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Thomas Gordon Poston was an American television and film actor. He starred on television in a career that began in 1950. He appeared as a comic actor, game show panelist, comedy/variety show host, film actor, television actor, and Broadway performer.
Birth Name
Thomas Gordon Poston
Born
Monday, 17 October 1921
Died
Monday, 30 April 2007
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| History of the Sitcom | George Utley | 2021 |
| Helter Skelter: An American Myth | Self | 2020 |
| Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind | Self | 2018 |
| Abandoned | Self | 2014 |
| Pioneers of Television | Self | 2008 |
| TV Land Confidential | Self - Interviewee | 2005 |
| Lipstick & Dynamite, Piss & Vinegar: The First Ladies of Wrestling | Self | 2005 |
| The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Merle | 2005 |
| Committed | Clown | 2005 |
| Christmas with the Kranks | Father Zabriskie | 2004 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| History of the Sitcom | George Utley | 2021 |
| Helter Skelter: An American Myth | Self | 2020 |
| Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind | Self | 2018 |
| Abandoned | Self | 2014 |
| Pioneers of Television | Self | 2008 |
| TV Land Confidential | Self - Interviewee | 2005 |
| Lipstick & Dynamite, Piss & Vinegar: The First Ladies of Wrestling | Self | 2005 |
| The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Merle | 2005 |
| Committed | Clown | 2005 |
| Christmas with the Kranks | Father Zabriskie | 2004 |
| The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Lord Palimore | 2004 |
| Beethoven's 5th | Selig / John Giles | 2003 |
| Good Morning, Miami | Lenny | 2002 |
| 8 Simple Rules | Jake | 2002 |
| Liberty's Kids: Est. 1776 | (voice) | 2002 |
| The Ellen Show | Joe | 2001 |
| The Lone Gunmen | Captain Toby / Fred Tabalowski | 2001 |
| Normal, Ohio | Stanley | 2000 |
| The Story of Us | Harry | 1999 |
| Television: The First Fifty Years | Self - Interviewee | 1999 |
| Becker | Joe Willakie | 1998 |
| Maggie Winters | Lester Mulford | 1998 |
| Will & Grace | Norman | 1998 |
| That '70s Show | Burt Sigurdson | 1998 |
| Krippendorf's Tribe | Gordon Hargrove | 1998 |
| Dharma & Greg | Dr. Gillespie | 1997 |
| George & Leo | Traffic Cop | 1997 |
| Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show | Uncle Cosmo | 1997 |
| Just Shoot Me! | Herb | 1997 |
| King of the Hill | Mr. Popper | 1997 |
| Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Mortgage Banker | 1996 |
| Suddenly Susan | Mr. Vance | 1996 |
| Cosby | Tim | 1996 |
| Malcolm & Eddie | Garth Dubin | 1996 |
| Comic Relief VII | Self | 1995 |
| The Drew Carey Show | Roscoe Harvey | 1995 |
| Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Ralph / Burly Man | 1994 |
| Touched by an Angel | Ed Yablonsky | 1994 |
| ER | Earl | 1994 |
| Diagnosis Murder | Tom Porter | 1993 |
| Grace Under Fire | Floyd Norton | 1993 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Mysterious 'Dead Man' / The Corpse | 1993 |
| Bob | Jerry Fleisher | 1992 |
| The Larry Sanders Show | Tom Poston | 1992 |
| Home Improvement | Ned / Ted / The Clerk | 1991 |
| Rugrats | Roy | 1991 |
| Good Grief | Ringo Prowley | 1990 |
| Dream On | Sidney 'Uncle Bouncy' Barish | 1990 |
| The Simpsons | Capital City Goofball | 1989 |
| Family Matters | Mr. Looney | 1989 |
| Coach | Dr. Art Hibke | 1989 |
| The Pat Sajak Show | Self | 1989 |
| Murphy Brown | Old Man Swenson | 1988 |
| Family Feud | Self - Celebrity Contestant | 1988 |
| Save the Dog! | 1988 | |
| The Wil Shriner Show | Self | 1987 |
| Fresno | Doc Parseghian | 1986 |
| The New Hollywood Squares | Self - Center Square / Self - Panelist | 1986 |
| Star's Table | Self | 1986 |
| American Masters | Self | 1986 |
| Crazy Like a Fox | Fiedler - Client | 1984 |
| Super Password | Self - Celebrity Contestant | 1984 |
| Body Language | Self | 1984 |
