 Ted Penn comedian Bob Newhart has died. ABC's Danny New reports. When the Illinois native went from accountant to instant comedy star in 1960, it was this bit about a PR agency pitching to President Lincoln that led off his record-breaking first album. I got the note. What's the problem? You're thinking of shaving it off. The button-down mind of Bob Newhart became both the first comedy album to reach number one on the Billboard charts and to win Album of the Year at the Grammys.