Bob Newhart

American actor, comedian, recording artist, and TV series star, known for his deadpan double-takes and cautious stammer, a master of the well-timed pause. He was the first comedian in history to break into fame through LP records, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back won a Grammy in 1961. A former accountant, he was called, "the man with the button-down mind." He received numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2002.

After The Bob Newhart Show in the '70s, Newhart in the '80s, and the short-lived Bob (1992-1993), the comedian paired with Judd Hirsch for the sitcom George and Leo (1997-1998).

Bob was the only son in an Irish family with three boisterous sisters. His dad, a heating contractor, provided a comfortable life-style for his family, and his mother and sisters doted on him. As it was a Catholic family, one of the girls became a nun. Bob's humour as a kid was dry and low-key; he was for the most part shy and introspective. Comedy became his way of looking at life.

After high school, Bob studied business at Loyola University and spent two years as a clerk in the army. He became an accountant, and to relieve the monotony of his work, took time off to have long, hilarious conversations with his friend Ed Gallagher on the phone. He and Ed became such a popular team at parties that everyone encouraged them to play a pro venue. After a brief try, Ed dropped out and Bob continued to do stand-up. One night in 1959, a Warner Bros. Record scout caught Bob's act, and it led to his first recording.

From 1963 he was married for six decades to Ginnie Quinn (died 2023), after meeting on a blind date in 1961. She called him "the most patient, caring man I've ever known." They had four kids, Rob, Tim, Jennifer and Courtney.