Luna 0 #1 July 28, 2003 QuoteBob Hope, whose quick wit, daring personality and ski-sloped nose identified him as an icon of 20th-century entertainment, has died. He was 100. Known as "Mr. Entertainment" or "the King of Comedy," Hope appeared in more than 75 films, starred in more than 475 TV programs and 1,000-plus radio programs. He also toured tirelessly for the U.S. armed forces. He was one of the last of the great entertainers whose career took off in the first half of the 20th century and who continued to reach new generations of fans by the end of it. Born Leslie Townes Hope on May 29, 1903, in Eltham, England, Hope was the fifth of seven sons of William Henry Hope and Avis Townes Hope. After his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, when he was 4, Hope got his first taste of show business in 1915 when he won a Charlie Chaplin imitation contest. He took to vaudeville by the 1920s -- and started using the stage name "Bob" in 1928, dropping Leslie. His first Broadway performances came in the 1933 musical "Roberta." Hope made it to the silver screen with "The Big Broadcast of 1938." He teamed with Shirley Ross on the Oscar-winning song "Thanks for the Memory." The tune became a signature theme for Hope. Hope's film career really took off with the highly popular series of "Road" movies with Bing Crosby -- among them "Road to Singapore," "Road to Morocco" and "Road to Rio." Movies only the beginning But movies were just the tip of the iceberg in Hope's career as an entertainer. He also created and starred in an NBC radio show that went on for 18 years and 1,145 programs. In 1941, he began visiting U.S. troops. In 1948, Hope held a Christmas show for the troops -- the first of many. By 1953, he'd performed before nearly 1 million servicemen at some 400 camps, naval stations and military hospitals around the world. Television was not immune to Hope's charisma, either. In 1950, he signed a deal with NBC that eventually turned into 40-plus years of TV specials -- more than 475 programs and specials, many of which swept the Nielsen ratings. Late in his career, Hope spoke to new generations of television viewers through his annual song, dance and comedy Christmas specials on NBC. Hope also became one of America's most famous amateur golfers. "Golf is my real profession," Hope once said. "Show business pays my green fees." High honors Each year he hosted the Bob Hope Classic; the tournament, still played by tour pros, is now called the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. In 1997, Congress named Hope an honorary U.S. veteran, citing his decades of entertaining troops around the world. He is the only person to receive that distinction. When informed of the honor, Hope was uncharacteristically serious. "I've been given many awards in my lifetime," he said, "but to be numbered among the men and women I admire the most is the greatest honor I have ever received." Hope is survived by his wife, Dolores Hope, their four adopted children and four grandchildren. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hooked 0 #3 July 28, 2003 Very sad to lose him, but he had lived a long, hopefully, happy life. J -------------------------------------- Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #4 July 28, 2003 Another legend gone. Rest in Peace Mr. Hope. Thanks for the laughs. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #5 July 28, 2003 Man, 100, I should be so lucky. What a life he led. Again, I should be so lucky. Blues skies Bob. Save a round a golf for us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #6 July 28, 2003 One of my favorite quotes from him was "if I had my life to live over again, I wouldn't have time"... What a wonderful man - blue skies, Bob...and thanks. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #7 July 28, 2003 Rest in peace, and thanks for the laughs.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rebecca 0 #8 July 28, 2003 Wow. Goodbye, Bob. you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Iflyme 0 #9 July 28, 2003 One of the truly great ones is gone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DTOXX 0 #10 July 28, 2003 Thanks for all the laughs, you will me missed. Blue Skies! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jceman 1 #11 July 28, 2003 Thanks for the Memory Hey, someone had to say it. Farewell, Bob. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #12 July 28, 2003 I hope to see Bob Hope again someday, because if I do, I know I've made it to the right place. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #13 July 28, 2003 ... This post is the first I have heard,, of this sad news...... once again members of dropzone dot com. bring important and significant information to the attention of all of us...... thanks for the great biography........ .......... In my mind, and in the hearts of millions............ Hope Lives..................... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 0 #14 July 28, 2003 Blue Skies Bob. Thanks for the many, many laughs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LouDiamond 1 #15 July 28, 2003 I feel privilaged to have actually seen Bob Hope perform live the first time I was in the desert. The miserable 8 hr drive in the back of a hummer over unimproved ground back to the rear was well worth being able to say that I saw him and having the pictures to remember it all."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JeffGordon 0 #16 July 28, 2003 I remember hearing someone ask Bob Hope "How do you get away with all these jokes about the president?" to which he replied "Get away with it? Why do you think I keep getting sent back to Vietnam?