Joe Negri, the actor and musician best known for portraying Handyman Negri on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for more than four decades, has died at the age of 99. Negri passed away on Saturday, May 30, just days before what would have been his 100th birthday on June 10, according to Trib Live. His oldest daughter, Lisa Negri, told the outlet that he died of “natural causes” while family and friends were preparing to celebrate his centennial birthday. Fred Rogers Productions confirmed the news to KDKA-TV on May 31.A familiar face to generations of viewers, Negri appeared on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood from 1968 until 2001. In addition to playing Handyman Negri, he portrayed and voiced several characters in the Land of Make-Believe, including Father Elephant, Joe Bull, Papa Bear, Storyteller, The Wind and W.I. Norton Donovan. As per parade he appeared in 332 episodes over the course of the show's run.Though he became widely recognized through his work on television, Negri’s lifelong passion was music, particularly jazz guitar. His television career was largely limited to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, aside from a handful of credits as a musician or arranger in other productions.Recalling how he joined the beloved children's program, Negri told WQED Pittsburgh in 2018: “I got a call and he said, ‘Hey Joe, how would you like to come on my new show and be the handyman?' I said, ‘Oh Fred, you’re kidding! I’m not a handyman at all! I don’t even know how to nail a nail straight!’ He said, ‘Don’t worry about a thing, it’s just gonna be pretend. And it was pretend and it was wonderful and it lasted for 35 years!”Outside television, Negri built a respected career as a musician and educator. He was known for helping introduce jazz guitar into educational settings and spent decades teaching aspiring musicians.In recognition of his contributions to the arts, Negri received a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award from the state of Pennsylvania in 2019 as part of the Governor’s Awards for the Arts.Reflecting on his career and legacy, Negri told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2018: “It’s been a great life. I’ve really enjoyed teaching and am very proud to be one of the originals to bring jazz guitar into schools.”