Bob Newhart brought home his first Emmy after too long a TV career without one. Bob Newhart has been on television for 51 years. Bob Newhart has finally won an Emmy. Bob Newhart as been nominated seven times, the first was a 1962 writing Emmy for “The Bob Newhart Show.” Bob Newhart is one of the most influential comic actors in TV history.

Bob Newhart won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his guest role on “The Big Bang Theory.”

Bob Newhart bagged his first Emmy at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre at Sunday night’s Primetime Creative Arts Emmys, which mainly honors the television crews who work behind the scenes, but which also recognizes actors in guest roles before the big Emmy Night.

Bob Newhart got a standing ovation upon the announcement of his name. Backstage, Bob Newhart told the press “I was totally unprepared for that.”

The 84-year old actor, Bob Newhart thanked his wife of 50 years, his four children, and The Big Bang Theory cast, “who really threw themselves on the sword for me” in his acceptance speech.

Bob Newhart explained why he went without an Emmy Award win for so long. He told the press “The best answer to that really is whenever I was nominated, there were better people in the category than me. That’s the truth. The best person wins. That’s the way it is.”

Bob Newhart played Professor Proton on the Emmy winning May episode of “Big Bang Theory.” Professor Proton is the host of Leonard and Sheldon’s favorite childhood science show. They hire him to hang with them in their apartment.

Bob Newhart will return to guest star in a “Big Bang Theory” episode this season. Newhart will be shooting the episode in October. But he’s staying mum on what Professor Proton will be up to. Bob Newhart said he is reprising the role because he enjoyed working with Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki. Newhart compared them to the characters Larry, Darryl, and Darryl on his 80s sit-com “Newhart.”

The 65th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards will air on FXX this Saturday, Sept. 21, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.