1929-2024

July 18, 2024 1:25 PM

bye bob
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements (141 comments total)

No!!!

Here's maybe my favorite thing of his, from MadTV of all places.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:27 PM on July 18 [14 favorites]

[have asked mods to fix the typo on the dates, sorry everyone, the committee for bombastic pronouncements on metafilter (lowercase) is investigating the source of and reasons for this error and assure you that this failure to provide the high-quality bombastic lowercase obituary you deserve will not be repeated also could you remove this comment too?]
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 1:27 PM on July 18 [13 favorites]

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posted by Silvery Fish at 1:27 PM on July 18

"Y'see, Walt... I think you're gonna have rather a tough time selling people on sticking burning leaves in their mouths..."

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posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:30 PM on July 18 [4 favorites]

My dude lived a long, phenomenal life, and sounds like he went out peacefully. Good on him. Always one of my favorites.
posted by slogger at 1:30 PM on July 18 [13 favorites]

. I'm glad Newhart got in a hundred years on the planet. He's made my years funnierhappier .
posted by kozad at 1:31 PM on July 18 [4 favorites]

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posted by Faint of Butt at 1:31 PM on July 18

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posted by socialjusticeworrier at 1:32 PM on July 18

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Always great, no matter what.
posted by tommasz at 1:33 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

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posted by dlugoczaj at 1:33 PM on July 18

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posted by Atom Eyes at 1:34 PM on July 18

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posted by beaning at 1:34 PM on July 18

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posted by Sreiny at 1:34 PM on July 18

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posted by Thorzdad at 1:34 PM on July 18

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posted by MorgansAmoebas at 1:35 PM on July 18

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posted by pattern juggler at 1:35 PM on July 18

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posted by tuesdayschild at 1:37 PM on July 18

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posted by 41swans at 1:37 PM on July 18

No
posted by PussKillian at 1:39 PM on July 18

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posted by photo guy at 1:39 PM on July 18

📞
posted by fedward at 1:39 PM on July 18 [6 favorites]

I just was here waiting for a different funeral to start, but even though I started my career before his, I never learned anything directly from him, still, I think, in a way, in a very meaningful way, that, uh, that, all of us, have, uh, have learned from him, by being a clown on television for so many years, even though for many of us, we didn't watch his show.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:42 PM on July 18 [19 favorites]

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posted by Smart Dalek at 1:43 PM on July 18

The funniest blooper I have ever seen. Bye, Bob.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 1:43 PM on July 18 [9 favorites]

And they said, ‘Okay, okay, we’ll give you a recording contract, and we’ll record your next nightclub.’ And I said, ‘Well, we have kind of problem there – I’ve never played a nightclub.’ So they said, ‘Well, we’ll have to get you into a nightclub.’”

And so, as Bob Newhart performed his material in front of a live audience for the very first time, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart came to be.

Well, pretty much. The first recording was unusable because Newhart was audibly nervous throughout the entire performance. The second night, a drunk woman in the audience kept yelling, “That’s a bunch of crap!” ruining that recording. The third night, though— that was the winner.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 1:44 PM on July 18 [10 favorites]

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posted by St. Hubbins at 1:45 PM on July 18

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not enough dots for Bob Newhart. Thanks for all the laughs, man.
posted by Chuffy at 1:45 PM on July 18 [4 favorites]

And he got to see the Cubs win the World Series before he passed.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:45 PM on July 18 [10 favorites]

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posted by Rash at 1:46 PM on July 18

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posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 1:47 PM on July 18

More moo goo.
posted by downtohisturtles at 1:49 PM on July 18

About now he's waking up in Heaven next to Suzanne Pleshette and saying "I just had the strangest dream..."
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:51 PM on July 18 [49 favorites]

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posted by mds35 at 1:52 PM on July 18

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posted by mochapickle at 1:54 PM on July 18

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posted by dannyboybell at 2:02 PM on July 18

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posted by lapolla at 2:02 PM on July 18

truly a great. I loved newhart on broadcast TV back in the dark ages.

