Tom Poston

Person Score

 
9.2 Superb
24 votes

Your Score

Rate now!

Biography

Recent Role:
Himself on TV Land Confidential
Gender:
Male
Born:
10-17-1921
Died:
4-30-2007 (respiratory failure)
Birthplace:
Columbus, Ohio (USA)
AKA:
Thomas Poston, Tommy Poston
Though many casual observers perceive that comic actor Tom Poston was "discovered" by Steve Allen in 1956, Poston had in fact been a performer long before Allen ever set foot on a stage. At age 9, Poston was a member of the Flying Zebleys, an acrobatic troupe. After Air Force service in World War II, he began his formal acting training at the AADA. Poston made his "legit" New York stage debut in Jose Ferrer's Cyrano de Bergerac (1947). With several years of stage work under his belt, Poston was engaged to host the local New York TV variety series Entertainment (1955), and it was this effort… More that brought him to the attention of Steve Allen. The story goes that Poston was so flustered at his audition for Allen's TV variety series that he forgot his own name when asked. From 1956 through 1960, Poston was seen along with Louis Nye and Don Knotts as a member of the Allen stock company; appropriately, he was most often cast as a "man on the street" interviewee who could never remember his name. Poston won an Emmy for his work on Allen's show in 1959, and that same year hosted the weekday TV game show Split Personality; this gig led to a long tenure as a guest panelist on other quiz programs. In films from 1953, Poston starred in a pair of offbeat William Castle-directed comedies, Zotz (1962) and The Old Dark House (1963). Poston's TV sitcom credits include such roles as prison guard Sullivan on On the Rocks (1975), absent minded Damon Jerome on We've Got Each Other (1977), cantankerous neighbor Franklin Delano Bickley on Mork and Mindy and Ringo Crowley on Good Grief (1990). In 1982, Poston beat out Jerry Van Dyke for his most famous prime-time TV role: caretaker George Utley on Newhart.

From the Forums

There are no current discussion topics for Tom Poston.

Tom Poston News

More▸

Fans' Reviews

More Reviews▸
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Personal favorite! hide show

    Tom was a personal favorite of mine. Whether he can do comedy, occasional drama, and the game shows. I think that he would had been a bigger star. But instead, the supporting roles were indeed his thing and in which he thrived at. As he grew up in the golden age of tv. And that he was awesome in the George Utley role in "Newhart" Bob Newhart's second tv show. As the bumbling but lovable inn caretaker. He is missed but still, thanks to the memories of tv, he will forever be remembered. Now his wife Suzanne Pleashette is with him in that great sky!

    Do you agree?
     
    Report Abuse
    JPPT1974 Added Jan 22, 2008 All my reviews
 

Top Contributors

What is a TV.com Contributor?