Fans moved by superstar Jane Fonda’s ‘beautiful’ tribute to the late Bob Newhart

Hollywood legend Jane Fonda has touched the hearts of fans after she uploaded a “beautiful” tribute to late actor and comedian Bob Newhart on social media.

Newhart sadly passed away at the age of 94, leaving the entertainment community to mourn the loss of the iconic star.

Newhart died in his home in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 18 after a series of short illnesses, according to his longtime publicist Jerry Digney.

Following Newhart’s passing, Fonda took to Instagram to share the deep bond she shared with Newhart and his wife Ginnie, her neighbours of eight years, and how kind he was to her.

“One Mother’s Day I was alone so Bob and Ginnie invited me to join them and their children and grandchildren for dinner. They were so welcoming,” she wrote.

“I will miss our times together.

“May your beautiful soul rest in peace, dear Bob.”

 

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Fans were quick to offer their “deepest condolences” for her loss while also sharing their admiration for Newhart.

“So sorry … I absolutely adored him in every thing he ever did , towards the end of his career he was in Big Bang Theory, he was hysterical !” one wrote.

“What a beautiful tribute. Deepest condolences on the passing of your dear friend and a treasure to all who loved him. Rest in peace, Bob,” another added.

“Beautiful message from Jane Fonda. I worked for Don Rickles and his wife Barbara and had the great pleasure of chatting with Bob and Ginnie here and there. Lovely couple and so, so kind. They had a big wonderful family. They are all missed!! ….. The Rickles and the Newharts…RIP Mr. Newhart.”

“That’s a beautiful and personal remembrance. You share such great stories, Jane. I loved Bob’s comedy and as a kid I found his show funny and comforting.”

Fonda joins the sea of fans and colleagues who paid tribute to the “groundbreaking” entertainer, many of whom reflected on the qualities that made Newhart a revered figure.

Born on September 5, 1929, Newhart’s career took off in the late 1950s with a unique comedy routine where he played the straight man to an unheard voice on the other end of a phone call.

His 1960 live album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, was groundbreaking, becoming the first comedy album to reach the top of the charts and earning him three Grammy Awards.

In 1961, Newhart hosted a short-lived NBC variety show called The Bob Newhart Show. He then starred as Chicago psychologist Robert Hartley on a program also titled The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978 and as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon on the series Newhart from 1982 to 1990. During the 1990s, he led two short-lived sitcoms, Bob and George and Leo.

Newhart also had a notable film career, appearing in movies such as Catch-22 (1970), Cold Turkey (1971), In & Out (1997), and Elf (2003). He provided the voice for Bernard in Disney’s animated films The Rescuers (1977) and The Rescuers Down Under (1990). From 2013 to 2018, he portrayed Professor Proton on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, a role that earned him his first Primetime Emmy Award.

In 2002 he was awarded the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.