“The Bob Newhart Show” – 1972

Cast
Bob Newhart – Dr. Robert (Bob) Hartley
Suzanne Pleshette – Emily Hartley
Bill Daily – Howard Borden
Peter Bonerz – Dr. Jerry Robinson
Marcia Wallace – Carol Kester Bondurant
Jack Riley – Elliot Carlin
Florida Friebus – Mrs. Lillian Bakerman
John Fiedler – Mr. Emil Peterson
Oliver Clark – Mr. Ed Herd (1976-77)
Moosie Drier – Howie Borden Jr.
Pat Finley – Ellen Hartley (1974-1976)
Larry Gelman – Dr. Bernie Tupperman (1972-76)
Renée Lippin – Michelle Nardo (1973-76)
Will Mackenzie – Larry Bondurant (1975-77)
Noam Pitlik – Mr. Victor Gianelli (1972-73)
Lucien Scott – Mr. Edgar Vickers (1974-75)
Patricia Smith – Margaret Hoover (1972-73)

Review By T O’Brien
Classic 70s sitcom with great ensemble cast,

The Bob Newhart Show was one of the great 70s sitcom and it has finally been released on DVD. The show followed Dr. Robert Hartley, a pyschologist living in Chicago with his wife and substitute schoolteacher, Emily. We meet Bob’s nosy yet lovable neighbor Howard Borden, his best friend Jerry Robinson, an orthadontist who works on the same floor, and Bob’s lovesick receptionist, Carol Kester. Included with the main cast are recurring guest stars like Jack Riley as Mr. Carlin and John Fielder as Mr. Peterson, two of Bob’s most hilarious patients. This ensemble cast provided plenty of hilarious moments, including the “Hi, Bob,” drinking game, and it is great to see this show finally on DVD. This sitcom provided Bob Newhart the perfect opportunity for his dry, sarcastic humor. As well, almost every show from the first season features one of his famous telephone acts. For a can’t miss 70s sitcom, check out the Bob Newhart show.

Bob Newhart is hilarious throughout as Dr. Robert Hartley, a pyschologist living in Chicago with his wife Emily, played by Suzanne Pleshette. Together, Newhart and Pleshette make a funny and still believable married couple. Bill Daily as neighbor Howard Borden, Peter Bonerz as orthadontist/best friend Jerry Robinson, and Marcia Wallace as receptionist Carol Kester make up the supporting cast and provide some of the show’s most hilarious moments. The First Season DVD features all 24 episodes in full frame on three discs. They look cleaned up from some of the ones shown on TV. There are no extras included on the DVD, but hopefully on future releases bloopers/gag reel or interviews with the cast are included. For now, we’ll just have to enjoy the classic first season of The Bob Newhart Show. Highly recommended.