Son of William Bruce Poynter and Gertrude Johnson Poynter. At age 11, he began making and selling remote-controlled toy tanks and working cannons while growing up in Western Hills. In 1937, he became an inaugural (and the youngest) member of Puppeteers of America. Photos show him posing with a gorilla puppet he constructed from his mother's discarded mink coat. In 1940, he performed on the radio show Father Flanagan's Boys Town, heard over NBC's network and later on shows with Doris Day, Donald Nash (the voice of Donald Duck), Rosemary Clooney, and Andy Williams. At Western Hills High School (Class of 1943), he lettered in track, ran hurdles and pole vaulted, and gained popularity as a drum major and baton twirler. His college years at the University of Cincinnati were interrupted by military service in the U.S. Army, during which he performed for the troops as a ventriloquist, magician, and baton twirler. After completing his service, he returned to UC, serving as class president, and graduating in 1949 with a degree in business. While there, he entertained students and alums and garnered national attention with his drum majoring and baton twirling at halftime shows, including twirling on stilts, unicycle, and tight wire.

While still in college, he secured a patent for Play Logs, a building toy he designed, manufactured, and sold via mail order for more than a decade. It was the first of many patents he would earn in his lifetime. His twirling skills drew the attention of Abe Saperstein, who engaged him to tour internationally for 3 years as a performer and assistant tour director with the Harlem Globetrotters, including shooting 3D film for the team. In 1952, he married fellow UC student, Mona Castellini, and part of their honeymoon was spent on tour with the Globetrotters. As founder of Poynter Products in 1954, he created and designed bestselling toys and novelty items. His breakout item, Whiskey Flavored Toothpaste, was featured in LIFE magazine and landed him on What's My Line? - where he stumped the panel and won $50. Some of his most successful products include: The Thing Coin Box, Jayne Mansfield Hot Water Bottle, Rube Goldberg Cigarette Lighter, The Executive Waste Basket Ball, Matchbox Steer-n-Go, and Mighty Tiny World's Smallest Record Player. Numerous items were featured on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Good Morning America, and Late Night with David Letterman. He was a featured guest on Tom Snyder's Tomorrow Show, Huntley Brinkley, and Good Morning America.

He also found time to make films and stage shows. He produced, directed, and filmed 13 children television shows, using a new film technique he developed, and he conceived and produced "Midnight at Eight," a stage anthology of horror and suspense classics directed by William Spier, with the Los Angeles production starring Basil Rathbone. He designed a national promotion for the Dry-Cleaning Industry in which he secured the rights to the Walt Disney film characters, and had them printed on paper for dry cleaning bags. Needing a venue to demonstrate inventions in the 1960's (Arnold's Plumber's Putter and Golfer's Dream: Hold in One Golf Ball) led to a new direction of developing golf courses, Triple Crown Country Club being the latest passion that continued into his 90's. He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Mona. He is survived by his children, Amy (Paul) Brewer, Donald (Toni) Poynter, Timothy (Theresa) Poynter, and Molly (Patrick) Maundrell; ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.