Bob Newhart, comedy trailblazer, dead at 94

Bob Newhart, groundbreaking sitcom star and deadpan comic, has passed away at 94.

The “Newhart” star died in his Los Angeles home after a battle with an illness, his publicist said, after an illustrious career leading his three comedy TV shows, contributing to CBS’s powerhouse comedy line-up.

Newhart, known for his dry delivery and iconic satire, began his comedy career in 1960, recording a pair of stand-up specials that year, sweeping the nation and earning the jokester a long-lived sitcom career.

“The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” was praised upon release, eventually earning entry into the Library of Congress and spurring a successful stand-up and recorded comedy career. His observations on '60s and '70s American life and culture defined much of the era, breaking the mold of the typical sitcom.

Newhart, whose wife of 60 years Ginnie Quinn — daughter of comedian Bill Quinn — passed away in 2023, is survived by the pair’s four children.

The Mark Twain Prize winner is remembered for his comedic chops and his dedication to his work, in addition to touching on groundbreaking topics like mental health and gay rights on the air in “The Bob Newhart Show.”

The Chicago-born comic, who joined “The Big Bang Theory” as a guest star later in his career, won an Emmy for his performance, in addition to the three Grammy awards he earned for his specials.