George Robert "Bob" Newhart (born September 5, 1929) is an American stand-up comedian and actor who is best known for playing psychologist Dr. Robert "Bob" Hartley on the 1970s sitcom The Bob Newhart Show and as innkeeper Dick Loudon on the 1980s sitcom Newhart. He also appeared in film roles such as Major Major in Catch-22, and Papa Elf in Elf. He provided the voice of Bernard in the Walt Disney animated films The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under. One of his most recent roles is the library head Judson in The Librarian franchise.

Newhart was born in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, the son of Julia Pauline (née Burns), who was a housewife, and George David Newhart, who was part-owner of a plumbing and heating-supply business. His mother was of Irish descent, and his father was of Irish and German descent. Newhart has three sisters, Virginia, Mary Joan (a nun, who taught at a Chicago high school), and Pauline.

Newhart's family lived on the west side of Chicago. He was educated at Roman Catholic schools in the area and attended St. Ignatius College Prep, graduating in 1947. He then enrolled at Loyola University of Chicago where he graduated in 1952 with a bachelor's degree in business management.