Before his death at the age of 94, comedy legend Bob Newhart named an unlikely top candidate to play him in a possible biopic.
During a January 2021 appearance on Conan, host Conan O'Brien reflected on the late comedian's illustrious Hollywood career and inquired who Newhart would choose to portray him in a biographical film.
"I think The Rock," Newhart deadpanned. "I get mistaken for him a lot. People will say 'Hey Dwayne and I'll say 'No, I'm not Dwayne!' But there should be quite a fight over it."
O'Brien shot back The Rock would actually be perfect to portray the famously nerdy comedian's "early football career."
Sidebar: though he played football in high school, the manliest thing Mr. Newhart arguably ever did was serve as a clerk in the Army.
However, Newhart claimed another A-lister would be perfect to play him in a biopic. "Brad Pitt is supposed to be very interested," he joked, cracking Conan up.
Bob Newhart suggested two potential actors for a biopic of his life, sending Conan O'Brien into hysterics. (Image via YouTube / Team Coco).
The Comedians Were So Close That Conan O'Brien Should Produce a Bob Newhart Biopic
Of course, Newhart and OBrien became something of a comedy duo over the years. The sitcom star and prolific comedian frequently visited all the iterations of Conan's late-night show over the decades. Newhart was a Conan fan favorite, even appearing on Conan's podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend back in 2019.
Meanwhile, Newhart famously joined O'Brien for an unforgettable sketch when Conan hosted the 58th annual Emmy Awards back in 2006. In the showrunner, Newhart found himself "trapped" in a glass case with only three hours of air.
If the televised ceremony ran long, Conan declared, the beloved veteran star would suffocate.
Spoiler: Bob survived. Near the end of the ceremony, Conan revealed that a "majority" of people calling the network demanded Bob be spared. A beleaguered Newhart then discovered that 42% of callers wanted him to die, while 6% didn't care one way or the other.
In the bit, Conan's frenzied, dialed-to-11 energy perfectly contrasted with Bob's famous deadpan, sardonic delivery. The sketch is so fondly remembered, that when news of the comedy legend's death (from natural causes!) circulated yesterday, fans instantly took to social media to post the footage.
Remember when Conan locked Bob Newhart in an airtight container so the Emmys wouldn?t run over 3 hours? Still maybe the funniest thing I?ve ever seen on an awards show.
RIP Bob pic.twitter.com/3Ttc4ng4dK
— Jonathan (@jonathanmb32) July 18, 2024
Meanwhile, Conan O'Brien paid tribute to his friend in a heartfelt tribute on X.
"Bob Newhart taught countless generations of comedians that you could be funny, smart, uncompromising, and still win on your own terms. This is an immeasurable loss," he wrote.
