Bob Newhart - by Michael Seth Starr (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Long live the King of Deadpan! The first-ever biography of one of the most influential comedians in show business whose extraordinary, nearly 65-year run made him an American treasure.

Why did Chicago-born accountant George Robert Newhart go into comedy? In his own words, it was because he "wasn't a very good accountant." A wise move. In 1961, his album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, recorded the year before at his debut stand-up gig in a small club in Houston, won two Grammy Awards, was a multimillion-copy bestseller, reached number one on the Billboard charts, saved Warner Bros. Records from extinction, and introduced America to the self-effacing, mild-mannered everyman with a deadpan stammer. His ingenious sketches of his timeless one-sided telephone conversations vaulted Bob Newhart into the big time. He didn't rest on his laurels . . .

Newhart sailed through the 1960s and early 1970s with a busy stand-up touring schedule, an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning NBC sketch-comedy series, appearances on The Dean Martin Show and The Tonight Show with both Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, among dozens of others, and memorable supporting roles in such movies as Hell Is for Heroes, Cold Turkey, and Catch-22. Newhart cemented his iconic status in 1972 with the long-running The Bob Newhart Show and would strike back-to-back sitcom gold with Newhart in 1982, which ran for eight seasons on CBS.

Though he spent decades in the spotlight, Bob's most satisfying success was that as a devoted family man--four kids, 10 grandchildren, and a marriage to his beloved wife, Ginnie, that lasted 60 years. This first-ever full-length biography takes readers on a journey into Bob's life and career, including his lasting friendship with Don Rickles, his introduction to a new generation of fans opposite Will Ferrell in Elf, and his Emmy-winning turn in The Big Bang Theory. For more than six decades, the laughter and the love for Bob Newhart never faded. This is his story. And what a story, what a legend.

Review Quotes

Praise For Michael Seth Starr's Celebrity Biographies:

"Michael Seth Starr's wonderful new biography of Bob Newhart reveals a simple yet remarkable fact about the beloved, stammering everyman: There was no comic persona. The man and the mask were exactly the same guy. He was meta before meta existed. The book is a thorough, well-calibrated expedition into the life and mind of a comedy genius." --Samuel Garza Bernstein, award-winning screenwriter and author of Roddy McDowall: An Actor's Life, on Bob Newhart: The Life and Laughter of an American Treasure

"A comedy legend's life and career get some respect in Starr's detailed biography . . . Starr's biography reveals the challenges beneath Dangerfield's now legendary career. Starr writes with equal admiration and analysis, featuring Dangerfield's 'duffel bag full of jokes' and one-liners throughout his well-researched account." --Library Journal on Nothin' Comes Easy: The Life of Rodney Dangerfield

"Michael Seth Starr hits the ground running with Nothin' Comes Easy, his edgy but admiring biography of the comic who won respect by claiming he never got any. Rodney Dangerfield didn't just work his way up in show business--he crawled, and Starr has traced every step, even those that went missing along the way. This is a worthy narrative of not only Dangerfield but also of a century of American humor that is sadly vanishing from living memory. It's something of a literary marvel, too: a biography of a funny man that is genuinely funny to read." --Nat Segaloff, author of The Exorcist Legacy, Say Hello to My Little Friend, and The Rambo Report, on Nothin' Comes Easy: The Life of Rodney Dangerfield

"Insightful and funny . . . A fun biography that should appeal to Don Rickles fans and those interested in the history of stand-up comedy." --Library Journal on Don Rickles: The Merchant of Venom

"Acclaimed biographer Michael Seth Starr offers a fascinating, comprehensive take on the career of Captain Kirk himself." --Entertainment Weekly, 30 Best Holiday Books of the Year, on Shatner

"​In 1966, a Canadian actor named William Shatner was cast as Captain Kirk on a low-budget TV series set to premiere on NBC. And the rest is history: As Shatner approaches his 90th birthday, Starr takes a comprehensive look at the legendary performer." --New York Post on Shatner

"Starr successfully paints a complete portrait of the legendary drummer, whose contributions to rock 'n' roll, he argues, have largely been overshadowed by his iconic bandmates. With aplomb, Starr creates an intimate picture of Liverpool and Hamburg during the 1950s and '60s that puts the rest of Ringo's life (including his later battles with alcoholism and drug addiction) into fascinating perspective . . . revealing the nuanced and passionate man who was the backbone of the Beatles." --Publishers Weekly on Ringo: With a Little Help

"Clearly the definitive biography of one of the most famous musicians--or, heck, people--of the last century." --Houston Chronicle on Ringo: With a Little Help

"Until Ringo pens his memoirs (if he ever does), this biography will serve as the most complete and up-to-date telling of his life story." --Library Journal on Ringo: With a Little Help

"It's a solid recounting of Ringo's life and will be of interest to Beatles fans looking for more information on the least-chronicled member of the Fab Four." --Booklist on Ringo: With a Little Help

"Extensive research and an injection of personality make this a definitive biography of the most underrated Beatle." --Foreword Reviews on Ringo: With a Little Help

"A clear and well-written portrait of a superb performer and a wonderful human being, with emphasis on the word 'human.'" --The New York Times Book Review on Art Carney: A Biography

​"TV's beloved Ed Norton finally gets his due in a breezy, often incisive biography." --Kirkus Reviews on Art Carney: A Biography

"The thing about a biography of a celebrity who's slipped under the radar (comedian and TV star Foxx died in 1991) is that, if you do it right, you can, in effect, bring back to life a fascinating character. Starr, who's also written bios of Art Carney and Raymond Burr, does it right . . . An excellent biography, respectful and compassionate about its subject and revealing and perceptive about American popular culture." --Booklist, Starred Review, on Black and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story

"Starr reconstructs Foxx's life in a raw, honest manner, interspersing fascinating historical facts along the way. This well-presented biography will be especially valuable to those who were not around when Foxx was at the top of his game. Recommended for anyone interested in TV and African American history." --Library Journal on Black and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story

"A quick and fluid read, Starr's book succeeds at bringing Darin the human being to life." --Library Journal on Bobby Darin: A Life

About the Author

Michael Seth Starr covered television at the New York Post as a reporter, columnist, critic, and editor for over 28 years. He has written a filmography of Peter Sellers and biographies of Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Art Carney, Joey Bishop, Bobby Darin, Raymond Burr, William Shatner, Redd Foxx, and Ringo Starr. He has made frequent appearances on television, including The Today Show, Access Hollywood, Good Morning America, The Early Show, Larry King Live, Extra, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight, and Tavis Smiley. He lives in New Jersey and can be found online at MichaelSethStarr.com.