What Happened to Bob Newhart? Comedian Passes Away

Fans are in shock over reports about the death of legendary comedian Bob Newhart. Known for his deadpan comedy and stammering delivery style, Newhart earned several accolades throughout his career, including multiple Grammys and an Emmy Award. In 2002, he was awarded the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. As a result, the disheartening news of Newhart’s passing has left many wondering about the cause of his death.

Here is everything we have learned about the circumstances around Bob Newhart’s death.

Bob Newhart passes away at 94, claims report

Comedy legend Bob Newhart passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home on July 18, 2024, at the age of 94. According to his publicist, Jerry Digney, Newhart died due to a series of short illnesses.

Fox News reported that he was surrounded by loved ones at the time of his passing. He is survived by his four children — Robert Jr., Timothy, Courtney, and Jennifer — and 10 grandchildren. His wife, Virginia “Ginnie” Newhart, passed away last year in April at the age of 82.

Condolences poured in from various sections of the entertainment industry. On their account on X (formerly known as Twitter), Saturday Nights Live shared the clip of Newhart’s opening monologue from February 11, 1995.

Conan O’Brien posted, “Bob Newhart taught countless generations of comedians that you could be funny, smart, uncompromising, and still win on your own terms. This is an immeasurable loss.”

Filmmaker Judd Apatow wrote, “Bob Newhart made the world a better place for a really long time.”

Before his breakthrough, Newhart worked as an accountant and advertising copywriter. His comedic genius blossomed in 1960 with the groundbreaking and Grammy-winning album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart. He went on to star in the NBC comedy-variety series The Bob Newhart Show (1961-1962) and CBS sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978) and Newhart (1982-1990).

Newhart’s talents extended beyond television. He graced the silver screen in films such as Catch-22 (1970) and Elf (2003). In 2013, Newhart won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for portraying Professor Proton in CBS’s The Big Bang Theory.