Bob Newhart Special Section
On September 4th, Growing Community Media hosted a Bob Newhart Hometown Celebration at the Comedy Plex Comedy Club to honor the life and comedic genius of Oak Park born and West Side raised Bob Newhart.
The evening featured local stand-up comedians, including Chicago based Paul Farahvar, who delighted audiences with his unique, quick witted dry humor. Representative La Shawn Ford, Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman, and OPRF Museum Executive Director Frank Lipo reflected on the impact and history of Newhart. John and Kathy Griffin, Kelly Schumann, and Sam Kwasman shared their experiences working with Newhart.
More About Bob Newhart
Newhart was born Sept. 5, 1929, at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park and grew up on North Mason Street in Austin, just a few blocks from Oak Park. He attended St. Catherine of Siena grade school, now St. Catherine – St. Lucy School, in Oak Park before attending St. Ignatius College Prep high school in Chicago and Loyola University Chicago, graduating with a business management degree in 1952.
After releasing “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” a 1960 album recording of his standup routine, Newhart won two Grammy awards for the record, including best new artist and album of the year.
Newhart is best known for starring in two hit television shows bearing his name in the 1970s and ‘80s. After “The Bob Newhart Show,” which premiered in 1961, was canceled after one season, the comedian went on to star in another “Bob Newhart Show” that ran from 1972 through 1978, where he played a psychologist living in Chicago. He later launched another show, “Newhart,” in 1982 that ran through 1990. Many young people also know Bob as “Papa Elf” from the 2003 film Elf starring Will Ferrell.
“The only way to survive is to have a sense of humor.”
– Bob Newhart
Event Photos
Photos by Todd Bannor
