heads in solidarity for the rest of the episode was a golden TV moment.) The American Cinematheque salutes Buck Henry this Sunday with a double feature of his on-screen appearances: Milos Forman's Taking Off (pictured) and Mike Nichols' superlative Catch-22 , with Henry on hand for a Q&A between films. A standing ovation is all but assured.

Sun., March 14, 7:30 p.m., 2010

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