I don’t know if younger viewers really know how essential a TV funnyman Tom Poston was. After all, it’s been 17 years since Newhart went off the air, but even when he was ubiquitous on TV (as he was for decades), he was a top second banana who ceded the spotlight to others. Gen X viewers recall his peerless philosophical fogginess as slow-talking handyman George (pictured) on Newhart, or his sloshed antics as Bickley on Mork and Mindy; boomers will remember his recurring guest role as Bob’s rowdy college pal on The Bob Newhart Show and, back in the ’50s, as an all-purpose sidekick on The Steve Allen Show, for which he won an Emmy playing a guy who gets so flustered in front of an interviewers TV camera that he can’t remember his name. Poston, who died Monday at age 85, also had a long Broadway career and even a stint as an acrobat, but we’ll honor this comic everyman with a clip of Poston as Newhart’s George, living his dream.
Tom Poston, RIP
Blog Roll
- Best Week Ever
- BuzzSugar
- Coolfer
- Dark Horizons
- Deadline Hollywood Daily
- Digital Music News
- Gold Derby
- Hits Daily Double
- Hollywood Elsewhere
- Hollywood Wiretap
- Huffington Post
- Hypebot
- Idolator
- jaded insider
- Lost Remote
- Movie City News
- Movie List
- MTV News
- Pop Candy
- PopBytes
- Popeater
- reality blurred
- Salon: Arts & Entertainment
- Stereogum
- The Beat
- The Programming Insider
- Thompson on Hollywood
- Tuned In
- TV Barn
- TV Tattle
- TVFanatic.com
- TVNewser
- Velvet Rope
Featured Video
Realite: Reality TV justice!
Worthy winners on ''Runway,'' ''ANTM''; just desserts on ''Top Chef'' and ''SYTYCD''; bonus Kris Allen!
More 
Today's Most Popular
-
-
The Ausiello Files Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on 'Bones,' 'Glee,' 'Chuck,' 'Gossip Girl,' and more! -
-
-
Doc Jensen on 'Lost' 'Lost': Reboot anxiety?
From Our Partners
Special Coverage
'Twilight' Saga: 'New Moon'
It's almost here! Get all the latest news, photos, video, and fan commentary leading up to the big premiere
More
Comments (1-25) of 25 Add your comment
Thanks for the clip. Tom Poston will be missed.
I would start laughing whenever Tom Poston was on screen…he had such a light touch and comedic presence, he truely made whatever he was a part of better…he will be missed.
I was flipping channels last night and when I turned to FOX News my dad and I saw the report about Tom Poston. We were in shock. He was The ultimate silly sidekick. Mr. Poston will be missed by all.
Even youngsters may know who Mr. Poston is. He was on a “Suite Life w/ Zack & Cody” episode where he lived in the woods & let the cub scouts come to his cabin and enjoy his Satellite TV and “taco night”.
Tom was a true champion of the subtle approach to comedy (as was his frequent co-star, Bob Newhart). I didn’t realize that he’d wed Bob’s co-star “wife”, Suzanne Pleshette, after her husband had died 7 years ago.
RIP, Tom, and thanks for some wonderful memories. You’ll be missed.
i was hoping you would post something about mr. poston’s passing. he just had such a nice presence on the screen.
“I don’t know if younger viewers really know how essential a TV funnyman Tom Poston was.”
I stopped reading at this line. Don’t insult your pop watch readers!
One of my favorite Poston characters was Art Hipke from “Coach.” He was a dentist/jeweler/plumber/and so on. He was a friend of Luther’s, who was hysterically played by Jerry Van Dyke. These two men together on screen were pure comic gold. I will miss Tom. My sympathies to his family.
Wasn’t he married to Suzan Pleshette? If yes why didn’t you mention that?
Yes he was. They got married in 2001 I believe.
One of the great supporting actors of all time. I can’t remember him ever missing the mark, and he was able to be funny doing almost nothing at all. Great clip to demonstrate that also.
Has it been 17 years since Newhart went off the air? Their series finale is still the best. No show has came close to topping it.
Goodnight, Tom. Rest in peace.
I met Tom Poston following a “Murphy Brown” taping where he was the hilarious guest star, contributing many great ad-libs, which they would reshoot and keep. (They HAD to reshoot, because his ad-libs would break up Candice Bergan.) I gushed my lifelong adoration of his comic genious at him shamelessly until he said, “Stop. You’ll turn my pretty head.”
In the audience, before the taping, when I found out he was going to be on it, I was spouting off to my friends about what a genius Poston was, and this girl sitting in front of me turned around and said, “You really like Tom Poston?” I said, “Of Course. He’s been brilliant on everything he’s ever been in for decades.” She said, “I’m his daughter.”
He was so great. The best: solid, reliable, and endlessly creative.
When I read of Poston’s passing, the first thing that sprang to mind was his dream sequence on “Newhart.” Thanks very much for linking to it. I think it’s the perfect showcase of Poston’s quiet charm and whimsy.
will miss him. I remember seeing him all over TV during my teen years
He was always funny–I can still hear his distinctive voice. We will miss you, Tom, rest in peace. My sympathy to Suzanne–she has had a tough couple of years and I am thinking of her.
I believe he was the last of Steve Allen’s regular “Man on the Street” characters since Louis Nye and Don Knotts preceded him in death. I miss them all!
Cheers to the late Tom Poston for a long, entertaining career. Jeers to Pop Watch for doubting the all-knowing readership of EW.
Being born in the ’80s, I’ll always remember Tom as Mr. Looney (“Pronounced “Loonay,” it’s French!”), the disgruntled janitor on Family Matters. So funny!
When I hear “That’s the Way I Like It” by KC & the Sunshine Band I think of Tom Poston. He did the most hilarious scene with it on Newhart. I will miss you Tom.
Oops! I forgot that Bill Dana of Jose Jimenez fame is still alive!
By coincidence, Suzanne’s death brought mentions of Tom Poston and I realised I had seen him 24 hours earlier in the Zack and Cody episode (watching with a young pal in the UK)). I didn’t know who he was, but thought at the time that it was a brilliantly judged comic performance. Small world.
I loved watching Tom Poston during his time on television.
http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com/Dish-Network.html
rfvpha lkhyda qgscjbox isqwfk rjovqyum yhkatbc elniawcfo
hjcgvpaxs cqjyn uxfnaeitm vtujseao hrowf mjrcwxza kgijpve