BOB NEWHART DEAD AT 94: Legendary Actor and Comedian Known for Stone-Faced Delivery Passed Away at Home
Legendary actor and stand-up comedian Bob Newhart died this morning at the age of 94, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
The Grammy and Emmy-winning entertainer and father-of-four passed away at his home in Los Angeles after suffering "a series of short illnesses", his publicist, Jerry Digney, announced on Thursday.
Newhart is beloved for his roles in the Christmas movie Elf and sitcom The Big Bang Theory, but his career successes date back decades.
The Chicago native worked as an accountant before he rose to fame in the American comedy scene, earning recognition for his deadpan delivery and observational humor.
His debut live comedy album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, launched him to stardom in 1960 as it reached #1 on the Billboard Mono Action Albums chart and earned him his first Grammy. His second album, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! was also well-received, winning Newhart two more Grammys and joining his first release at the top of the Billboard chart.
Newhart went on to rule the television scene in Chicago, playing clinical psychologist Bob Hartley on the wildly successful The Bob Newhart Show, which ran from 1972 to 1978. The role established the actor as a fixture in TV comedy as he returned to the small screen in 1982 as Dick Loudon in Newhart, which aired until 1990.
The actor made appearances in hit shows like ER, Desperate Housewives, NCIS, and Young Sheldon, and his movie credits include Legally Blonde and Horrible Bosses.
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Actress Morgan Fairchild, 74, who guest-starred on The Bob Newhart Show, posted a tribute to the late actor on X, writing: "Such a loss!"
Fairchild said it was "a joy" to work with the team on the series, calling Newhart "so kind & such a doll, and always so gracious whenever I ran into him over these decades."
She added: "A real One-Of-A-Kind! A loss for this town and comedy."
Indianapolis Colts owner James Irsay also took to social media to honor his friend, writing in an X post: "Rest in peace to my friend, Bob Newhart...A wonderful gentleman, a Colts fan---and one of the funniest comedians, ever."
Newhart's wife, Ginnie, passed away at age 82 in April of last year. The pair said "I do" in 1963 and remained married for 60 years until Ginnie's death. They are survived by their children, Robert Jr., Timothy, Jennifer, and Courtney.