Newhart, Bob (1929-2024), was an American comedian and actor known for his understated, gently satirical humor. Newhart first established himself as a stand-up comedian who performed comic monologues instead of telling jokes. He then gained fame as the star of two long-running television series. Newhart also appeared in several motion pictures.
George Robert Newhart was born on Sept. 5, 1929, in Oak Park, Illinois. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. Newhart began making guest appearances on a Chicago radio show in 1957. He made his debut as a nightclub comedian in 1960. Several of his comic monologues were issued in 1960 on an album called The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart. The album became a bestseller and established Newhart as a top comedian. Newhart also recorded the comedy albums The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! (1960) and Behind the Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart (1961).
Newhart starred in two popular comedy series on television. In “The Bob Newhart Show” (1972-1978), he played a psychiatrist living in Chicago. In “Newhart” (1982-1990), he played the owner and operator of an inn located in Vermont. Newhart made his motion-picture debut in Hell Is for Heroes (1962). His other films include Hot Millions (1968), Catch-22 (1970), Cold Turkey (1971), First Family (1980), Little Miss Marker (1982), and Elf (2003).
“The Bob Newhart Show” won an Emmy Award in 1962. And in 2013, Newhart himself won an Emmy for his appearance on the TV series “The Big Bang Theory.” Newhart wrote a memoir titled I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This (2006). He died on July 18, 2024.
See also Emmy Awards; Satire.
