Henry Spencer (Psych character)

Henry William Spencer, Jr.
Psych character
Corbin Bernsen as Henry Spencer
First appearance	"Pilot"
Created by	Steve Franks Andy Berman
Portrayed by	Corbin Bernsen
Information
Nickname(s)	Human Lie Detector (3.14), Old Scratch Johnson, Phil Collins, Horace, Popeye Doyle,Poppy Boy (Shawn)
Aliases	Talmadge McGulager
Gender	Male
Occupation	Police Sergeant (retired) Police Consultant Liaison (4.16-6.16 - retired)
Family	Henry Spencer, Sr. (father) Emma Spencer (mother) Jack Spencer (younger brother)
Spouse(s)	Madeleine Spencer (divorced)
Children	Shawn Spencer (son)

Police Sergeant (retired)

Henry William Spencer, Jr. is a fictional character on the American television dramedy Psych. He is played by American actor Corbin Bernsen.

A retired police officer, Henry Spencer raised his only son, Shawn, to follow in his footsteps, schooling him in detective work from a young age. The character is based loosely on series creator Steve Franks' father, a police officer who wanted his son to choose a similar career path. He would sometimes try to hone Franks' observational skills by asking how many people were wearing hats in a restaurant, a tactic which Henry employs with Shawn in the series pilot.

In the episode of the second season ("Black and Tan: A Crime of Fashion"), Chief Vick set Henry up with her friend Susan "Sue B." from the Mayor's office (played by Corbin Bernsen's wife, Amanda Pays).

He's the son of Henry Spencer, Sr., played by Brian Doyle Murray, and followed his father's footsteps in becoming a detective, but does not seem to get along with him, and is estranged from his younger brother, Jack Spencer, played by Steven Weber. In Psych's Guide to Crime Fighting for the Totally Unqualified it's revealed that Shawn's Grandma Emma (Henry's mom) is still alive.

In the 14th episode of the fourth season, "Think Tank", Police Chief Karen Vick offered Henry a job as police liaison between the SBPD and its external divisions (mainly Shawn's psychic detective agency). Henry initially declined the job offer, preferring retired life but later accepted it in the season four finale, while pursuing the serial killer Mr. Yin.

After solving one of his old cases in the season 6 finale, Henry turns down Chief Vick's offer to rejoin the department as a Detective and that he won't stay on in his current position, to the surprise of Shawn who seems to have finally come to understand and respect his father, saying that he is ready for retirement and that he has lost respect for the badge because his friends had been dirty cops and sabotaged his case years before. After leaving the police station he then goes to the house of a friend who had worked with him at the time of the case to tell him about what the other two friends had done, after Henry discovers that the last friend was involved as well, the old friend then shoots Henry so that knowledge of his involvement won't spread.