Comedy Legend Bob Newhart Has Passed Away at 94
Comedy legend Bob Newhart, one of the true titans of 20th-century entertainment, has passed away at the age of 94 after a brief illness.
Bob Newhart was born September 5, 1929, in Oak Park, Illinois. Initially a trained accountant, Newhart exploded on the national scene with the release of his 1960 comedy album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart. The album eventually reached number one on the Billboard charts and won two Grammy Awards.
![The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Button-Down-Mind-of-Bob-Newhart.jpg)
![The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Button-Down-Mind-of-Bob-Newhart.jpg)
Photo: Amazon
Throughout the 1960s, Newhart continued to release critically acclaimed comedy albums while also appearing on multiple variety shows, including The Dean Martin Show, The Entertainers, The Judy Garland Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Two Hit Sitcoms
After a guest appearance on The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour, Newhart was approached by MTM Enterprises about creating his own sitcom. The result would be The Bob Newhart Show, where the comedian played psychologist Bob Hartley. Other cast members included Suzanne Pleshette, Bill Daily, Peter Bonerz and Marcia Wallace. The series would be an immediate hit, eventually running for 142 episodes.
![The Bob Newhart Show](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/The-Bob-Newhart-Show.jpg)
![The Bob Newhart Show](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/The-Bob-Newhart-Show.jpg)
Photo: Rotten Tomatoes
In 1982, Newhart starred in a new sitcom for CBS titled Newhart. This time, the comedian played a Vermont innkeeper and TV talk show host named Dick Loudin. Rounding out the Newhart cast were Mary Frann, Julia Duffy, Peter Scolari, and Tom Poston. Like his first sitcom, Newhart was a smash hit, eventually running for eight seasons and 184 episodes.
![Newhart](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Newhart-1024x686.jpg)
![Newhart](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Newhart-1024x686.jpg)
Photo: IMDB
The series is perhaps best remembered for its iconic final scene, where Newhart wakes up in bed with Suzanne Pleshette, who played his wife Emily on The Bob Newhart Show. Eventually, it is revealed that the entire eight-year run of Newhart had been a single nightmare of Dr. Bob Hartley’s. As the scene faded out, the closing notes of The Bob Newhart Show theme played. The ending is often cited as the greatest finale in television history.
Later Career
Newhart would later become known to a new generation of fans through his roles in Elf and The Big Bang Theory.
![Bob Newhart Elf](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/skynews-rex-bob-newhart-elf_6631235-1024x576.jpg)
![Bob Newhart Elf](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/skynews-rex-bob-newhart-elf_6631235-1024x576.jpg)
Photo: Sky News
Disney fans will likely recognize Newhart as the voice of Bernard in The Rescuers (1977) and The Rescuers Down Under (1990).
![Bernard](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Bernard-1024x521.jpg)
![Bernard](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Bernard-1024x521.jpg)
Photo: D23
Bob Newhart was married to his wife Virginia from 1963 until her death in 2023. He is survived by his children Robert Jr., Timothy, Courtney, and Jennifer, and 10 grandchildren
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