Bob Newhart | Born 1929

Bob Newhart had no intention of becoming famous. After serving in Korea, the Chicago native worked as an accountant before working as a copywriter. Newhart began to create his act, recording bizarre telephone conversations with a coworker and sending them to radio stations as comedy audition tapes. Those wacky office recordings launched an incredibly successful career for Newhart. He swiftly landed a record deal and produced a string of top-selling comedy albums throughout the 1960s.

Newhart’s onstage presence had something distinctive, leading to a TV offer. It served as the basis for his debut credit, The Bob Newhart Show. It premiered in 1972 and continued for six seasons. It did not take a while for him to cement his place among America’s most beloved comedians.