His early career was notable not just for his immense, instant, popularity but for his critical success as well. The Buttoned-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was the first comedy album to earn the Best New Album Award at the Grammys. He was also the first and only comedy act to earn the Best New Performer Grammy.
In the 1970s he transitioned from stand-up comedy to comedic acting, with the popular sitcom The Bob Newhart Show. The show ran from 1972 to 1978 and became an immediate hit that remained popular long after it had stopped airing new episodes. The show solidified Newhart as a sitcom legend, which would become his biggest claim to fame in years to come.