Frank Howard Buck (March 17, 1884 – March 25, 1950) was an American hunter, animal collector, and author, as well as a film actor, director, and producer. Beginning in the 1910s he made many expeditions into Asia for the purpose of hunting and collecting exotic animals, bringing over 100,000 live specimens back to the United States and elsewhere for
zoos and
circuses and earning a reputation as an adventurer. He co-authored seven books chronicling or based on his expeditions, beginning with 1930's
Bring 'Em Back Alive which became a
bestseller. Between 1932 and 1943 he starred in seven
adventure films based on his exploits, most of which featured staged "fights to the death" with various wild beasts. He was also briefly a director of the
San Diego Zoo, displayed wild animals at the 1933–34
Century of Progress exhibition and
1939 New York World's Fair, toured with
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and co-authored an
autobiography, 1941's
All in a Lifetime. The
Frank Buck Zoo in Buck's hometown of
Gainesville, Texas is named after him.