The actor, whose wide-ranging credits include everything from The Bob Newhart Show to Young Sheldon, was a steady staple of comedy television over the course of his 60+ year career. The actor died in Los Angeles on Thursday at the age of 94.
Embed from Getty ImagesA titan of comedy
An Illinois native, Newhart became a much-loved figure of comedy after being signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1959 at the age of 30. His straight-man shtick was an immediate hit over the radio waves, and 1960’s “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” became the number one album on the Billboard charts – the first comedy album to ever do so.
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From radio to television
The now Grammy-winning Newhart set his sights on television in 1961. Though the first version of The Bob Newhart Show – originally styled as a variety show – only lasted a season, a later fictional iteration of his life with the same name went on to make an indelible impression on pop culture. He quickly became a fixture of comedy television, appearing on everything from The Johnny Carson Show (which he hosted a whopping 87 times) to Saturday Night Live.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn the modern age
Newhart’s legacy continued into the 2000s. He became a familiar face to modern audiences with appearances in Elf, Young Sheldon, and The Big Bang Theory, the latter of which netted him his first Emmy award.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe passed away in Los Angeles
Newhart’s longtime publicist, Jerry Digney, announced on Thursday that Newhart had passed in Los Angeles. The publicist stated that Newhart died after a “series of short illnesses.” Newhart’s wife, Virginia Quinn, died in 2023. The couple are survived by their 4 children.
