Bob Newhart, an Emmy winner and nine-time nominee who helped launch the recorded comedy craze with two smash stand-up albums before starring in the beloved TV shows The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, died today at his home in Los Angeles. He was 94.
Bob Newhart, Beloved Icon of Comedy Humor, Dies at 94
According to Jerry Digney, his longtime publicist, Newhart died after a series of short illnesses.
Newhart broke through in 1960 with a pair of No. 1 comedy albums — despite never having done stand-up before. The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart topped the Billboard 200 for 14 weeks and remained there for more than two years. The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! came out about 10 months later and also reached No. 1. The former won Grammys for Album of the Year, Comedy Album of the Year, and Best New Artist, and featured a slowly spoken, still-quoted monologue with Newhart as Abe Lincoln.
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