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Tom Poston Biography (1921-)

Born October 17, 1921, in Columbus, OH; son of George (a dairy chemist and liquor salesman) and Margaret Poston; married Jean Sullivan, 1955 (marriage ended); married Kay Hudson, June 8, 1968 (divorced, 1976), remarried, 1980; children: (first marriage) one daughter, (second marriage) one daughter, one son.Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1934.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor

Birth Details

October 17, 1921

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Television Appearances
• Series
• The Mercurian, Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, 1950
• Toby Winfield, Hawkins Falls, Population 6200 (also known as Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel), 1953
• Master of ceremonies, Entertainment, ABC, 1955
• Various roles, including the perennial amnesiac, The Steve Allen Show, NBC, ABC, 1956-59, 1961
• Panelist, To Tell the Truth, CBS, 1958-68
• Host, Split Personality, 1959
• That Was the Week That Was, 1964
• Mr. Sullivan, On the Rocks, ABC, 1975-76
• Damon Jerome, We've Got Each Other, CBS, 1977-78
• Franklin Delano Bickley, Mork and Mindy, ABC, 1979-82
• George Utley, Newhart, CBS, 1982-90
• Ringo Prowley, Good Grief, Fox, 1990
• Jerry Fleisher, Bob, CBS, 1992
• Mr. Norton, Grace under Fire, ABC, 1995-98
• Also appeared as a panelist on Pantomime Quiz, CBS.
• Episodic
• "Tangled Web," Goodyear Television Playhouse, 1955
• Title role, "The Change in Chester," U.S. Steel Hour, CBS, 1957
• Charlie Denham, "Masquerade," Thriller, 1961
• Panelist, The Hollywood Squares, 1966
• Dr. Zharko, "Shock It to Me," Get Smart, 1969
• Cliff Murdock, The Bob Newhart Show, 1972
• The peeper, "The Longest Good-bye," The Bob Newhart Show, 1975
• Peeper, "Peeper-Two," The Bob Newhart Show, 1976
• Peeper, "Enter Mrs. Peeper," The Bob Newhart Show, 1976
• Jerry, "Vera's Mortician," Alice, 1976
• Peeper, "You're Having My Hartley," The Bob Newhart Show, 1977
• Bill Conner, "Quarantine," CHiPs, 1979
• "A Fox at the Races," Crazy Like a Fox, 1986
• Voice, D.C. Follies, PBS, 1987
• "The Abby Singer Show," St. Elsewhere, 1988
• The New Liar's Club, syndicated, 1988
• Voice of the Capital City Goofball, "Dancin' Homer," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1990
• Dr. Hibke, "Diamonds Are a Dentist's Best Friend," Coach, ABC,1991
• Sidney "Uncle Bouncy" Barish, "Oral Sex, Lies, and Videotape," Dream On, HBO, 1993
• "Halloween," Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, CBS, 1993
• Mr. Looney, "Presumed Urkel," Family Matters, ABC, 1994
• Old Man Swenson, "Crime Story," Murphy Brown, CBS, 1994
• Mr. Looney, "The Looney Bin," Family Matters, ABC, 1994
• Mr. Looney, "Wedding Bell Blues," Family Matters, ABC, 1995
• Floyd Norton, "A Night at the Opera," Grace under Fire, ABC, 1995
• Art Hibke, "Ten Percent of Nothing," Coach, ABC, 1995
• Floyd Norton, "Mother and Son and Father Reunion," Grace under Fire, ABC, 1995
• Art Hibke, "Turtle World," Coach, ABC, 1995
• The clerk, "'Twas the Flight before Christmas," Home Improvement, ABC, 1995
• Old Man Swenson, "Office Politics," Murphy Brown, CBS, 1996
• Ned, "The Tool Man Delivers," Home Improvement, ABC, 1996
• Himself, "My Name Is Asher Kingsley," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO,1996
• "Colleen's Paper," Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, CBS, 1997
• Officer Murdoch, "The Cameo Episode," George and Leo, CBS, 1997
• Mortgage broker, "Witch Trash," Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, ABC, 1997
• Ted, "Thanksgiving," Home Improvement, ABC, 1997
• Jerome Dickey, "Long Live the King," It's Good to Be King, 1997
• Herb, "Jack's Old Partner," Just Shoot Me, 1998
• Ed Yablonsky, "Cry and You Cry Alone," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1998
• Lester Mulford, "Mama's Got a Brand New Bag," Maggie Winters,1998
• Mr. Vance, Suddenly Susan, NBC, 1998
• Tim, "Ol' Betsy," Cosby, CBS, 1999
• Tim, "Timerity," Cosby, CBS, 1999
• Ghost of Uncle Cosmo, "Honey, It's the Ghostest with the Mostest," Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (also known as Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show), syndicated, 1999
• Garth Dubin, "Hot Pants," Malcolm and Eddie, UPN, 1999
• Tom Porter, "The Roast," Diagnosis Murder, CBS, 1999
• Garth Dubin, "Swooped," Malcolm and Eddie, UPN, 2000
• Dr. Gillespie, "The Spy Who Said He Loved Me," Dharma and Greg, ABC, 2000
• Also appeared in "Coriolanus" and "No Tears for Hilda," episodes of Westinghouse Studio One; "You Sometimes Get Rich," an episode of Playwrights '56, NBC; "The Enchanted," Play of the Week, PBS; and "The Tempest," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC; appeared in Normal, Ohio, Fox, Night Court, The Phil Silvers Show, and Reunited.
• Movies
