page_title: The Bob Newhart Show
section_title: Premise
hierarchical_section_title: The Bob Newhart Show / Premise
caption_attribution_description: Publicity photo of the cast of The Bob Newhart Show. Standing from left: Bill Daily (Howard Borden), Marcia Wallace, (Carol Kester), Peter Bonerz (Jerry Robinson). Seated: from left: Bob Newhart (Bob Hartley), Suzanne Pleshette (Emily Hartley).
context_page_description: The Bob Newhart Show is an American sitcom television series produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychologist whose interactions with his wife, friends, patients, and colleagues lead to humorous situations and dialogue. The show was filmed before a live audience.
  The opening credits notably feature the Cooper Black typeface, after it was made famous in 1966 by the use in the artwork for the Beach Boys Pet Sounds album.
context_section_description: The show centers on Robert "Bob" Hartley, Ph.D. (Newhart), a Chicago psychologist. Most activity occurs between his work and home life, with his supportive, although occasionally sarcastic, wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette), and their friendly but pesty neighbor, airline navigator Howard Borden (Bill Daily). The medical building where Bob's psychology practice is located also houses Jerry Robinson, D.D.S. (Peter Bonerz), an orthodontist whose office is on the same floor, and their receptionist, Carol Kester (Marcia Wallace), as well as a number of other somewhat eccentric doctors who appear occasionally.
  Bob's three most frequently seen regular patients are the cynical, mean-spirited and neurotic Elliot Carlin (Jack Riley), the milquetoast Marine veteran cook,  Emile Peterson (John Fiedler), and quiet, reserved Lillian Bakerman (Florida Friebus), an older woman who spends most of her sessions knitting. Carlin was ranked 49th in TV Guide's List of the 50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time, and Riley reprised the character in guest appearances on both St. Elsewhere and Newhart.
  
  Most of the situations involve Newhart's character playing straight man to his wife, colleagues, friends, and patients. A frequent running gag on the show is an extension of Newhart's stand-up comedy routines, where he played one side of a telephone conversation, the other side of which is not heard. In a nod to this, for the first two seasons, the episodes opened with Bob answering the telephone by saying "Hello?". Emily routinely acts as straight woman to slow-witted Howard, and on occasion to Bob.
caption: Standing, from left: Howard Borden, Carol Kester, Jerry Robinson; seated: Bob and Emily Hartley
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