Bob Newhart, whose unique comedic persona of an observant, yet unflappable, human island of serenity around whom chaos swirled endeared him to multiple generations across several decades, passed away on July 18, 2024, after what his publicist described as a series of short illnesses. Newhart was 94.

Newhart worked as an accountant until he was 30, when he started trying his hand at stand-up. Newhart first came to public attention in 1960 when his album “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” won Album of the Year at the 1960 Grammys. Newhart also won Best New Artist of 1960 and the Best Comedy Performance - Spoken Word award that same year for his second album “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!”

Newhart made a successful transition to acting. After starring in a variety show during the 1961-1962 television season, Newhart made several movie appearances before returning to the small screen. From 1972 to 1978 he starred in “The Bob Newhart Show,” inserting his established character into the role of a Chicago-based psychiatrist. Ably assisted by a stellar supporting cast including Suzanne Pleshette as his wife, despite the show’s place in television history as one of the all-time classic comedies it never won an Emmy, with Newhart never even being nominated.

Newhart’s next foray into situation comedy came in 1982 with the simply titled “Newhart.” He played the owner of a Vermont inn, again portraying a man remaining calm despite the insanity surrounding him. You can instantly identify one of the show’s fans by uttering the phrase, “Hi, I’m Larry,” and getting the immediate response, “This is my brother Darryl and this is my other brother Darryl.” The show featured one of the most clever endings in TV history, with Newhart waking up next to Pleshette and commenting on the dream he’d just had about owning an inn in Vermont.

Newhart offstage was much like his onstage character, unaffected and serene. He and his wife Virginia married in 1963 and were together until her death in 2023. The couple had four children and 10 grandchildren.

Newhart was a comedic revelation. Emerging at a time when comics such as Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl were pushing the boundaries, he chose a gentler path by placing himself as the hurricane’s eye. The comedian was surrounded by absurd characters of his own creation, often not even giving them voice but encouraging the audience to imagine what was being said based on Newhart’s response.

When he desired, he could and did skewer the pompous of his day.

However, Newhart seldom hit people over the head. By subtly pointing out societal absurdities, he got his message across with neither bludgeon nor bullhorn. Newhart helped his audience see reality by creating the plausible yet not altogether real, letting his fans sift through the material to determine the difference between believable and fantastic.

Newhart once said regarding “The Bob Newhart Show”:

“For 12 years I’d been on the road doing stand-up, mostly one-night shows where the next day you’re off somewhere 5,300 miles away. I wanted a normal life where I could be home with my family.

“I didn’t have a lot of demands. I just didn’t want the show to be where dad’s a dolt that everyone loves, who gets himself into a pickle and then the wife and kids huddle together to get him out of it.”

He got his wish, and we were all the better for it.

Godspeed, Bob Newhart.