Tom Poston, RIP
05-01-07 | 06:05 PM
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Sad news.
LOS ANGELES -- Tom Poston, the tall, pasty-faced comic who found fame and fortune playing a clueless everyman on such hit television shows as "Newhart" and "Mork and Mindy," has died. He was 85.
Mr. Poston, who was married to Suzanne Pleshette of "The Bob Newhart Show," died Monday night at home after a brief illness, a family representative, Tanner Gibson, said Tuesday. The nature of his illness was not disclosed.
Bob Newhart remembered Mr. Poston as a "versatile and veteran performer and a kindhearted individual."
"Tom was always the 'go-to guy' on 'Newhart' in addition to being a good and longtime friend," Mr. Newhart said in a statement Tuesday.
Mr. Poston's run as a comic bumbler began in the mid-1950s with "The Steve Allen Show" after Mr. Allen plucked the character actor from the Broadway stage to join an ensemble of eccentrics he would conduct "man in the street" interviews with.
Don Knotts was the shaky Mr. Morrison, Louis Nye was the suave, overconfident Gordon Hathaway and Mr. Poston's character was so unnerved by the television cameras that he couldn't remember who he was. He won an Emmy playing "The Man Who Can't Remember His Name."
His movie credits included "Cold Turkey," "The Happy Hooker," "Rabbit Test" and, more recently, "Christmas With the Kranks," "Beethoven's 5th" and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement."
On "Mork and Mindy," which starred Robin Williams as a space alien, Mr. Poston was Franklin Delano Bickley, the mindless boozer with the annoying dog. On "Newhart," he was George Utley, the handyman who couldn't fix anything at the New England inn run by Mr. Newhart's character. And on Mr. Newhart's show "Bob," he was the star's dim-bulb former college roommate.
"These guys are about a half-step behind life's parade," Mr. Poston commented in a 1983 interview. "The ink on their instruction sheets is beginning to fade. But they can function and cope and don't realize they are driving people up the walls."
"In ways I don't like to admit, I'm a goof-up myself," Mr. Poston continued. "It's an essential part of my character. When these guys screw up it reminds me of my own incompetence with the small frustrations of life."
Besides Ms. Pleshette, 70, Mr. Poston is survived by his children, Francesca Poston of Nashville, Tenn., Jason Poston of Los Angeles and Hudson Poston of Portland, Ore.
A private service was planned for immediate family. Details of a public memorial service were to be announced later.
Copyright © 2007 Associated Press
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LOS ANGELES -- Tom Poston, the tall, pasty-faced comic who found fame and fortune playing a clueless everyman on such hit television shows as "Newhart" and "Mork and Mindy," has died. He was 85.
Mr. Poston, who was married to Suzanne Pleshette of "The Bob Newhart Show," died Monday night at home after a brief illness, a family representative, Tanner Gibson, said Tuesday. The nature of his illness was not disclosed.
Bob Newhart remembered Mr. Poston as a "versatile and veteran performer and a kindhearted individual."
"Tom was always the 'go-to guy' on 'Newhart' in addition to being a good and longtime friend," Mr. Newhart said in a statement Tuesday.
Mr. Poston's run as a comic bumbler began in the mid-1950s with "The Steve Allen Show" after Mr. Allen plucked the character actor from the Broadway stage to join an ensemble of eccentrics he would conduct "man in the street" interviews with.
Don Knotts was the shaky Mr. Morrison, Louis Nye was the suave, overconfident Gordon Hathaway and Mr. Poston's character was so unnerved by the television cameras that he couldn't remember who he was. He won an Emmy playing "The Man Who Can't Remember His Name."
His movie credits included "Cold Turkey," "The Happy Hooker," "Rabbit Test" and, more recently, "Christmas With the Kranks," "Beethoven's 5th" and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement."
On "Mork and Mindy," which starred Robin Williams as a space alien, Mr. Poston was Franklin Delano Bickley, the mindless boozer with the annoying dog. On "Newhart," he was George Utley, the handyman who couldn't fix anything at the New England inn run by Mr. Newhart's character. And on Mr. Newhart's show "Bob," he was the star's dim-bulb former college roommate.
"These guys are about a half-step behind life's parade," Mr. Poston commented in a 1983 interview. "The ink on their instruction sheets is beginning to fade. But they can function and cope and don't realize they are driving people up the walls."
"In ways I don't like to admit, I'm a goof-up myself," Mr. Poston continued. "It's an essential part of my character. When these guys screw up it reminds me of my own incompetence with the small frustrations of life."
Besides Ms. Pleshette, 70, Mr. Poston is survived by his children, Francesca Poston of Nashville, Tenn., Jason Poston of Los Angeles and Hudson Poston of Portland, Ore.
A private service was planned for immediate family. Details of a public memorial service were to be announced later.
Copyright © 2007 Associated Press
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05-01-07 | 07:58 PM
#10
Goodbye Clown. 
For those who remember Committed.
For those who remember Committed.
05-01-07 | 09:18 PM
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God, Newhart was such a great show to grow up with - and he was so integral to the quality of it. I get this warm, fuzzy feeling when I think back to his character, George. Watching him and that show wasn't just a good way to pass some time. When a tv show is that good, and the characters are that richly played, they play a formative role in who a young person becomes.
05-02-07 | 02:24 AM
#19
DVD Talk Special Edition
He was a GREAT actor. I've only seen half a dozen or so eps of Newhart, though.
I remember him on Family Matters, as Mr. Looney. "That's Loon-A!"
and I saw him recently on The Suite Life of Zack And Cody...
RIP.
I remember him on Family Matters, as Mr. Looney. "That's Loon-A!"
and I saw him recently on The Suite Life of Zack And Cody...
RIP.
05-02-07 | 03:41 AM
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RIP Tom. 
I didn't know he was married to Suzanne Pleshette.
I didn't know he was married to Suzanne Pleshette.
05-02-07 | 04:27 AM
#21
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
this is very sad news.
He played Artie the dentist on my fav. show of all time-Coach. I've seen him in a wack of other shows & even if he was in a show that wasn't very good (i.e. Grace under fire) he made it good!
R.I.P Tom and thanks for the laughs!
Truly a funny man.
He played Artie the dentist on my fav. show of all time-Coach. I've seen him in a wack of other shows & even if he was in a show that wasn't very good (i.e. Grace under fire) he made it good!
R.I.P Tom and thanks for the laughs!
Truly a funny man.
05-02-07 | 05:50 AM
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From: The Quad-city area of Melonville, Meckling, the Boro of Melon, and Party Town
Originally Posted by Mr.Briggs
RIP The Peeper. His recurring role as Newhart's friend on The Bob Newhart Show was one of the greatest of all time. He will be missed
Emily: "Oh, you brought your own maple syrup....?"
Peeper: "In Vermont, we put maple syrup on everything."
Emily: "Oh, in Chicago, we just put it on pankcakes."
Peeper: "Pancakes.......I'm gonna have to try that....."
Poston's delivery of it was, as usual, amazing......
05-02-07 | 10:04 AM
#23
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Sad news.
I just wish Cold Turkey was out on DVD. Very funny movie about a town trying to win a award money to stop smoking. Tom was funny as the town drunk who can't quit.
I just wish Cold Turkey was out on DVD. Very funny movie about a town trying to win a award money to stop smoking. Tom was funny as the town drunk who can't quit.
05-02-07 | 10:20 AM
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Maybe one of the best and most versatile comic character actors in TV history. It brought a big smile to my face when he and Suzanne Pleshette got married a few years back, I thought: "Finally, George gets the girl..."