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posted by j_curiouser at 2:04 PM on July 18

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posted by LovelyAngel at 2:05 PM on July 18

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posted by Pouteria at 2:06 PM on July 18

Aw, man. I just got off the phone with my dad, whose name is Bob, about this. My dad looks, sounds, and acts like Bob Newhart: when I was a kid, we used to watch his original sitcom together. My dad will be 96 in a month or so: he's like I've outlived two groups of friends and now Bob.
posted by outgrown_hobnail at 2:07 PM on July 18 [12 favorites]

For some reason this one hits hard despite his age.

Rest well, Bob.
posted by terrapin at 2:07 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

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posted by General Malaise at 2:07 PM on July 18

A . for Bob from me, and one . from my brother Darryl, and another . from my other brother Darryl.

A darn funny guy. Miss ya Bob.
posted by Saxon Kane at 2:08 PM on July 18 [13 favorites]

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posted by blendor at 2:08 PM on July 18

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posted by djseafood at 2:10 PM on July 18

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Too much of my childhood in the 70s was spent replaying my mom's copy of the Best Of album.
"Driving Instructor" and "King Kong" and "Cruise of the USS Codfish" and "Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company" formed my humor and timing, and more importantly gave me glimpses into adult life that I was able to use years later.
Mom and I still will work "We're gonna do a little alley driving. This is something the other schools don't do..." when we are in a car together.
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 2:10 PM on July 18 [7 favorites]

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posted by Farce_First at 2:14 PM on July 18

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posted by sammyo at 2:14 PM on July 18

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posted by mcdoublewide at 2:16 PM on July 18

Here's maybe my favorite thing of his, from MadTV of all places.

I was gonna say now he doesn't have to worry about being buried alive in a box.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 2:16 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

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posted by gentlyepigrams at 2:16 PM on July 18

Waking up in a better place from a dream about running a hotel in Vermont.

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posted by ocschwar at 2:20 PM on July 18 [2 favorites]

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posted by SunSnork at 2:20 PM on July 18

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posted by retronic at 2:22 PM on July 18

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posted by humbug at 2:22 PM on July 18

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posted by mmoncur at 2:23 PM on July 18

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posted by bryon at 2:24 PM on July 18

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posted by idb at 2:24 PM on July 18

And his only Emmy was for his guest appearances on Big Bang Theory.

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posted by Melismata at 2:25 PM on July 18 [2 favorites]

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He was GREAT as Mr. Bernard in The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under.
posted by luckynerd at 2:26 PM on July 18 [12 favorites]

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posted by robbyrobs at 2:40 PM on July 18

A darn funny guy. Miss ya Bob.

What he said. Also, for the record...

outgrown_bobnail
posted by y2karl at 2:40 PM on July 18

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posted by kabong the wiser at 2:43 PM on July 18

My favourite Bob Newhart moment is a dimly recollected memory from a late-night chat show.

The interviewer asked Bob if he had a new TV show in the works. Bob said no, but if offered one, he already had a title for it. He explained, "My first show was called 'The Bob Newhart Show'. My second show was called 'Newhart'. The third show was 'Bob'. So if there's a fourth show, I'm, going to call it..." and then he just stared at the interviewer in silence.

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posted by BitterOldPunk at 2:44 PM on July 18 [32 favorites]

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posted by maryellenreads at 2:47 PM on July 18

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posted by mikelieman at 2:50 PM on July 18

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posted by May Kasahara at 2:54 PM on July 18

Might have to watch Elf even though it’s out of season. Thank you for the joy, Bob.
posted by FallibleHuman at 2:56 PM on July 18

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posted by swift at 2:59 PM on July 18

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posted by buffalo at 2:59 PM on July 18

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posted by Pedantzilla at 3:02 PM on July 18

Oh, no. He had such timing, wasn't mean. Very funny doing standup or on late shows, but his tv shows were so good, too. Brilliant guy, we were lucky to have him.

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posted by theora55 at 3:03 PM on July 18 [2 favorites]

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posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 3:04 PM on July 18

To date, he is the only comedian to get a Best New Artist Grammy.

He may not have been edgy, but his deadpan comedy masterpiece about 1960s ad men advising Lincoln on the Gettysburg Address is way more modern than mother-in-law jokes & similar lame comedy material from that era.

