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Comedian Bob Newhart, Deadpan Master of Sitcoms and Telephone Monologues, Dies at 94

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Comedian Bob Newhart, Deadpan Master of Sitcoms and Telephone Monologues, Dies at 94

As I delve deeper into Bob Newhart‘s captivating life story, I am in awe of this brilliant comedian who defied the norms and brought a unique, understated humor to the world. Newhart’s journey began humbly as a terrified 30-year-old man taking his first steps onto a nightclub stage. With nothing but his wit and a microphone, he captivated audiences with his gently sarcastic remarks.

In simpler terms, Bob Newhart – known for his witty and dry humor as an ex-accountant turned comedian – passed away at the age of 94 in Los Angeles. His fame soared to new heights following the success of a beloved comedy album.

Jerry Digney, who represents Newhart, announced that the actor passed away in Los Angeles on Thursday following a succession of health issues that were relatively brief.

In the late 1950s, Newhart started his career as a stand-up comedian. He gained significant recognition when his comedy routine was recorded on vinyl in 1960 under the title “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart.” This album became a massive success and earned him a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Instead of “anomaly,” Newhart stood out among comedians like Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Alan King, and Mike Nichols and Elaine May during that period for having a distinctly modern perspective but rarely raising his voice or using aggressive delivery. He relied solely on a telephone prop to simulate conversations with imaginary callers.

In an entertaining skit, he depicted a Madison Avenue advertising expert guiding Abraham Lincoln on refining the Gettysburg Address: “Try saying ‘eighty-seven years ago’ instead of ‘fourscore and seven,'” he suggested.

In “Merchandising the Wright Brothers,” I found myself completely engrossed as the filmmaker attempted to pitch the idea of starting an airline to these early aviation pioneers. However, I couldn’t help but notice a small obstacle – the significant distance covered during their historic first flight. Despite this challenge, his enthusiasm was palpable and left me eager to see how this potential partnership would unfold.

“Well, see, that’s going to hurt our time to the Coast if we’ve got to land every 105 feet.”

At first, Newhart hesitated to commit to a weekly TV show due to concerns about overexposure. However, an enticing deal from NBC persuaded him to change his mind, and “The Bob Newhart Show” made its debut on October 11, 1961. The program earned Emmy and Peabody awards, but unfortunately, it was canceled after just one season. This turn of events became a long-lasting source of amusement for Newhart.

After a decade-long break, Bob Newhart returned to television in 1972 with a new situation comedy. In this series, Newhart portrayed a Chicago psychologist residing in a penthouse alongside his wife, Suzanne Pleshette. The quirky neighbors and patients, including Bill Daily as an unpredictable airline navigator, offered a humorous contrast to Newhart’s dry wit.

The series, one of the most acclaimed of the 1970s, ran through 1978.

Four years after the debut of his previous show, the comedian introduced “Newhart” as its title. In this installment, he portrayed a prosperous New York author with an intriguing decision: reopening a shuttered Vermont inn. Just like before, Newhart embodied the collected and rational figure amidst a motley crew of quirky locals. The series gained immense popularity, airing for eight consecutive seasons on CBS.

In 1990, Newhart made a memorable exit from the scene, starring as his quirky Chicago psychologist character who found himself in an unexpected situation. As he lay in bed next to Pleshette, he recoiled, explaining to her about the bizarre dream he had: “I ran an inn in this quirky Vermont town. The handyman constantly misunderstood situations, and then there were these three lumberjacks, but only one of them could speak coherently!”

The performance satirized an episode of “Dallas” in which a major character seemed to die, only for it to be later revealed that the death scene was actually a dream.

Two subsequent shows failed to impress: “Bob” from 1992-93 and “George & Leo” during 1997-98. Despite multiple Emmy nominations, he didn’t manage to win an award for his sitcom performances. He shrugged, “I suppose they believe I’m not really acting. It’s just Bob being himself.”

Over the course of his career, Newhart has acted in various films, often playing comedic parts. Some of these films are “Catch 22,” “In and Out,” “Legally Blonde 2,” and “Elf,” where he portrayed the father of Will Ferrell’s full-sized adoption. More recent projects include “Horrible Bosses” and television shows like “The Librarians,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Young Sheldon.”

