George Utley, R.I.P.

I just read that one of my favorite actors, Tom Poston, has died.

Poston played my favorite character - handyman George Utley - on my all-time favorite sitcom Newhart.

If you've never seen Newhart, check it out if you can. The series is not on DVD yet, but I'm sure it will be eventually.

The saga of Dick Loudon (Bob Newhart) and his wife Joanna (the late Mary Frann) as they buy the Stratford Inn in a tiny town in Vermont was a classic. George was their somewhat clueless handyman. When the show began, they had to put with wacky next door neighbor Kirk Devane (Steven Kampmann) and had a level headed maid Leslie Vanderkellen (Jennifer Holmes). After the first season, Leslie left and was replaced by self-obsessed cousin Stephanie (Julia Duffy). After the second season, Kirk left the show, and local wild men Larry, Darryl, and Darryl (who were already making periodic appearances) bought Kirk's restaurant, the Minuteman Cafe. About the same time Stephanie started dating Michael Harris (Peter Scolari), the superficial producer of Dick's local talk show "Vermont Today".

These were the main characters. I loved the townspeople who dropped by occassionally. Dimwitted Mayor Chester Wannamaker and his equally dimwitted pal Jim, the deathly serious Officer Shifflet, perpetually out-of-work local Harley Estin, and others helped strengthen the comedy.

George was my favorite character because he was a fundamentally decent guy who was very funny.

Some highlights:
* He once bought regular jeans to replace his overalls. He went back to overalls because he didn't like the designer label on the back pocket. He didn't like having to back out of a room.
* When his lodge put out a facebook, George decided he needed a nickname since all the other lodge members had one (and he needed to get it into general use by the following Tuesday).
* He bought a sing along machine and went around singing "That's the Way, U-huh, U-huh, I like it."
* When he casually announced to everyone he had no family to spend Christmas with, Joanna questioned about him being "all alone in the world". George suddenly look serious, and realizing it for the first time, got depressed and said, "I can't believe it, I'm all alone in the world."
* When discussing with Dick about putting in a new furnace, George said it would cost $80. Dick, knowing he's a handyman, said "I thought you'd take care of that." George replied "I don't have $80".

They're probably funnier when you see them acted out. Anyway, our sympathies are extended to Tom Poston's family. And this is one fan who appreciates his work on this show.