• William (some sources cite Willard) Bensinger, The Magnificent MagicalMagnet of Santa Mesa (also known as The Adventures of Freddy), 1977
• Marty Gibson, A Guide for the Married Woman, 1978
• Omar Krepps, The Girl, the Gold Watch, and Dynamite, 1981
• Veterinarian, Save the Dog! The Disney Channel, 1988
• Don Corman, A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder (also known as Darling, Let's Kill the Neighbors, Honey, Let's Kill the Neighbors, and A Perfect Little Murder), NBC, 1990
• Specials
• Psychiatrist, Bobby Parker and Company, 1974
• Arlo Wilson, Harry and Maggie, 1975
• Frank Beane, Beane's of Boston, 1979
• I've Had It up to Here, 1981
• The Real Trivial Pursuit, 1985
• The Television Academy Hall of Fame, 1986
• Comic Relief II, HBO, 1987
• Circus of the Stars XIII (also known as The 13th Annual Circusof the Stars), 1988
• The Hollywood Christmas Parade, syndicated, 1989
• Dorf's Family Stump, CBS, 1991
• Comic Relief VII, HBO, 1995
• Also appeared in Merman on Broadway, NBC.
• Other Television Appearances
• Trinculo, The Tempest (also known as George Schaefer's Showcase Theatre: The Tempest), 1960
• Doc Parseghian, Fresno (miniseries), 1986
• Stage Appearances
• (Broadway debut) Title role, Cyrano de Bergerac, Alvin Theatre, 1947
• Otakar, The Insect Comedy, City Center, New York City, 1948
• Te Herald, King Lear, National Theatre, New York City, 1950
• Private Turnipseed, Stockade, President Theatre, New York City, 1954
• Edward Martin, The Grand Prize, Plymouth Theatre, New York City, 1955
• George MacCauley, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Belasco Theatre,New York City, 1955
• Arthur Westlake, Goodbye Again, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1956
• Hermes, Maiden Voyage, Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1957
• The Best of Burlesque Revue, Theatre at Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1957
• The General, Romanoff and Juliet, Plymouth Theatre, New York City,1958
• Miles Pringle, Drink to Me Only, 54th Street Theatre, New York City, 1958
• Ferguson Howard, Golden Fleecing, Henry Miller's Theatre, NewYork City, 1959
• Cornelius, Come Play with Me, York Playhouse, New York City, 1959
• Woodrow Truesmith, The Conquering Hero, American National Theatreand Academy, New York City, 1961
• Alan Baker, Come Blow Your Horn, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New YorkCity, 1962
• Bob McKellaway, Mary, Mary, Helen Hayes Theatre, 1962
• Easy Does It, Yonkers Playhouse, New York City, 1964
• Jeremy Troy, The Well-Dressed Liar, Coconut Grove Playhouse, New York City, 1966
• The Butter and Egg Man, Ivanhoe Theatre, Chicago, 1967
• Walter London, But, Seriously ..., Henry Miller's Theatre, NewYork City, 1969
• Billy Boylan, Forty Carats, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1970
• Play It Again, Sam, Falmouth Playhouse, Falmouth, MA, 1971
• Prologus and Pseudolus, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1972
• Title role, Cyrano de Bergerac, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope,PA, 1972
• Anything Goes, Bucks County Playhouse, 1972
• Lovers and Other Strangers, Playhouse in the Park, Philadelphia, 1973
• Lenny, Of Mice and Men, Bucks County Playhouse, 1973
• Nick, The Inn People, Bucks County Playhouse, 1973
• Chaplain, Mother Courage and Her Children, McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, 1975
• Romeo and Juliet, McCarter Theatre, 1975
• Also appeared in Remember Me? New Theatre, Kansas City, MO; appeared as Tevye in a production of Fiddler on the Roof, and as both Felixand Oscar in productions of The Odd Couple; also appeared in The Crucible, Gates and Mills, and Richard III.
• Major Tours
• Title role, Destry Rides Again, U.S. cities, 1961
• Any Wednesday, U.S. cities, 1967
• F. Sherman, The Owl and the Pussycat, U.S. cities, 1971
• Sam Nash, Jesse Kiplinger, and Roy Hubley, Plaza Suite, U.S. cities, 1971
• Lovers and Other Strangers, U.S. cities, 1973
• Film Appearances
• The City That Never Sleeps, Republic, 1953
• Professor Jonathan Jones, Zotz! Columbia, 1962
• Tom Penderel, The Old Dark House, Columbia, 1963
• Lieutenant Magee, Soldier in the Rain, 1963
• Edgar Stopworth, Cold Turkey, United Artists, 1971
• J. Arthur Conrad, The Happy Hooker, 1975
• The minister, Rabbit Test, 1978
• Sisson, Up the Academy (also known as The Brave Young Men of Weinberg, Mad Magazine Presents Up the Academy, and Mad Magazine's Up the Academy), 1980
• Reverend Hayworth, Carbon Copy, 1981
• Murphy's Laws of Golf, 1989
• Gordon Harding (some sources cite Hargrove), Krippendorf's Tribe, Buena Vista, 1998
• Mercurian leader, The Mercurian Invasion, Englewood Entertainment,1998
• Harry, The Story of Us, Universal/PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, 1999
• Also appeared in Gentle Ben.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Internet

• Tom Poston Web Site, http://www.tomposton.com.