In 1964, Newhart wedded Virginia Quinn, affectionately called Ginny by friends. Their union lasted until her passing in 2023. Together, they raised four children: Robert, Timothy, Jennifer, and Courtney. Newhart was a frequent visitor on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show,” often poking fun at the bachelor comedian, who had been married three times. Newhart formed a strong bond with fellow comedian Don Rickles, known for his brash insult humor, which contrasted amusingly with Newhart’s subtle wit.

“We’re not the same. I’m Jewish, he’s Catholic. He’s quiet, I’m outspoken.” Apatow highlighted their unique bond in the documentary “Bob and Don: An Unlikely Friendship” (released a decade later).

As a movie goer who appreciates a good dose of wit, I’d put Newhart up there as a master of the subtle, sarcastic quip. Tired of my monotonous $5-an-hour accounting gig in Chicago, I sought refuge in humor with my friend Ed Gallagher. To keep things interesting, we began making amusing phone calls to one another during our free time. As our creativity blossomed, we decided to record these comedic routines and sell them to local radio stations.

Despite their attempts not succeeding, Newhart’s records caught the notice of Warner Bros. Consequently, they offered him a recording contract and arranged for him to perform at a Houston club in February 1960.

In 2003, a man of thirty, visibly frightened, made his debut performance at a nightclub and shared that experience later on.

During his two-week stint, six of Bob Newhart’s comedy routines were recorded. His debut album, titled “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” was released on April Fool’s Day 1960. This album was a massive success, selling an impressive 750,000 copies. It was followed by the release of “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!” At one point, these two albums held the top spots on the sales charts. The New York Times remarked in 1960 that Newhart was the first comedian ever to gain prominence solely through recordings.

In addition to being named Grammy’s “Album of the Year” for his first release, Newhart was also awarded the title of “Best New Artist” in 1960. Furthermore, his follow-up album, “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!”, received recognition as the “Best Comedy Spoken Word Album.”

Newhart made numerous appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and was scheduled to perform at various nightclubs, concert halls, and colleges nationwide. However, he disliked performing at nightclubs due to the disruptive behavior of intoxicated hecklers.

Each time I need to interrupt a scene and insert one of those birds instead, it disrupts the flow for me (said in 1960).

In the year 2004, he earned another Emmy nomination, specifically for the category of guest actor in a drama series, due to his performance in “E.R.” Additionally, in the year 2007, it was announced that “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” was selected to join the Library of Congress’s list of historically important sound recordings. Only 25 recordings are added every year to this registry, which was established in 2000.

In 2006, Newhart’s memoir “I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This!” landed on the best-seller lists. He earned another Grammy nomination in the spoken word album category (which encompasses audiobooks) due to his captivating reading of the book.

I’ve often thought of my role as resembling that of a lone sane man in a chaotic world, like the man who fervently believes he’s the last rational person on Earth. He valiantly sounds the alarm, shouting “This is insane!” as he races through town, but unfortunately, his warnings fall on deaf ears.

As a movie lover looking back at the life of Bob Newhart, I’d share that he was born as George Robert Newhart in the vibrant city of Chicago. Hailing from a rich German-Irish heritage, his family chose to call him Bob to distinguish him from his father, who shared the same first name – George.

At St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University in Chicago, he entertained classmates by mimicking James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Durante, and other famous actors. After earning a commerce degree, Newhart completed a two-year military stint. Upon returning to Chicago following his military service, he began law school at Loyola but was unsuccessful. Eventually, he secured a job as an accountant for the state unemployment department. The monotony of this role left him restless, and during his spare time, he acted in a stock company based in suburban Oak Park. This experience paved the way for his famous phone bits.

In his memoir, Newhart explained that there was no organized plan among him, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Shelley Berman, Lenny Bruce, Johnny Winters, and Mort Sahl to alter comedy and make it more contemplative. Instead, we simply expressed our unique sense of humor. College students would be puzzled by our mother-in-law jokes and ask, “What’s a mother-in-law?” Our comedy mirrored our experiences and resonated with theirs.

After the finale of his fourth sitcom, Newhart sporadically appeared on TV. In 2003, he pledged to keep working as long as he was able.

“It’s been so much, 43 years of my life; (to quit) would be like something was missing,” he said.

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2024-07-19 00:07

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