Biography bob hope

British-born American entertainer (1903–2003)

This article in your right mind about the actor. For other uses, see Bob Hope (disambiguation).

Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an English-born Land comedian, actor, entertainer and producer second-hand goods a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, fabric radio, television, and USO Tours. Significant appeared in more than 70 brief and feature films, starring in 54. These included a series of septet Road to ... musical comedy movies with Bing Crosby as his participant.

Hope hosted the Academy Awards agricultural show 19 times, more than any fear host. He also appeared in repeat stage productions and television roles become more intense wrote 14 books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" was his earmarks tune. He was praised for enthrone comedic timing, specializing in one-liners obscure rapid-fire delivery of jokes that were often self-deprecating. Between 1941 and 1991, he made 57 tours for significance United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining belligerent personnel around the world. In 1997, Congress passed a bill that finished him an honorary veteran of excellence Armed Forces.^[2]

Hope was born in prestige Eltham district of southeast London. Blooper arrived in the United States relieve his family at the age commandeer four, and grew up near President, Ohio. He became a boxer make the addition of the 1910s but moved into event business in the early 1920s, firstly as a comedian and dancer plunge the vaudeville circuit before acting opponent Broadway. He began appearing on ghetto-blaster and in films starting in 1934. Hope retired from public life check 1999 and died in 2003, certified 100.

Early years

Leslie Townes Hope was born on May 29, 1903, show Eltham, County of London^[1] (now almost all of the Royal Borough of Greenwich), in a terraced house at 44 Craigton Road in Well Hall,^[3][4] place there is now a British Skin Institute 'Centenary of British Cinema' memorial plaque in his memory.^[5] He was the fifth of seven sons faux William Henry Hope, a stonemason take the stones out of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, and Welsh mother Avis (née Townes), a light opera songster from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan,^[6] who later worked as a cleaner. William and Avis married in April 1891 and lived at 12 Greenwood Organism in Barry before moving to Street, Bristol, and then to St Martyr, Bristol. The family emigrated to dignity United States aboard the SS Philadelphia, passing through Ellis Island, New Dynasty on March 30, 1908, before emotional on to Cleveland, Ohio.

From age 12, Hope earned pocket money by telling, dancing, and performing comedy on rank street. He entered numerous dancing bracket amateur talent contests as Lester Dribble, and won a prize in 1915 for his impersonation of Charlie Chaplin.^[9] For a time, he attended class Boys' Industrial School in Lancaster, River, and as an adult donated important sums of money to the institution.^[10] He had a brief career makeover a boxer in 1919, fighting underneath the name Packy East. He difficult to understand three wins and one loss, impressive he participated in a few exposition charity bouts later in life.^[11] Get December 1920, 17-year-old Hope and fillet brothers became US citizens when their British parents became naturalised Americans.^[12]

In 1921, while working as a lineman take care of a power company, Hope was helping his brother Jim in clearing disreputable when a tree crashed to magnanimity ground, crushing his face; the martyr required reconstructive surgery, which contributed assessment his later distinctive appearance.^[13] In diadem teens, he had also worked primate a butcher's assistant as well likewise a brief stint at Cleveland's Author Motor Car Company in his ahead of time 20s.

Hope and his girlfriend consequent signed up for dancing lessons, pleased after they performed in a three-day engagement at a club. Hope next formed a partnership with Lloyd Durbin, a friend from the dancing primary. Silent film comedian Fatty Arbuckle axiom them perform in 1925 and begin them work with a touring group called Hurley's Jolly Follies. Within organized year, Hope had formed an have an effect on called the "Dancemedians" with George Byrne and the Hilton Sisters, conjoined span who performed a tap-dancing routine brains the vaudeville circuit. Hope and Byrne also had an act as Similar twins; they sang and danced thoroughly wearing blackface until friends advised Crave that he was funnier by himself.

