Bob Newhart’s Best Performances, from His Two Self-Named TV Shows to ‘Elf’ and ‘Catch-22’
When Bob Newhart died July 19 at the age of 94, the world lost one of the last remaining comedians of a certain era. Predating “Saturday Night Live” and more contemporary avenues for comedy, the Chicago-born master of dry, deadpan wit came up through stand-up sets in his city, growing into a familiar face in the ’60s with appearances on variety series such as “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.” His debut live album “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” was what shot him into full superstar status, becoming the first comedy album to receive the Grammy for Album of the Year; a feat most (heck, any) comedians ever seem unlikely to repeat today.
Of course, nowadays Newhart is remembered most vividly not for his live work but as one of the great stars of the sitcom genre. He had two short-lived series (“Bob” and “George and Leo”) that sputtered after a season each in the ’90s, but those false starts pale in comparison to the massive success of his first two vehicles for his comedic talent. In the ’70s, he became a consistent face on CBS as a suffering psychologist in “The Bob Newhart Show,” opposite a terrific Suzanne Pleshette as his onscreen wife. In the ’80s, he repeated the success of the show with “Newhart,” trading out the original series’ Chicago setting for a small rural Vermont town populated by a parade of quirky characters. Starring alongside Mary Frann as the proprietor of a local inn, Newhart was similarly terrific, and concluded the show with one of the most iconic finales in TV history.
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It’s not necessarily a surprise that Newhart would blend so well into the tried-and-true sitcom formula, a feat that not every stand-up star is capable of. He’s the quintessential everyman, a performer who is able to feel relatable and human even when he’s effortlessly funny. Both his shows saw him play the straight man to awkward and quirkier characters, but his masterful deadpan wit ensured he was never overtly boring in the role. Outside of TV, he acted in few films, and — whether in his prime or during his elder statesmen years — he always brought his singular abilities to the supporting roles he played.
In celebration of Newhart’s life, IndieWire is taking a look at his best performances on film and television. We’re excluding much of his stand-up and sketch comedy work in favor of his acting work, so none of his stand-up specials or his side-gig as a consistent guest host of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” made the cut. Read on for eight of Newhart’s funniest performances. The entries are listed in chronological order.
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