Iconic Comedic Actor Bob Newhart Dead At 94

Iconic comedic actor Bob Newhart , best known for his innovative standup routine and later roles on the titular television shows The Bob Newhart Sho w and Newhart , died at the age of 94 in Los Angeles on Thursday (July 18) following a series of short illnesses, his publicist, Jerry Digney , confirmed to Variety.com .

Newhart initially gained fame for his comedy albums showcasing his innovative approach to observational humor before his successful television run with The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart , both of which ran for 16 years on CBS between 1972 and 1990. The comedy legend would later win his Emmy award for his recurring guest role as Arthur Jeffries on The Big Bang Theory in 2013.

Newhart would later star in Bob from 1992-93 and George and Leo from 1997-98 for CBS and hosted two episodes of Saturday Night Live in 1980 and 1995, while also making guest appearances on several iconic television shows including The Simpsons , Everybody Loves Raymond , ER and The Tonight Show . The iconic comedian also appeared in the films Elf , Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde and In & Out .

“I’ve always likened what I do to the man who is convinced that he is the last sane man on Earth ... the Paul Revere of psychotics running through the town and yelling `This is crazy.′ But no one pays attention to him,” Newhart wrote in his bestselling 2006 memoir, I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This! via the Associated Press .