(NationRise.com) – Legendary American comedian Bob Newhart has died at the age of 94 after suffering a number of brief illnesses. The former accountant-turned-comedian became huge in the States in the 1960s, starting his career with the groundbreaking comedy album “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart.” The cult classic album featured the “Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Ave” sketch that skyrocketed him to fame for his deadpan style and delivery.
Newhart’s popularity only grew over time, eventually leveraging his popular album into a series of television hits, including The Bob Newhart Show. Newhart played a Chicago psychologist in the show and appeared alongside big names like American actor and comedian Bill Daily, as well as actress Suzanne Pleshette. The show ran for a lengthy six seasons and included 142 episodes during that time. Soon after the show ended, he returned with another hit show titled “Newhart,” in which he played an innkeeper from Vermont. The show ran for 182 episodes between 1982 and 1980, making it even more successful.
In his later years, Newhart appeared in the cult comedy movie Elf and even the popular sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
Newhart won a Grammy, an Emmy, and even a Golden Globe. That long history of success on the silver screen was honored with a tribute by former co-stars, including Jim Parson and Will Ferrell, in a CBS special titled “Bob Newhart: A Legacy of Laughter.”
The episode aired on July 22 on CBS and is now available to stream online. The one-hour tribute film examined his 70-year career and included never-before-seen interviews, including the final interview recorded in his Los Angeles home.
Newhart’s wife, Ginnie Newhart, passed away in April 2023 at the age of 82. Newhart credited the marriage of 50 years to a life of laughter, once telling Phil Donahue that some of the longest marriages out there are between comedians and showbiz stars.
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