Newhart

American television sitcom (1982–1990)

This article is about the 1982–1990 television series. For the actor and comedian, see Bob Newhart. For the gymnast, see Harold Newhart.

Newhart

Created by| Barry Kemp
Developed by| Sheldon Bull
Starring| Bob Newhart
Mary Frann
Jennifer Holmes
Julia Duffy
Tom Poston
Steven Kampmann
Peter Scolari
William Sanderson
Tony Papenfuss
John Voldstad
Theme music composer| Henry Mancini
Composer| Nelson Riddle
Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of seasons| 8
No. of episodes| 184 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers| Barry Kemp
Mark Egan
Mark Solomon
Dan Wilcox
Douglas Wyman
David Mirkin
Producer| Sheldon Bull
Running time| 24 minutes
Production companies| MTM Enterprises
20th Television
Original release
Network| CBS
Release| October 25, 1982 (1982-10-25) –
May 21, 1990 (1990-05-21)

Newhart is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, respectively; who own and operate the Stratford Inn in rural Vermont. The small town is home to many eccentric characters. TV Guide, TV Land, and A&E named the Newhart series finale as one of the most memorable in television history. The theme music for Newhart was composed by Henry Mancini.

## Premise

[edit]

Bob Newhart plays Dick Loudon, an author of do-it-yourself and travel books. He and his wife Joanna move from New York City to a small town in rural Vermont[a] to operate the 200-year-old Stratford Inn.

Dick and Joanna initially run the inn with the help of sweet-natured but simple handyman George Utley and Leslie Vanderkellen, a bright, cheerful Dartmouth College student and heiress who takes a job as a maid to find out what it is like to be "normal". Next door to the inn is the Minuteman Café, owned by Kirk Devane, a petty opportunist and compulsive liar. Leslie leaves before season two to continue her studies abroad, to be replaced by her cousin Stephanie, who, unlike Leslie, is vain, lazy, and spoiled. Awkward, uncultured, backwoodsman brothers Larry, Darryl and Darryl take over the Minuteman Cafe when Kirk leaves after season two.

Near the end of season two, Dick becomes the host of a local television show, Vermont Today, where he interviews an assortment of bizarre and colorful guests. His vapid, neurotic producer, Michael Harris, falls in love with Stephanie, their relationship providing a satire of 1980s excess.[2] The final episode of the series reveals that the entire series was a dream of Dr. Robert Hartley, Newhart's character in The Bob Newhart Show.

## Cast

[edit]

### Main

[edit]

* Bob Newhart as Dick Loudon, a NYC transplant, owner of the Stratford Inn, author of do-it-yourself books, as well as the host of Vermont Today
* Mary Frann as Joanna Loudon, Dick's wife; co-proprietor of the Stratford Inn, who also works as a realtor
* Tom Poston as George Utley, the sensitive, dutiful, trustworthy, but slow-witted handyman at the Stratford Inn, a position passed down through his family for generations
* William Sanderson, Tony Papenfuss, and John Voldstad as brothers Larry, Darryl and Darryl, three often-soiled, socially-awkward backwoodsmen, who work various odd jobs before taking over the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk (recurring season 1, main season 2-8)
* Steven Kampmann as Kirk Devane (seasons 1–2), the insensitive, opportunist owner of the Minuteman Cafe next door, who considers the Loudons his best friends. His character was written out in the premiere episode of season 3
* Jennifer Holmes as Leslie Vanderkellen (season 1), a wealthy but sweet-natured student who works as the Stratford's maid
* Julia Duffy as Stephanie Vanderkellen (guest season 1, main seasons 2–8), Leslie's spoiled, coddled, socialite cousin who replaces her as the Stratford's maid. Unlike her sister, she is unambitious and incompetent.
* Peter Scolari as Michael Harris, the aspiring yuppie[3] producer of Vermont Today; Stephanie's boyfriend and later husband (recurring season 2, main seasons 3–8)

### Recurring

[edit]

* William Lanteau as Chester Wanamaker, the town's fussbudget mayor (1982–90)
* Thomas Hill as Jim Dixon, Chester's wild-eyed best friend (1982–90)
* Rebecca York as Cindy Parker-Devane, a professional clown, Kirk's girlfriend and later wife (1983–84)
* Jeff Doucette as Harley Estin, a barely competent, Beaver Lodge brother of George's, who is perpetually unemployed (1983–88)
* Fred Applegate as J. J. Wall, the sarcastic director of Dick's television show (1984–87)
* Ralph Manza as Bud, the assistant director of Dick's television show (1984–90)
* Linda Carlson as Bev Dutton, the television station manager (1984–87)
* Todd Susman as Officer Shifflett, the town's self-important police constable (1984–90)
* José Ferrer as Arthur Vanderkellen, Stephanie's aristocratic father (1985–87)
* Priscilla Morrill as Marian Vanderkellen, Stephanie's mother (1985–89)
* Melanie Chartoff as Dr. Mary Kaiser, Stephanie and Michael's therapist (1987–90)
* Kathy Kinney as Prudence Goddard, the town librarian (1989–90)
* David Pressman as Mr. Art Rusnak, the local shoe store manager (1989–90)

## Reception

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Newhart was a solid ratings winner, finishing its first six seasons in the Nielsen top 25. Despite not finishing in the top 30 for its last two seasons, Bob Newhart stated in an interview with the Archive of American Television that CBS was satisfied enough with the show's ratings to renew it for a ninth season in 1990. However, Newhart, who was anxious to move on to other projects, declined the offer, promising CBS that he would develop a new series for the network, which he was under contract to do. This resulted in the 1992 series Bob, which lasted two seasons.

