A few of Newhart’s most fondly remembered routines hilariously skewered Madison Avenue. In “Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue,” an more and more flustered imagemaker tries to get Abe to stay to the Gettysburg Deal with script (“You modified 4 rating and 7 to eighty-seven? Abe, that’s meant to be a grabber.”)
That routine kicks off The Button-Down Thoughts of Bob Newhart, his first album, which catapulted Newhart to stardom. It not solely topped the charts (it bought over one million copies), however received a Grammy for album of the 12 months, beating out Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Newhart additionally obtained Grammys for greatest new artist and greatest spoken-word comedy efficiency. His follow-up album The Button-Down Thoughts Strikes Again! was additionally a Grammy-winner and each took the one-two slots on the Billboard album chart.
Maintain it. How does an accountant change into a No. 1 recording artist? Whereas working at Glidden Firm promoting paint, he and a colleague, whiled the monotonous hours on the cellphone making one another giggle with improvised dialogues. They recorded and marketed them to native radio stations. Newhart was compelled to go solo when his buddy took a job in New York.
Chicago radio persona Dan Sorkin not solely performed a few of Newhart’s routines on the air, gave a number of the tapes to an government at Warner Bros. Information, which requested to report his subsequent nightclub efficiency. Right here’s the humorous factor: Newhart had by no means carried out in a nightclub. Strings have been pulled and Newhart was booked within the Tidelands Motor Inn, the place “The Button-Down Thoughts” was recorded
Newhart didn’t inform jokes. Like Shelley Berman (and a reported sore spot with him), Newhart did monologues that performed out over a cellphone name between, say an Empire Constructing safety guard whose first night time coincides with the looks of King Kong on the roof, or a recreation advertising government fielding a name from Abner Doubleday pitching the sport of baseball, or an officer addressing his crew following a very disastrous voyage. Audiences solely heard his finish of the conversations.
Newhart was a mainstay of recreation, speak and selection exhibits. He parlayed the success of “The Button-Down Thoughts” into internet hosting his personal 1961 selection present, which lasted one season, however received Emmy and Peabody awards.
