Inner-View; Interview with Bob Newhart

Do you. Know. One of the most recognizable themes of the last 10 years. Because one of the most recognized comedians in the world is sitting right here. Bob Newhart I am.

And right here is a group of mostly students and people in the theater as well as some real experts in the field we'll get to that in a minute. But getting to you in a minute it did it start is it too much of a cliche to start it all on a one telephone call in your office. Is that how it all started. Well I don't know if it really started I guess being bored as an accountant or not being very good as an accountant and just having a need to to make people laugh I guess is what it I mean now that I think back on I guess that's what what used to have a conversation with a friend. I used to that's when I was in college and then around 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon I'd just it would drive me crazy and so I would of I call up this friend of mine who works for an advertising agency and and we do bits over the phone you know and he suggested that we we put him on tape and try to sell him the radio stations which we did unsuccessfully.

And we got we got 750 a week for five five minutes seven dollars and fifty cents a week. If you're up. For five five minute shows for 13 weeks and which came out about 20 to 50 a week and some three stations and I cost about forty dollars a week to actually make make the tapes and one station stiffed us and the other two want to be a nurse and then we wrote him back and said we can't afford to do this and they had a lot of that out of that came the discipline of having to write. And being up against the deadline and having to write a five minute show every day and they were like Robin ratios I'm not saying they were all like good but some of the routines that separate the original submarine commander and the grace of Ferguson airline driving instructor came out of those those original radios for how long from the to the record and how it was about 50. 57 58 and the

record album was 1960. So they were and it was a tough period for me because I was I had to agree an accounting a lot of my friends went on to law school and they were very successful and they you know they were raising families and they were becoming general sales managers and opening up a lot practices and I kind of thing and I was and I was just still not around Chicago and I began to think you know what have you done with your life you know. But there was always something on the horizon that was always something to keep you going then. And then finally then then the album came out and then it was New Years you know and it was just it was tough to acclimate yourself. Bill do you remember the first album. Yeah this is really one stand up and this is Bill really. You know yes we know I said that I think is bureau chief about his early career. Well I'm actually around Bob Newhart early career. I only know it from listening to snatches from this album from time to time

which came on the air. You know why was it such a success. What what was it that. Well I my own theory of why it was I need first of all it was a it was answering a need that was it was reaching an audience that other mediums weren't reaching. The night clubs had kind of priced themselves out of the reach of the of the college student and shaper e a place like that in Chicago are just too expensive and the comedians were doing jokes like take my wife please and my mother in law drives me crazy and the kids just didn't relate to it. And at that time Shelly Berman and Michaela lane and myself and Johnny when I was Lenny Bruce we were kind of addressing the kind of problems that they they were interested in you know and they would sit around and get a six pack and play or play somebody comedy album and they were like in a nightclub. I mean that's that's that's my explanation I don't know if it's accurate you know that was one of the things I was going to bring out it came out of nowhere. Actually some of the things he was doing

in relation to the times with non-sequitur he just didn't make any sense with with what the rest of the comedy world was trying to put down or put on whatever time he came on with the stuttering routine he had patented that early. That's not a pattern that that's the way I thought. Well he carried it over from reality into show business. Absolutely. And therefore it became very definitely a trade one. When you heard him they said you pegged him right away that this is one of the factors in show business as we know when we find something that's sui generous that something that is unique alone and and ready for copy by other comedians. Then we have something that's ready for launching and he's got launched I think through the through that way he was laid back. He was down under and therefore one day remarks

did come there clinchers the tags on Hamill's they were extremely funny because they were so dry and no one expected it from the left for you know and when did you pick up the telephone in your in your routine. Well that's I've been identified with it and the telephone they always comedy devices right. Shelly had it on the first record ever made was I calling on the telephone and then George and. There are certain that the telephone is a funny Michael Lane had it happen I had it happen to me one and Michael name were doing a Broadway play. And of course when you do a Broadway play every sing every word has to be put down on a piece of paper for like it was still there. They took one of their routines and put it down and they have a copy lying on the Lane picked it up and started to read it. And she said we can't do this. I said why not she said it's not funny. And when you put the words down on paper they're not funny because what's funny is what is the unheard portion of the telephone conversation from Abe Lincoln or

whatever I mean it in the Abe Lincoln routine. There's nothing that I say that's funny it's the supposed what you're supposing Abe Lincoln is saying on the other the other end of the line. Is it possible for you to do. I did. It. How did you want to really pull that on your butt Well it's one of the I had to like it. I mean it's it's one of the I think it's one the best piece of writing I ever did and it has it has sustained because it may be as true today as it was 20 years ago it was written one hundred sixty. It's one of the least successful comedy routines I do in terms of audience reaction. It's I don't know why that is and that's always been a it's always bothered me because I always liked it. But reaction wise it never seems to get the reaction that. But I will not I'm doing a cop out I was right for setting it up and I'm going to have trouble remembering as I haven't done it.

