Final episode
In the show's final episode, "Happy Trails to You," Bob gives up his psychology practice and accepts a teaching position at a small college in Oregon, with the Hartleys leaving Chicago, as well as their friends and neighbors, and Bob's patients, behind them. The closing scene, in which the cast exchange tearful goodbyes and embrace before bursting into an impromptu refrain of "
Oklahoma," is a wry nod to
The Mary Tyler Moore Show finale (also produced by MTM) from the previous year.
Later appearances by series characters
St. Elsewhere (1985)
Jack Riley reprised his Elliot Carlin role on a 1985 episode of
St. Elsewhere and partnered with Oliver Clark as the
amnesiac John Doe Number Six. Carlin and Doe have been committed to the hospital's mental ward, where Carlin treats Doe with the same verbal abuse he directed toward Clark's "Mr. Herd" on
The Bob Newhart Show. Carlin blames his insanity on an unnamed "quack in Chicago." While Oliver Clark's recurring portrayal of John Doe Number Six is essentially identical to Mr. Herd, the two are never stated to be the same individual. In a nod to the
Mary Tyler Moore Show, John Doe Number Six addresses a character played by
Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens, which Betty White's character denied.
ALF (1987)
In the episode "Going Out of My Head Over You", Willie visits a psychologist, Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Dykstra, portrayed by Bill Daily. Jack Riley is in the waiting room, apparently portraying Elliot Carlin. Also in this episode, ALF mentions learning about psychology by watching episodes of
The Bob Newhart Show.
Newhart (1988 and 1990)
Riley appears in a 1988 episode of
Newhart, playing an unnamed character who acts very much like Mr. Carlin. This character is being treated by the same therapist in Vermont whom Dick Loudon (Bob Newhart) visits for marriage therapy. Dick feels he recognizes Riley's character, but cannot place his face; whereupon the unnamed patient insults him. Echoing Carlin's statement from the 1985
St. Elsewhere, the therapist apologizes for his patient, explaining that it has taken her "years to undo the damage caused by some quack in Chicago."
Later, Bob Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette reprised their roles from the show for the 1990
finale of Newhart, in which it was revealed that the entire
Newhart series had been just Bob Hartley's
dream. Bob and Emily are shown in a room appearing to be identical to their Chicago apartment bedroom from
The Bob Newhart Show.
The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary (1991)
The entire cast assembled for the one-hour clip show
The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary in 1991, which finds the show's characters in the present day. This show is set in Chicago, in the same apartment and office that Bob Hartley had in his 1970s show. During the course of the show, the characters analyzed Bob's dream from the
Newhart finale. At one point Howard recalled, "I had a dream like that once. I dreamed I was an astronaut in Florida for five years," as scenes from
I Dream of Jeannie featuring Bill Daily as Roger Healey were shown.
Murphy Brown (1994)
Newhart played Bob Hartley on
Murphy Brown, in the episode "Anything But Cured" (March 14, 1994) to beg Carol (Marcia Wallace reprising her role from
The Bob Newhart Show) to leave her job as Murphy's secretary and come back with him to Chicago.
Saturday Night Live (1995)
Newhart reprised Hartley twice in the February 11, 1995 episode of
Saturday Night Live. In one sketch, he appears on a satirical version of
Ricki Lake, befuddled by both Ms. Lake's dysfunctional guests and Lake's armchair pop psychology. The episode ended with a repeat of
Newhart’s "just a dream" scene, in which Bob Hartley again wakes up with Emily (Pleshette), and tells her that he just dreamt he had hosted
SNL. Emily responds, "That show's not still on, is it?"
George & Leo (1997)
In the 1997 episode, "The Cameo Episode", Bill Daily makes an appearance as "The Pilot". Jack Riley also appeared on this episode, but it's unclear whom he is portraying.
CBS at 75 (2002)
Newhart and Pleshette, as "The Hartleys", were the hosts of a segment of the
CBS at 75 broadcast.
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