RETROSPECTIVE: Bob Newhart (1929–2024)
On July 18, 2024 comedian Bob Newhart passed away at the age of 94. I had a difficult relationship with his comedy prior to writing this retrospective through his 80’s sitcom “Newhart”: I did not find the show or its characters or Bob Newhart funny at all. Afterward, every time the Newhart show would come on I would change the channel. That was my prevailing memory of Bob Newhart until his passing. Then I posted his CNN obituary and wrote an accompanying comment about the deceased on my FB page:
RIP Bob Newhart. Not trying to be mean or rude, but I wish you had lived long enough for me to understand why people think you’re funny.
Many people whom I have great respect for responded to my comment. They said he was a master of nonchalant comedy and deadpan delivery; “subtle over buffoonery” they declared. One commenter suggested I give him a chance; he didn’t get Bob Newhart’s comedy when he was younger either. Another commenter pointed out that I was rude and shitty for making a comment like the highlighted text above so soon after the comedian’s death; that prefacing the slam with “not trying to be rude” was contradictory to any respect I was trying to convey. I did have reservations about posting the comment, and I am now certain that this particular commenter was correct. For sure, my experience colored my statement and I sought to rectify the situation by actually watching more of the works of Bob Newhart.
Bob Newhart: Off the Record (Showtime, 1992)
So right off the bat it was watching Mr. Newhart do stand-up comedy blending his 1960’s routines mixed with new material, where he tells stories and responds to characters in those stories. He doesn’t do the other character’s voice, but he certainly does deliver some comedy with good skits. The sexist “Driving Instructors Have it Rough” skit was interesting, extrapolated from his experience with odd jobs as a younger man. The “Surfacing Submarine” skit had a wonderful ending, but the conversations picking up as respondent instead of initiator did throw me off — especially since I missed whatever context was in it due to the deliberate stumbling delivery.
STANDOUT LINE: “I wouldn’t give that spot to a leper!”
“The Entertainers” (ABC, 1991)
This TV movie was a good watch, despite its production: Bob Newhart stars as Todd Wilson, one half of a washed-up comedy duo with an aging chimpanzee named “Archie” (Bubbles AKA Michael Jackson’s pet). He’s trying to rekindle an old flame from his Atlantic City days (Linda Gray, “Models, Inc.” [TV-FOX], “Dallas 1978” [TV-CBS]) AND revive his 25-year-old career with a tour on the Las Vegas Strip. The movie is an exercise in overcoming obstacles to achieve the things you want in life, from being considered an “animal act”, avoiding commitment, to accepting aging and death gracefully.
STANDOUT LINE: “Well, Archie, looks like this time you’re sleeping in the car.”
“Bob” (CBS, 1992–1993)
Bob Newhart plays a mild-mannered comic book artist removed from his position due to fallout from the Comic Code Authority, who had to find work as a greeting card artist. His wife Kaye (Carlene Watkins, “The Tortellis” [TV-NBC], Tough Enough [1983]) and his daughter Trisha (Cynthia Stevenson, “Your Family or Mine” [TV-TBS], Agent Cody Banks) support him. Co-stars Betty White (“Golden Girls” [TV-NBC], Lake Placid) and Lisa Kudrow (“Friends” [TV-NBC], Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion) also show up. The show plays out as Bob struggles with office politics and his desires to get back into comics, which spoke to the creative impulse within me. I wanted to be a comic book artist when I was younger, and I recall the show’s office lobby setting as I pulled the cobwebs off while remembering. I remember wanting to watch this show even more, but because it was a White-centric show post-LA uprising AND I didn’t have my own TV set, we didn’t watch it much in my house…so I put it aside for other shows. I watched a few episodes on YouTube for this article, and they were mostly good.
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (TNT, 2005)
I saw this cable TV movie on its premiere night: Bob Newhart acts in a support role as Judson, a member of the secret order of Librarians — selected to protect legendary and magical artifacts from history stored in its vaults. Because the plot needed to happen, one of the organization’s items was stolen. The Spear of Destiny (AKA the spear bearing the blood of Jesus Christ) is broken into parts and it’s a race against the Librarians’ enemies who want the parts to control the world. Judson is not the main character — that falls to the new Librarian recruit Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle, “Falling Skies” [TV-TNT], Donnie Darko).
Mr. Newhart’s deadpan delivery and low voice that operates just below normal speaking volume serves him well in this role. The genre itself is different than what I’m used to seeing him play, and it makes everything better. Did I mention Jane Curtain (“Saturday Night Live” [TV-NBC], “3rd Rock From The Sun” [TV-NBC]) also stars and a young Kelly Hu (X2: X-Men United, “The Orville” [TV-hulu]) plays a henchwoman for the villain (Kyle MacLachlan, Twin Peaks, “Fallout” [TV-Amazon Prime], “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” [TV-ABC])?
STANDOUT LINE: “Anyone else want a piece of me?” — Judson, speaking in his librarian voice after beating up several enemy henchmen.
“Newhart” (CBS, 1982–1990)
The sitcom that started my relationship with today’s subject, for a reason I learned when doing research for this project: if I knew Newhart the show was meant to be absurdist at the start, I might have been more receptive. The understated and nonchalant delivery of Mr. Newhart’s writing and dialogue did not help to overcome this misunderstanding, despite premises that could have been interesting: compulsive liars, generations of workmen, colorful forest-bound neighbors, strange communal democracy, and unscrupulous businessmen all nestled in a small New England town. It sounds like the setting of several Stephen King novels, which is interesting because Bob Newhart’s mild-mannered Dick Loudon is a writer as well as owner-operator of the Stratford Inn with his sweater-aficionado wife Joanna (Mary Frann, Nashville Rebel, Gidget’s Summer Reunion).
The series finale was a big one by TV standards —often compared in the same breath to NBC’s “Seinfeld” and HBO’s “The Sopranos” — and its final scene continued to be parodied nearly 20 years later in different shows. It had to be an honor to be a part of something this amazing and indeed it was good from the three episodes I did watch. Shame of it all is I missed the whole series when it happened…and I may have been directed into thinking it was bad in comparison to other sitcoms of the era (The Cosby Show, Golden Girls, Cheers, etc.)
STANDOUT LINE(S):
- “I know I’ve only lived in this town a few days, but in that time, I’ve built quite the reputation!” — Dick Loudon, defending his political aspirations (season 1, episode 3)
- “I would introduce you to my new wife if I had one, but this is my old wife; she’s Japanese now.” — Dick Loudon, explaining to hotel guests (season 8, episode 24)
After engaging with some of the late Mr. Newhart’s works, I have to say I was mistaken. I can identify with the observational humor and having greater worldly experience helps a lot in understanding the humor, but the stammering delivery really gets in the way — especially since he didn’t actually talk like that in real life. The circumstances of my being mistaken allow me to stand by the truth of my earlier statement: Bob Newhart did not live long enough for me to see why he was funny, and I did want to learn why before he passed. I now know why he’s funny and considered an American treasure in comedy.
Shoutout to my friends that stood up for Bob; it’s instances like this why I trust your opinions. Thank you.