And the promise is that if a Lincoln had lived today the PR men would have its admin in a blink and they would have I mean having trouble with the premise. If they hadn't been enabling him they would have created a name Lincoln out of whoever. And it's a conversation between the PR man talking to Abe Lincoln and I'm going to paraphrase it because I'm really searching for the who will be king. Do you want to phone not just use Nokia. I have three dogs are living on kit. I get is very kind of a drag Yeah. Well you know that small Pennsylvania town did you can you see when you see them all right if you resonate you got the speech right now. You haven't changed a speech idea. A wide range of speeches all the time little jest a couple minor changes you owe a lot you changed

four score and seven to 87. I'm. Like I know it's the same thing a but. See that's meant to be a grabber a veteran. You're right. Jack that was that was Jack Benny was my idol and terms of timing there wasn't a I mean he's a king and not only that but he was a brave its comedian I've ever seen work Jack. Many would take the time it took to tell a joke. He wouldn't take any less time and wouldn't take any more time it took exactly enough time and it didn't bother Jack If a minute went by or a minute half went by without the audience laughing as we knew the punchline was worth to the point that you left at that room. Why. What what's so funny about that. Just the proposition that Abe Lincoln would be alive today and how everybody would try to finagle him around and wrapping around his finger to get with the one you're trying to hype the guy to make

you a personality instead of just a person trying to do what he feels is right. Yet as Bill was saying with the non-sequitur the off the wall you'd be surprised. You know there's a at the time it was done there was a it was like kind of classic kind of I mean we the 50s generation was always accused of doing nothing and that just wasn't true you know. I mean no one ever attacked the president or ever attacked an image of the president that they were sacrosanct you know and then Lenny Bruce came along and. But nothing was sacrosanct and then Richard Pryor came along and you know it's a lovely place a button down comedian only because of dress or because you know that was the occasion or one of brothers just came out with that because I didn't know what it meant either. My suggestion I saw the album and my suggestion was. The best new comedian since the tale of the hunt. That's what I wanted the title and they came up with it mainly because you were talking about

PR. There was a merchandising. The Wright Brothers it was a packaging game called baseball a retirement party. And it seemed to be focusing on Madison Avenue areas of PR TV radio advertising. And at that time nobody wore the button down in about nine colors so it was a pseudonym for advertising that you know and it is man very successful you know I mean I'm glad that you know from OK from there to television appearances. Dean Martin and what happened then what where did you get from how did you get from there to Vegas let's say. When I first played I played Vegas in 63 and knew nothing about it was terrified. I'd played to college audiences primarily.

And they're very respectful in that they're really just a black void. I mean you you're the stage is so big you're blinded by a light so you're really reacting to just a huge sound rather than other people. And when I was doing Abe Lincoln routines or the submarine commander or whatever if I got to drunk or feel something up it broke my concentration I had to I couldn't get out of the routine and play Degas and ran into a couple drunks and I thought I can't do that you know that's that's not the kind of thing I do. That's not the kind of thing I'm able to. And then stayed out of Vegas for about for about three or four years. And it was mutual I mean they were knocking on the doors for me to come up and. Married this wonderful woman I married in 63 and she said Well if you're a comedian you're going to have to learn how to do that you know. And I did finally I mean just. As it's turned out now routines get shorter and shorter and shorter and shorter they run three minutes and you've got to be out. And there's much more interaction now between the audience and the fan.

I see Garry Marshall over here get a Gary Bob is the principal singer and MGM has showed Jubilee and Jerry Wood and he's been he's done the movie Camelot he's done television and I remember the great British film The War film and I forget the name of it. Thousand playing right with you from a performer's point of view. What makes him effective on stage. Why is he effective comedian. Well I've watched him for a long time and unabashedly and unashamedly a big fan. I got a bootleg copy of I'm sure it was a bootleg copy because I was living in England at the time and from up at The Button-Down Mind and my whole family can do the submarine commander which we all fall down. And I think my wife pulls down you're not too popular these days. That's right. Yes you don't have what you have got going tomorrow rather than rather than talk about why he's so effective.

