41THE BOB NEWHART SHOW - TIE

Aired: CBS, 1972-1978

Talking about the success of The Bob Newhart Show on the podcast "Bullseye" recently, Newhart told a story about Jack Benny. At the end of a table reading of The Jack Benny Show during which Benny had instructed the writers to parcel out various big laughs to others cast members, guest star Ronald Coleman said to the comedian afterward, "Jack, you gave away your best lines," to which Benny responded, "Yeah, but I'll be back next week." That was evident on The Bob Newhart Show, a shining example of a sitcom at its most functional. The show, created by David Davis and Lorenzo Music, expanded the success MTM had with The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Newhart's standup's persona those one-sided phone conversations for which he was famous, coupled with his droll delivery played off of the eccentrics surrounding Chicago psychologist Bob Hartley, at work and at home.