---
name: "Bob Newhart"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/bob-newhart"
fi1m_id: "bob-newhart"
imdb_id: "nm0627878"
tmdb_id: 64930
wikidata_id: "Q718078"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "5 September 1929"
died: "18 July 2024"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-05T03:15:32.572421+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Bob Newhart

## Identity

Bob Newhart

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/bob-newhart
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** bob-newhart
- **IMDb ID:** nm0627878
- **TMDB ID:** 64930
- **Wikidata ID:** Q718078
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Newhart, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q718078, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0627878/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/64930

Actor. Born 5 September 1929 in Oak Park, Illinois, USA. Died 18 July 2024.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 5 September 1929, Oak Park, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 18 July 2024
- **Active:** 1989–2003
- **Also known as:** باب نیوهارت
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 88 (1), 2000s 75 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Newhart, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q718078, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0627878/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/64930

## Fi1m on Bob Newhart

> Bob Newhart made comedy from the time it takes a polite man to decide what to say. We value his patience and precision, though weak writing could leave him repeating familiar bewilderment.

As Papa Elf in Jon Favreau’s *Elf* (2003), Bob Newhart seems in no hurry to persuade us that Christmas is wonderful. He gives the framing scenes a quiet, matter-of-fact delivery, useful in a film whose sweetness can become insistent. We relaxed in his company because he allowed a little space around the sentiment. Will Ferrell’s sincerity does most of the work of making the thin story enjoyable, but Newhart offers a gentler way into it. We wanted more room for him, and for a supporting cast the writing gives too little to do.

The one-sided telephone routines of *The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart* (1960) made the audience supply half the conversation. His stammer delays the reply; a blink or a furrowed brow can do the job of another line. There is enough hesitation to suggest a man trying to remain civil, and enough precision to keep the joke moving. In *The Bob Newhart Show* (1972–78), psychologist Bob Hartley gave that mild exasperation a regular setting. The eccentric people around him provided ample cause for it.

The move to *Newhart* (1982–90) made him innkeeper Dick Loudon, still faced with people whose behaviour required a patient response. His voice work as Bernard in *The Rescuers* (1977) carried the same deadpan manner into animation. These parts ask for variations on a recognisable comic personality, which works until the writing starts relying on recognition alone. The later sitcom *Bob* (1992–93) was less successful, and in ordinary material his mild bewilderment can become predictable.

In *Elf*, that familiar manner helps Newhart make an impression with limited room. Favreau benefits from the contrast between Ferrell’s physical comedy and Newhart’s minimal movement, but the script presses its Christmas warmth harder than it needs to. Newhart cannot repair the thin story, and we would not recommend the film on his contribution alone. Watch it for Ferrell, with Papa Elf as a quiet pleasure; try *The Bob Newhart Show* if Newhart’s pauses are what make you laugh.

## Biography

Bob Newhart was an American comedian and actor. Born George Robert Newhart in Oak Park, Illinois, he studied business management at Loyola University Chicago before working as an accountant and turning to stand-up comedy in the late 1950s.

He rose to prominence with his 1960 comedy album *The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart*, which reached number one on the Billboard charts. Newhart starred in the sitcoms *The Bob Newhart Show* (1972–1978) and *Newhart* (1982–1990), and provided the voice of Bernard in the Disney films *The Rescuers* (1977) and *The Rescuers Down Under* (1990).

His later screen roles included Papa Elf in *Elf* (2003) and Professor Proton in *The Big Bang Theory* (2013–2018) and *Young Sheldon* (2017–2020). He died in Los Angeles on 18 July 2024.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Elf* (2003), Fi1m 75, as Papa Elf — [page](https://film.one/film/elf.md)
- *The Simpsons* (1989), Fi1m 88, as Bob Newhart (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)

