The gift link (below) summarizes his life and accomplishments.
Unlike many entertainers who achieve fame almost overnight, Mr. Newhart was able to handle the unexpected success of [his two best-selling comedy records leading to acclaim with Playboy calling him “the comedian of the decade”] “Button-Down Mind” albums. He transitioned quickly and easily into television, landing a short-lived variety show, numerous guest appearances on the shows of Dean Martin and Ed Sullivan, regular work guest-hosting for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show” and, ultimately, “The Bob Newhart Show,” a celebrated sitcom in which he played a somewhat befuddled psychologist.
That series ran from 1972 to 1978, and in 1982 he followed it up with “Newhart,” another successful sitcom, in which he played a Vermont innkeeper. “Newhart” ran for eight seasons and ended with what is still viewed as one of the greatest finales in television history.
Mr. Newhart remained busy in television and films into his 80s. He won an Emmy in 2013 for a guest appearance as the beloved former host of a TV science show on “The Big Bang Theory.” He was nominated again for the same role a year later but lost to Jimmy Fallon, who won for hosting an episode of “Saturday Night Live.” And he reprised the role a few times, most recently in a 2020 voice-over, on the “Big Bang Theory” prequel series “Young Sheldon. That Emmy was, surprisingly, his first.
Also this. (Excerpt, Washington Post linked below).
Bob Newhart was still living with his parents when he was 30. He was a balding, slouch-eyed former accountant who talked in a calculated, halting stammer. He was no one’s idea of a superstar.
Yet, within a year, his understated comedy routines that emphasized the absurdities of ordinary life made him a national sensation. Mr. Newhart, who died July 18 at 94, became the first comedian with a No. 1 record and the star of two long-running sitcoms. Regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern comedy, he helped shape the humor of Bill Cosby and Jerry Seinfeld, among others.
His debut album, “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” soared past the pop and rock recordings of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley to stand at No. 1 on the Billboard charts for 14 weeks in 1960. It was the first comedy album to sell more than 1 million copies, and Mr. Newhart remains the only comedian to win Grammy Awards for best new artist and album of the year.
He didn’t emerge from the traditional proving ground of nightclubs but relied on recordings to propel his popularity. In fact, the first time he performed in a nightclub was when he recorded “The Button-Down Mind,” which went on to sell more than 100 million copies.
I’m another one who first saw/heard Newhart on Ed Sullivan. I was too young to understand what mastery of writing and voice was being displayed. I learned over the years. Every role he played added to his legend.
He wrote one book, the memoir I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This! Lots of stories about his career and the strange start to his career. And that his first name is George.
Like many, I listened to Bob Newhart’s one-sided phone conversation acts as a kid. Simple as they seem, he was the master of this rather strange kind of comedy.
Love Newhart the show, was too young to watch his first one int he 70’s. I even watched Bob, the one where he was a cartoonist, but it failed big time.
Who is left from that era of comedy? Uh, Bill Cosby(ugh!)?
The Bob Newhart show (along with others like The Odd Couple and Monty Python) were so lockstep with my childhood that it feels like a part of my DNA or something.
A couple years back I seriously considered going to Vancouver to see him perform at some casino but at the last minute figured it would be too expensive a trip, while niggling at myself that it might be ‘the last chance’ to see him.
Growing up, my parents had some old Bob Newhart records kicking around, bought before some of us kids were around. Really thick, hard-as-rock vinyl.
Funny that he dad a close friend in Rickles, who was entirely the opposite of Bob: loud, brash, in-your-face. Yin to each other’s yang, or something.
It’s getting depressing to think of who is the funniest living comedian. I still consider George Carlin the best to ever do it, but poor George died…16 years ago. 16 years!
I liked Jim Gaffigan in terms of active comedians.