Bob Newhart, Legendary Comedian, Passes Away At 94

Comedian legend Bob Newhart, known for his distinctive deadpan delivery and dry humor, has passed away.

Newhart first gained fame with his 1960s comedy albums, which featured his unique storytelling style and conversational humor. He went on to star in two successful TV sitcoms, 'The Bob Newhart Show" (1972-1978) and "Newhart" (1982-1990).

Bob Newhart has earned multiple Emmy Awards and a spot as one of the most influential comedians in television history. He passed away at the age of 94.

According to Variety, Newhart’s publicist Jerry Digney said he died after a series of short illnesses.

In the 1960s, Newhart rose to fame with his stand-up comedy albums, including "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart" (1960) and "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!" (1961). His comedic style typically features intricate, absurd scenarios presented with a deadpan tone. These albums were hugely successful and earned Grammy Awards.

He went on to star in 'The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart," and also made guest appearances on other television shows and in movies.

The comedic legend also played parts in “In & Out” (1997), “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde” (2003) and “Elf” (2003).

“Without question, the part of Papa Elf outranks, by far, any role I may have ever played,” Newhart shared in an email interview with CNN last year after the holiday film turned 20. “My agent sent me the script, and I fell in love with it."

The actor later said that he told his wife that the movie was “going to be another ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ where people watch it every year.”

Newhart also spoke on what it was like to work alongside Will Ferrell, who played Buddy the Elf in the movie.

“For example, in the scene where Will and I were riding the tricycle, Will sat in the front, while I sat 10 feet behind him,” Newhart recalled. “They had an actor directly behind Will who was hidden, but his hands on Will’s shoulders. This made it look like I was elf-sized.”

In 2021, the comedic legend sat down with Forbes, revealing that he was continuing to pursue his acting career even at the age of 91.

"I fell in love with the sound of laughter 61 years ago," the comedian told Forbes. "It's a sound I wanted to keep hearing. It's one of the great sounds in the world, I'm serious. I think it's true. The mail I get, you become part of people's lives. ... It's just great to make people laugh."

While on a golf course once with Billy Crystal, Newhart said that with stand up, "People who can do it, you kind of are responsible to keep doing it. If you can do it, there's kind of an obligation to keep doing it. If you can make people laugh, they're aren't that many people who can do it."

In the same interview, Bob Newhart shared his experience of starring in his own sitcom while managing his family life.

"I was really happy just doing stand up, but it's a tough life for marriage and if you have kids," he said. "I was offered to do a sitcom, and it would get me off the road, and that was important to me at the time."

"When we were doing the show, I still did stand up when we weren't in rehearsal or in production, and even when we were doing the show, I'd do the warm-up for the audience, which was work," he added. "A lot of times, the audience thinks, 'Okay, we just get here, and we laugh, and we leave.' This made them feel like they're part of it. I never gave up stand up."

His wife Ginny died last year. He is survived by his children, Robert Jr., Timothy, Courtney and Jennifer, and 10 grandchildren.