Comedian Bob Newhart has died. He was 94. Newhart headlined two of the most successful television sitcoms, “The Bob Newhart Show“ and “Newhart.”
The soft-spoken, conversational comedian gained fame in the 1960’s with his stammering style one-sided phone calls featured on his album “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart.” He was a frequent guest on his friend Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show,” often filling in as guest host. The two comedy giants lived in Malibu and famously loved playing pranks on each other. His other great friend Don Rickles was a Malibu neighbor.
In 2002 the comedian received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Newhart gained a new following in recent years with
appearances on the hit show “The Big Bang Theory.”
Newhart’s one-time Malibu home sold for $6.5 million in 1997 to Edgar Bronfman Jr. of Universal. Newhart bought the house from Robert Redford in 1985. The three bedroom beachfront home had 3,500 square feet.
Newhart was living in Bel Air at the time of his death.