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posted by jonp72 at 3:05 PM on July 18 [4 favorites]

Newhart's favorite comic was Richard Pryor, and Bob appears in the 2013 documentary, "Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic." Pryor himself was a Newhart fan. After Newhart presented Pryor with a comedy award, they were off-camera and Pryor volunteered that as a kid, he'd stolen Newhart's album (shoplifting "The Button-Down Mind" from a record shop in Peoria.) Thrilled, Bob deadpanned, "Richard... I get a quarter royalty on every album." (Pryor gave him a quarter.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:08 PM on July 18 [33 favorites]

94!

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posted by niicholas at 3:10 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

FWIW, Bob, I didn't think any of Wally's ideas were gonna take off either.
So long and thanks for all the laughs.
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posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 3:15 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

Knew it was inevitable, but still a sad one.

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posted by Sphinx at 3:17 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

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posted by evilDoug at 3:25 PM on July 18

🌑
posted by clavdivs at 3:35 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

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posted by limeonaire at 3:39 PM on July 18

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posted by HearHere at 3:42 PM on July 18

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posted by bunderful at 3:47 PM on July 18

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posted by dogstoevski at 3:48 PM on July 18

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posted by weft at 3:51 PM on July 18

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posted by kinnakeet at 3:54 PM on July 18

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posted by pt68 at 3:55 PM on July 18

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posted by Jarcat at 3:56 PM on July 18

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posted by condour75 at 4:06 PM on July 18

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posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:09 PM on July 18

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posted by queensissy at 4:11 PM on July 18

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posted by ejrb at 4:11 PM on July 18

He was so well cast as Major Major in Catch 22.
posted by ovvl at 4:12 PM on July 18 [4 favorites]

G'nite, Bob...

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posted by jim in austin at 4:13 PM on July 18

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posted by Mitheral at 4:14 PM on July 18

I shouldn't even be doing this...

I saw a Newhart clip that I think was comissioned by IBM. They showed it sat my IBM Basic Training class.
Bob plays a guy working for the Acme Product Company, on the phone with Herman Hollerith, who has invented a punched-card accounting system. (H.H. in IBM is almost mythical- the originator)
Of course, Bob is skeptical.
Very nerdy, and probably too long unless you're as into punch cards as I am.
posted by MtDewd at 4:15 PM on July 18 [11 favorites]

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posted by joannemerriam at 4:18 PM on July 18

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posted by JoeXIII007 at 4:20 PM on July 18

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posted by dr_dank at 4:27 PM on July 18

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posted by blob at 4:30 PM on July 18

Got to see him perform live a few years ago, and he was still as funny as ever in his late 80s. Thanks, Bob.

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posted by briank at 4:32 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

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posted by UltraMorgnus at 4:45 PM on July 18

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posted by Don.Kinsayder at 4:46 PM on July 18

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posted by lalochezia at 4:48 PM on July 18

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posted by jaruwaan at 5:00 PM on July 18

I hope he's somewhere chuckling and watching his BFF Don Rickles make fun of a deity
posted by not_on_display at 5:07 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

Not a dot, but me listening carefully to an imaginary phone and the dot on the other end of the line and trying to explain something to it patiently, with rising levels of bewilderment.
posted by Shepherd at 5:28 PM on July 18 [6 favorites]

I loved The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart and his album as a kid. He always kind of reminded me of my dad - same kind of round head, dark hair, old fashioned-ish formality, and of course a very silly but deadpan sense of humour. I mentioned this to my dad a few years ago as we were relistening to his album and my dad admitted he had modeled himself on Bob Newhart when he was younger. So thanks Bob for providing so many laughs and for being a role model for some awkward kids.

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posted by hydrobatidae at 5:29 PM on July 18 [5 favorites]

I wish I could remember where I read this (probably over here somewhere) but I saw something once explaining the brilliance of the "phone bit," that basically Bob Newhart had found a way to play the straight-man part of a comedy duo as a solo act.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:52 PM on July 18 [15 favorites]

Oh, he's honestly the funniest ever. This makes me sad....but we still have his recordings and can enjoy his genius for ever.

