Bob Hope (1903-2003)

Bob Hope was an English-born American comedian who ranks amongst the screen's greatest ever star performers and is an acknowledged model for everyone from Woody Allen to Eddie Murphy. As well as a comedian he was a producer, writer, dancer, singer and the king of fast-talking wisecracks on radio, television and movies.

He partnered Bing Crosby in a series of highly successful "Road to …" movies in the 1940s and 1950s and during his long career he became the most recognized profile and talent in the world.

Hope hosted the Academy Awards ceremony ("or as its known at my house, Passover") 18 times. Famous for entertaining the troops during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, in 1997 Congress made him an honorary US veteran-the only person to receive that distinction. He was given an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998, and by the end of his life had received five special Academy Awards for contributions to the industry.

Biography

He was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, in South London, England on May 29, 1903, the fifth of seven sons of William Hope, an English stonemason, and Avis Townes. After a number of moves around southern England, the family emigrated to America and settled in Cleveland, Ohio in 1908.

Early Years

After graduating from Fairmount High School in Cleveland, Leslie took a variety of jobs to earn money, including selling newspapers, a pool hustler, and delivering meat for his uncle's butcher's business. For a short time he boxed as an amateur, under the name of Packy East. He also constantly entered amateur talent contests winning prizes for his impersonation of Charlie Chaplin.

Deciding on a career in show business, Hope signed up for dancing lessons, together with his current girlfriend. Encouraged by performing a three-day engagement at a club, Hope formed a partnership with Lloyd "Lefty" Durbin, a friend from the dancing school, to dance in local vaudeville houses. He and Durbin were seen by silent film comedian Fatty Arbuckle who hired them for his show at the Bandbox Theater in Cleveland in 1925. A year later Durbin died suddenly of food poisoning and Hope found another dancing partner in George Byrne. They made constant improvements to their act and were chosen for the hit Broadway show 'Sidewalks of New York' in 1927, starring Ruby Keeler.

When he returned to vaudeville Bob began making announcements to each audience about the forthcoming attractions and received an encouraging response, so he gradually extended his routine and Hope the solo artist was born. He was still called Leslie or Lester at this time and in 1929 he changed his name to the more masculine sounding 'Bob', after racing car driver Bob Burman.

He spent the next 5 years in vaudeville, honing his act, including slowing down his too-rapid delivery. He appeared on Broadway again in 1932 in 'Ballyhoo' and the following year he achieved his first major hit with his portrayal of Huckleberry Haines in the Broadway musical, 'Roberta'.

Hope made the break from small time actor to major star in New York and he did it by means of the two new popular media - movies and radio.

Radio Performer

Bob continued on Broadway in 1934 in the musical 'Say When' and then in 1936 in 'Ziegfeld Follies' with Fanny Brice. In the same year he performed in 'Red, Hot, and Blue' with Ethel Merman and Jimmy Durante which led to his first major movie for Paramount Pictures, 'The Big Broadcast of 1938'. It was in this show that he introduced the song that would always be associated with him, "Thanks for the Memory". In order to promote the movie Bob was asked to make a personal appearance at New York's Capitol Theater on the 'Capitol Family Hour' which was broadcast from the theater each morning. It was the start of his radio career and with his rapid-fire wisecracking style, he proved a natural for the medium.

He soon became well-known nationally, first as a guest star on different shows such as 'The Woodbury Soap Show', and Rudy Vallee's 'The Fleischman Hour' and then he hit major stardom with his own weekly show, 'The Pepsodent Show' which was voted the nation's favorite radio show and which continued with Bob as its star until 1956. The show was of consistently high quality with regulars such as Les Brown and His Band of Renown and guest singers including Judy Garland, Frances Langford and Doris Day.

Movie Star

Bob's success in radio naturally led to interest from Hollywood, and Paramount signed him up to a long-term contract. His new movie career bedded easily with his radio career and very often his movie co-stars became his radio show guest stars.

Paramount Pictures partnered Hope happily with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour in the 'Road to...' series from 1940 in 'Road to Singapore, but Hope was as funny without Crosby in 'The Cat and the Canary' in 1939, 'My Favorite Blonde' in 1942, 'The Paleface' in 1948, and others.

His screen character is a fast talking coward, braggart, and lecher who blunders blithely into tight spots: pursued by a zombie in 'The Ghost Breakers' in 1940 and swashbuckling villains in 'Casanova's Big Night' in 1954. His vehicles became more strained in the 1950's and 1960's, and a semi-serious political biopic, 'Beau James' in 1957, didn't click, but he remained a familiar presence in US entertainment throughout his life on radio, TV, and the stage, always receiving awards and plaudits.

Later Career

Hope hosted the Academy Awards ceremony ("or as its known at my house, Passover") 18 times. Famous for entertaining the troops during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, in 1997 Congress made him an honorary US veteran-the only person to receive that distinction. He was given an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998, and by the end of his life had received five special Academy Awards for contributions to the industry.

Hope continued to make appearances on television well into his nineties and in November, 1996, he hosted his 284th television special, 'Bob Hope Laughing with the Presidents'. The show featured appearances by ex-Presidents Clinton, George Bush Senior, and Ford.

At the age of 95, Bob appeared at the 50th anniversary of the Primetime Emmy Awards along with Milton Berle and Sid Caesar and in 2000 he was present at the opening of the Bob Hope Gallery of American Entertainment at the Library of Congress.

Personal

Hope was married twice, firstly and very briefly to his vaudeville partner, Grace Troxell from 1933 to 1934.

During 'Roberta's run in 1932, he was introduced to a beautiful singer named Dolores Reade. On Feb. 19, 1934, she became his second wife. Theirs was to be a life-long marriage. They adopted four children, Linda, Anthony, Laura and Kelley and from them they had four grandchildren.

Despite a well documented reputation for frugality, Hope is believed to have donated an estimated $1 billion to charity.

Hope celebrated his centenary on May 29, 2003, quietly at home, but still able to crack jokes: 'I'm so old, they've canceled my blood type.'

Bob Hope died on July 27, 2003, at his home in Toluca Lake. According to one of his daughters, when asked shortly before his death where he wanted to be buried, he told his wife, "Surprise me." He was buried in the Bob Hope Memorial Garden at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Classic Bob Hope Quips

My father told me all about the birds and the bees, the liar - I went steady with a woodpecker till I was twenty-one.
I thought 'Deep Throat' was a movie about a giraffe.
I love to go to Washington – if only to be near my money.
I left England when I was four because I found out I could never be King.
A James Cagney love scene is one where he lets the other guy live.
If you think golf is relaxing, you’re not playing it right.
I’ve been playing the game so long that my handicap is in Roman numerals.
(Arnold Palmer) told me how I could cut eight strokes off my score – skip one of the par 3s.
I do benefits for all religions – I’d hate to blow the hereafter on a technicality.
When they asked Jack Benny to do something for the Actor’s Orphanage – he shot both his parents and moved in.

Bob Hope Filmography