Since Bob Newhart’s death was announced via a statement made by his family, many are still processing the sad news. Eagle-eyed fans, who saw footage of him in recent years, pointed out how sickly the late actor, who shared life reflections after turning 90, looked before he died.
Hollywood legend Bob Newhart sadly passed away yesterday, July 18, after forging an illustrious career as a beloved actor and comedian. He was 94. A past interview clip of the late comedian is being brought back into the spotlight where fans noticed some worrying details concerning the “Elf” star’s appearance.
Bob Newhart at the Paley Honors: A Special Tribute To Television’s Comedy Legends event in Beverly Hills, California on November 21, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
Confirming the tragic news, Newhart’s family took to Facebook to share a statement about his demise. Posting the message alongside a beautiful picture of him laughing with loved ones, they began, “Our father passed away this morning surrounded by all our family. We feel blessed that he is reunited with our mom and all of his friends waiting for him.”
Continuing, they expressed, “Thank you for all of your well wishes. He was deeply loved by all, but especially by his children and grandchildren. Love to all, The Newhart Family.”
While the statement makes no mention of how the beloved star died, a past video from three years ago (2021) shows how frail he had looked.
Bob Newhart during day 2 of the Backstage Creations Giving Suite At The Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California on September 22, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
On February 16, 2021, “The Bob Newhart Show” talent sat down for a virtual conversation with talk show host Conan O’Brien to talk about his life, career, and friendship with Frank Sinatra. Upon seeing the footage of Newhart, it’s hard to deny his gaunt-looking face, sunken eyes, and tired expression.
Conan O’Brien and Bob Newhart speaking in a past interview, posted on February 16, 2021 | Source: YouTube/Team Coco
Fans who saw the interview took to the comment section of the YouTube post to express concern for Newhart as a result of his appearance. Some even said he looked as though he was on the verge of death three years before he passed.
Bob Newhart speaking in a past interview, posted on February 16, 2021 | Source: YouTube/Team Coco
“He looks like death,” wrote a spectator while another echoed, “Wow! [As] death looms.” A social media user commented, “He’s so skinny.” “He doesn’t look well,” someone else chimed in.
Bob Newhart at the series finale party for “The Big Bang Theory” in Pasadena, California on May 1, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
A particularly distraught person asserted, “[Expletive], he looks like a skeleton. It’s getting to the point where my folks will be on the decline soon. I’m not looking forward to it.” However, they also noted, “Glad to see Bob’s mind is still sharp.”
Bob Newhart speaking at the An Evening With Bob Newhart event in Los Angeles, California on February 12, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
An admirer praised, “Bob Newhart is an amazing actor. Hope he lives a few more years.” Lo and behold, Bob Newhart did end up living for a few more years before meeting his demise this year (2024).
When the late icon turned 90 in 2019, he sat down for an interview in which he reflected on his life and how it felt to have reached such a milestone in age. He also spoke about what it felt like to be married for so long to his beloved late wife Ginnie Newhart, whom he wed in 1963.
Bob and Ginnie Newhart at the An Evening with Bob Newhart: A “Newhart” Celebration in 2018. | Source: Getty Images
When Newhart was asked how he felt about turning 90, he said he was glad he had experienced everything he had, like having the first number-one comedy record, two self-titled TV shows, and meeting everyone he did.
However, he also shared how he never expected that he would make it to 90. Newhart revealed that his father had died in his late 80s and his mother had passed on in her early 90s, which left him feeling like he got their longevity genes.
Bob Newhart at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California on February 10, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
While he is grateful that he has been able to live this long and meet friends along the way, the actor has lost precious friends in recent years and talked about what that was like for him to live through.
Newhart said that losing friends like Don Rickles, Mike Conners, and Tim Conway put everything into perspective for him. He began prioritizing spending time with family and seeing close friends more often.
A part of that group of loved ones includes his children and grandchildren, whom the late star loved dearly, and who in turn adored him, too. Interestingly, comedy seems to run in the family, too.
Although not all of his children and grandchildren have dipped their toes into the comedy pool, his grandson tried doing standup when he was only twelve.
After his performance, Newhart asked his grandson if he had enjoyed his set, to which he replied that some jokes worked and others didn’t, but he pushed through. Newhart then encouraged him by saying, “That’s the secret. You’ve got to keep going and put one foot in front of the other.”
In the time leading up to his demise, Newhart spent much of his time with his family and shared posts about his late wife on social media often. In January 2023, he posted photos of himself and his beloved throughout the years, mentioning that it was the anniversary of their first date.