Sunday, March 29, 2009

The Quest for Bob Newhart's Apartment

A couple of weeks ago, I was standing across the street from my apartment building waiting for the light to change. While standing there, I saw this guy pointing out my building to his two kids while telling them that this building was where Bob Newhart lived in The Bob Newhart Show.

I wanted to shout at him, "No! You uninformed cretin! Bob Newhart did NOT live in Marina Towers. Stop filling your kids' heads with lies!"
It's a common mistake, but the characters, Bob Newhart and his wife, Emily, did not live in Marina Towers.

I remember the series very well and enjoyed it as a teenager. I loved the opening sequence to the series where it showed Bob Newhart leaving work in downtown Chicago, walking past Marina Towers, hopping on the EL and then walking up to his high-rise apartment building (which was NOT Marina Towers).

I thought that all looked SO incredibly cosmopolitan and I really wanted to live like that someday.

I remember that his high-rise where he lived was just some sort of nondescript apartment building. I really wanted to find it. But how?

I'd like to say that it was quite a challenge to locate it; that I managed to do so after contacting an archivist at CBS who gave me the address to Bob's apartment building.

But I didn't.

I used Wikipedia.

So, today, after it snowed all morning, I decided to go on a pilgrimage to the building that was in the opening sequence of The Bob Newhart Show.

It was an easy train ride on the Red Line EL to the north side of Chicago. (The opening sequence to the Bob Newhart Show shows him riding the Brown Line from downtown - - hrumph!)

As I walked from the train, there it was.

I smiled.

I have to say that this quest began simply as something fun to do on a Sunday afternoon. But as I walked up to that building that I'd seen over and over back in the early 70s, I instantly connected to the 13-year-old back in South Texas who longed, someday, to live in Bob Newhart's city.

I'll have to admit, it was pretty special.

Anyway, here is the opening sequence to The Bob Newhart Show. And yes, you'll see Marina Towers in a couple of shots, but you'll also notice Bob walking up to his apartment building later on.

Click here.

And here's a photo of that building that I took today. Isn't that cool?
I hope this might clear up some of the confusion. Maybe the tourist who told his kids that Bob Newhart lived in Marina Towers will see this and stop filling his childrens' head with such horrible untruths.

Oh, and if any of you want to visit this site when you're in Chicago, it's located at 5901 N. Sheridan Rd. Just take the Red Line north to the Thorndale station and walk three blocks east.

Just like Bob Newhart did every day after work.

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14 Comments:

At 8:46 PM , Blogger Miss Healthypants said...

Dude, that is too cool! *smiles*

And you're not gonna believe this, but it's true--I watched a full episode of The Bob Newhart Show for the first time ever JUST LAST NIGHT! I'm not kidding! I never watched an entire episode--and now I know where he lived! *smiles* Too cool, Dooder!--we must have been on the same wavelength. :)

 
At 1:16 AM , Blogger Lorraine said...

Of COURSE that's the building Bob and Emily lived in. Well done.

 
At 6:19 PM , Blogger QuotidianEditorialist said...

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. *wipes tears from eyes* It did my little heart good to see that again!

I hate to admit this, but I recalled erroneously that he lived in Marina Towers too. Thank you for clearing that up.

That you would have done that research and went to the building is the most awesome thing ever...and totally something I would have done. We are such geeks! Isn't it wonderful? You sure know how to have a good time.

Thanks again for the trip down memory lane. It was the bestest.

More, please.... :-)

 
At 10:15 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

My husband and I drove around for over an hour today to try and find this apartment but we didn't have an address. We had hoped that we could just recognize it from the picture from the opening of the show. Then I have spend two hours searching the internet tonight for the address and almost gave up. Thanks so much for the information.

 
At 3:22 PM , Blogger Br. Jonathan said...

Hey! I'm really glad this helped. Thanks for your comment.

 
At 8:18 PM , Blogger Filmshrew said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 8:25 PM , Blogger Br. Jonathan said...

Film Shrew: Thanks so much for your comment! I'm glad I could clear this up for you.

If you ever come to Chicago, you'll be able to find Bob and Emily's apartment now.

Have fun.

 
At 8:25 PM , Blogger Filmshrew said...

I found the link to your blog via a FB post, the post read "Bob & Emily lived here." along with many, many comments saying how cool it was to see Bob & Emily's bldg, it brought back such fond memories etc, etc...did I mention the link to your blog was attached with the correct information?! I just thought it was funny the information was RIGHT there! Funnier still the person who posted the link is visiting Chicago right now! Oh well, I guess we really do live in a fast paced world, I wonder what Bob would think? Who am I kidding, I'll just ask my own therapist-he's just as good if not better than Bob! LOL! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy your writing, you are very funny and I did pee a little (thanks for that, I was wondering what I'd have to discuss in therapy this week!)

 
At 8:27 PM , Blogger Filmshrew said...

I found the link to your blog via a FB post, the post read "Bob & Emily lived here." along with many, many comments saying how cool it was to see Bob & Emily's bldg, it brought back such fond memories etc, etc...did I mention the link to your blog was attached with the correct information?! I just thought it was funny the information was RIGHT there! Funnier still the person who posted the link is visiting Chicago right now! Oh well, I guess we really do live in a fast paced world, I wonder what Bob would think? Who am I kidding, I'll just ask my own therapist-he's just as good if not better than Bob! LOL! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy your writing, you are very funny and I did pee a little (thanks for that, I was wondering what I'd have to discuss in therapy this week!)

 
At 8:32 PM , Blogger Filmshrew said...

I found the link to your blog via a FB post, the post read "Bob & Emily lived here." along with many, many comments saying how cool it was to see Bob & Emily's bldg, it brought back such fond memories etc, etc...did I mention the link to your blog was attached with the correct information?! I just thought it was funny the information was RIGHT there! Funnier still the person who posted the link is visiting Chicago right now! Oh well, I guess we really do live in a fast paced world, I wonder what Bob would think? Who am I kidding, I'll just ask my own therapist-he's just as good if not better than Bob! LOL! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy your writing, you are very funny and I did pee a little (thanks for that, I was wondering what I'd have to discuss in therapy this week!)

 
At 8:34 PM , Blogger Filmshrew said...

Sorry I messed that up! We had an on/off power outage-I wasn't sure if it went? My apologies for the power company...and my stupidity!

 
At 9:10 PM , Blogger Br. Jonathan said...

Film shrew: You are so sweet to say that. It really is a fast-paced world now. I'm so surprised that a reference to my blog was on someone's Facebook. Wow.
Thanks again for the compliment. (It's what I live for.)

 
At 11:39 PM , Blogger R. B. said...

Great information! Thank you for sharing information and I look forward to using it when I travel to Chicago some day. Loved the show. My parents who resembled Emily & Bob in stature moved into a high-rise after I went away to college. Our family hasn't moved down to the ground floor since. Love it! Thank you Bob Newhart show! :)

 
At 3:43 AM , Blogger DanSwanson said...

The Thorndale Beach North Condominium, 5901 N Sheridan Rd

 

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