The news of Bob Newhart’s death hit me hard.
Newhart has been a fixture in the comedy world for as long as I can remember, and the last thing anyone needs during this stressful time is the passing of such a beloved entertainer.
Still, Newhart leaves behind a legacy of more than half a century of comedy hits and his embodiment of the American dream: a man who rose from humble (or at least non-Hollywood) beginnings to become a major star beloved by millions.
Bob Newhart’s first role wasn’t a comedy
In 1963, Newhart guest-starred in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
In the wake of Bob Newhart’s death, social media has been filled with memories of his many comedic roles, but ironically, one of his earliest roles was more dramatic.
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The Alfred Hitchcock Hour was an anthology series that featured hour-long stories told by various actors, while 1963’s How to Get Rid of Your Wife starred Bob Newhart as A henpecked husband is determined to kill his verbally abusive, domineering wife.
Like most Hitchcock stories, there are many twists and turns and an ironic and unforgettable ending.
Bob Newhart’s early film role was based on a classic book
Newhart has appeared in many films, but “Catch-22” is one of his most famous
One thing I wish fans talked about more in the wake of Newhart’s death is his role as Major Major in the movie “Catch-22.” That’s not a typo – that’s his character’s name.
“Catch-22” is a biting satire on the red tape of military life, especially during wartime. Newhart’s character was named Major Major and was later awarded the rank of Major, making his name even more ridiculous.
The movie is based on a book, and the story was so popular that it became the latest novel to be adapted into a TV series.
Newhart’s version is well worth watching; however, some critics disliked the casting because the book version of the character was said to resemble Henry Fonda, and Newhart bears no physical resemblance to the legendary actor.
Bob Newhart’s Original Show Was Just the Actor’s First Successful Situation Comedy
Many younger viewers know it because of its association with his second sitcom
I was a child of the late 1970s, so I wasn’t familiar with the original “The Bob Newhart Show” until the “Nick at Nite” reruns. However, it quickly became one of my favorite sitcoms of the 1970s, and remains so today.
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Dr. Robert Hartley of Newhart was the psychiatrist I wished I had when I was a lonely, bullied middle school student, and that has never really changed.
Many of his patients were the kind of people he needed to be patient with, if you’ll pardon the bad pun. The most famous is probably Jack Reilly’s Mr. Carlin, but my favorite is character actor John Fielding’s timid Mr. Peterson.
Newhart is probably Bob Newhart’s most famous show
This quirky situation comedy is an important part of Newhart’s legacy
Soon after news of Newhart’s death broke, social media was flooded with content about his 80s sitcom and clips from the show.
I have only vague memories of this episode, other than its final episode and the fact that Newhart’s character frequently interacted with Larry, his brother Daryl, and his other brother Daryl.
The show has more in common with “Greenfield” than with Newhart’s other situation comedies, as Dick Loudon and his wife move to Vermont to run a hotel and meet a group of eccentric people.
In a plot twist in the final minutes of the show’s finale, Loudon woke up next to Suzanne Pleshette, who played Emily in his previous sitcom. This suggests that the entire series was a dream of Bob Hartley’s.
Bob Newhart continues success after retirement
In addition to guest appearances and film roles, Newhart has two sitcoms to her credit
Few actors can say they’ve had four successful sitcoms on the same network. Granted, Newhart’s last two sitcoms weren’t as well-known as the first two and didn’t last more than a season, but it was still an impressive accomplishment.
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I’d never watched Bob, his one-season show about a comic dealing with company drama following the revival of his popular superhero comic, but the premise sounded both hilarious and timely.
Newhart returned a few years later with George & Leo , an Odd Couple-like situation comedy co-starring Judd Hirsch. Sadly, it’s only a one-season wonder, but with two such comedy giants, you can’t go wrong!
Newhart’s most famous post-situation comedy role was in the film Elf
His role as Elf Dad is both ironic and iconic
Newhart didn’t want to play a father in a sitcom early in his career. He was so committed to it that when an early script for “The Bob Newhart Show” had Emily believing she was pregnant, he quipped, “Who’s going to play Bob?”
Newhart doesn’t hate kids. He didn’t want to fall into the tired TV trope of the idiot father who must be saved by his adorable children or his doting wife.
Ironically, his most famous role outside of sitcoms was playing Elf, the popular holiday movie in which he raised the all-too-human Buddy as the adoptive father of the elf.
In Newhart’s final interview, he said that the role of Papa Elf was more important than any other role he had ever done in his career, so he must have enjoyed the role despite his previous objections to playing a father figure.
Bob Newhart’s last role before his death was a fitting end to his career
Newhart’s guest lecture on “The Big Bang Theory” was both poignant and funny.
Bob Newhart’s last sitcom role was a small one that I really enjoyed. He played Sheldon Cooper’s idol Professor Proton on “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon.”
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What a way to end a stellar career that began with him playing a henpecked husband, especially as he tries to tell the adult Sheldon that he no longer wants to be Professor Proton.
The scene is hilarious, with Professor Proton reenacting a famous experiment on his show, but it quickly turns poignant as Sheldon explains what Professor Proton meant to him when he was a little boy, right? Before the professor’s pacemaker failed.
It’s your turn, my Newhart fanatics.
Do you have a favorite clip or story about Bob Newhart?
Let us mourn Newhart’s passing while celebrating his work. Hit the comments to share your memories.
