The First Time Bob Newhart Ever Performed Live

Bob Newhart started making comedy recordings while he was living in Chicago in the 1950s. A former accountant turned advertising man, he was always good for making his friends laugh.

At the office, he’d occasionally record short tapes of his bits, and the staff would circulate them.

Some of these bits eventually found their ways to Warner Bros.

The executives at Warner Bros were impressed.

They were, in fact, so impressed, that they decided they wanted to record his next set.

The problem was, there was no next set. There wasn’t even a prior set. Bob Newhart had never performed LIVE.

Not one to pass up on the opportunity, they went to work finding a club where an unknown act could work out how to be worth knowing on stage (and hopefully, on recording).

The Tidelands, in Houston, Texas was eventually selected as the perfect place.

Newhart’s dry humor played well there, his lack of recognition didn’t much matter, and the elements for him to build familiarity in front of an audience were all in place.

When he got to Houston, his set had about 18 minutes of material.

That would get him through about one side of a record.

So it was determined from the beginning that he’d have to learn to work the stage at the same time as he needed to double his amount of material. And he’d need to do it fast.

He started as the opening act for a husband and wife duo (Ken and Mitzie Welch, who would later go on to write for Carol Burnett and Barbra Streisand).

The Welch’s would watch him perform each night, and later, the couple would be his sounding board for what worked, what didn’t, and what he was adding.

As skill would have it, because it wasn’t just luck, Newhart was also really, really funny. The audiences responded immediately. As did the Welch’s.

It was just Newhart who was slow to catch on to some of the finer points.

Like the time he walked off the stage after finishing and the audience kept clapping. He was walking away when a maître d’ caught up to him and said, “Hey, they’re still laughing, you need to get back up there!”

He turned around and headed back onto the stage. The audience applauded his return and promptly quieted down.

He had problem once he got there though.

Remember the “only 18 minutes of material” situation? It wasn’t much improved.

Newhart famously told the crowd, “Uh, which one would you like to hear… again?”

The rest of the set came together quickly.

The label came to town and recorded several shows.

Newhart’s routines, where he’d perform one side of a telephone conversation, were a revelation.

He’d later compare it to Marshall McLuhan’s idea of a “hot medium.” He WAS an advertising guy, remember?

Newhart figured the audience liked it so much because they felt involved.

Plus, he didn’t have to do the impersonations or imitations so many other comics were doing.

Why imitate Abe Lincoln when you imitate his faux marketing agency on the other side of a call?

(That bit, still one of the funniest things I think I’ve ever heard in my life).

The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was a massive success. It launched his career. It shaped comedy.

I wouldn’t find him until decades later when replays of his stuff showed up on Nick at Nite. The dead-pan delivery, it was 90s slacker humor from another era. And then, to later discover the recordings.

Not to mention, post-Breaking Bad ending, when they did the “it was all a dream” Malcolm in the Middle bit? So good, and also, so Newhart. The guy touched all of culture. Of course he’d done it first. Of course they’d call back to it.

Newhart was a true artistic genius. He made it to 94 years old. And oh, how he will be missed.

I have a feeling I’ll need to tell more stories about him and the intelligence behind how he packaged stories. The advertising and accounting background, it played a role. Plus, his sense of timing.

I only just found out (really, just heard) the edits to shorten the gaps on his first record, which he deservedly hated. This detail alone, if you’re into music, you could write a whole book on Newhart’s TIME feel. Unreal skill there.

If you have favorites or insights, I’d love to hear them - get in touch.

My favorite stories so far are coming from the people who knew him personally (definitely listen to Under the Influence with Terry O’Reilly talking about making commercials with him if you want to warm your heart, also NPR ran commentary from David Bianculli with Terry Gross’ interview clips - these are just magic). 

Do yourself a favor and listen to The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart. Listen to it now, knowing how it all came together to start his career, and relish in the parts where people are laughing and they can’t edit his timing. These bits still blow my mind. 

Ps. extra h/t to The Houston Chronicle which had some great pieces including this one, “Bob Newhart’s Success Started in Houston” from several years ago.

Pss. Houston is in the air lately!