American comedian Bob Newhart dead at 94, publicist says

American stand-up comedy legend Bob Newhart, whose deadpan delivery style earned him numerous awards, has died at the age of 94.

The star of TV series The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart passed away at home after a series of short illnesses, his publicist said in a statement provided to the BBC on Thursday.

Newhart became a stand-up comic after starting his career as an accountant in Chicago. He went on to guest-host Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show 87 times.

More recently, he starred in classic Christmas film Elf and The Big Bang Theory.

The son of a plumber in a suburb of Chicago, Newhart graduated with a business degree from Loyola University in 1952.

He served in the Army for two years during the Korean War then enrolled in a graduate law school before dropping out.

He and a friend began recording improvised comedy routines shortly after. In 1959, he was discovered by a local DJ who recommended him to the newly formed Warner Bros Records.

His live recording from a Houston comedy club, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, went on to become the first comedy album to top the charts.

Seven more albums were released after that, with millions of copies sold.

His longtime publicist, Jerry Digney, wrote in a statement announcing his death that Newhart began his career “toiling in Chicago as an accountant by day and moonlighting at night as a comedy performer and writer”.

Newhart was known as a pioneer of stand-up routines involving long stories, with a series of funny statements throughout, rather than one single punchline joke at the end.

“There was a (comedy) sea change taking place,” he said, according to his publicist.

Newhart separated himself from other comedians of his generation with his modern outlook and observational delivery, never raising his voice and almost stammering at times.

When he took to the stage for stand-up, his only prop was a telephone, which he used to pretend to hold a conversation with someone on the other end of the line.

Newhart, who loved an audience, never really retired, and was still a fixture on Hollywood sets and stages through his 80s.

Comedy film director Judd Apatow was among those paying tribute on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Bob Newhart was the kindest most hilarious man," he posted, adding: "His brilliant comedy and gentle spirit made everyone he encountered so happy."

Actress Kaley Cuoco, who worked with Newhart on The Big Bang Theory, posted on Instagram: “What a dream it was to witness the genius that was Bob Newhart.

"He was classy, kind, generous and absolutely hilarious."

Director and actor Paul Feig posted on X: "A brilliant standup & comedic actor, he was truly one of a kind.”

“God, he was funny! Bob Newhart. You will be missed!” actress Jamie Lee Curtis posted on Instagram.

Newhart is survived by his four children and numerous grandchildren.

His wife of 60 years, Virginia “Ginnie” Newhart, passed away in 2023.