Tom Poston, the veteran comedic actor with the distinctive bugged-out eyes, was born on October 17, 1921, in Columbus, Ohio. By the age of nine, he was already appearing with an acrobatic troupe.
Poston later attended Bethany College in West Virginia, but his studies were interrupted by World War II. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and rose to the rank of captain, earning medals for his courage under fire. After the war, he went to New York and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, training with acting guru Sanford Meisner.
Making his Broadway debut in 1947 in José Ferrer's production of "Cyrano de Bergerac", Poston had the makings of a serious dramatic actor, appearing in such classics as "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" and "King Lear". However, comedy would become his forte.
Hosting the daily TV show "Entertainment" led to his biggest break on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show, where he became famous for his hilarious characters in Allen's sketch sequences. He won an Emmy during those four seasons and went on to host another program, Split Personality.
Poston developed an affinity for parlor games and appeared as a panelist on other quiz shows, notably To Tell the Truth. He also starred in his own comedy films, including Zotz! and The Old Dark House, although they failed to capitalize on his unique humor.
After his movie career dried up, television again became the object of his affection, usually in service to other stars. Alongside top comedians like Bob Newhart and Robin Williams, Poston's absent-minded "second banana" foils found their engaging niche.
Poston had a pre-fame first marriage that ended in divorce. His second wife was film actress Jean Sullivan, with whom he had a daughter, Francesca. He had two other children with his third wife, Kay, who was 22 years his junior. They divorced in 1975 but remarried in 1980 and remained together until her death at age 54 in 1998 from ALS.
Poston married Suzanne Pleshette, whom he originally met on the Broadway comedy "Golden Fleecing", and they remained together until his death in 2007. He continued to provide glum, baggy-eyed comedy relief on TV as an octogenarian until the end.
Sadly, while wife Suzanne was battling cancer, Poston passed away unexpectedly of respiratory failure at his Los Angeles home on April 30, 2007, after a brief illness. Pleshette died on January 19, 2008.
