Tom Poston dies at 85

May 01, 2007 by Ian Evans

Tom Poston, who played the bumbling handyman on Newhart, died Monday after a short illness. He was 85.

Poston, who married The Bob Newhart Show star Suzanne Pleshette in 2000, also starred on Mork & Mindy, and won an Emmy for his work on The Steve Allen Show.

Newhart said in a statement that Poston was a “versatile and veteran performer and a kindhearted individual.”

Billy Crystal, who worked with him on the movie Rabbit Test, said, “How rare that a gentle, sweet person could be so incredibly funny. 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.”