| St. Elsewhere | Jim Morrison | 1982 |
| Newhart | George Utley | 1982 |
| Hotel | Tommy Rooney | 1982 |
| An Evening at the Improv | Self - Host | 1982 |
| King's Crossing | Brian Gunshore | 1982 |
| Carbon Copy | Reverend Hayworth | 1981 |
| The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite | Omar Krepps | 1981 |
| The Steve Allen Comedy Hour | Self | 1980 |
| Good Time Harry | Ben Younger | 1980 |
| Up the Academy | Sisson / Sgt. Skip Sisson | 1980 |
| Beane's of Boston | Frank Beane | 1979 |
| Sweepstakes | Leeds | 1979 |
| A Guide for the Married Woman | Marty Gibson | 1978 |
| Mork & Mindy | Mr. Bickley / Franklin Delano Bickley | 1978 |
| Flying High | Zarky | 1978 |
| Rabbit Test | Minister | 1978 |
| Fame | Car Salesman | 1978 |
| We've Got Each Other | Damon Jerome | 1977 |
| CHiPs | Bill Conner | 1977 |
| The Love Boat | Daniel Baker / Mickey O'Day / Tom Poston | 1977 |
| All's Fair | Harold Banks | 1976 |
| Alice | Jerry Dittmeyer | 1976 |
| Laugh Back | Himself | 1975 |
| On the Rocks | Mr. Sullivan | 1975 |
| Match Game PM | Self - Panelist | 1975 |
| The Happy Hooker | J. Arthur Conrad | 1975 |
| Bicentennial Minutes | Self - Narrator | 1974 |
| Match Game | Himself - Panelist | 1973 |
| The Bob Newhart Show | Cliff Murdock | 1972 |
| Cold Turkey | Mr. Stopworth | 1971 |
| The Don Knotts Show | Self | 1970 |
| To Tell the Truth | Self - Panelist | 1969 |
| The David Frost Show | Self | 1969 |
| The Good Guys | Julian Brent | 1968 |
| Gentle Ben | Joe Cardigan | 1967 |
| Get Smart | Dr. Zharko | 1965 |
| ABC's Nightlife | Self | 1964 |
| Get the Message | Self | 1964 |
| Soldier in the Rain | Lt. Magee / Lieutenant Magee | 1963 |
| The Old Dark House | Tom Penderel | 1963 |
| Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Janitor / Lieutenant Courtney | 1963 |
| Missing Links | Self / Self - Panelist | 1963 |
| The Match Game | Self - Team Captain | 1962 |
| Zotz! | Prof. Jonathan Jones | 1962 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Himself - Guest | 1962 |
| The Merv Griffin Show | Himself | 1962 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Himself - Comedian | 1961 |
| Password | Self / Self - Celebrity Contestant | 1961 |
| The Defenders | Sheldon Lowell | 1961 |
| The Jim Backus Show | Self | 1960 |
| Thriller | Charlie Denham | 1960 |
| The Tempest | Trinculo | 1960 |
| Play of the Week | Supervisor | 1959 |
| Startime | Self | 1959 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar | Himself / Himself - audience bow | 1957 |
| The Mike Wallace Interview | Self - Comedian | 1957 |
| To Tell the Truth | Self - Panelist / Self | 1956 |
| The Steve Allen Plymouth Show | Self / Self - Sketch Actor / Self - Master of Ceremony / Self - Laurel & Hardy / Self - Guest / Self - Comedian / Minor Role | 1956 |
| Playwrights '56 | Fletcher | 1955 |
| The Phil Silvers Show | Lt. Franklin / Guard House Lieutenant | 1955 |
| The George Gobel Show | Himself | 1954 |
| The United States Steel Hour | Chester Brown | 1953 |
| Person to Person | Self | 1953 |
| City That Never Sleeps | Detective (as Thomas Poston) / Detective | 1953 |
| Skirts Ahoy! | Walk-on | 1952 |
| The Arthur Murray Party | Self / Self - Comedian / Self - Comic Actor | 1950 |
| What's My Line? | Himself - Panelist / Himself - Mystery Guest | 1950 |
| Studio One | Sentry / Alec Gordon | 1948 |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | Self - Lt. Ferguson Howard - scene from The Golden Fleecing | 1948 |
| Lights Out | Sir John / (as Thomas Poston) | 1946 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 1991 | Emmy | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated |
| 1987 | Emmy | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated |
| 1986 | Emmy | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated |
| 1984 | Emmy | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated |
| 1959 | Emmy | Best Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series | Won |
