Newhart

Bob Newhart plays Dick Loudon, an author of do-it-yourself and travel books. He and his wife Joanna move from New York City to a small town in rural Vermont^[a] to operate the 200-year-old Stratford Inn.

Dick and Joanna initially run the inn with the help of sweet-natured but simple handyman George Utley and Leslie Vanderkellen, a bright, cheerful Dartmouth College student and heiress who takes a job as a maid to find out what it is like to be "normal". Next door to the inn is the Minuteman Café, owned by Kirk Devane, a petty opportunist and compulsive liar. Leslie leaves before season two to continue her studies abroad, to be replaced by her cousin Stephanie, who, unlike Leslie, is vain, lazy, and spoiled. Awkward, uncultured backwoodsman brothers Larry, Darryl and Darryl are seen with increasing frequency as work-for-hire odd-job men in the first two seasons, and take over the Minuteman Cafe when Kirk leaves at the start of season 3.

Near the end of season two, Dick becomes the host of a local television show, Vermont Today, where he interviews an assortment of bizarre and colorful guests. His vapid, neurotic producer, Michael Harris, falls in love with Stephanie, their relationship providing a satire of 1980s excess.^[2]

The final episode of the series reveals that the entire series was a dream of Dr. Robert Hartley, Newhart's character in The Bob Newhart Show.

Main

• Bob Newhart as Dick Loudon
• Mary Frann as Joanna Loudon
• Tom Poston as George Utley
• William Sanderson, Tony Papenfuss, and John Voldstad as brothers Larry, Darryl and Darryl
• Steven Kampmann as Kirk Devane (seasons 1–2)
• Jennifer Holmes as Leslie Vanderkellen (season 1)
• Julia Duffy as Stephanie Vanderkellen (guest season 1, main seasons 2–8)
• Peter Scolari as Michael Harris

Recurring

• William Lanteau as Chester Wanamaker (1982–90)
• Thomas Hill as Jim Dixon (1982–90)
• Rebecca York as Cindy Parker-Devane (1983–84)
• Jeff Doucette as Harley Estin (1983–88)
• Fred Applegate as J. J. Wall (1984–87)
• Ralph Manza as Bud (1984–90)
• Linda Carlson as Bev Dutton (1984–87)
• Todd Susman as Officer Shifflett (1984–90)
• José Ferrer as Arthur Vanderkellen (1985–87)
• Priscilla Morrill as Marian Vanderkellen (1985–89)
• Melanie Chartoff as Dr. Mary Kaiser (1987–90)
• Kathy Kinney as Prudence Goddard (1989–90)
• David Pressman as Mr. Art Rusnak (1989–90)

Newhart was a solid ratings winner, finishing its first six seasons in the Nielsen top 25. Despite not finishing in the top 30 for its last two seasons, Bob Newhart stated in an interview with the Archive of American Television that CBS was satisfied enough with the show's ratings to renew it for a ninth season in 1990. However, Newhart, who was anxious to move on to other projects, declined the offer, promising CBS that he would develop a new series for the network, which he was under contract to do. This resulted in the 1992 series Bob, which lasted two seasons.

Nominations

Emmy Awards

The show was nominated for 25 Emmy Awards but never won.

1983

• Outstanding Comedy Series – Sheldon Bull, Producer; Barry Kemp, Executive Producer
• Outstanding Video Tape Editing For a Series – Andy Ackerman

1984

• Outstanding Comedy Series – Sheldon Bull, Producer; Barry Kemp, Executive Producer
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tom Poston
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1985

• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Bob Newhart
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1986

• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Bob Newhart
• Outstanding Sound Mixing For a Comedy or Drama – Andrew MacDonald, Sound Mixer; Bill Nicholson, Sound Mixer; Craig Porter, Sound Mixer; Richard Wachter, Sound Mixer
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tom Poston
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1987

• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Bob Newhart
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
  • Tom Poston
  • Peter Scolari
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy
• Outstanding Writing For a Comedy Series – David Mirkin ("Co-Hostess Twinkie")

1988

• Outstanding Editing For a Series (Multi-Camera Production) – Michael Wilcox, Editor
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Peter Scolari
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1989

• Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Eileen Brennan
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Peter Scolari
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1990

• Outstanding Editing For a Series (Multi-Camera Production) – Michael Wilcox, Editor
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy
• Outstanding Writing For a Comedy Series – Bob Bendetson, Mark Egan and Mark Solomon ("The Last Newhart")

Golden Globe Awards

Newhart earned six nominations for Golden Globe Awards.

• Television Series – Musical or Comedy (1984)
• Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Bob Newhart (1983–1986)
• Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Julia Duffy (1988)

Other awards

Newhart was nominated for one Casting Society of America award and four nominations for TV Land Awards. Newhart won a total of four Viewers for Quality Television Awards.

20th Century Fox released season one of Newhart on DVD in Region 1 on February 26, 2008.

In November 2013, Shout! Factory announced it had acquired the rights to the series. It has since released the remainder of the series in individual season sets.^[3][4][5]