Tom Poston Movies
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 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), absentminded 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. Poston died at age 85 in April 2007, of undisclosed causes. Until the time of his death, he was married to Suzanne Pleshette of The Bob Newhart Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
- G
- Add The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement to QueueAdd The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement to top of Queue
Directed by Garry Marshall, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement picks up where its predecessor left off -- that is, with American teenager Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) reeling over the news that she is a princess within the royal family of Genovia, a little-known European nation with a population of barely 50,000. As promised, Mia, along with her best friend, Lilly (Heather Matarazzo), travels to Genovia after their high-school graduation. The unlikely princess has hardly settled into the castle, let alone begun representing the country, when she learns that a larger title is approaching more rapidly than expected; it seems as though Mia will have to take over as queen. Suddenly, in addition to further schooling on the etiquette of royalty, Mia finds herself with a daunting prospect -- according to Genovian law, all princesses must be married before they can be crowned. In addition to Julie Andrews' reprisal of her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi, The Princess Diaries 2 also features Hector Elizondo and John Rhys-Davies in supporting roles. Though Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot did pen a sequel (The Princess Diaries: Princess in the Spotlight), this film is not an adaptation. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, (more)
Based on John Grisham's novel Skipping Christmas, Christmas With the Kranks revolves around Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Luther Krank's (Tim Allen) decision to put their normally fanatical enthusiasm for the holidays aside for a tropical cruise. With their daughter in Peru with the Peace Corps, the Kranks believe it just isn't worth it; thus, no presents, Christmas trees, or decorations of any kind will adorn their house to the great consternation of their neighbor Vic (Dan Aykroyd). Just as it looks like Christmas will be successfully skipped, Blair (Julie Gonzalo) throws a major kink into her plans when she suddenly has a change of heart and announces she'll be coming home for Christmas after all. The film ran into troubles early on in production when Ben Affleck's similar sounding bomb Surviving Christmas won the race to the theaters, forcing the filmmakers to depart from the book title in favor of the catchy Kranks one. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, (more)
- 2001
Abby's (Maura Tierney) bipolar mother, Maggie (Sally Field), testifies in court as to her competency, with surprising results. Back at the ER, Weaver (Laura Innes) is shocked to learn that her latest patient, a homeless derelict (Bette Ford), is actually "Princess Taffeta," Weaver's favorite kiddie-show host. Benton (Eriq La Salle) treats a repeat heart patient, his former teacher Carl Ferris (Roger Robinson). Palladino's (Erik Palladino) turbulent past catches up with him. And Carter (Noah Wyle) treats a young girl whose boyfriend has been trying to abort her baby through "natural" means. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Tom Poston guest stars as Oswald's father Roscoe, recently released from prison after a ten-year stretch. Though Oswald (Diedrich Bader) can't warm up to Roscoe, he does ask his dad to call in a few favors and find a job for the debt-ridden Drew (Drew Carey). As a result, Drew goes to work for a shady real-estate agency, run by a sharpster (Mark Tymchyshyn) who has gotten rich selling radioactive swampland property--the same property, over and over and over. Meanwhile, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) despairs at the prospect that her baby will be born with a tail. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Patients brought into the ER include pugnacious retirement-community residents Walter (Tom Bosley) and Earl (Tom Poston), each of whom regards himself as God's gift to women. Elsewhere, Weaver (Laura Innes) and Legaspi (Elizabeth Mitchell) reconfirm their romantic relationship. Back at work, Greene (Anthony Edwards) is obviously having problems related to his brain-tumor operation. Corday (Alex Kingston) must overcome her crippling panic attacks in the operating room. Carter (Noah Wyle) admits his drug problems to his heroin-addict cousin Chase (Jonathan Scarfe). And Kovac's (Goran Visnjic) treatment of a patient working in an illegal sweatshop inadvertently leads to a case of arson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer star in this romantic comedy as Ben and Katie Jordan, a couple who have been married for fifteen years. They have two great kids, a nice home, and a comfortable life, but somewhere down the line, the spark went out of their marriage, and they find that they don't really love each other anymore. With their relationship at a crossroads, Ben and Katie, two different people who have never felt more different, have to decide if they want to try to salvage their marriage, or if it's time to move on. The Story of Us was directed by Rob Reiner, and features Julie Hagerty, Tim Matheson, Paul Reiser, Tom Poston, Rita Wilson, and Jayne Meadows. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
