Bob Newhart, Iconic Sitcom Star and Deadpan Comic, Dies at 94

Bob Newhart, the deadpan accountant-turned-comedian who became one of the most popular TV stars of his era, has passed away at the age of 94. His publicist, Jerry Digney, confirmed that Newhart died Thursday in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses.

Renowned as the star of two hit television shows during the 1970s and 1980s, Newhart’s comedy career had humble beginnings. He started as a standup comic in the late 1950s, but his big break came in 1960 with the release of “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” a comedy album that earned him nationwide fame and a Grammy for Album of the Year.

Unlike many comedians of his time, Newhart’s humor was understated. Where others like Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl went for aggressive attacks on society’s norms, Newhart’s style was more subdued. His delivery was hesitant and often stammering, using only a telephone as a prop to mimic one-sided conversations.

One of his most memorable skits involves a Madison Avenue image-maker workshopping the Gettysburg Address with Abraham Lincoln, pondering whether “87” or “fourscore and seven” was more impactful.

Despite initial reservations about appearing on weekly television, Newhart accepted an offer from NBC, leading to “The Bob Newhart Show” which premiered on October 11, 1961. Although it won Emmy and Peabody awards, the show was canceled after one season, providing Newhart with plenty of material for his standup acts in years to come.

A decade later, “The Bob Newhart Show” returned, this time as a situation comedy set in Chicago. Newhart played a psychologist living in a penthouse with his schoolteacher wife, Suzanne Pleshette. The show featured a cast of quirky characters that perfectly contrasted with Newhart’s deadpan humor, making it one of the most acclaimed series of the 1970s. It ran until 1978.

After a four-year hiatus, Newhart launched another successful show aptly named “Newhart.” In this series, he played a New York writer who reopened a long-closed Vermont inn. Once again, Newhart was the calm center surrounded by eccentric locals. The show was a hit and lasted eight seasons on CBS, ending in 1990 with a clever callback to “The Bob Newhart Show.” Newhart’s character awakens in bed next to Pleshette, recounting a bizarre dream where he was an innkeeper in Vermont. This finale parodied a famous “Dallas” episode and remains one of the most iconic TV moments.

During the 1990s, Newhart’s subsequent TV series didn’t fare as well, though he was nominated for multiple awards. His only Emmy win came from a guest appearance on “The Big Bang Theory.” Reflecting on his career, Newhart once remarked on the lack of Emmy wins during his prime, suggesting people thought he was simply “being Bob” rather than acting.

Over the years, Newhart also appeared in a variety of films, often in comedic roles. Notable credits include “Catch 22,” “In and Out,” “Legally Blonde 2,” and “Elf,” where he played the father of Will Ferrell’s character. He continued working well into his later years, making appearances in films like “Horrible Bosses” and TV shows like “The Librarians” and “Young Sheldon.”

In 2003, Newhart declared his intention to work for as long as he could, remarking that stepping away from his career would leave a void. “It’s been so much, 43 years of my life; to quit would be like something was missing,” he said.

Newhart married Virginia Quinn, who went by Ginny, in 1964. They remained together until her death in 2023 and had four children: Robert, Timothy, Jennifer, and Courtney.

He shared a close friendship with fellow comedian Don Rickles, whose loud and raucous insult humor stood in stark contrast to Newhart’s low-key style. Rickles once humorously described their dynamic by saying, “I’m a Jew, he’s a Catholic. He’s low-key, I’m a yeller.” This friendship was commemorated in the documentary “Bob and Don: A Love Story” by Judd Apatow.

Newhart’s entry into comedy was somewhat accidental. He began making funny phone calls with a friend, Ed Gallagher, to pass time at his accounting job in Chicago. Their humorous conversations eventually led to a record contract with Warner Bros. and a successful debut at a Houston club in 1960.

“A terrified 30-year-old man walked out on the stage and played his first nightclub,” Newhart recalled in 2003. His first album, “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” released on April Fools’ Day 1960, sold 750,000 copies and was followed by “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!” Both albums dominated the charts, with The New York Times noting he was “the first comedian in history to come to prominence through a recording.”

Born George Robert Newhart in Chicago, his family called him Bob to avoid confusion with his father, also named George.

Source: Associated Press, Variety