PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: BOB NEWHART'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN SHOW BUSINESS {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented by The Paley Center for Media’s Inside Media series. Held at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, this evening celebrates the 50th anniversary of comedian Bob Newhart’s start in show business. Craig Hitchcock (executive director, The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles) offers opening remarks before introducing the evenings’ moderator, Craig Tomashoff (executive editor, TV Guide magazine). Tomashoff offers his own comments before bringing Newhart to the stage.
Topics of discussion include: Newhart’s previous appearance at The Paley Center for Media celebrating the 30th anniversary of “The Bob Newhart Show”; Newhart on his trademark one-sided phone conversation routines; reactions from the press to Newhart and his contemporaries early in his career; Newhart’s appreciation for comic Richard Pryor; his encounter with Harpo Marx; his previous profession as an accountant; his first comedy radio show; his comedy work in Chicago; his first nightclub performance; his appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show”; his work alongside Dean Martin; the creation of “The Bob Newhart Show” and how he devised his character on the show; why Suzanne Pleshette was cast on “The Bob Newhart Show”; comments on the “Hi, Bob” drinking game; some of his favorite “Bob Newhart Show” episodes; how the twist ending of “Newhart” originated; his decision to return to television after the end of “The Bob Newhart Show”; his recollection of the introduction of a set of strange characters on “Newhart”; his work in dramatic television shows such as “ER”; his opinion of the show “Desperate Housewives”; and his reluctance to retire.
Questions from the audience lead to a discussion of the following topics: a story concerning singer Jack Jones; Newhart’s first meeting with comedian Don Rickles and a vacation they went on together; how he devised some of his comedy techniques in the late 1950s; one of his underappreciated comedy routines about an alien abductee; modern comedians that Newhart enjoys; his feelings about influencing other comedians; and memories of television host Jack Paar.
Clips of Newhart's televised appearances are interspersed throughout, including: “What’s My Line” (1962); “The Entertainers” (1964); “The Judy Garland Show” (1963); “The Jack Paar Program” (1964); “RCA’s Opening Night” (1973); “The Dean Martin Show” (1963); “The Bob Newhart Show” (1972-1978); “Newhart” (1982-1990); “Bob” (1992-1993);“George & Leo” (1997-1998); “Thursday’s Game” (1974); “The Sports Pages” (2001); “ER” (2003); “Desperate Housewives” (2005); “The Simpsons” (1996); and “The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice” (2008).
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: October 6, 2010 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:51:34
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 103975
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Craig Hitchcock … Host
- Craig Tomashoff … Moderator
- Bob Newhart … Guest
- Judy Garland
- Jack Jones
- Dean Martin
- Harpo Marx
- Suzanne Pleshette
- Richard Pryor
- Don Rickles
- Ed Sullivan