Could I go back some he said a few minutes ago which fascinates me because I know we have a number of students with us today. I teach a little bit singing and something that comes up again and again and again with my students. One has to relate to something that Bob said a few minutes ago and I want to try and use it as an excuse with his help to impress upon the young people how important a stage it is for every performer. What Bob was talking about when he was trying to sell the tapes for less money than it cost him to make them. I was going to ask him whether as it was for me those terribly broke that terribly broke period in your life you learned more quickly perhaps than you ever have since and what we all tend to gloss over that and People magazine said well he starved for a while but now he's a star and they can't tend to push that in the background and I have always thought it was a terrifically important period that is in any performers development and how it shouldn't be glossed over. One of our. What you know it's true it's true. First of all very productive years. I mean it just

once you get the opportunity to be seen if you just the material just blows up and then it begins to trickle out in comedy Anger is an important part and when you're have not and and and and you're watching the haves you can kind of anger sometimes is a force in common. And sometimes as a source of ideas and I think one of the dangers comedians have in all performers have when they become successful is we were cut off from the mainstream of our source material with that off them a person can make a chance remark that you overhear and say gee that you know and the whole routine for a lot of that. So I make an effort when I can to get out not just play Vegas and Tahoe but to get out in the country and find out. But when you read all the paying your dues period to Gary's talking about that very well and can use it but it's just I meet so many young students who seem with that it's not a really heavy bad at it you think they seem to want to leapfrog that

when I get the money and you know and that period is when you learn what you are and what material is and the agony of discovering begging and defeat and getting on. Perhaps that's weather. But what was really created and it's been that refining process is I guess that's what I'm referring to is that people have said how do you how did you hit on that style. I didn't hit on a style the stammer is build in and the short attention span or something. And. If it isn't it isn't a style it's I mean I people have said to me when did you look at the market so huge that somebody wasn't doing this and you can't do that you have to do what you do and you hope that you're in the right place at the right time. Well being in the right place at the right time as happened I mean I didn't invent the human short the need for the humor was out there I just became one of the people who had to be doing it. Well you were doing it at the right times are saying in that phenomenally successful television

series and we come back we'll talk about that. But. You know really all I had to walk my you know your darkness group to the to the bus stop and. Then I want to get my car in the office garage was like so what. I had to get the building superintendent up out of bed and I felt hungry. But all in all the restaurants were closed. The only one that was open was a fish and kids place no later were killed. What you did and I know you will. I went to the palace ball. Oh really I like a glass slipper on the way home. Well probably turn up in the morning. When you get going again and getting off having you for too long. What what we have tonight. Liver and onions. Emily if I had been home you would have generally. Do.

The topic is Bob Newhart and the show The Bob Newhart Show which was set

six years six years yes six years you have to see what you know. Yes thank you. And who you want to over do what. Why did you like to look at the show. I don't know I enjoy comedies and I enjoy his sense of humor. Basically you never see one. Oh yeah a bunch. I love Bob right. These little you know he's a natural and that's that's humorous and he's dry witted he's Midwestern and it's unique. Did you ever see the show. Yes I did. I did like it of course. I really liked Bob Bob Simon. I seem to have a mellowness throughout his mellow mellow type natural humor that was funny believable. Same thing plus you had such a good cast of supporting characters too that helped make the show How did you get that cast How did that come about.

Well I was sitting here when they were doing the promo and I was watching an episode and it's really not narcissistic for me to laugh at that an episode of The Bob Newhart Show because I'm I'm really laughing at the writers and I'm laughing at Susie and I'm laughing in partially at myself but it's such a collaborative effort I mean the writing is number one it has to be if it isn't on the page you're in a lot of trouble. And then you get the best possible people Susie and Bill and Peter and Marcia and Jack Riley and. Well how did all these people come together in the first place. Well I had worked with Bill in Chicago. I worked for a TV a local TV station in Chicago and so we knew each other from Chicago Dave and Bill had done a pilot the original pilot was Susie and myself. There Redfield Pat Smith and Louise Lasser it appeared in the in the pilot episode. Then that CBS saw it and they there were and Peter was in it because out Peter and I had done Catch 22 together so when they were casting I said I worked with this young bright

comedian who was improvisational I'm sure our studio audience won't want strong. About the part we cast for. For Pete was he was like into the oven guard psychology and I was into the straight ahead psychology and they previewed the audience reaction to Peter's part was less than kind. So we went back and and rewrote his part made him a dentist orthodontist. And Bill Daley had just done an unsuccessful pilot MTM but they liked him so much as a character they said let's put him in to the Newhart Show and Marcia was seen by Bill Paley who on CBS and so what when he his suggestion was March of the. Right away she was on the show that was on you know not they don't have any fools if they do they're not there are a lot. And then Jack Riley character and the the group as we call it the therapy group that was just a one shot but it worked so well. And we counted

