Bob Newhart

Bob Newhart went from being an accountant to having the first number 1 album (in the US) by a comedian, the sales of the 1960 released record helped to save the then struggling Warner Brothers Records. The album also reached number 2 in the UK. He is the only comedian to win "Best New Artist" at the Grammy awards.
He will probably remain best known for his solo sketches, notably "Introducing Tobacco To Civilization" and "The Driving Instructor'". The similarities between these and the British comedian Al Read may not be coincidental. In his autobiography, "It's All In The Book" the British radio comedian mentions that on a trip to the US, he was introduced to Newhart and performed his "Bus Driver" routine for him, which became the framework for his own sketch of the same name. He also claimed that 'The Driving Instructor' was an Americanized version of his 'Teaching The Wife to Drive' sketch.
Whatever the origins, these and other sketches have been loved and listened to by millions and remain classic pieces of comedy.
Newhart was born George Robert Newhart on September 5th 1929, he has had fairly regular guest and starring appearances on TV since 1960. The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart ran for more than 300 episodes between them, the first between 1972 and 1978, the latter 1982-1990.
He is a talk show afficionado having been a guest on pretty much every US talk show and was a regular stand-in host on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.


Newhart also made regular appearances on the long running Dean Martin Show, here playing Dean's wife!