Posted on 05/31/2026 7:13:17 PM PDT by Morgana
Joe Negri, the actor and musician who delighted children for more than three decades on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, has died at 99.
Negri died Saturday, just days before he would have turned 100 on June 10, according to TribLive.
His oldest daughter, Lisa Negri, confirmed to the publication that he died of natural causes, though his exact cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Negri, who appeared on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as Handyman Negri, is credited with appearing on 331 episodes of the show from the year of its debut, 1968, to the end of its run in 2001.
He was an accomplished jazz guitarist, and he managed to integrate his real-life talents into his appearances on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, where he was known as Handyman Negri.
On the side, he ran Negri’s Music Shop, where he would hold guitar performances for Rogers and his viewers.
In addition to teaching the joys of music to children on television, Negri boasted numerous students as a longtime adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University.
Negri was well into his 90s when he finally retired from Duquesne University, where he founded its jazz guitar program, in 2022.
He had retired from the University of Pittsburgh three years earlier, nearly five decades after he began working as a professor.
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Joe was also an established jazz guitarist.
June 10th, he would have been 100.
Many people seem to do that, hold themselves alive until some special day or event has happened. Perhaps the power of the will alone keeps them fueled up to keep on living in this phase of reality, for as close as nature will allow.
RIP Joe. I remember his jazz guitar on PBS in Pittsburgh.
Another familiar face from my childhood, gone.
“hold themselves alive until some special day or event”
Dad did, about a week before he died was his birthday, a bunch of old buddies from church drove about an hour to come see him that day. Mom said Dad was his old self which he had not been for about 6 months. He said it was one of the best days of his life. Which lasted about a week longer.
I miss you Dad
Rest In Peace, Joe Negri.
I’ve worked in three nursing homes in my life and know there is such a thing as ‘’the will to live’’.
I’ve seen 90 year olds, wishing to see a great grandchild be born or a grandchild marry so they hang in there.
And when the event is over, they let go.
They give up the ghost.
“Anticipation”. Carly Simon sang about it, in the Olden Days of 1971. Sometimes, the act of sustained anticipation becomes a far stronger overall experience for that person, (physically, spiritually, intellectually, than when you actually receive what had been waiting for.
All that waiting has kept you ‘lit up’ with energy, just like a long and sparkling fuse.
Mel Brooks is 99. This June he will become 100.
Every so often I watch a Mr. Roger’s rerun on Pluto.
Joe turns up every so often.
RIP Joe.
I liked Mr. Rogers partly for the trolley and mostly for the segments showing how things worked in the real world.
There was a bit with a forklift being driven in the land of make believe where the guy violated so many operator rules. It was funny.
I meet the guy when i was young he was very cool
"Amok Time," screenplay by Theodore Sturgeon
Original Airdate: 15 Sept., 1967
SPOCK: Stonn. She is yours. After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.Regards,
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