His peers knew him as a “gentle, sweet person” who could also be “incredibly funny.” Now, that funny man is gone.
Tom Poston, well known for his roles on the television shows “The Bob Newhart Show “ and “Mork and Mindy” died Monday night. He was 85.
According to news reports, Poston, who was married to his “Newhart” co-star Suzanne Pleshette, died at home after a brief illness (the nature of his illness was not made public).
Poston was born in Columbus, Ohio, but didn’t live there for long. He moved from city to city as a child as his father hunted for work during the Depression. Most people don’t know that as a teenager, Poston made money as a boxer before enlisting in the Army (he flew troops to the European war zone during World War II).
It wasn’t until the war was over that Poston followed his true passion—-acting. He signed up for a two-year course at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and made his Broadway debut in 1947 playing five roles in Jose Ferrer’s “Cyrano de Bergerac.” A few years later he made a switch—-playing the roles of comic bumblers on and off Broadway.
Poston’s big break came in the mid-1950s when Steve Allen plucked him from Broadway to join his show. From there Poston went on to appear in a number of variety shows, sitcoms and films.
His most notable role was on the CBS sitcom “Newhart” where he played George Utley, the handyman who couldn’t fix anything at the New England inn run by Newhart’s character. I remember watching Poston on “Newhart” (it was one of my mom’s favorite shows and we would watch it together each week) and thinking how much he reminded me of Charlie Brown—-two guys who just never caught a break.
I also watched him on “Mork and Mindy,” where he played Franklin Delano Bickley, the guy with the annoying dog. Long after those shows were cancelled Poston continued to make his mark on TV, guest appearing on scores of shows, including “St. Elsewhere,””The Simpsons,””Coach,””Murphy Brown,””Home Improvement,””Touched by an Angel,””Will & Grace,””Dream On,””Just Shoot Me!” and “That ’70s Show.”
In the wake of his death his fellow actors issued statements sharing their favorite memories of Poston.
Long time friend Bob Newhart called Poston a “versatile and veteran performer and a kindhearted individual.”
Another Poston pal Billy Crystal, who starred in the 1978 film “Rabbit Test” in which Poston also appeared, issued his own statement after hearing the news of Poston’s passing:
“How rare that a gentle, sweet person could be so incredibly funny,” Crystal wrote. “I grew up watching Tom on ‘The Steve Allen Show’ as a kid. What an incredible gift to become friends with him and to learn about comedy from a true professional. He was a combination of Stan Laurel and Jack Benny. We will all miss him.”
I’m sure many people–whether they had the chance to interact with Poston or not–echo that statement.
What’s your favorite Poston memory?
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