Mister Rogers’ Handyman Joe Negri dies days before his 100th birthday

Carsen HoladayMon, June 1, 2026 at 2:51 PM UTC

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Joe Negri, the jazz musician known as Handyman Negri on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, has died days before his 100th birthday.

The beloved guitarist appeared on Fred Rogers’ iconic children’s show from 1968 until Rogers stopped producing new episodes in 2000.

Negri’s oldest daughter, Lisa, confirmed to Pittsburgh local outlet TribLIVE that her father died Saturday of natural causes. He would have turned 100 on June 10.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Joe Negri, a beloved member of the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood family whose warmth, incredible musical talent, and gentle spirit brought endless joy to viewers for decades,” Fred Rogers Productions said in a statement shared with People.

“As Handyman Negri, Joe taught children that everyone's contributions matter, and off-screen, his mastery of jazz and dedication to education inspired countless musicians.”

Legendary jazz guitarist Joe Negri has died at age 99 (Getty)

On Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the educator appeared as the fix-it man in the Land of Make-Believe, as well as the owner of Negri’s Music Shop. He regularly gave performances and music showcases on the show.

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Negri said in a prior interview with local CBS station that his role as Handyman Negri was a stretch of his imagination because in real life, he was not handy at all.

“I said, ‘Fred, I'm not handy at all. I can't even hammer a nail,’” Negri explained. “And he said, ‘Don't worry about a thing, it's going to be all pretend.’”

He added: “I'm glad he gave me the music shop because it gave me a really good opportunity to utilize my music.”

According to the show’s website, Negri recalled about getting the part on the show: “In 1966 Fred called and asked if I wanted to be a handyman on his show. I said, ‘Me? A handyman?...But Fred told me I would be fine.”

In addition to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Negri appeared on the 1959 children’s show Adventure Time with Paul Shannon. He also played with Johnny Costa on the show 67 Melody Lane hosted by Ken Griffin. Over the years, he played with musicians including Yo-Yo Ma and Wynton Marsalis.

Negri was a musician since his childhood, TribLIVE reported. He toured with swing bands across the country by the time he was a teenager.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, he worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University for decades. He founded the jazz guitar program at Duquesne and taught there until 2022.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”