A fixture of one of America’s most cherished children’s television shows has died just days before his 100th birthday. Joe Negri, the jazz guitarist who played Handyman Negri on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, died of natural causes at age 99, according to his daughter Lisa Negri. Long before generations of viewers knew him from Fred Rogers’ television neighborhood, Negri had already built a remarkable music career. Born in Pittsburgh in 1926, he started playing instruments as a young child after receiving a ukulele from his father at age 3. By 16, he was touring the country with swing bands. Negri went on to perform on radio programs, play clubs frequented by dancers, including Fred and Gene Kelly, and expand his repertoire across multiple instruments. But his most enduring role came as Handyman Negri. He appeared throughout the entire run of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, remaining a familiar face across 31 seasons from 1968 to 2001. Even after the show ended, Negri continued teaching music for years before retiring in 2019. That same year, Pennsylvania honored him with a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award, recognizing his contributions to music and the community.
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