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 these stressful times is the death of such a beloved entertainer.
Still, Newhart left behind a legacy of more than half a century of solid comedic hits and his embodiment of the American Dream: someone who rose from humble (or at least non-Hollywood) beginnings to become a major star loved by millions of people.
One of Bob Newhart’s First Roles Was Not Comedic
Newhart Guest Starred On The Alfred Hitchcock Hour In 1963
In the aftermath of Bob Newhart’s death, social media is full of 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 different actors in hour-long stories, and 1963’s “How To Get Rid of Your Wife” starred Bob Newhart as a henpecked husband determined to kill his verbally abusive and overbearing wife.
Like most Hitchcock stories, there were many twists and turns and an ironic, unforgettable ending.
An Early Bob Newhart Movie Role Was Based On A Classic Book
Newhart Starred In Many Movies, But Catch-22 Was One Of His Most Famous
One thing I hope fans talk about more post Newhart’s death is his role as Major Major in the movie Catch-22. That’s not a typo — that was the name of his character.
Catch-22 is a biting satire about the red tape that often defines military life, especially during wartime. Newhart’s character was named Major Major and then given the rank of Major, making his name even more ridiculous.
The movie was based on a book, and the story is so popular that it has become the latest novel to be adapted for TV.
Newhart’s version is well worth watching; however, some critics didn’t like this casting choice because the book version of the character was said to resemble Henry Fonda, and Newhart bore no physical similarity to the legendary actor.
The Original Bob Newhart Show Was Only The Actor’s First Successful Sitcom
Many Younger Viewers Know It Because of Its Connection To His Second Sitcom
I’m a late 1970s baby, so I wasn’t familiar with the original Bob Newhart Show until Nick at Nite broadcast reruns. However, it quickly became one of my favorite 1970s sitcoms and still is to this day.
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Newhart’s Dr. Robert Hartley was the psychiatrist I wished I had when I was a lonely, bullied middle schooler, and that never really changed.
Many of his patients were the kind of people he — if you’ll forgive the bad pun — needed to be patient with. The most famous was probably Jack Riley’s Mr. Carlin, but my favorite was timid Mr. Peterson, played by character actor John Fielding.
Newhart Is Probably Bob Newhart’s Most Famous Show
This Quirky Sitcom Is A Huge Part of Newhart’s Legacy
Soon after news broke of Newhart’s death, social media was flooded with references to his 80s sitcom and clips from the show.
I have only fuzzy memories of this one, other than its final episode and the fact that Newhart’s character often interacted with Larry, his brother Darryl, and his other brother Darryl.
The series had more in common with Green Acres than Newhart’s other sitcom, as Dick Loudon and his wife moved to Vermont to run an inn and were met with a whole cast of quirky people.
The final minutes of the series finale featured the plot twist of Loudon awakening next to Suzanne Pleshette, who played Emily on his earlier sitcom. This revealed that the whole series was a dream that Bob Hartley had had.
Bob Newhart Continued to Find Success After Newhart Ended
Newhart Had Two More Sitcoms In Addition To Guest Spots And Movie Roles
Few actors can say they’ve had four successful sitcoms on the same network. Granted, Newhart’s final two sitcoms weren’t as well known as his first two, nor did either last more than one season, but it’s still an impressive accomplishment.
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I’ve never seen Bob, his one-season show about a cartoonist dealing with corporate drama after the revival of his popular superhero cartoon, but the premise sounds both hilarious and timely.
A few years later, Newhart returned with George and Leo, an Odd Couple-like sitcom that co-starred Judd Hirsch. Sadly, it was a one-season wonder, but with two comedy giants like that, you can’t go wrong!
Newhart’s Most Famous Post-Sitcom Role Was In The Movie Elf
His Role as Papa Elf Is As Ironic As It Is Iconic
Newhart did not want to play a father in his sitcoms earlier in his career. He was so hell-bent on this that when an early script for the Bob Newhart Show featured Emily believing she was pregnant, he quipped, “Who’s gonna play Bob?”
It wasn’t that Newhart hated kids. He didn’t want to fall into the tired TV trope of the idiot father who has to be rescued by cute kids or a doting wife.
Ironically, his most famous role outside of his sitcoms is as Papa Elf, the adoptive father who raised the all-too-human Buddy as an elf in the popular holiday film.
In one of Newhart’s final interviews, he said the role of Papa Elf outranked anything else he’d done in his career, so he must have loved it despite his earlier opposition to playing a father figure.
The Final Role Before Bob Newhart’s Death Was a Perfect End To His Career
Newhart’s Guest Spot on The Big Bang Theory Was As Poignant As It Was Funny.
Bob Newhart’s final sitcom role was a small one close to my heart. 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 brilliant career that began with him playing a henpecked husband, especially when he tried to tell an adult Sheldon that he didn’t want to be Professor Proton anymore.
The scene was hilarious, with Professor Proton re-enacting a famous experiment from his show, but soon became poignant when Sheldon explained how much Professor Proton had meant to him as a little boy right before the professor’s pacemaker failed.
Over to you, my fellow Newhart fanatics.
Do you have a favorite clip or story about Bob Newhart?
Let’s mourn Newhart’s death together while celebrating his work. Hit the comments to share your memories.
