A master in the art of understatement, Bob Newhart began his stand-up career with routines that simulated a phone conversation, with the audience only able to hear Bob's side. In 1960, he released "The Buttoned-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," the first comedy album to reach the top of the LP charts. Newhart's popularity in nightclubs and at college skyrocketed, propelling him to his first TV series, a variety show entitled "The Bob Newhart Show."

Newhart's career continued into two sitcoms, "The Bob Newhart Show"(sharing the same name as his previous variety effort) and simply, "Newhart." Both featured Bob as a sole voice of sanity among a wilderness of lunacy. Newhart's low-key style was able to reduce audiences with laughter on both with a simple raised eyebrow or quiet double-take. And in an especially entertaining trick, the final episode of "Newhart" has a reveal that ties both shows together.