up one time a Jack Riley did 50 percent of our shows he was in over what we did a hundred forty he was on he was in the 70s because we we just stumbled on that. And I'm sure the same thing will happen with the new series that you'll find you'll find somebody in there working or start writing scripts. It's one of those rare experiences when you decided to cut it off before the Nielsens went down now. Well I know I've been very lucky in my life I've the things that worked out for me and I've always been a little man on the shoulder who told me to do this don't do that. And and he seemed to be saying maybe now is the time that it's been six years. At that time television was changing it was there going into the gimmick shows Wonder Woman and that kind of show and really appealing to an audience that I don't think I'm sure was aimed at

our could ever be in that. And rather than have the show to limp off and its ratings gradually slip. I thought it was a good time to just pull the plug and say you know like there's been six great years thank you very much. The next year was the cloning year for all the networks that somebody would have a successful show and then the other two would do a clone of it and somebody else would have successful show so I was partially born more not right as far as as far as the trend was concerned and I don't feel that it was a bad decision as offered you know if you like the show. Yeah I only saw the reruns because when it was on originally I was much younger. Yes yes. I don't know why but I really enjoyed that one. We want to know who are you. Catch me. Well it just was really real. It was a real isn't a type show where the comedy just works better in a typical life style situation

because you're really good. Well I never had children or anything like that. You know not really you just accept it. Yeah. Because I know a lot of the term the shows they didn't at the time. And that's of course one of the problems you can't there's so many shows that you can't be married because it just locks you into too many situations I was I was I insisted on that when we first started out that we not be married. First of all I think everybody that to me that identification is is the key to comedy and acceptance. And if you have people like Marcia if you work in an office and there is a march of their own you identify with a character. We have friends that don't have children. And many times we envy them. We Mike and I look up and say oh that must be wonderful. You know they want to go somewhere else go to Europe and they lock the door and they're gone you know and if we want to go to Europe it's three months preparation and clothes and stuff like that.

I forgot my point. Raju Well you're not married and gone because I didn't want to do. Make Room for Daddy. I didn't want to. We love daddy and he's a nice guy but he keeps getting himself in these scrapes and we're going to bail him out and I just didn't want to do that. That was in the show that I was interested in. Well there was a risk of being a psychiatry psychologist that was a risk and I'm not sure that maybe four years before that it could have been done. We may have psychologists instead of psychiatry is good psychiatrist suggested more severely tortured people have and I insist that we never make fun of anyone schizo phrenic coming out thinking it's Napoleon or something that to me was an area that we should get into because it's what she did have a guy come in and talk to his puppet and that was well that's but that's that's probably not true. But the puppet talking in the path of one of the breaks you want to leave the act.

Hello Mr. Newhart My name is Angel and I'm totally in awe of you have just been you know a fan of yours for so long. DID YOU CAN. Did you have to excuse me. Did you censor any of your scripts or did you add anything or as as as the character as Mr. or as a doctor or whatever. Everybody collaborated on and putting together the show and you had probably a staff of writers did you know did you you know bill through the scripts and see what would work and what wouldn't work or I would say 80 percent of the scripts were written by the writer 80 percent of the script was written by the writers and the other 10 to 20 percent maybe would come out of something Susan would say or I would say on stage and and maybe it's more like 90 percent was written. Yeah there were shows that I had suggestions because me they had that I said I wouldn't do and very often we would

fight over a joke you know and they would say it's funny and I say it's not funny it's funny I said I think it's funny. I said it's funny and I said we're going to get to do it you know. Let's find some way of making the words come out of my mouth so to that extent I have had final say so over over what went on the show. But I mean if you're smart and if it's your own show you want to work you. You give the writers leeway in your pat on the back and tell him how good and they were they were. We had to get right. Why do you think he's funny. Why do I think he's funny. Oh because he's so real. I mean more and more you know everybody is saying that the same thing I think that's you know I'm going to let you know that I don't have to live with you know you have to be. They have to be comfortable with you they have to. My mother always used to say Boy Bob Newhart humor is so dry you know. But that's what makes it work for me. The things they come out so natural and people take time when they listen

