Michael Dennis Henry was born on August 15th, 1936, and he had a remarkable journey as an athletic professional football player, transitioning to the world of movies.
Henry's football career spanned several years, during which he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1958 to 1961 and the Los Angeles Rams from 1962 to 1964. It was during this period that he became under contract with Warner Brothers, allowing him to take on various bit parts in television shows such as "Surfside 6" (1960),"Hawaiian Eye" (1959),"Cheyenne" (1955),and the movie "Spencer's Mountain" (1963).
Henry's big break came when he was cast as Tarzan, a role that was a result of a search for a "younger Burt Lancaster" type. The series producer, Sy Weintraub, had seen a television documentary about the Pittsburgh Steelers, which featured Henry, and was impressed by his athletic build and rugged good looks.
Henry went on to star in three Tarzan movies, but his experience was not without its challenges. He suffered from animal bites, food poisoning, infections, and grueling work schedules while filming on location in Mexico and Brazil. Eventually, he sued Weintraub for "maltreatment, abuse, and working conditions detrimental to my health and welfare."
Before his second Tarzan release in 1967, Henry was signed to play the role of Sgt. Kowalski in John Wayne's "The Green Berets" (1968). He continued to work in the film industry, taking on various roles in movies such as "The Smokey and the Bandit" trilogy, in which he played the part of "Junior," the naive son of Jackie Gleason.
