Actor And Comedy Legend Bob Newhart Dies At 94

Newhart’s longtime publicist confirmed the TV icon’s death in a statement, noting that Newhart passed away at his Los Angeles home after “a series of short illnesses.”

Known for his understated delivery and modest stature—he resembled the former accountant that he was—Newhart made a significant impact on comedy. His debut album, 1960’s The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, was a sensational hit, featuring his trademark one-sided conversations. The album won Grammys and achieved the commercial success of a major pop record. A critic at the time described him as “a 20th century Mark Twain in Brooks Brothers clothes.”

Newhart was known for his deadpan delivery and a slight stammer, which he incorporated early on into his persona, building a successful career around it. On his TV shows, while he had his share of funny lines, he often played the “straight man” in the tradition of Jack Benny, allowing the sometimes bizarre cast members around him to get the laughs. However, Newhart stated, “Jack Benny did not influence me,” and instead cited George Gobel and Bob and Ray as his initial inspirations for writing and performance.

Many of his routines featured him portraying one side of a phone conversation. In “King Kong,” for instance, a rookie security guard at the Empire State Building seeks advice on dealing with an ape “between 18 and 19 stories high, depending on whether there’s a 13th floor or not.” He reassures his boss that he has checked the guards’ manual “under ‘ape’ and ‘ape’s toes.'” Other notable routines include “The Driving Instructor,” “The Mrs. Grace L. Ferguson Airline (and Storm Door Company),” “Introducing Tobacco to Civilization,” “Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue,” “Defusing a Bomb” (where an anxious police chief instructs a new patrolman on defusing a live shell found on a beach), “The Retirement Party,” “Ledge Psychology,” “The Krushchev Landing Rehearsal,” and “A Friend with a Dog.”

Newhart translated his initial success to television, starring in two highly popular sitcoms, The Bob Newhart Show in the ’70s and Newhart in the ’80s. The former series, in which Newhart played a psychologist, delicately tackled issues like mental illness and the emerging gay rights movement. In his later years, Newhart became known to generations X, Y, and Z for his roles in Elf and The Big Bang Theory.

In the 1970s, he transitioned to television stardom, portraying Dr. Bob Hartley on NBC’s The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978. From 1982 to 1990, he starred in the CBS sitcom Newhart, playing Dick Loudon, an author who moves with his wife from New York City to Vermont to run a historic inn.

In later years, Newhart received an Emmy nomination in 2003 for his role as a librarian, losing his eyesight on ER, and another in 2008 for the TV movie The Curse of the Judas Chalice.

His book I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This, which blends reminiscences with comedic bits, was published in 2006. Newhart was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1993, and he received the second Mark Twain Prize for Humor from the Kennedy Center in 2002. In 2007, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was selected as one of 25 entries into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.

Perhaps Newhart may be best remembered for the series final of his show Newhart. It has been described as one of the most memorable moments in television history. A visiting Japanese tycoon buys the entire town, transforming the hamlet into a massive golf course and recreation resort.

He is survived by his children, Robert Jr., Timothy, Courtney, and Jennifer, as well as ten grandchildren. His wife, Ginnie, passed away last year.