History Trivia / Newhart

* HostilityOnTheSet: Creator/MaryFrann didn't have the best time working on the show, with the media ''constantly'' comparing her to her predecessor as Creator/BobNewhart's TV wife, Creator/SuzannePleshette. The cast and crew of ''Newhart'', including Bob himself, didn't seem terribly sympathetic, inviting Pleshette to make a backstage appearance during the filming of the show's first season, which Frann (though brushing it off when the media asked about it) did not appreciate. A surviving blooper showing Bob flubbing a take by referring to Frann's character Joanna as "Emily" got a great reaction from Frann (and the studio audience) but the dramatics of her sauntering off stage and taking her bows do suggest some irritation at even her co-star and onscreen husband failing to recognize her as her own woman. The show's infamous ending, relegating her entire character to having been a dream of [[Series/TheBobNewhartShow Bob Hartley's]], with Emily herself showing up in bed next to him, was the icing on the cake. Pleshette, many years later (and after Frann's too-early death in 1998), acknowledged in a candid interview for the Archive of American Television that she felt bad for Frann having to live and work in her shadow, and claimed to have snuck out of the series finale after-party as it "wasn't [her] house". (Although she apparently hung around for long enough that Creator/LisaKudrow -- who played one of Larry, Darryl, and Darryl's wives -- was able to meet her.)

* HostilityOnTheSet: Mary Frann didn't have the best time working on the show, with the media ''constantly'' comparing her to her predecessor as Creator/BobNewhart's TV wife, Creator/SuzannePleshette. The cast and crew of ''Newhart'', including Bob himself, didn't seem terribly sympathetic, inviting Pleshette to make a backstage appearance during the filming of the show's first season, which Frann (though brushing it off when the media asked about it) did not appreciate. A surviving blooper showing Bob flubbing a take by referring to Frann's character Joanna as "Emily" got a great reaction from Frann (and the studio audience) but the dramatics of her sauntering off stage and taking her bows do suggest some irritation at even her co-star and onscreen husband failing to recognize her as her own woman. The show's infamous ending, relegating her entire character to having been a dream of [[Series/TheBobNewhartShow Bob Hartley's]], with Emily herself showing up in bed next to him, was the icing on the cake. Pleshette, many years later (and after Frann's too-early death in 1998), acknowledged in a candid interview for the Archive of American Television that she felt bad for Frann having to live and work in her shadow, and claimed to have snuck out of the series finale after-party as it "wasn't [her] house". (Although she apparently hung around for long enough that Creator/LisaKudrow -- who played one of Larry, Darryl, and Darryl's wives -- was able to meet her.)

* HostilityOnTheSet: Mary Frann didn't have the best time working on the show, with the media ''constantly'' comparing her to her predecessor as Creator/BobNewhart's TV wife, Creator/SuzannePleshette. The cast and crew of ''Newhart'', including Bob himself, didn't seem terribly sympathetic, inviting Pleshette to make a backstage appearance during the filming of the show's first season, which Frann (though brushing it off when the media asked about it) did not appreciate. A surviving blooper showing Bob flubbing a take by referring to Frann's character Joanna as "Emily" got a great reaction from Frann (and the studio audience) but the dramatics of her sauntering off stage and taking her bows do suggest some irritation at even her co-star and onscreen husband failing to recognize her as her own woman. The show's infamous ending, relegating her entire character to having been a dream of [[Series/TheBobNewhartShow Bob Hartley's]], with Emily herself showing up in bed next to him, was the icing on the cake. Pleshette, many years later (and after Frann's too-early death in 1998) acknowledged in a candid interview for the Archive of American Television that she felt bad for Frann having to live and work in her shadow, and claimed to have snuck out of the series finale after-party as it "wasn't [her] house". (Although she apparently hung around for long enough that Creator/LisaKudrow - who played one of Larry, Darryl, and Darryl's wives - was able to meet her.)

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An alternative "decoy" ending was scripted with Dick dying and going to Heaven after getting hit by the golf ball and meeting God. The implication was that Creator/GeorgeBurns would reprise his role as God from the ''Film/OhGod'' films. This ending was only included in case the finale script was leaked to the press (which it was) and was never intended to be filmed.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Mary Frann didn't have the best time working on the show, with the media ''constantly'' comparing her to her predecessor as Creator/BobNewhart's TV wife, Creator/SuzannePleshette. The cast and crew of ''Newhart'', including Bob himself, didn't seem terribly sympathetic, inviting Pleshette to make a backstage appearance during the filming of the show's first season, which Frann (though brushing it off when the media asked about it) did not appreciate. A surviving blooper showing Bob flubbing a take by referring to Frann's character Joanna as "Emily" got a great reaction from Frann (and the studio audience) but the dramatics of her sauntering off stage and taking her bows do suggest some irritation at even her co-star and onscreen husband failing to recognize her as her own woman. The show's infamous ending, relegating her entire character to having been a dream of Bob Hartley's, with Emily herself showing up in bed next to him, was the icing on the cake. Pleshette, many years later (and after Frann's too-early death in 1998) acknowledged in a candid interview for the Archive of American Television that she felt bad for Frann having to live and work in her shadow, and claimed to have snuck out of the show's after-party as it "wasn't [her] house". (Although she apparently hung around for long enough that Creator/LisaKudrow - who played one of Larry, Darryl, and Darryl's wives - was able to meet her.)