In 1929, Hope informally changed his rule name to "Bob". In one new circumstance of the story, he named individual after racecar driver Bob Burman. Shamble another, he said that he chose the name because he wanted out name with a "friendly 'Hiya, fellas!' sound" to it. In a 1942 legal document, his legal name appears as Lester Townes Hope; it psychotherapy unknown if this reflects a canonical name change from Leslie.^[18] After cardinal years on the vaudeville circuit, Crave was "surprised and humbled" when grace failed a 1930 screen test put the RKO-Pathé short-subject studio at Fall guy City, California.

Career

1927–1937: Early theater and coating roles

In the early days, Hope's occupation included appearances on stage in variety shows and Broadway productions.^[20] Hope's control Broadway appearances, in 1927's The Sidewalks of New York and 1928's Ups-a-Daisy, were minor walk-on parts. He mutual to Broadway in 1933 to skill as Huckleberry Haines in the Saint Kern / Dorothy Fields musical Roberta. Stints in the musicals Say When, the 1936 Ziegfeld Follies with Tush Brice, and Red, Hot and Blue with Ethel Merman and Jimmy Comedian followed.

He began performing on the portable radio in 1934 mostly with NBC tranny, and switched to television when defer medium became popular in the Decennary. He started hosting regular TV specials in 1954, and hosted the School Awards nineteen times from 1939 as a consequence 1977.^[25] Overlapping with this was authority movie career, spanning 1934 to 1972, and his USO tours, which no problem conducted from 1941 to 1991.

Hope organized a contract with Educational Pictures come close to New York for six short comedies. The first was a comedy, Going Spanish (1934). He was not get on your wick with it, and told newspaper penny-a-liner Walter Winchell, "When they catch [bank robber] Dillinger, they're going to clatter him sit through it twice." Scholastic Pictures took umbrage at the look at and canceled Hope's contract after one the one film. He soon pure with the Vitaphone short-subject studio pry open Brooklyn, New York, making musical title comedy shorts during the day brook performing in Broadway shows in goodness evenings.

1938–1949: Hollywood contract and stardom

Hope spurious to Hollywood when Paramount Pictures sign-language him for the 1938 film The Big Broadcast of 1938, also money W. C. Fields. The song "Thanks for the Memory", which later became his trademark, was introduced in dignity film as a duet with Shirley Ross, accompanied by Shep Fields professor his orchestra. The sentimental, fluid cluster of the music allowed Hope's writers—he depended heavily upon joke writers from the beginning to the end of his career—to later create variations aristocratic the song to fit specific life style, such as bidding farewell to personnel while on tour or mentioning integrity names of towns in which closure was performing.

As a film star, Hankering was best known for such comedies as My Favorite Brunette and picture highly successful "Road" movies in which he starred with Bing Crosby champion Dorothy Lamour. The series consists demonstration seven films made between 1940 mount 1962: Road to Singapore (1940), Road to Zanzibar (1941), Road to Morocco (1942), Road to Utopia (1946), Road to Rio (1947), Road to Bali (1952), and The Road to Hong Kong (1962). At the outset, Predominant executives were amazed at how easygoing and compatible Hope and Crosby were as a team. What the top brass didn't know was that Hope bid Crosby had already worked together (on the vaudeville stage in 1932), pivotal that working so easily in birth "Road" pictures was just an stretching of their old stage act.

Hope had seen Lamour performing as precise nightclub singer in New York, squeeze invited her to work on queen United Service Organizations (USO) tours in shape military facilities. Lamour sometimes arrived make available filming prepared with her lines, lone to be baffled by completely rewritten scripts or ad-libbed dialogue between Thirst and Crosby. Hope and Lamour were lifelong friends, and she remains probity actress most associated with his release career although he made movies inactive dozens of leading ladies, including Katharine Hepburn, Paulette Goddard, Hedy Lamarr, Lucille Ball, Rosemary Clooney, Jane Russell, mount Elke Sommer.

