The late Bob Newhart once named Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as an unlikely candidate to portray him in a biopic.
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The iconic comedian and actor, who passed away yesterday (July 18) at the age of 94, shared the joke casting suggestion during an interview on Conan in 2021.
When host Conan O’Brien asked who Newhart would like to play him in a movie about his life and career, the Elf star quipped: “I think The Rock. I get mistaken for him a lot. People will say ‘Hey Dwayne and I’ll say ‘No, I’m not Dwayne!’ But there should be quite a fight over it.”
When O’Brien joked that The Rock would do a great job portraying his “early football career,” Newhart smiled and added: “Brad Pitt is supposed to be very interested.”
On Thursday (July 18), Newhart’s longtime publicist Jerry Digney confirmed the news of his death, stating that the comedian’s passing is “an end of an era in comedy”, per CNN. Newhart died at home in Los Angeles yesterday after a series of short illnesses.
A comedian best known for his deadpan and endearingly stammered delivery, Newhart spent decades in entertainment as a presence on television and film after first launching his career as a stand-up comic.
He made his debut with the comedy album ‘The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart’ at age 30. It went on to become the first comedy album to reach Number One on the Billboard charts – an especially notable feat for the relatively inexperienced Newhart, who had been an accountant prior to his stand-up career.
The comedian was later a mainstay on television for decades – from 1972 to 1978, Newhart hosted The Bob Newhart Show before starring in Newhart from 1982 to 1990 and Bob from 1992 to 1993. He released eight comedy albums, his last being ‘Button-Down Concert’ in 1997.
Through his career, he also appeared in films – from the 1972 adaptation of Catch-22 to 2003’s Elf as Papa Elf, the adoptive father of Will Ferrell’s Buddy – along with guest appearances in The Simpsons, The Big Bang Theory and its spin-off Young Sheldon. Despite his long and illustrious career, Newhart did not win an Emmy until 2013 for his role on The Big Bang Theory.
O’Brien was among many to pay tribute to the late comedian, writing on X: “Bob Newhart taught countless generations of comedians that you could be funny, smart, uncompromising, and still win on your own terms. This is an immeasurable loss.”
Bob Newhart taught countless generations of comedians that you could be funny, smart, uncompromising, and still win on your own terms. This is an immeasurable loss.
— Conan O’Brien (@ConanOBrien) July 19, 2024
Today, we mourn the loss of Bob Newhart, a comedy legend and beloved performer who kept Americans laughing for decades.
Today, he was reunited with his wife Ginnie. My thoughts are with his children and grandchildren, and all those whose days were brightened by his work.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 19, 2024
From his groundbreaking stand-up to his two classic sitcoms he gave us a lifetime of laughter. Truly one-of-a-kind. Thank you Bob Newhart!#RIP pic.twitter.com/NlkJNuOw80
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) July 18, 2024
United States President Joe Biden also paid tribute to Newhart, who he called “a comedy legend and beloved performer who kept Americans laughing for decades”.
“From his groundbreaking stand-up to his two classic sitcoms he gave us a lifetime of laughter. Truly one-of-a-kind. Thank you Bob Newhart!” wrote Star Wars star Mark Hamill.
Kaley Cuoco, who worked with Newhart on The Big Bang Theory, wrote on her Instagram Story: “What a dream it was to witness the genius that was Bob Newhart. He was classy, kind, generous and absolutely hilarious. Every take – every time. Icon forever.”
“I will never forget you, Bob! Thank you for making our dreams come true!” she added in a follow-up Story.