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
- 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
- 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
- 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
Mork & Mindy was a spin-off from an episode of Happy Days seen in February 1978, in which an alien from the planet Ork landed on Earth and attempted to kidnap Richie. So popular was the nutty character created by Robin Williams that Williams was given his own series in the fall of 1978, and it became an instant hit. Mork was a misfit on his own planet because his sense of humor (he was heard to call the Orkan leader, Orson, "cosmic breath"). So the humorless Orkans sent him off to study Earthlings, whose "crazy" customs they had never been able to understand. Mork landed, in a giant eggshell near Boulder, Colorado. There he was befriended by pretty Mindy McConnell, a clerk at the music store run by her father, Frederick. Mork looked human, but his strange mixture of Orkan and Earthling customs--such as wearing a suit, but putting it on backwards, or sitting in a chair, but upside down--led most people to think of him as just as some kind of nut. Mindy knew where he came from, and helped him adjust to Earth's strange ways. She also let him stay in the attic of her apartment house, which scandalized her conservative father, but not her swinging grandmother, Cora.
A spin-off from the hit show "Happy Days," MORK & MINDY stars Robin Williams as the lovable alien from the planet Ork. Sent to Earth by his fellow Orkans who see him as a misfit, Mork is assigned to observe the customs of the crazy Earthlings. Landing in a giant eggshell in Boulder, Colorado, Mork is soon befriended by Mindy McConnell (Dawber) a music store clerk, and allowed to stay in the attic of her apartment.
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, Pam Dawber, (more)
- 1978
The made-for-TV Guide for the Married Woman was conceived by screenwriter Frank Tarloff as an "answer" to his frolicsome 1968 theatrical feature Guide for the Married Man. If the sequel isn't quite as much fun as the original, it may be because what was deemed "risque" in 1968 was kid's stuff in 1978. In her TV-movie debut, Cybill Shepherd plays a bored housewife who yearns for romance and excitement. With the help of a steady stream of celebrity guest stars, Shepherd is able to fantasize about extramarital hijinks to her heart's content. The supporting cast includes such luminaries as Peter Marshall, Eve Arden, John Beradino, John Byner, Bill Dana, Bonnie Franklin, George Gobel, Tom Poston, Barbara Feldon and Chuck Woolery (the guest-star list of the original Guide for the Married Man included Art Carney, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Carl Reiner, Terry-Thomas, Joey Bishop and Jayne Mansfield: guess which film had the bigger budget?) Guide for the Married Woman originally aired October 13, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
