Joe Negri has sadly passed away at the age of 99. His death comes just days before his 100th birthday. The former jazz musician was best known for his role as the musical handyman, aka, Handyman Negri, on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
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Lisa Negri, Joe's eldest daughter, confirmed that her father passed away from natural causes via Trib Live.
"On "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," he was Handyman Negri, the fix-it man in the Land of Make-Believe, as well as proprietor of Negri's Music Shop, where he'd perform and showcase music," Trib Live wrote. "Negri was on the show for its entire three-decade run."
Beyond his time on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Joe was also a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University. He taught multiple generations how to play the jazz guitar. He was also the founder of the jazz guitar program at Duquesne, teaching there until 2022.
"Joe Negri radiates life as an art form," Deane Root, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said of Joe. "He crosses generations and he brings out the best in the musicians he plays with."
Despite Joe's long list of accomplishments, it's still his role as Handyman Negri that he's most fondly remembered for.
Joe Negri Had Two Other Roles on Television
During the mid-to-late 60s, Joe also held two other roles on television, although he comprised Handyman Negri in two of them.
His first role came on MisteRogers between 1964 and 1966. This was the first time the public was introduced to the Handyman Negri character. After the show finished, Joe made an uncredited appearance on Kismet, playing a courtier.
However, it was in 1968 that Joe captured the world's hearts. He reprised his role as Handyman Negri for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. All in all, Joe made 331 appearances on the show, which ran between 1968 and 2001.
Interestingly, both shows that included Handyman Negri rank highly on IMDB. MisteRogers has an 8.9 rating, while Mister Rogers' Neighborhood boasts an 8.8. As it turns out, Joe was just as talented on the screen as he was on a guitar.
Currently, there are no details regarding Joe's impending funeral. That information will likely remain private, reserved for family and close friends.
