Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Today is Bob Newhart's birthday. Known best as a TV legend owing largely to his runs on both "The Bob Newhart Show" (which ran for almost the entire 1970s) and "Newhart" (which ran for almost the entire 1980s), Newhart started out as a comedian on the radio and soon after on record. These records were top sellers, even outselling Elvis, and many of the routines on them became classics.

His ability to incorporate his classic routines into the episodes of his television programs earned him legions of fans and served as a model for later comedians attempting to move from stand-up into television (though their mileage varies). One of his seldom followed lessons was to put his own ego aside and surround himself with a supporting cast that allowed him to be put into situations where his subtle humor worked at its best.

So Happy Birthday Bob Newhart.