you know with that your telephone things and so Walter Raleigh was my favorite that I used to see and I don't I don't remember so don't tell me. I'm not I'm not going to ask you another. I would question Peter by the way. This is Jim Spellman and he's a great director and choreographer young young guy just did. You got it working. And he made something great out of Greece which is I think the world's dullest musical and Jesus Christ Superstar which was his most recent. Thank you for the plug. Now what do you want Peter who played the dentist. All of a sudden we realized the credits he started directing the show. How did he make that transition or did he enjoy that transition or did it or was it difficult for him to be an actor and then direct the show as well. Repeater was going to first of all very bright and it was then he showed it. Some weeks you're going to be strong in it and some weeks you're going to be light in it and

that was true of everybody except me I was have you know a lot of lies to win every week and. So I had a lot of time on his hands while a lot of actors deal with it in different ways a lot of go to their dressing room they go to sleep a lot of the telephone calling. And Peter decided to use that time constructively and he went up in the booth in the set with the director and that's why we had camera coordinators was what was on tape and he would say why did what you do that why do you do that why do you do this and then you go to the editing room and he'd watch him. Cut it together and he paid his dues and put in. A good two months of. Watching and watching it being edited and sitting with directors and he said. I think I'm going to direct and we said fine because we all felt very comfortable. You know every time a new director would come on the stage we weren't sure if we'd become to with them or not. And we were pulling for Peter because he was one of us and he did his first show. And I don't know us done 20 of our shows and he's an excellent directories and very

much in demand in Hollywood for pilots doing episodes and I'm sure he'll do some of our some of the new shows. But he was a business and he he just couldn't sit and you know go to the go to the restroom and sleep you know. Did you do you find your show does it come twice like you know a movie about a lot of shows or film live and they take the bass or they spliced it together. No we never did it no we we the first couple shows we did. And in front of two audiences and I never thought we got anything worthwhile out of the first show and it put a lot of pressure on people and. So the first show was kind of a rehearsal just kind of to help you remember your lines and it was a technical rehearsal for the camera system to make sure their moves. And we did it almost entirely and in front of an audience one time and then if a mistake was made we do it two or three times within the body of the show rather than doing pickups which tend to be flat. Could you help us with giving you an idea of what happens the

day immediately after one episode is over and you have to film and get ready for the next one. That is the day by day process. Well you go in and we have it down to a four day week so our week was Tuesday through Friday. You go in on Tuesday and you get the script which maybe you have got the day before. But usually of a hand of that day because they're having trouble writing it which was always a problem you know was never quite ready you know so that you take the script and we sit around and read it and the producers and directors and writers got a an idea of what would work and what wouldn't work and where the problem areas of that script were what scenes needed work. Then we usually block get up on his feet and block the first act. What moves were comfortable and where people had to be in order to. A little thing like you don't have somebody over here if the phone's going to ring over there because that's all dead. That's a dead walk so you try to find a reason for him to be over there so when the phone rings he's right next door.

People also always have exact change on television and you can also know the number they know they never question. You think of the fun you do that that's all to save time. We do that the writers and producers are going out to look at that. And then the next day we would like the second act and then have a run through for them of the of the entire show. And then that was a writer's life. Then they would we get through around 5:30 6:00 o'clock. And they would go. Up to the Roman right till sometimes three or four in the morning if they weren't happy with what what they had. They would bring down the new script and we'd start blocking that and blocking in front of cameras on Thursday which is kind of a start and stop boring kind of day. Hitting Mark's saying words and and move over a little and you know. Then Friday we would run it again for cameras. We'd do a dress rehearsal and and then Friday

night about 7:30 8:00 o'clock we would shoot it and be out by 10:00 o'clock. And that's kind of the. Process and the question did you want help with cue cards at all or did you have to memorize everything. Well I had to memorize everything. I would find if I could find places to hide long speeches I would have had how the back of cereal boxes or anywhere I could find it. My mind was it was becoming jelly you know and I was trying to find more and more places to hide my lines. And it it just doesn't work I mean there's a you just got to learn it and there's no shortcut to it and the cumulative effect of six years of that kind of took its toll. You know in what way just of every week doing a new half hour play in effect you know and having to learn the lines and six years of that was kind of how do you stay friendly with these people over six years under those circumstances. Well I know it's the politic thing to say but

we were all good friends and we still are today. There were I hear of shows where the where the stars and talking to the costar in them. I can't imagine doing that kind of show I mean the tension of doing a show is enough without the added tension of not getting along with when there are shows and I guess we all read about it in the choir of some of whatever that somebody's not talking to somebody else. When I write I want to I have a question with no heart anywhere down the line I'm going to do something like the return to the Bob Newhart Show like they would do with Gilligan's Island. You know we debated that we debated picking a show up four years later and then didn't and then discarded it. I think I we did that and and that's over and now we're on to something else and I'm not sure it would work but it was something we debated getting everybody back together. Maybe I'm not one of the great classic stories or television series where Fred MacMurray and my three sons were he was under contract just to come in a couple of weeks for 13 episodes and do all these

