CBS to Air ET Special ‘Bob Newhart: a Legacy of Laughter’

Bob Newhart’s “legacy of laughter” is set to be celebrated with a new Entertainment Tonight special. 

On Friday, CBS announced ET’s special, Bob Newhart: A Legacy of Laughter, will air Monday, July 22 in honor of the iconic comedian, who died on July 18. He was 94 years old. 

ET’s Nischelle Turner will host the one-hour tribute special, which will revisit the actor’s decades-long Hollywood career with behind-the-scenes footage, never-before-seen interviews and his final sit-down from his Los Angeles home. The special will also highlight those closest to him, including interviews with his celebrity colleagues — among them Jim Parsons, Will Ferrell, Jason Bateman, and Reese Witherspoon — as well as his longtime love, wife Ginnie, who died in 2023. 

On Thursday, Newhart’s longtime publicist, Jerry Digney, told ET in a statement that Newhart died at his home in Los Angeles following a series of short illnesses. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Newhart rose to fame as a comic in the 1960s before branching out into television and film, including the sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart. His career endured for years to come with roles in Elf, ER,  Desperate Housewives, and The Big Bang Theory. 

Through it all, he garnered three GRAMMY Awards, one Golden Globe and one Emmy Award in addition to more than a dozen career nominations. 

Bob Newhart: A Legacy of Laughter will premiere on Monday, July 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and will stream on Paramount+.

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