Ginnie Newhart, wife of comedy legend Bob Newhart, dies at 82
Ginnie Newhart, the wife of legendary comedian and actor Bob Newhart, died at 82. Her publicist, Jerry Digney, confirmed the news, saying that Ginnie passed away on April 23rd after a long illness. Bob also shared the information on Twitter, saying that Ginnie was “our rock, and we miss her terribly.”
The couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in January of this year. They met on a blind date arranged by their mutual friend, actor Buddy Hackett, and married the following year. They went on to have four children and ten grandchildren.
Bob and Ginnie credited the longevity of their marriage to laughter, with Bob saying in a 2022 interview with Parade that “no matter how intense the argument you’re having, you can find a line, and then you both look at each other and start laughing. It’s over, you know? I think that sense of humor is very important to the longevity of a marriage.”
Ginnie shared a similar sentiment in a 2005 interview with PBS, saying that “comedians are just fun to be with” and that “they seem to have longevity in their marriages.”
Ginnie was also credited with creating the beloved finale of her husband’s show Newhart in 1990, in which his character Dick wakes up as Bob Hartley, who suggests the second CBS series was a dream. Bob told Yahoo Entertainment in May 2020 that Ginnie came up with the idea, saying, “You wake up in bed with Suzie, and you describe this dream you had about owning an inn in Vermont.”
Following Ginnie’s death, Newhart star Julie Duffy paid tribute to her on Twitter, saying that Ginnie was “funny, candid, huge heart” and that she “loved her.” Ginnie is survived by Bob, their four children, and their ten grandchildren.