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posted by wenestvedt at 6:12 PM on July 18 [1 favorite]

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posted by cybrcamper at 6:18 PM on July 18

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posted by tzikeh at 6:19 PM on July 18

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posted by symbioid at 6:24 PM on July 18

The problem with Bob Newhart is that he made comedy look so easy, so natural. How many aspiring comics watched Newhart do a set and told themselves, "Hell, I could do that." And they were wrong. Only Newhart could do Newhart.
posted by SPrintF at 6:25 PM on July 18 [3 favorites]

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posted by JustSayNoDawg at 6:31 PM on July 18

I always appreciated that even though he didn’t like country music, he never meant to denigrate those who do.
posted by TedW at 6:52 PM on July 18 [3 favorites]

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MtDewd, I remember Bob Newhart videos from my IBM training days too, in the late 70s.

He and I share a birthdate, month/date, but not year. Now with Bob and Raquel Welch both gone, I need to find another celebrity to celebrate with.
posted by Archer25 at 6:53 PM on July 18 [2 favorites]

"Did you hear about Bob Newhart?"
"..."
"I mean, he was 94 so I think 'only the good die young' isn't quite appropriate here."
"..."
"No, he was not Bob I from Devo. He was one of the most important US comedians ever."
"..."
"Well, I would, but Newhart taught me you didn't have to end a bit on a killer punchline."
posted by HunterFelt at 7:01 PM on July 18 [3 favorites]

I love that about Bob and Richard Pryor.
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posted by Glinn at 7:17 PM on July 18 [2 favorites]

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posted by Token Meme at 7:22 PM on July 18

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posted by fimbulvetr at 8:13 PM on July 18

I really thought he died like 20 years ago. No disrespect. I've got the "button-down mind" and the "button-down mind strikes back" on vinyl. I grew up watching his show. RIP.
posted by lkc at 8:14 PM on July 18

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posted by Windopaene at 8:29 PM on July 18

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posted by adrienneleigh at 9:08 PM on July 18

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(I discovered his comedy listening to 2nd hand records growing up in Durban, South Africa. A kid rolling on the floor for his bus driver training I loved his dead pan understated humour)
posted by BrStekker at 11:05 PM on July 18 [2 favorites]

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posted by trip and a half at 3:18 AM on July 19

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posted by Samarium at 3:30 AM on July 19

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posted by james33 at 3:40 AM on July 19

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posted by Gelatin at 4:12 AM on July 19

A very funny man. RIP
posted by DJZouke at 5:17 AM on July 19

Aw. I love Bob.

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posted by grubi at 5:27 AM on July 19

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posted by Lesser Spotted Potoroo at 6:54 AM on July 19

Bob always reminded me of my (now 83 year old) father. My dad was more athletic, but he had the same bald spot, the dry reactions and even some of Bob's sharp/dry but kind wit. Dad's still doing fairly well, but he's declining. Sad for me to see Bob go, always loved Newhart's stuff and his '70s show sort of cemented in my mind what "adult life" was like. I thought it was cool to have a not-newlywed couple on TV that didn't have kids... I grew up in Chicago and thought it would be so amazing to live in a high rise on the lake.

These days I live about a 15 minute walk from the building that was used for exterior shots of Bob & Emily's place. It's still there facing the lake!

Love you, Bob. Emily too!
posted by SoberHighland at 7:13 AM on July 19 [5 favorites]

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posted by suetanvil at 7:14 AM on July 19 [1 favorite]

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posted by filtergik at 9:03 AM on July 19

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posted by widdershins at 9:37 AM on July 19

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posted by kathrynm at 11:27 AM on July 19

the spirit of bob newhart is now traveling back in time to provide the other side of the conversation in all those hilarious phone calls. bob was talking to his future dead self the whole time
posted by slappy_pinchbottom at 12:22 PM on July 19 [5 favorites]

I've been a Newhart fan for....ever. There was just something endearing about him. What a long and interesting life! RIP sir, and thank you for all the smiles.


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posted by annieb at 6:20 PM on July 19 [1 favorite]

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I believe the last thing I saw him in was The Librarians Quest for the Spear. He had me rolling! Thanks for the laughs, Mr. Newhart.
posted by wiskunde at 3:34 PM on July 20

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posted by detachd at 7:48 PM on July 21