Bob Newhart, Beloved Comedian, Actor and Newhart Star, Dies at 94

The comedian, best known for his deadpan humor, died at his Los Angeles home on July 18, following a series of short illnesses

Bob Newhart, the award-winning comedian and actor, has died. He was 94.

Newhart’s publicist Jerry Digney announced in a press release obtained by PEOPLE that the actor died at his Los Angeles home on Thursday, July 18, following a series of short illnesses.

With more than six decades in show business, the beloved entertainer was most remembered for his roles in the CBS series The Bob Newhart Show, which ran from 1972 to 1978, and Newhart, which ran from 1982 to 1990.

Born George Robert Newhart on Sept. 5, 1929 in Oak Park, Illinois, the comedian attended Loyola University and served in the Army before working as an accountant. But after deciding to take a shot at comedy in Chicago during the late ’50s, Newhart became an overnight success.

In 1959, Newhart made history with the release of The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart. The debut comedy album became the first comedy record to hit no. 1 on the Billboard album chart, leading to Newhart’s two Grammy Awards for album of the year and best new artist.

“In 1959, I gave myself a year to make it in comedy; it was back to accounting if comedy didn’t work out,” he once said, per his obituary shared by Digney.

DARREN MICHAELS/WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

The success of his comedy album led him to begin a 12-year career in stand up before landing six seasons of The Bob Newhart Show. The show later earned Newhart multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. In the following years, the star also headlined Newhart from 1982 to 1990 and George and Leo from 1997 1998 before stealing scenes in films including Legally Blonde 2 and Elf.

Newhart received seven Emmys nominations, beginning with a 1962 nod for writing The Bob Newhart Show during the early phase of his career, including acting nominations for Newhart. He won his first Emmy in 2013 for his recurring guest role on The Big Bang Theory, netting two more nods in 2014 and 2016. His guest actor work on ER and the TNT movie The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice also earned him the Emmys’ recognition.

In November 2020, the actor opened up about his illustrious career and his long-lasting impact saying, “I have a theory that when it’s all over … and you go up — [if] I’ve been led to believe to heaven — and there’s a God and he says, ‘What did you do?’ [And] I say, ‘I made people laugh,’ [He will say,] ‘Yeah, get in that real short line over there.'”

“Comedy has given me a wonderful life. When I first started out in stand-up, I just remember the sound of laughter,” he once said, per his obituary. “It’s one of the great sounds of the world.”

His death comes after his wife Ginnie, whom he wed in 1963, died in April 2023. At the time, Newhart’s publicist confirmed to PEOPLE that she died “after a long illness.”

Newhart is survived by their four children, sons Robert and Timothy, and daughters Jennifer and Courtney, as well as 10 grandchildren.