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites slotperfect 7 #17 July 29, 2003 It is quite refreshing to see how this forum honors people like Bob Hope and Fred Rogers who have filled so many people with joy for so many years. I can remember seeing many a Bob Hope TV special, enjoying the live comedy - especially when the actors would get cracked up themselves from Bob being such a hoot. I also remember watching "The Road To . . ." movies on AMC. Great fun. I particularly want to join those who have acknowledged Bob for his huge contribution to the morale of our military members overseas through his pioneering work throught the USO. He made people laugh in times and places that made doing so difficult. Rest easy, Bob. Thanks for the memories.Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skycop 0 #18 July 29, 2003 As a kid I remember watching the Bob Hope Christmas Specials with my grandfather every year. He used to howl with laughter, as a kid I thought the humor was cheesy but, as an adult I get it now, Bob Hope was timeless. If you ever get a chance to visit the Dayton Ohio area, the Air Force Museum at Wright Patt AFB has an excellent display detailing Bob's service to the troops. "Just 'cause I'm simple, don't mean I'm stewpid!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ltdiver 3 #19 July 29, 2003 Note bold highlight! I knew he was cool! ltdiver Bob Hope "Skydives"! Tuesday, July 29, 2003 West Point no stranger to comedian's visits By John W. Barry Poughkeepsie Journal Dressed in fatigues, spending Christmas in a battle zone with his fellow Americans, he would stand at his post keeping watch, gazing out over a sea -- of laughing soldiers. Bob Hope's battle cry was a corny joke and his sidearm was a golf club. But contributions that the legendary entertainer, who died Sunday at age 100, made to America's military rank for many with the best battle plans of any general or the most courageous victory of any field commander. ''Now there is a guy who should be laid out in the White House for all the morale boosting he did,'' said 1st Sgt. Tracey Krom of the New York Army National Guard. Krom, a resident of Hurley, is stationed at the Poughkeepsie Armory, Battery A, First Battalion, 156th Field Artillery, at the intersection of Market and Church streets. ''Or at least in Augusta, Ga., for all the golf he played,'' Krom added in true Hope deadpan, referring to the city that hosts one of professional golf's premier tournaments, the Masters. Hope never served a day in the military, though named in his honor are a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane and a U.S. Navy cargo ship. In 1968, he was awarded West Point's Sylvanus Thayer Award; in 1969, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson; and in 1997, he was the first to be named an honorary veteran by Congress. But while he never flew a jet fighter or marched with an infantry, Hope traveled 10 million miles while entertaining troops, between his first combat zone trip for the USO in 1943, to Italy and North Africa, and his last one in 1990, to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain during Operation Desert Shield. Multiple stops Along the way, he entertained cadets at the United States Military Academy many times. His first stop at West Point came in 1946 and was followed by several appearances in the 1960s and 1970s, when he taped episodes of ''The Bob Hope Show.'' His last appearance at West Point was May 17, 1981, in Michie Stadium. Donna St. John, communications director for the Washington-based USO, which was formed in 1941 at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and which coordinated Hope's trips, said the entertainer was an inspiration to the troops. ''I think what he ended up doing was he carried the message to them that the American people cared about them and supported them,'' St. John said. ''He was a tremendous morale booster.'' St. John added that Hope inspired many entertainers to follow suit and head out on the road to entertain the troops. ''I think he left a legacy that will continue,'' she said. Holiday tradition During Hope's first Christmas trip to visit troops in 1948, he traveled to see soldiers participating in the Berlin airlift. This holiday tradition continued around the world for decades. Tim Massie, who is the chief public affairs officer for Marist College in Poughkeepsie, was a young radio reporter for Poughkeepsie-based WEOK (1390 AM) when he was assigned to cover what would be Hope's last appearance at West Point in 1981. Massie said a sky diver -- allegedly Hope making a grand entrance -- landed and a few minutes later Hope appeared on stage, decked out in skydiving gear, dragging a parachute. George Bush, who was vice president at the time, made a surprise appearance on stage during that show, which also featured country entertainers Glen Campbell and Tanya Tucker, Massie said. ''It was like you see on all the newsreels, when Bob Hope would go and entertain all the troops,'' Massie recalled Monday. ''The humor ranged from the stuff they could show on television to the stuff they couldn't show on television. Some of it was somewhat bawdy. It was a major production.'' Massie said Hope delivered jokes throughout an interview that he conducted with the entertainer after his performance. ''He was a very nice guy,'' he said. But along with his humor, Massie said Hope's ''multi-generational appeal'' will be a significant part of why people will always remain fond of him. ''Theoretically, you could be in a room where grandparents, parents and children could watch together,'' Massie said. ''There aren't many people in entertainment like that today.'' Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