things to a blank wall and everybody else had to work around him that now that creates its own you all never got around to something like that. No I don't know how to do that I wouldn't I wouldn't know how to do that. There is a way of doing shows without an audience putting a laugh track but I I have that feel it hurts the show. I think it hurts the writing. I think that the writers when they know you going to work in front of a live audience work a little bit harder and the jokes are a little better. I know the performers certainly. The performance comes up 100 percent. Just having that audience there and very often we would find something that the audience would tell us something was funny and we could use it then the next show that they would laugh at something Susie said and say do that's that's a good area to get into. And we would never know that if we didn't have a live audience out it's going to come back and pick up where you're going from now. A new series and films and Bob Newhart will be right back. I. Wonder if I'm going to do my brother's coming in town tomorrow

with brother going to the game warden. Yeah we're going by and. By stopping by the way to the Middle East. We're in the Middle East Jordan. Yeah I totally get that. We all have to get together. Oh how when we're going out again tomorrow night we'll go with you. I will we're going to play bridge and engine. We can play to come like be six feet look like we get over the news it's going to be there. Yes Howard. You know don't worry I will get together with warden Gordon Boyd before everybody. Making fun of my brother. I never knew that they were not. Ever going to write. That and I make fun of that.

Right now.

It's bad news. And this series I want to read one bill got mad. It really was good for actual jet lag like the only reason he was goal for us because whenever we got in trouble in the script and if you're going to do 24 year they're going to be forced at least four shows and just are going to be up to par. And whenever we got in trouble we just we went to Billy right away and gave him some outlandish thing he came in one time he said do you think I'm getting shorter. And I don't know he said well I have this curse that put me in the Fiji Islands and I don't know where this island Prince is he so I'm going to keep getting shorter until I disappear and so I mean that he was going to do anything you're going to. I just want my name is Jan and I'm a theater major at the university. And I just wanted to say that the reason that you went into the business was successful because at the time that your show came out I was married and not in

the middle income bracket and you're your show was a release from a lot of that pressure. Day to day things you know it was a good opportunity to laugh and just relax and let go. And I appreciate them. So you never know. Now the reception is received and rerunning says it's been very nice and very rewarding. People come up and say they enjoy it and that's that's why you do it. How seriously do you take the mail and what does that do in terms of writing and for us you were hinting at it before if something clicks on one you might go with it in the future. That was when we were doing in a front of an audience and we never found that out if we hadn't done our show in front of a live audience and then we conversed we would find other things that one Susie and I would have a fight sometimes you get a reaction from the honest way and they didn't like that and we said OK now we know but we would have been out of the way. How seriously though did you take the male response. Well I guess I've been exposed to the male for a long time

having done I did a variety show and in 61 62 and Dean Martin shows and you get mail on that at I never paid too much attention to mail because most people don't write the people that enjoy the show don't write was enjoyed it. It's usually the people that hate you for one reason or another and then you know the loonies out there. They're the ones that write you know we've been subjected here to mostly bouquets and I know from who better who better to do and I know from time to time I have sent a brickbat or two your way and perhaps you deserved it perhaps not. And I know throughout this entire series there must have been some reviews that came down that weren't entirely favorable to the entire show to your performance. We're not talking about your performance in nightclubs since we have been concentrating pretty much on your television series but

could you give us some idea of what has been said about you that or do you read them at all do you digest them do you have any afterward remarks about them amongst your whole cast of characters in the nightclub I used or not used to not read reviews. I used to read them and of course if I can you can maybe something to laugh but I am you know and if it's a bad review you're down for a couple days. Then I said to my wife I said Jenny I said I don't want to see the reviews I know the kind of show I did they don't have to tell me whether it was good or bad I know if it's good or bad. And then that I would wait and I would then like Notice the variety had come in for a couple days Monday and then I'd see Thursday and I wouldn't see anything Tuesday or Wednesday so it's a bad review. So there's no way there's no way you can be affected and there's no reason you shouldn't not be affected by it. Just you have your reasons for thinking it was good. And reviews are

