Comedy icon Bob Newhart died on Thursday, and given the decades he’d spent in show business, the news left many fans in mourning. Among those left saddened were the stars of The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon.
Officially, Newhart’s final acting role was as the character Arthur Jeffries, aka Professor Proton, in the CBS sitcom Young Sheldon. He had previously played the same character in the original series, The Big Bang Theory, appearing as Professor Proton on the screen in nine franchise episodes between 2013 and 2020. The character is a childhood hero of Jim Parsons’ Sheldon and Johnny Galecki’s Leonard, as they grew up learning about science by watching his Bill Nye the Science Guy-style television show. Similarly, some stars of The Big Bang Theory had been inspired by Newhart’s comedy work, as revealed by People.
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“As a child, The Bob Newhart Show provided countless hours of enjoyment for me – it constituted some of my earliest training in the art of sitcom. When I got to work with alongside him on TBBT, it was absolutely a dream come true,” Mayim Bialik, who plays Sheldon’s wife Amy, said in a statement. “He was effortlessly professional, poised, hilarious and incredibly approachable. Working with Bob was working in the presence of a true comedy legend – the likes of whom we simply don’t see anymore. How he will be missed!”
“Working with Bob was working in the presence of a true comedy legend – the likes of whom we simply don’t see anymore.”
A couple of Bialik’s co-stars honored Newhart on social media. On her Instagram Stories, Penny actor Kaley Cuoco shared an image of herself and Newhart from a scene together along with the caption, “What a dream it was to witness the genius that was Bob Newhart. He was classy, kind, generous and absolutely hilarious. Every take – every time. Icon forever.”
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Raj actor Kunal Nayyar also posted on Instagram Stories a message that stated, “Professor Proton. Our dearest Bob Newhart. RIP. Miss you forever.”
“Hard to explain how important Bob Newhart was to every comedian and comedy writer who came after him,” The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady also said in an X post, including an image of himself on the set with Newhart. “Working with him ever so briefly was one of the greatest joys and honors of my life.”
Young Sheldon’s Iain Armitage Honored Bob Newhart
Young Sheldon star Iain Armitage, who played the younger Sheldon Cooper, shared his thoughts as well in a statement. The teen actor noted, “Bob’s Professor Proton was inspiring to Sheldon, and his career as an actor was inspiring to me. He was loved and will be missed.” A post on Armitage’s Instagram Stories added, “Thanks for being such an inspiring Professor Proton and such an incredible human being. Thinking of you and all who loved you today.”
