Ginny Newhart Biography

Ginny Newhart was born as Virginia 'Ginnie' Quinn on December 9, 1940 in New York City, New York, to character actor, Bill Quinn, and his wife Mary Catherine Roden. She has two sisters named Eileen Quinn and Mary Ellen Wire.

Despite being born to a film actor, Ginny Newhart was never interested to have a career in films or on television. During her early youth, she used to babysit the children of her acquaintances from the industry. Since her marriage to Bob Newhart in 1963, she took up the responsibility of raising her children as a homemaker. She did mention during an interview with 'People' that she occasionally felt insecure for not having a 9-5 job like Bob Newhart’s onscreen wives, referring to Suzanne Pleshette and Mary Frann who played Bob’s wives on 'The Bob Newhart Show' and 'Newhart' respectively. However, she was happy to support his husband in his endeavors and accompany him on his tours whenever he needed her to be by his side. Her occasional appearances on television also happened after her marriage.

Ginny Newhart first met her future husband, Bob Newhart, on a blind date, set up by comedian Buddy Hackett, in Los Angeles in 1962. She was serving as the babysitter for Hackett's children at the time when one day he told her that he had met a young comic actor, adding that "he’s Catholic and you’re Catholic, and I think maybe you should marry each other". However, Ginny did not want to marry someone from the showbiz like her father who would not get a paycheck every week. Nevertheless, they soon met, had dinner together and played pool at Hackett’s house. They eventually married on January 12, 1963. She was unsure even on the day of her marriage, when her father reportedly had joked that he could still get her out of it if she wanted. Fortunately, she never had to regret marrying Bob, and after spending five decades together with him, she told 'City and Shore Magazine' in an interview in January 2013 that "it turned out fine".

Ginny and Bob Newhart have four children together; Robert, Timothy, Jennifer, and Courtney, whom they raised as Catholics. They also have ten grandchildren. During their long marriage, Bob often had to go out to shoot for his films and TV shows, while she took care of the children in their Bel Air home. However, she and the kids often accompanied him during lengthy gigs during summertime at places like Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe nightclubs. She mentioned in the interview that she respected him for being a good person, and also for the personal and professional choices he made, even though she would not admit it to him.

Talking about the secret behind their successful marriage, she said, "Like anybody we had fights, and we had some pretty good ones", but also added that "divorce was just not in our vocabulary" and that they both felt "miserable" being apart from each other. The couple still enjoys "alone time" with each other and occasionally go out with friends and family for dinner.

Ginny Newhart is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2008. She subsequently had to undergo liver transplant operation in Los Angeles, California in December that year. She has since then recovered quite well, and feels that the ordeal has brought her and her husband closer. She told 'City and Shore Magazine' that while the incident made them more aware of their mortality, it also made them appreciate the days they had left. They now have fun with each other more than ever. While she was still in the hospital, recovering from her operation, she became a fan of the action police procedural television series 'NCIS' which was broadcast there regularly.