** Dr. Hartley apparently never noticed that his best friend from college, "The Peeper", was the handyman in his dream. (Tom Poston played both roles).

* OneTakeWonder: The legendary [[TheReveal reveal]] scene at the end of the GrandFinale was shot in the first and only take - and ''without rehearsal'' - because the live StudioAudience's initial reaction would not have been replicated on subsequent takes.

* YouLookFamiliar: Dr. Hartley apparently never noticed that his best friend from college, "The Peeper", was the handyman in his dream. (Tom Poston played both roles).

* ActorAllusion: There were several references to [[Series/TheBobNewhartShow Bob Newhart's earlier sitcom]] throughout the show's run. [[AllJustADream Considering how it ended]], [[FridgeBrilliance it all makes sense now]].
** The episode "Good Neighbor Sam" guest stars Bill Daily as a new next-door neighbor. Daily had played Bob's neighbor Howard Borden on ''The Bob Newhart Show''.
** In "No Tigers at the Circus", Dick watches his favorite TV program. The theme song is heard, and it's the theme from ''The Bob Newhart Show''.
** In "I Married Dick", Dick and Joanna attend couples therapy with a psychologist. In the waiting room, they run into a patient (played by Jack Riley, aka Mr. Carlin from the earlier show) who Dick seems to vaguely recognize. When he mentions this to the psychologist, she says she's been working to undo the damage done to the patient by "some quack in Chicago".
** In "Harris Ankles PIV for Web Spot", Dick and Michael discuss CBS' Monday-night lineup back in the 1970s. After Dick lists some of the shows (''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/{{MASH}}'', ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', ''Series/TheCarolBurnettShow''), Michael asks about "that show with the shrink who stuttered". Dick corrects him by saying he "stammered".

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An alternative "decoy" ending was scripted with Dick dying and going to Heaven after getting hit by the golf ball and meeting God. The implication was that Creator/GeorgeBurns would reprise his role as God from the Film/OhGod films. This ending was only included in case the finale script was leaked to the press (which it was) and was never intended to be filmed.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An alternative "decoy" ending was scripted with Dick dying and going to Heaven after getting hit by the golf ball and meeting God. The implication was that Creator/GeorgeBurns would reprise his role as God from the [[Film/OhGod]] films. This ending was only included in case the finale script was leaked to the press (which it was) and was never intended to be filmed.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An alternative ending was filmed with Dick going to Heaven and meeting Creator/GeorgeBurns as [[Film/OhGod God]] after getting hit by the golf ball. This would have been used on the show had the dream ending been spoiled by being leaked to the press early.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An alternative ending was filmed with Dick going to Heaven and meeting Creator/GeorgeBurns as [[Film/OhGod God]] after getting hit by the golf ball. This would have been used on the show had the dream ending been spoiled by being leaked to the press early.

* ThePeteBest: Leslie and to a lesser degree, Kirk.

** In "I Married Dick", Dick and Joanna attend couples therapy with a psychologist. In her waiting room, they run into a patient (played by Jack Riley, aka Mr. Carlin from the earlier show) who Dick seems to vaguely recognize. When he mentions this to the psychologist, she says she's been working to undo the damage done to the patient by "some quack in Chicago".

** In "I Married Dick", Dick and Joanna attend couples therapy with a psychologist. In her waiting room, they run into a patient (played by Jack Riley, aka Mr. Carlin from the earlier show) who acts like he recognizes Dick. When he mentions this to the psychologist, she says been trying to undo the damage done to him by "some quack in Chicago".

* ActorAllusion: There were several references to BobNewhart's earlier sitcom throughout the show's run. [[AllJustADream Considering how it ended]], [[FridgeBrilliance it all makes sense now]].

** In "Harris Ankles PIV for Web Spot", Dick and Michael discuss CBS' Monday-night lineup back in the 1970s. After Dick lists some of the shows (''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/{{MASH}}'', ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', ''Series/TheCarolBurnettShow''), Michael asks about "[[Series/TheBobNewhartShow that show with the shrink who stuttered]]". Dick corrects him by saying he "stammered".

** In "Harris Ankles PIV for Web Spot", Dick and Michael discuss CBS' Monday-night lineup back in the 1970s. After Dick lists some of the shows (''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/{{MASH}}, ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', ''Series/TheCarolBurnettShow''), Michael asks about "[[Series/TheBobNewhartShow that show with the shrink who stuttered]]". Dick corrects him by saying he "stammered".

** In one episode, Dick and Michael discuss CBS' monday night line-up back in the 1970s. After Dick lists some of the shows, Michael asks about "[[Series/TheBobNewhartShow that psychologist who stuttered]]". Dick corrects him by saying he stammered.