One of the great masters of comedy — and I'm talking every kind of comedy — Bob Newhart made millions upon millions of fans laugh for more than six decades, with lofty career that began with his unique, buttoned-down mind. Sadly, the creator of several of TV's all-time best sitcoms is no longer leaving us laughing, as Newhart has been reported dead at the age of 94.
According to his publicist Jerry Digney (via THR), Bob Newhart passed away while at his home in Los Angeles. No specific cause of death was shared, but Digney did state that it came after a "series of short illnesses."
Born George Robert Newhart, the former Chicago accountant amassed a large number of accolades throughout his storied career, starting with a trio of Grammys in 1961 for his pair of comedy albums The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart and The Button Down Mind Strikes Back. The first album, astoundingly enough, was put together over several days' time despite a complete lack of stand-up comedy experience. A must-listen from the debut album is "Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball," which pokes fun at the sport's rules.
Bob Newhart wasted no time in capitalizing upon his stand-up success, releasing seven albums between 1960-67. He also quickly jumped from stand-up to TV, first as the host of his own variety show (that also shared the name of his first sitcom) from 1961-62, earning an Emmy nom and a Golden Globe win in its second year. Over the next decade, he popped up on The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and movies such as 1970's Catch-22 ahead of securing his first major sitcom glory with 1972's The Bob Newhart Show.
For six seasons, psychologist Robert Hartley and his loving wife Emily (played by Suzanne Pleshette) won over viewers alongside Bill Daily, Marcia Wallace, Peter Bonerz, and a host of recurring greats as Bob's patients. Despite being an audience fave, the series was only nominated for two Emmys, winning neither, and also didn't win any Globes.
That shocking lack of awards wins continued with what's arguably his greatest achievement, the 1980s sitcom Newhart. The eight-season series paired the comedian with Mary Frann as the owners and operators of Vermont's Stratford Inn. From its classic theme to brothers Larry, Daryl and Daryl, Newhart was a ratings hit during its CBS years, and both it and its predecessor gained new generations of fans via Nick at Nite and syndication. (Co-star Peter Scolari passed away in 2021.)
Despite all that success, and the lesser acclaim of his '90s sitcoms Bob and George and Leo, it was actually The Big Bang Theory that led the legend to his first and only Emmy win, as he took home the award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013 for his performance as Arthur "Professor Proton" Jeffries.
Beyond his sitcom work, Bob Newhart was always a master of the stage, whether it was stand-up or late night talk shows, landing a spot on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1960. Rewatch one of Newhart's funniest TV interviews of the 2000s as he hit up Late Night with Conan O'Brien to share a hilarious prank story about Johnny Carson.
That's still only touching upon a small slice of the award-winner's enviable career across TV and movies. He's been in some of the best sketch comedy shows (from Laugh-In to SNL to MadTV) to classic comedies like Murphy Brown and The Simpsons to top-tier dramas like ER and NCIS.
On the film side of things, families across the country enjoy Bob Newart's presence on a yearly basis thanks to his role as Will Ferrell's Papa in Elf. His roles in Horrible Bosses and Legally Blonde 2 are not quite on the same level of beloved, but stand out all the same. Newhart is also a bit of a Disney legend, as he's one of the voices of The Rescuers and its sequel.
In the event that a biopic is ever produced showcasing the comedy legend's career, let's never forget when Newhart specifically requested Dwayne Johnson to take on that portrayal. It's only right that he should get his hilarious wish.
Bob Newhart is survived by his four children — Robert Jr., Timothy, Courtney and Jennifer — and ten grandchildren in total.
We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of Bob Newhart in this time of mourning. There will never be another like Bob.