LouDiamond 1 #15 July 28, 2003 I feel privilaged to have actually seen Bob Hope perform live the first time I was in the desert. The miserable 8 hr drive in the back of a hummer over unimproved ground back to the rear was well worth being able to say that I saw him and having the pictures to remember it all."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeffGordon 0 #16 July 28, 2003 I remember hearing someone ask Bob Hope "How do you get away with all these jokes about the president?" to which he replied "Get away with it? Why do you think I keep getting sent back to Vietnam?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #17 July 29, 2003 It is quite refreshing to see how this forum honors people like Bob Hope and Fred Rogers who have filled so many people with joy for so many years. I can remember seeing many a Bob Hope TV special, enjoying the live comedy - especially when the actors would get cracked up themselves from Bob being such a hoot. I also remember watching "The Road To . . ." movies on AMC. Great fun. I particularly want to join those who have acknowledged Bob for his huge contribution to the morale of our military members overseas through his pioneering work throught the USO. He made people laugh in times and places that made doing so difficult. Rest easy, Bob. Thanks for the memories.Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycop 0 #18 July 29, 2003 As a kid I remember watching the Bob Hope Christmas Specials with my grandfather every year. He used to howl with laughter, as a kid I thought the humor was cheesy but, as an adult I get it now, Bob Hope was timeless. If you ever get a chance to visit the Dayton Ohio area, the Air Force Museum at Wright Patt AFB has an excellent display detailing Bob's service to the troops. "Just 'cause I'm simple, don't mean I'm stewpid!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #19 July 29, 2003 Note bold highlight! I knew he was cool! ltdiver Bob Hope "Skydives"! Tuesday, July 29, 2003 West Point no stranger to comedian's visits By John W. Barry Poughkeepsie Journal Dressed in fatigues, spending Christmas in a battle zone with his fellow Americans, he would stand at his post keeping watch, gazing out over a sea -- of laughing soldiers. Bob Hope's battle cry was a corny joke and his sidearm was a golf club. But contributions that the legendary entertainer, who died Sunday at age 100, made to America's military rank for many with the best battle plans of any general or the most courageous victory of any field commander. ''Now there is a guy who should be laid out in the White House for all the morale boosting he did,'' said 1st Sgt. Tracey Krom of the New York Army National Guard. Krom, a resident of Hurley, is stationed at the Poughkeepsie Armory, Battery A, First Battalion, 156th Field Artillery, at the intersection of Market and Church streets. ''Or at least in Augusta, Ga., for all the golf he played,'' Krom added in true Hope deadpan, referring to the city that hosts one of professional golf's premier tournaments, the Masters. Hope never served a day in the military, though named in his honor are a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane and a U.S. Navy cargo ship. In 1968, he was awarded West Point's Sylvanus Thayer Award; in 1969, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson; and in 1997, he was the first to be named an honorary veteran by Congress. But while he never flew a jet fighter or marched with an infantry, Hope traveled 10 million miles while entertaining troops, between his first combat zone trip for the USO in 1943, to Italy and North Africa, and his last one in 1990, to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain during Operation Desert Shield. Multiple stops Along the way, he entertained cadets at the United States Military Academy many times. His first stop at West Point came in 1946 and was followed by several appearances in the 1960s and 1970s, when he taped episodes of ''The Bob Hope Show.'' His last appearance at West Point was May 17, 1981, in Michie Stadium. Donna St. John, communications director for the Washington-based USO, which was formed in 1941 at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and which coordinated Hope's trips, said the entertainer was an inspiration to the troops. ''I think what he ended up doing was he carried the message to them that the American people cared about them and supported them,'' St. John said. ''He was a tremendous morale booster.'' St. John added that Hope inspired many entertainers to follow suit and head out on the road to entertain the troops. ''I think he left a legacy that will continue,'' she said. Holiday tradition During Hope's first Christmas trip to visit troops in 1948, he traveled to see soldiers participating in the Berlin airlift. This holiday tradition continued around the world for decades. Tim Massie, who is the chief public affairs officer for Marist College in Poughkeepsie, was a young radio reporter for Poughkeepsie-based WEOK (1390 AM) when he was assigned to cover what would be Hope's last appearance at West Point in 1981. Massie said a sky diver -- allegedly Hope making a grand entrance -- landed and a few minutes later Hope appeared on stage, decked out in skydiving gear, dragging a parachute. George Bush, who was vice president at the time, made a surprise appearance on stage during that show, which also featured country entertainers Glen Campbell and Tanya Tucker, Massie said. ''It was like you see on all the newsreels, when Bob Hope would go and entertain all the troops,'' Massie recalled Monday. ''The humor ranged from the stuff they could show on television to the stuff they couldn't show on television. Some of it was somewhat bawdy. It was a major production.'' Massie said Hope delivered jokes throughout an interview that he conducted with the entertainer after his performance. ''He was a very nice guy,'' he said. But along with his humor, Massie said Hope's ''multi-generational appeal'' will be a significant part of why people will always remain fond of him. ''Theoretically, you could be in a room where grandparents, parents and children could watch together,'' Massie said. ''There aren't many people in entertainment like that today.'' Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