good to the extent that maybe they tell you something that you're unaware of that you're projecting something that you didn't intend to or. But you are affected by them and yeah you like them all to be rosy and then you after you establish your own style. Well I was accused once I got very upset and for a while I didn't play a town because this one guy every time I came in he just went out you know like that. And so I don't need that. I just don't need it I play some other city I make the same amount of money I cause I don't want to go through that it's not worth the wrenching and so on and. In one of the reviews in the Ensign that I had stolen a joke well it was a joke that I had told in this town 12 years ago that somebody else told me that this woman saw it and thought I was stealing you know. Then I got mad because that's unfair that's an unfair shot it's not unfair from her standpoint because that's all she knew about it. But I

don't mind being knocked if they're right but if they're wrong I do. I do my me. You just triggered in my mind the craziest short shortest most wonderful joke. Is that canary. But you don't ask me to do no I wouldn't I wouldn't all but maybe they might want to hear it. And the reason I preface it because you preface it and that's a difficult thing to do you preface it with this is a funny joke and that's you know yeah and the other thing about the doors and but that would be the canary. Well the essence of that the essence of the joke is that I've drunk it's a sick joke and a drunk that goes to goes to partying it's not going to party in there and the hostess comes up and he comes up the hostess Mrs. Doolan and I have legs. And she says no lemon lemons don't have legs. And he says oh oh oh my god I think I

just was your canary in later. Years. But there was a point about that is that the comedians who came out of the 60s you couldn't steal their material anybody could steal that and it's not my style. And they did and but they couldn't steal a style they couldn't steal the winners they couldn't steal Michael and they couldn't steal me they couldn't steal Shelly because people would say that sounds like Charlie Brown that sounds like Bob Dylan and that that's what came out of comedians before that they were at the mercy of of other comedians and cars and they stole and found whoever got to the town first was the big was a big hero. Rob Duncan here is theater arts specialist he teaches at the community college. He directs. So he has to be up against a lot of students and about style about acting and I don't know if you will I mean you reinforce an awful lot of what I

try to teach people particular about comedy which is to stay away from shtick make it real because that's what's what's funny about situations I was thinking about particular Peter because I used to go to the sins of strip to the Tiffany theater see Peter in the committee years and years ago and when I found out that he was cast in your show I thought well here's an actor that's never going to make it because the committee had a tendency to get really wild and very sarcastic at times. And yet that character was very realistic even in its sense of eccentricity as as Bill Daley was. My question I would like to ask is you've got 30 minutes each week and people turning in and off. How is it that the characters become so firmly established in a show like yours as being real and yet you know personally I look at like a show like Laverne and Shirley or happy days and those people don't seem real to me in their fright you know very often don't find that funny. Well it's the quality of the writing begin with them and then it's up to the individual actor or the other actors to maintain the

integrity of his role that. He has to say and build a set of you know and seven lives that I wouldn't say that I don't feel that that isn't something I would say or so as he said I would never say that to Bob that's something and it's their prerogative and their responsibility really to to make sure that that character remains real and remains not done become a caricature. But what I want but another way of saying this is real yes but the main character like Mary Tyler Moore in the marrow Chamorro show and you on the show almost a laid back you have to fight to find who the real standout. You know we have to go it's not aggressive. You know and I think also that there's a sense of vulnerability I think I remember reading something in the press about your show being attacked by the National Institute of Psychiatry or something because you never really cured anybody. And then and if people felt that psychologists and psychiatrists were coming up in a very very bad light in

your show and yet here is an individual within that sitcom that that's world kind of circles around your neighbor always dropping in the adenosine friends and so forth. And yet there's a tremendous human vulnerability about your character that he's not Wonderwoman everything isn't turning out swell all the time. So it was I didn't I didn't hear that and we got the opposite reaction I would get reactions from psychologists saying thank you for making us real real people. You know we've always been pictured and I remember when I went to when I went to college the psych majors were always over the corner and they were they were loonier than the people you know. This is so life for making us human beings and at one point I got a letter from someone as I was very touched by it. The family was having trouble has their son and they said Would you mind if we went to see a psychologist and see if we can work out the problem because you know mommy and daddy are happy we know you're not happy and let's all sit down together and let's somebody from the outside come in and try to help us.

And the boy said is he like that man on television. And he said yes that OK well now that was a very positive thing that our show did it it took some of the fear of psychiatry and psychology out of him. And people get to you know it has helped people. One of the you know a couple of questions for you stature I'd like to know how and where you got your big break from just a stand up comic to being an actor comedian on television. And also I kind of did you since you're serious ran for so long in fact find it did you ever find yourself portraying Dr. Robert Hartley screen at home. Thank you. First the first one first. I got the the job of Dr. Robert Hartley because my my manager also managed Mary Tyler Moore and he was a number two man advantage. So I had him as far as I was or what he did.

