Bob Newhart Reflects on 'The Bob Newhart Show,' Sitcoms in General and Becoming a Psychologist

The event at the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of TV & Radio) was billed as a tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show," which had its CBS premiere 35 years ago. But, for those who packed every seat of the center's auditorium, it was also a lovefest for Newhart, who sat onstage with cast members Suzanne Pleshette, Bill Daily, Marcia Wallace and Jack Riley. Not present was Peter Bonerz, who played dentist Jerry Robinson (top right), then turned to directing sitcoms.

Dick Martin, legendary co-host of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh In," was seated with them. He directed a number of "The Bob Newhart Show" episodes. Seated in the front row (and uncharacteristically quiet) was insult comic Don Rickles, one of Newhart's closest friends.

Answering a question from Pat Mitchell, Paley Center president, Newhart said his job on TV was derived from his comedy style. In his most famous routines, he's on one end of a phone conversation. People saw him as a listener, so they decided to make Bob Hartley a psychologist or a psychiatrist. If he was a psychiatrist, writers would have to come up with jokes about schizophrenia and other psychoses. There was more comic potential writing about the benign nuttiness seen by psychologists.

Cast members enjoyed the conversation so much that there was little time for audience questions. Elizabeth Guider, new editor of The Hollywood Reporter, got in one about the state of TV sitcoms. Why are there so few of them and why do so many fare poorly?

Newhart answered with no hesitation. There are about as many great comedy writers now as there were then but they are spread thin by the programming needs of dozens of channels. The increase in original programs on cable diluted the overall quality of writing, he said, just as baseball was diluted by expansion.

Posted by Barry Garron