## Complete filmography (50)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Once Upon a Studio* (2023), as Bernard (voice) (archive sound)
- *Young Sheldon* (2017), series, as Professor Proton
- *The Librarians* (2014), series, as Judson
- *Five* (2011), as Dr. Roth
- *Horrible Bosses* (2011), as Lou Sherman
- *Hot in Cleveland* (2010), series, as Bob Sr.
- *The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice* (2008), as Judson
- *The Big Bang Theory* (2007), series, as Arthur Jeffries — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-big-bang-theory.md)
- *The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines* (2006), as Judson
- *Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg* (2005), series, Actor
- *Bob Newhart: Unbuttoned* (2005), Actor
- *Committed* (2005), series, as Blinky
- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), series, as Morty Flickman — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)
- *The Librarian: Quest for the Spear* (2004), as Judson
- *Elf* (2003), as Papa Elf — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/elf.md)
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as Walter Magnus — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md)
- *Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde* (2003), as Sid Post
- *The Sports Pages* (2001), as Doc Waddems
- *Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie* (1998), as Leonard (voice)
- *George & Leo* (1997), series, as George Stoody
- *In & Out* (1997), as Tom Halliwell
- *ER* (1994), series, as Ben Hollander — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Bob* (1992), series, as Bob McKay
- *Bob Newhart: Off the Record* (1992), Writer
- *The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary Special* (1991), as Bob Hartley
- *The Entertainers* (1991), as Todd Wilson
- *The Rescuers Down Under* (1990), as Bernard (voice)
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Bob Newhart (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Murphy Brown* (1988), series, as Dr. Bob Hartley — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/murphy-brown.md)
- *Come Fly with Disney* (1986), as Bernard (voice)
- *Newhart* (1982), series, as Dick Loudon
- *First Family* (1980), as President Manfred Link
- *Little Miss Marker* (1980), as Regret
- *Marathon* (1980), as Walter Burton
- *The Rescuers* (1977), as Bernard (voice)
- *Disney's Greatest Villains* (1977), as Bernard (voice) (archive footage)
- *Bob Hope's World of Comedy* (1976), as (archive footage)
- *Thursday's Game* (1974), as Marvin Ellison
- *The Bob Newhart Show* (1972), series, as Robert Hartley
- *The Don Rickles Show* (1972), series, as Brother-in-law
- *Decisions! Decisions!* (1971), as John Hobson
- *Cold Turkey* (1971), as Merwin Wren
- *Catch-22* (1970), as Maj. Major Major
- *On a Clear Day You Can See Forever* (1970), as Dr. Mason Hume
- *Playboy After Dark* (1969), series, Actor
- *Hot Millions* (1968), as Willard C. Gnatpole
- *Captain Nice* (1967), series, as Lloyd Larchmont
- *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as Gerald Swinney
- *Hell Is for Heroes* (1962), as Pvt. James E. Driscoll
- *The Bob Newhart Show* (1961), series, Writer

## Gallery

- ![Bob Newhart](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-83a6fe3e3bd6.jpg) Bob Newhart — Jim Wallace (Smithsonian Institution), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Comedian_Bob_Newhart.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Bob Newhart - 39th Emmy Awards - rehearsal. (1987)](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-2a323e7da42c.jpg) Bob Newhart - 39th Emmy Awards - rehearsal. (1987) — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Bob_Newhart.jpg/1280px-Bob_Newhart.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Bob Newhart (1987)](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-95cf209bd61d.jpg) Bob Newhart (1987) — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Bob_Newhart_crop.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jim Conkling (left) with Bob Newhart after signing him to Warner Label (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-17c90b6ff859.jpg) Jim Conkling (left) with Bob Newhart after signing him to Warner Label (2014) — Chrisconkling, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Conkling_and_Bob_Newhart.jpg/1280px-Conkling_and_Bob_Newhart.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Bob Newhart](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-0ca84a723222.jpg) Bob Newhart — Image via TMDB
- ![Bob Newhart](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-6b8e5695d329.jpg) Bob Newhart — Image via TMDB
- ![Bob Newhart](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-b63417c74163.jpg) Bob Newhart — Image via TMDB
- ![Bob Newhart](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-df1c97c9e10d.jpg) Bob Newhart — Image via TMDB
- ![Bob Newhart](https://film.one/media/person/390939/gallery-08706c09f08f.jpg) Bob Newhart — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 2013: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (won), for *The Big Bang Theory*

### Other awards — 2 won

- Mark Twain Prize for American Humor 2002: Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (won)
- Grammy Award for Best New Artist 1961: Grammy Award for Best New Artist (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/bob-newhart