Bob Newhart’s family shared a sweet tribute to the late actor following his death at age 94.
The actor and comedian, who starred in The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart and Elf, died Thursday in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses.
In a statement published on its Facebook pageThe Newhart family wrote: “Our father passed away this morning surrounded by our entire family. We feel blessed that he was reunited with our mother and all of his friends who were waiting for him.”
Newhart’s wife, Virginia “Ginnie” Newhart, passed away in 2023 after 60 years of marriage. They had four children: Jennifer, Courtney, Timothy and Robert.
“Thank you all for your well wishes. He was much loved by all, but especially by his children and grandchildren. Love to you all, the Newhart family,” the statement concluded.
Bob Newhart’s family shared a sweet tribute to the late actor following his death at age 94; (photo from 2004)
In a statement posted on their Facebook page, the Newhart family wrote: “Our father passed away this morning surrounded by our entire family. We feel blessed that he was reunited with our mother and all of his friends who were waiting for him.”
The post also included a lovely throwback photo of Bob, Ginnie, and Bob’s close friend, comedian Don Rickles.
“We’re like apples and oranges. I’m Jewish, he’s Catholic. He’s low-key, I’m a loudmouth,” Rickles said of his long-standing friendship with Variety in 2012.
Despite Bob’s tremendous success in Hollywood (including three Grammy Awards for a 1961 comedy album), he maintained that his greatest joy in life was his family.
“I don’t care how successful you’ve been in this business, if you haven’t had a good family life, what have you really accomplished?” he said. Legacy magazine in 2013. “
“You may be the richest man in the world, but what have you really accomplished? That’s how I see life.”
Newhart, originally a Chicago-area accountant, went on to a career in show business that took off in 1960 when his comedy album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart became the first comedy album to top the Billboard charts.
At age 30, Newhart’s success continued with the release of his next album, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back, which also rose to the top of the charts.
These achievements earned him three Grammy Awards in 1961 for Best New Artist, Album of the Year, and Best Comedy Performance.
He was married to Ginnie Quinn, the daughter of actor Bill Quinn, from 1963 until his death at age 82 in April 2023; they were photographed together in 1985.
The couple had four children during their marriage: Jennifer, Courtney, Timothy and Robert (pictured on their wedding day on January 12, 1963).
Capitalizing on his early success, Newhart hosted an NBC variety show, The Bob Newhart Show, from late 1961 to the summer of 1962.
Although the show was short-lived, it received critical acclaim and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1962.
Throughout the 1960s, Newhart continued to release comedy albums and made occasional television appearances.
In the 1970s, Newhart became a television star, playing Dr. Bob Hartley on CBS’s The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978.
He cemented his television legacy with the CBS sitcom Newhart, which aired from 1982 to 1990. In this beloved series, he played Dick Loudon, an author who moves with his wife from New York City to Vermont to run a historic inn.
The star received three consecutive nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on Newhart in 1985, 1986 and 1987, although he did not take home the award in any of those years.
In 2004, she earned an Emmy nomination for her guest role on the drama series ER.
His achievements continued in 2007 when the Library of Congress added his debut comedy album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart to its registry of historically significant sound recordings.
Bob appears on the comedy The Bob Newhart Show in 1973
Bob played Papa Elf in the 2003 film Elf.
His first Emmy win came in 2013 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy for his role as Professor Proton on The Big Bang Theory; (on set with Jim Parsons, Bill Nye and Johnny Galecki)
The registry, created in 2000, recognizes only 25 recordings each year.
His first Emmy win came in 2013 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy for his role as Professor Proton on The Big Bang Theory.
She received two more nominations for the same role in 2014 and 2016.
“I have this theory that when it’s all over, when death comes, and you go up to heaven, I’ve been told there’s a God and he says, ‘What did you do?’ And I say, ‘I made people laugh.’ ‘Yeah, get in that short line over there,'” he said. Sunday morning on CBS in 2021.
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