REMEMBRANCES OF ENTERTAINMENT FIGURES WHO HAVE PASSED.
BOB NEWHART
(1929 - 2024)
The "Button-Down Mind" has been silenced.
Comedian and Actor Bob Newhart, noted for his deadpan delivery, has passed away at the age of 94.
Born on Sept 25, 1929 in Oak Park, Illinois, graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Business Management degree and was drafted into the Army where he served until 1954.
After several aborted attempts at a Business job, Newhart landed as an advertising copywriter for Fred A. Niles, a major independent film and television producer in Chicago.
At was there where he and a co-worker would entertain each other with long phone calls about absurd situations - a routine that would become his staple when his comedy album THE BUTTONED DOWN MIND OF BOB NEWHART became the first comedy album to become #1 on the Billboard charts. It would go on to win two Grammy Awards, Album of the Year and Best New Artist.
And, thus, a comedy legend was born.
Newhart would be a staple on Variety shows such as The Dean Martin Show, The Judy Garland Show, The Ed Sullivan show and the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour as well as appearing in films such as the WWII flick HELL IS FOR HEROES (where he does his phone bit to confuse the Germans), CATCH-22 and COLD TURKEY.
Soon after his appearance on the Smothers Brothers Show, Newhart would star in his own hit sitcom THE BOB NEWHART SHOW about Chicago psychologist Bob Hartley and his wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). This show would run from 1972-1978, but would be passed over for Emmy's in favor of the "splashier" ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW and M*A*S*H.
Newhart would voice the character of Bernard in the 1977 Disney Animated Film THE RESCUERS and would reprise his role in the 1990 Disney Animated Film THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER.
In 1982, Newhart would return to situation comedy television. starring in NEWHART where he would play an innkeeper in a small town in Vermont. Bob would be nominated for 3 Emmy's for Lead Actor in a Situation Comedy, but would not win. Famously, this sitcom's final scene is widely regarded as the best final scene in televsion series in history as Bob is knocked unconscious and wakes up in bed with Suzanne Pleschette.
After his 2nd hit sitcom ended, Newhart would pop up in character roles in such films as ELF, IN & OUT and HORRIBLE BOSSES,would reprise his role as Dr. Robert Hartley in an episode of MURPHY BROWN and would take a dramatic turn in a 2003 arc on the hit televsion series ER.
He also would become, "Bob Newhart, Action Star" in the comedy/adventure film THE LIBRARIAN: RETURN TO KING SOLOMON'S MINES as well as the sequel THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE in 2006 and 2008.
In 2013, Newhart would appeared in an Episode of the 6th Season of the BIG BANG THEORY for which he would win his only Primetime Emmy.
He would reprise this role 5 more times in BIG BANG THEORY as well as 3 Episodes of the prequel series YOUNG SHELDON (which would turn out to be his last film appearance).
Newhart would remain a working stand-up comedian well into his '90's. I saw him perform his routine live at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis a few years ago - and he still had his fastball.
Thank you, Mr. Newhart, for your years of sophisticated entertainment.
You may hang up the phone now.
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Keye Luke
1934-1991
A native of Guangzhou, China, Keye Luke was the first Chinese-American actor signed by RKO, Universal and MGM and was the most prominent Chinese actor working in his day.
Before becoming an actor, he was an artist and worked on several of the murals inside Grauman's Chinese Theatre and also worked on some of the original artwork for the pressbook of the original King Kong (1933).
In 1935, Luke was cast as Charlie Chan's #1 Son in CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS - a role he would play 9 times. He appeared as the Elder Son in the Oscar winning THE GOOD EARTH and was Kato in the GREEN HORNET serials in the 1940s.
In the 1950s, Luke had a featured Broadway role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Flower Drum Song, directed by Gene Kelly in 1958
TV audiences would know Luke as Master PO in KUNG FU in the 1970's and also appeared in the GREMLINS movies in the 1980's as the mysterious
He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Asian/Pacific American Artists and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Luke passed from a stroke on January 12, 1991 at the age of 86.
JOSEPH CAMPANELLA
November 1, 1924 - May 16, 2018
Veteran character actor who appeared in more than 200 TV and film roles over his 50 year career.
Best known for appearing across 5 seasons of the Detective Show MANNIX, Campanella was also featured in ONE DAY AT A TIME as well as MARCUS WELBY and THE COLBY'S.
