PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: THE BOB NEWHART SHOW'S 35TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of evenings and special screenings presented by The Paley Center for Media. Held at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, this evening hosts a reunion of the cast of “The Bob Newhart Show,” a comedy program about the personal and professional life of a Chicago psychologist played by Newhart. Barbara Dixon (director, The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles) offers opening remarks before introducing the evenings’ moderator, Pat Mitchell (president, CEO of The Paley Center for Media), who offers her own remarks before introducing Larry Jones, president of TV Land.
Mitchell then introduces the panelists: director Dick Martin; and cast members Jack Riley (Elliot Carlin); Marcia Wallace (Carol Kester); Bill Daily (Howard Borden); Suzanne Pleshette (Emily Hartley); and Newhart (Bob Hartley).
Topics of discussion include: the impetus behind casting Newhart as a psychologist on “The Bob Newhart Show”; Pleshette on the unconventional television marriage portrayed on the show and her feelings about working with Newhart; Wallace on creating her role and how Carol differed from other secretaries on television at the time; Daily on his eclectic experiences on the show; Riley on developing his character; Newhart on the show’s original pilot; Martin on how “The Bob Newhart Show” jump-started his television directorial career; how Daily’s dyslexia affected his performance on the show; Wallace having suffered a nervous breakdown on one episode; and the show’s final episode.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: favorite guest stars on the show; why modern television sitcoms are difficult to do well; the show’s “timeless” quality; Newhart on the show’s writing staff; controversial issues addressed in the show; Newhart on “lending” Daily one of his comedy routines; and Pleshette's current health situation.
A clip package from “The Bob Newhart Show” (1972-1978) includes the following excerpts: Bob and Emily waking up early for his big television interview, and the interview itself; Bob attempting to help a homosexual patient; Bob trying to cheer Carol and Jerry up before meeting with an unexpected fate; Bob and Emily getting unsuccessfully robbed by a patient as Bob helps him deal with his issues; Bob trying to reconcile having a lower IQ than Emily after taking an IQ test; Bob and the gang going out to an ice cream parlor; Bob trying to return an ornate bible he purchased at a church auction; Bob meeting up with an old college buddy; and an inebriated Bob and his friends attempting to order Chinese food.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: September 5, 2007 Wednesday 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:15:03
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91613
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Barbara Dixon … Host
- Pat Mitchell … Moderator
- Larry Jones … Guest
- Dick Martin … Panelist
- Jack Riley … Panelist
- Marcia Wallace … Panelist
- Bill Daily … Panelist
- Suzanne Pleshette … Panelist
- Bob Newhart … Panelist