You came to me and he said I had offers from other from other studios and I like the quality of the Mary Tyler Moore people I thought it was classy and I thought the maintain a standard and held to it and had conversations with two writers who are Mary show and we sat around and kicked around ideas and they came up with the idea of the psychologist because he said they said Bob is basically reactor two to other people he's not an innovator he's a reactor to them. The second part of the question was. Portraying Doctor Hartley. You know I've always been able to. To differentiate between the two people I mean I'm. What we are that much dissimilar but I've always I'm always able to shut. It's a saying the nightclub personality is another person that I'm always able to turn off or turn on as long as there's a need to write. But you have to go you go crazy. Sorry but do you prefer now that you can look back on to a successful TV series acting more in a TV series

or movie like you did hot millions with Peter Ustinov and Khurram although now a couple years back and that was a good movie too that was fun yeah yeah that's one of my favorites. Resins I'm going back into a television series and it probably sounds self-serving but the few to the limited experience I've had in features. And it's not sour grapes because the features I've done have not been all that successful. I say they go directly now to inflight. They don't even bother showing in the theaters anymore. The Burnham is just doing one feature after another. It's the boredom is it's it's oppressive. It's just that I didn't first family work it had a story it had I don't know that it took me a year to recover from that because I was I was so high on that. I read the script and I loved it so I was the best script I ever read I was offered at that time without mentioning what it was I was offered another script when I had to choose between the two of them

and the other one was so much more successful and wanted to tell us what it was 95 right about it was the was it done at the wrong time let's say culturally historically. Well I think what happened was Brock wrote it and directed it and I think you could get too close to a project and you have to you have to get back and take a look at it and say or this isn't working this piece doesn't fit in to that piece. Individually we did a lot of funny things I mean we were breaking up constantly and working with guild and Madeline Kahn and you know where she comes from and just it's amazing. I knew you would hear it but then when you see her do it it's so it's so off the wall and it's all right it's absolutely Perth everyone here is an actor who has gone through a lousy performance or a lousy show no matter how good they were and oh you know you got to be tough to handle that don't you.

Well it was more a mental problem I had because I said I really thought this was good and there must be something wrong in my judgment and if they were handed me today I'd do it tomorrow. I it just all the pieces never made a whole song. I know you've heard this all through this interview. But I really enjoy your show and the people that you had on there are just beautiful to go with. Well I want to ask you what was one of the most memorable moments from that show. I'm trying to think. My third good show. I think it was it was a study similar to this is wonderful. A woman approached me in the office and she approached me about being on her her television program. She had the show at 8 o'clock in the morning and she was very pleasant and very complimentary and very flattered and so I show up at the show and called her the Barracuda because then she had me to proceed to just.

Asking me Do you think you deserve $50 an hour. It's hard to say she said You ever cured anybody I said but I said you know plumbers get $50 an hour and they say yeah but plumbers fix something if you ever fix that. And she just did a real life job and I was enjoy that show us that was that was a good job. And in time you know we did. I would like to know in the new show that's coming up. Are any of the people from the old show in it and you have happened to tell us you will tell us about the new show where you love the new show with describing any idea for television show in the short run a few number words as. Given the fact that MASH could be described as high jinks along Korean surgeons you know which it doesn't sound like much of a show but of course mash has lasted 10 years 11 years whatever. I sure was about a man who writes How To books how to do outdoor plumbing how to cover your

patio how to how to build cabinets and he buys a historic in Vermont. And. And without tipping what the what the. The first show was about. Some of the problems involved in owning a historic and and some of the sordid past history of the Revolutionary War and a character from a previous show that was going to be on a Tom Poston is going to be on. Yeah we. He plays a part of the caretaker and. And we had some qualms about that because we once we decided to go completely away from the old show. But Tom is just so right for he was just so right for the part and we shot the pilot then. We have the new young actor actually never acted before. Name Stephen camp. And he's he was excellent and I just named Mary frowned. Young girl named Jennifer Holmes any one entity. None of the characters from the previous night I think it just

be confusing again. You know I've suggested in the first episode that we have a Jack Riley come in just to register as a guest and not let him know that I want to look up to me and I would go out and hunt. Not that they said they said it all they thought that was love is anything like the previous one it's of course going to be like Menard's twice you know we had it takes writing and great cast and. An end to it. To sum it all up it takes Bob Newhart thank you very. Much. When you write my favorite you brought it up. Again in the book. Yeah Im going to go to my boyhood and I'm going to run down and get it right now.

And I'll be back you know get about know and do. It.