Newhart season rankings in the U.S. television market  Season  | Episodes  | Original air dates  | TV season  | Nielsen ratings

|
|
|
|

Season premiere  | Season finale  | Rank  | Rating  | Households[b] / Viewers[c] (in millions)
| 1 | 22 | October 25, 1982 | April 10, 1983 | 1982–1983 | #12 | 20.0 | 16.66
| 2 | 22 | October 17, 1983 | April 16, 1984 | 1983–1984 | #23 | 18.0 | 15.08
| 3 | 22 | October 15, 1984 | May 28, 1985 | 1984–1985 | #16 | 18.4 | —
| 4 | 24 | September 30, 1985 | May 12, 1986 | 1985–1986 | 19.6 | 16.84
| 5 | 24 | September 29, 1986 | April 13, 1987 | 1986–1987 | #12 | 19.5 | 17.04
| 6 | 24 | September 14, 1987 | April 9, 1988 | 1987–1988 | #25 | 16.5 | —
| 7 | 22 | October 24, 1988 | May 22, 1989 | 1988–1989 | #50 | 12.8
| 8 | 24 | September 18, 1989 | May 21, 1990 | 1989–1990 | #48 | 13.1 | 19.34

1. ^ The town's name is never mentioned in the show, but context clues placing the town 59 miles from Montpelier and within commuting distance of Dartmouth College lead many media sources to identify it as Norwich.[1] Exterior shots were filmed at the Waybury Inn in East Middlebury.
2. ^ 1982–1987
3. ^ 1989–1990

## Awards

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### Nominations

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#### Emmy Awards

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The show was nominated for 25 Emmy Awards but never won.

1983

* Outstanding Comedy Series – Sheldon Bull, Producer; Barry Kemp, Executive Producer
* Outstanding Video Tape Editing For a Series – Andy Ackerman

1984

* Outstanding Comedy Series – Sheldon Bull, Producer; Barry Kemp, Executive Producer
* Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tom Poston
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1985

* Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Bob Newhart
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1986

* Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Bob Newhart
* Outstanding Sound Mixing For a Comedy or Drama – Andrew MacDonald, Sound Mixer; Bill Nicholson, Sound Mixer; Craig Porter, Sound Mixer; Richard Wachter, Sound Mixer
* Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tom Poston
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1987

* Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Bob Newhart
* Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
* Tom Poston
* Peter Scolari
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy
* Outstanding Writing For a Comedy Series – David Mirkin ("Co-Hostess Twinkie")

1988

* Outstanding Editing For a Series (Multi-Camera Production) – Michael Wilcox, Editor
* Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Peter Scolari
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1989

* Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Eileen Brennan
* Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Peter Scolari
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy

1990

* Outstanding Editing For a Series (Multi-Camera Production) – Michael Wilcox, Editor
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Duffy
* Outstanding Writing For a Comedy Series – Bob Bendetson, Mark Egan and Mark Solomon ("The Last Newhart")

#### Golden Globe Awards

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Newhart earned six nominations for Golden Globe Awards.

* Television Series – Musical or Comedy (1984)
* Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Bob Newhart (1983–1986)
* Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Julia Duffy (1988)

#### Other awards

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Newhart was nominated for one Casting Society of America award and four nominations for TV Land Awards. Newhart won a total of four Viewers for Quality Television Awards.

## Home media

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20th Century Fox released season one of Newhart on DVD in Region 1 on February 26, 2008.

In November 2013, Shout! Factory announced it had acquired the rights to the series. It has since released the remainder of the series in individual season sets.[4][5][6]

DVD Name  | Ep. No.  | Release Date

|
|

The Complete First Season  | 22  | February 26, 2008
The Complete Second Season  | 22  | February 11, 2014
The Complete Third Season  | 22  | April 22, 2014
The Complete Fourth Season  | 24  | August 19, 2014
The Complete Fifth Season  | 24  | May 10, 2016
The Complete Sixth Season  | 24  | September 13, 2016
The Complete Seventh Season  | 22  | December 13, 2016
The Complete Eighth Season  | 24  | March 14, 2017

## References

[edit]

1. ^ King, Susan (May 20, 1990). "Bye Bye, Bob : There's No One Left at the Inn as 'Newhart' Signs Off". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
2. ^ St. James, Emily (February 12, 2014). "How the second season of Newhart proves sitcoms need time to learn". AV Club.
3. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (October 22, 2021). "Peter Scolari, 'Newhart' and 'Girls' Actor, Is Dead at 66". The New York Times. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
4. ^ "Newheart: Season Six". Shout! Factory. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
5. ^ "Newheart: Season Seven". TVShowsOnDVD. Archived from the original on December 12, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
6. ^ "Newhart – The Complete 8th and Final Season". Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.

## External links

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* Newhart at IMDb
* Newhart at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television

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