Bill Daily Passed Away - I Dream of Jeannie & Bob Newhart sidekick

Variety ^ | 9/7/18 | Pat Saperstein

[colorado tanker]

Newhart’s wives were the only sane people in his shows

That's why they call those characters "straight men." They are there for the comics to play off of. I don't think you get comedy.

I'm guessing you were more of a Mannix guy - he got the crap beat out of him every episode.

[John Milner]

I’m probably wrong but the article says he played a pilot on the Bob Newhart Show. I thought he was a navigator.

[redinIllinois]

Such nice sentiments from those who knew and loved him...

[dsm69]

I’m probably wrong but the article says he played a pilot on the Bob Newhart Show. I thought he was a navigator.

For most of "The Bob Newhart Show" Howard Borden was indeed a navigator. Later on in the series, he had to become a pilot to stay employed in the industry as the Navigator job was being fazed out in the 1970's (during the show's run) with the advent of satellite navigation. Howard ended up being a pilot for a cargo airlines I believe.