Bob Newhart Biography

Newhart, a former accountant, began his comedy career as a popular stand up comedian in the 1950s.

His 1960 comedy album, 'The Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart', went straight to number one on the charts, beating Elvis Presley and the soundtrack to 'The Sound of Music'. 'Button Down Mind' received the 1960 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

He became known for his deadpan delivery and his slight stutter. Several of his funniest acts involved hearing him talk as one half of a conversation, often over the phone.

In the mid 1960s, Newhart appeared on 'The Dean Martin Show' twenty four times, and 'The Ed Sullivan Show' eight times. From 1972 to 1978, Newhart starred in the popular 'Bob Newhart Show' on CBS, in which he played a Chicago psychiatrist and husband of co-star, Suzanne Pleshette.

Newhart guest hosted 'The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson' a total of eighty seven times.

In 1982, Newhart returned to primetime TV with a new sitcom, 'Newhart', on CBS, co-starring Mary Frann (1943-1998). When the show went off the air in 1990, it ended with a surreal episode where Newhart woke up to realize that the entire series had been a dream.

The idea for that last show came from Newhart's wife, Virginia Quinn. The two were married on January 12, 1964 and have four children together.

From 1992 to 1994, Newhart made a television comeback attempt with a series called 'Bob', but it did not develop a strong audience, and went off the air two years later.

In 1997, Newhart returned again, with 'George and Leo', on CBS. The show, which co-starred Judd Hirsch, was cancelled by the network before it had much chance to succeed.