Bob Newhart's Dr. Hartley set in bronze

CHICAGO, July 21 (UPI) -- Bob Newhart's beloved character Dr. Robert Hartley from the long running "Newhart" series has been cast in bronze for Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

The new statue is significant, because while Chicago has honored politicians, business executives and sports figures with sculptures, the TV character's bronze indicates the influence of TV figures in popular culture, as well as the commericialization of public space, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.

TV Land, a Viacom network, paid for the Hartley statue.

"There's statues everywhere, and they were put up in a time when society could relate to that person being honored. In today's society, the people that we are so highly influenced by are people in the entertainment world," said Larry W. Jones, TV Land president.

The new statue has been placed at Plaza of the Americas, home to a sculpture of Mexican statesman Benito Juarez and across the street from broadcaster Jack Brickhouse's bronze.

Newhart, who played Hartley during the '70s, is a native of Oak Park, Ill.