Comedy legend Bob Newhart, seen in films like Catch-22 and Elf, passed away on Thursday (18 July) after a series of short illnesses. His publicist confirmed the news in a statement calling his demise the “end of an era in comedy”.
Before entering the world of comedy, Newhart worked as an accountant and advertising copywriter. His road to glory as a comedian started with the success of his 1960 comedy album ‘The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart’ which also won ‘Album of the Year’ at the Grammys. This made it the first comedy album to win album of the year beating albums by artists like Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Even his next, ‘The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!’, was a roaring success.
Newhart was nominated for a Primetime Emmy thrice for his show ‘Newhart’ for ‘Outstanding Lead Actor’ and he went on to win an Emmy for acting in 2013 as the guest star on Big Bang Theory. He played Professor Proton on the show – a role he reprised for a few episodes for the show’s spin-off series Young Sheldon.
Director Judd Apatow, who made the documentary Bob and Don: A Love Story about Bob Newhart and Don Rickles’ friendship, shared, “Bob Newhart made the world a better place for a really long time.”
Legally Blonde actor Reese Witherspoon posted a still from one of their scenes together and wrote, “To say I was a fan of Bob Newhart was an understatement... I watched the Newhart show every week and laughed so hard every time Bob gave his signature slow deadpan delivery of his lines. Even his silence was funny. His reaction said everything the audience was thinking. I will miss his kindness and his humor... and his love for a great comedy bit. I feel so lucky that I got to share the screen with such a legend. Rest in Peace Bob. Thank you for making us laugh for so many years.”
The comedian and actor was also seen in films like The Rescuers Down Under, Horrible Bosses (a cameo), In & Out, and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. Newhart was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1993 and won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2002.
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