On this day in movie history - Grumpy Old Men (1993):

Grumpy Old Men

directed by Donald Petrie,

written by Mark Steven Johnson,

was released in the United States on December 25, 1993.
Music by Alan Silvestri.

Cast:

Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis, Buck Henry, Christopher McDonald, Steve Cochran, Joe Howard, Isabell O'Connor, Buffy Sedlachek, John Carroll Lynch, Charles Brin, Oliver Osterberg, Joel Edwards, Steven Mark Hahn, Sharon Howard, Larissa Lowthorp, Katie Sagona, Katie Wahlquist.

Born on this day – Buck Henry:

Buck Henry

Actor

Writer

Director

December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020

On this day in movie history - Gloria (1980):

Gloria

directed and written by John Cassavetes,

was released in the United States on October 1, 1980.
Music by Bill Conti.

Cast:

Gena Rowlands, Julie Carmen, Tony Knesich, Gregory Cleghorne, Buck Henry, John Adames, Lupe Garnica, Jessica Castillo, Tom Noonan, Ronald Maccone, George Yudzevich, Gary Howard Klar, William E. Rice, Frank Belgiorno, J.C. Quinn, Alex Stevens, Sonny Landham, Harry Madsen, Shanton Granger, John Pavelko, Ray Baker, Ross Charap, Irvin Graham, Michael Proscia, T.S. Rosenbaum, Santos Morales, Meta Shaw Stevens, Marilyn Putnam, John Finnegan, Gaetano Lisi, Richard M. Kaye, Steve Lefkowitz, George Poidomani, Lawrence Tierney, Asa Adil Qawee, Vincent Pecorella, Iris Fernandez, Jade Bari, David Resnick, Thomas J. Buckman, Joe Dabenigno, Bill Wiley, John M. Sefakis, Val Avery, Walter Dukes, Janet Ruben, Ferruccio Hrvatin, Edward Wilson, Basilio Franchina, Carl Levy, Warren Selvaggi, Nathan Seril, Vladimir Drazenovic, Edward Jacobs, Brad Johnston, Jerry Jaffe, Chris McCabe Adams, Maja Niles, Jerry Schram, Filomena Spagnuolo.

On this day in movie history - Heaven Can Wait (1978 movie & play):

Heaven Can Wait

directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry,

based on the play by Harry Segall,

was released in the United States on June 28, 1978.
Music by Dave Grusin.

Cast:

Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Jack Warden, Charles Grodin, Dyan Cannon, Buck Henry, Vincent Gardenia, Joseph Maher, Hamilton Camp, Arthur Malet, Stephanie Faracy, Jeannie Linero, Harry D.K. Wong, George J. Manos, Larry Block, Frank Campanella, Bill Sorrells, Dick Enberg, Dolph Sweet, R.G. Armstrong, Ed Peck, John Randolph, Richard O'Brien, Joseph F. Makel, Will Hare, Lee Weaver, Roger Bowen, Keene Curtis, William Larsen, Morgan Farley, William Bogert, Robert E. Leonard, Joel Marston, Earl Montgomery, Robert C. Stevens, Bernie Massa, Peter Tomarken, William Sylvester, Lisa Blake Richards, Charlie Charles, Nick Outin, Jerry Scanlan, Jim Boeke, Marvin Fleming, Deacon Jones, Les Josephson, Jack Snow, Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis, Benjie Bancroft, Arline Bletcher, Joe Corolla, Charlie Cowan, Garrett Craig, Paul D'Amato, Robert Fortier, Allan Graf, Bryant Gumbel, Jim Healy, Chick Hearn, Ray Pourchot, Nick Raymond, Elliott Reid, Roberto Rodriguez, Byron Webster.

Recommended reading:

Heaven Can Wait

Comedy-Fantasy in Three Acts

By Harry Segall.

Filmed as:

Here comes Mr. Jordan (1941), directed by Alexander Hall.

Heaven Can Wait (1978), directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry.

ASIN: B000GVIZMI

Published by Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

Published 1941.

Description:

Mr. Jordan is checking passengers who are to depart in an airplane for the Hereafter. The routine is interrupted by the arrival of Joe Pendleton, an attractive prizefighter, who refuses to admit he is dead and induces Jordan to look up the "records," which reveal that Joe is not scheduled to arrive for another 60 years! But, as Joe starts to return to earth to continue his fighting, word reaches Heaven that Max Levene, Joe's manager, thinking he had been killed, had Joe's body cremated, and Joe has no body to return to. Jordan promises to find Joe another body and is informed that the wealthy Jonathan Farnsworth is about to be murdered by his wife. So, Joe suddenly finds himself in the home of the financier, visible as Joe to the audience but apparently as Farnsworth to Mrs. Farnsworth, and the public. The comedy begins when the pompous "Farnsworth" unaccountably goes into training as a fighter. In addition, "Farnsworth" decides to share his wealth and right the wrong "he" did to charming Bette Logan's father. Bette, having despised Farnsworth, finds herself falling in love with him and he with her. Just as Joe (still in Farnsworth's body) is about to get a chance to become a fighter, Jordan reports that Farnsworth does not approve of Joe's treatment of his body (and money) and is raising a fuss to have it back. While deciding on another body for Joe, Jordan receives a flash that K.O. Murdock, the champion, has been mysteriously shot. As K.O. is about to be counted out Jordan transfers Joe's spirit into the body of K.O. in time to have K.O. remain champ. There are still problems to be straightened out when Joe really becomes Murdock and loses memory of his previous existence-includingBette. Fortunately, they meet and fall in love again-and Mr. Jordan is free to head for the Hereafter, his earthly task accomplished."

On this day in movie history - Catch-22 (1970):

Catch-22

directed by Mike Nichols,

written by Buck Henry,

based on the novel by Joseph Heller,

was released in the United States on June 24, 1970.
Music by Richard Strauss.

Cast:

Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Art Garfunkel, Jack Gilford, Buck Henry, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight, Orson Welles, Bob Balaban, Susanne Benton, Norman Fell, Charles Grodin, Austin Pendleton, Peter Bonerz, Jon Korkes, John Brent, Collin Wilcox Paxton, Philip Roth, Bruce Kirby, Jack Riley, Felice Orlandi, Marcel Dalio, Evi Maltagliati, Elizabeth Wilson, Richard Libertini, Liam Dunn, Olimpia Carlisi, Wendy D'Olive, Gina Rovere, Fernanda Vitobello, Seth Allen, Steve 'Bunker' de France.