- 1998
Monica (Roma Downey) and Andrew (John Dye) are assigned to the old-time comedy team of Salt and Pepper, who are about to be inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, Maury Salt (Jerry Stiller) and Ed Pepper (Tom Poston) have hated each other ever since the argument that broke them up thirty years ago. Reluctantly reunited for the induction ceremony, the two showbiz veterans start quarrelling all over again, and it takes the intervention of Monica, posing as Salt's woefully inept new comedy partner, to restore a semblance of peace and quiet. As it turns out, if a reconciliation is to take place, it had better be soon; one of the partners hasn't much longer to live. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Todd Holland directed this Charlie Peters adaptation of Frank Parkin's novel. Respected anthropologist James Krippendorf (Richard Dreyfuss) and his wife, Jennifer (Barbara Williams), bring their three children along during their failed search in New Guinea for a lost tribe. After Jennifer's death, James reaches a zero point back in the U.S., having spent all his foundation grant money raising the kids as a single parent. Scheduled to lecture at a college and fearful he could be charged with misuse of grant funds, James concocts an imaginary tribe, the Shelmikedmu, and fakes a 16 mm "documentary" film, casting his children as tribe members and editing in footage of a legit New Guinea tribe. Anthropologist Veronica Micelli (Jenna Elfman) contacts cable-TV producer Henry Spivey (David Ogden Stiers), forcing James to continue creating fraudulent footage as the rival Ruth Allen (Lily Tomlin) gets suspicious. It seems a shame this racially insensitive film was made, while the once-announced plans to film anthropologist Kenneth Good's nonfiction Into the Heart (Simon & Schuster, 1991) never led to a production. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dreyfuss, Jenna Elfman, (more)
- 1996
Murphy (Candice Bergen) decides to convert part of her townhouse bedroom into an office--a move that not only proves to be an architectural atrocity, but may well be against the law. Though Jim (Charles Kimbrough) warns Murphy that she will need a permit to proceed with her new office, she blithely ignores him until it's too late. The problem now is to wangle a permit from her much-despised neighbor Old Man Swenson (welcome back, Tom Poston). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
After finding religion and inviting Rabbi Susan Klein (Amy Aquino) to the set, Beverly (Penny Johnson) becomes upset because her previous request to give her pastor a tour was rejected. Despite Artie's (Rip Torn) repeated pleas to Hank to keep his religious beliefs separated from the show, Hank rebels by donning his yarmulke on-air, upsetting the network brass who fear loss of sponsors. Despite the stress of this holy war, Larry (Garry Shandling) finds refuge on his new massage chair until it becomes apparent that he's not the only one enjoying it's relaxing effects. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
When her precious Porsche is stolen, Murphy (Candice Bergen) joins a neighborhood-watch group. It doesn't take long, however, for Murphy to realize that the other members are less "watchdog" than "vigilante"--and in fact are one step away from a lynch mob. Tom Poston appears in another of his patented mean-old-man characterizations...and will you be surprised by the performance of onetime "June Cleaver" Barbara Billingsley! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In this thriller, a suburban housewife begins playing detective after she overhears a neighborhood conspiracy to kill someone on her baby's intercom. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In this Disney comedy, an unemployed, destitute actress tries to save her dog after it eats too much junk food during a shoot for a dog-food commercial. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1986
These are the funniest pieces taken from one of the all-time funny TV men, Steve Allen. These takes from his hit The Steve Allen Show series, are priceless. Featured with Allen in these takes are such notables as Johnny Carson, Sammy Davis Jr., Don Knotts, Jerry Lewis and Zsa Zsa Gabor. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1981
This made-for-TV follow-up to 1980's The Girl, the Gold Watch and Everything stars Lee Purcell and Philip MacHale as Bonnie Lee Beaumont and Kirby Winter, roles created in the earlier film by Pam Dawber and Robert Hays. Once more, the hapless Kirby is the possessor of a magic watch that can stop time all around him--and once more, the watch causes him and his fiancee Bonnie Lee nothing but trouble. This time, hero and heroine are pitted against evil land baron Hoover Hess III (Burton Gilliam), who isn't above committing foul play to get what he wants. What Hoover wants, by the way, is a patch of valuable land owned by Bonnie Lee's mother (Carol Lawrence). Among the singular pleasures in this whimsical adventure yarn is the appearance of Jerry Mathers, Beaver Cleaver himself, as one of the bad guys! Based on characters created by John D. MacDonald, The Girl, the Gold Watch and Dynamite was first syndicated to local TV stations May 21, 1984, as part of the "Operation Prime Time" series. It was offered as both a 2-hour movie, and as a series of five half-hour programs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
