Tom Poston of ‘Newhart’ Fame Dies at 85

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.

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 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,” Newhart said in a statement Tuesday.

Billy Crystal, who starred in the 1978 film “Rabbit Test” in which Poston also appeared, was another admirer.

“How rare that a gentle, sweet person could be so incredibly funny,” Crystal said in a statement. “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.”

Poston’s run as a comic bumbler began in the mid-1950s with “The Steve Allen Show” after Allen plucked the character actor from the Broadway stage to join an ensemble of eccentrics he would conduct “man in the street” interviews with.

Besides Pleshette, 70, 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.

source: ap via aol

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Tom Poston of ‘Newhart’ Fame Dies at 85

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