Bob Newhart, Legendary Comedian And TV Icon, Has Died At 94

Comic legend Bob Newhart has passed away at the age of 94. His longtime publicist, Jerry Digney, confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that Newhart died in his Los Angeles home on Thursday, July 18, following a series of short illnesses. As a young man, Newhart served in the Korean War and briefly worked as an accountant, before switching careers and becoming the famous stand-up comedian and actor we've come to know and love.

He first came to prominence in 1960 with his comedy album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which he followed up with "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back." His most famous recurring stand-up schtick was playing the straight man to an implied funny man, often pretend-talking on the phone and letting us imagine what the other person was saying. You can see this clearly in his famous routine, "Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball," where he plays a games manufacturer listening to Abner Doubleday, the founder of baseball, explain in detail his pitch for the sport. (Turns out, baseball makes no sense if you really think about it.)

Newhart also made a name for himself as an actor, playing the starring role of psychologist Bob Hartley in "The Bob Newhart Show," a sitcom that premiered in 1972 and went on for 142 episodes. In 1982, he starred in a new sitcom called "Newhart," playing innkeeper and talk show host Dick Loudon. The show went on for eight seasons, before ending with one of the most famous sitcom finales ever — it revealed that all whole eight seasons were part of a single dream by Bob Hartley from "The Bob Newhart Show." It's a moment that's been parodied and referenced constantly ever since, and it's the reason why the "what if it's all a dream?" theory gets thrown around for every new hit show.

Bob Newhart guest-starred on TV series like "The Dean Martin Show" and "The Ed Sullivan Show," and guest-hosted "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" 87 times throughout its run. Despite how often he filled in for Carson, Newhart never wanted to host the show permanently himself. "They never asked me, because I didn't want the job," Newhart told People Magazine in 2019. "I knew what a killer that job is. You dedicate your life to it." He also hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 1980 and 1995, with his Postal Worker Evaluation sketch (co-written by Norm Macdonald) being one of the clear highlights, as it was written just like his stand-up routines.

Although he was most famous for his two sitcoms, he also starred in hit films like "Hell is for Heroes" in 1962, "Hot Millions" in 1968, "Cold Turkey" and "Catch-22" in 1971. Younger viewers likely know Newhart best from his guest appearance as himself on "The Simpsons," his recurring role as Arthur Jefferies on "The Big Bang Theory," or his cameo in the 2011 film "Horrible Bosses." Most likely, of course, they know him best as Papa Elf in the 2003 Will Ferrell comedy "Elf," where he plays Buddy's kind, gentle, low-energy adoptive father.

He's survived by his wife, Ginny Newhart, and his four children. Rest in peace, Bob Newhart. You will be missed.