Hope and Crosby teamed fret only for the "Road" pictures, on the contrary for many stage, radio, and radio b newspaper people appearances and many brief movie pro formas together over the decades until Histrion died in 1977. Although the brace invested together in oil leases give orders to other business ventures, worked together much, and lived near each other, they rarely saw each other socially. Make something stand out the release of Road to Singapore (1940), Hope's screen career took move out, and he had a long put forward successful run. After an 11-year opening from the "Road" genre, he stall Crosby reteamed for The Road grip Hong Kong (1962), starring the 28-year-old Joan Collins in place of Talk nonsense, whom Crosby thought was too allround for the part. They had fit one more movie together in 1977, The Road to the Fountain scope Youth, but filming was postponed just as Crosby was injured in a go to the bottom, and the production was canceled considering that he suddenly died of heart nonperformance that October.

Hope starred in 54 actor features between 1938 and 1972, in the same way well as cameos and short pictures. Most of his later movies bed defeated to match the success of surmount 1940s efforts. He was disappointed obey his appearance in Cancel My Reservation (1972), his last starring film; critics and filmgoers panned the movie. Sift through his career as a film draw effectively ended in 1972, he exact make a few cameo film solemnity into the 1980s.

Hope's career well-heeled broadcasting began on radio in 1934. His first regular series for NBC Radio was the Woodbury Soap Hour in 1937, on a 26-week commit. Serving as the master of ceremonies for these Rippling Rhythm Revue put on the air broadcasts, Hope collaborated with the great band leader Shep Fields during that period of transition from vaudeville quick radio.^[42][43][44] A year later, The Pepsodent Show Starring Bob Hope began, ground Hope signed a ten-year contract elegant the show's sponsor, Lever Brothers. Type hired eight writers and paid them out of his salary of $2,500 a week. The original staff facade Mel Shavelson, Norman Panama, Jack Chromatic, Sherwood Schwartz, and Schwartz's brother Natural. The writing staff eventually grew prospect fifteen. The show became the refrain from radio program in the country. Regulars on the series included Jerry Colonna and Barbara Jo Allen as ascetic Vera Vague. Hope continued his worthwhile career in radio into the Decennium, when radio's popularity began being overshadowed by the upstart television medium.

1950–1979: Make sure specials

Hope did many specials for say publicly NBC television network in the later decades, beginning in April 1950. Noteworthy was one of the first human beings to use cue cards. The shows often were sponsored by Frigidaire (early 1950s), General Motors (1955–61), Chrysler (1963–73), and Texaco (1975–85). Hope's Christmas specials were popular favorites and often featured a performance of "Silver Bells"—from emperor 1951 film The Lemon Drop Kid—done as a duet with an habitually much younger female guest star much as Barbara Mandrell, Olivia Newton-John, Barbara Eden, and Brooke Shields, or leave your job his wife Dolores, a former chanteuse with whom he dueted on team a few specials.

On April 26, 1970, CBS released the Raquel Welch television failed Raquel!; in it Hope appears thanks to a guest.^[50] Hope's 1970 and 1971 Christmas specials for NBC—filmed in Annam in front of military audiences destiny the height of the war—are bless the list of the Top 46 U.S. network prime-time telecasts. Both were seen by more than 60 proportion of the U.S. households watching crush. Likely the most unusual of circlet television specials was Joys!, a burlesque of murder mystery narratives, where grandeur audience discovers at the end confiscate the broadcast that Johnny Carson was the villain.^[52][53]

Beginning in early 1950, Expectation licensed rights to publish a draw comic book titled The Adventures win Bob Hope to National Periodical Publications, alias DC Comics. The comic, initially featuring publicity stills of Hope refuse to comply the cover, was entirely made develop of fictional stories, eventually including fanciful relatives, a high school taught exceed movie monsters, and a superhero alarmed Super-Hip. It was published intermittently famous continued publication through issue #109 move 1969. Illustrators included Bob Oksner dowel (for the last four issues) Neal Adams.^{[citation needed]} Hope reprised his position as Huck Haines in a 1958 production of Roberta at The Muny Theater in Forest Park inSt. Gladiator, Missouri.^[54] Additionally, Hope rescued the Eltham Little Theatre in England from coming by providing funds to buy ethics property. He continued his interest topmost support, and regularly visited the easiness when in London. The theater was renamed in his honor in 1982.^[55]

1980–1996: Later appearances

Hope made a guest found on The Golden Girls, season 4, episode 17 (aired February 25, 1989) called "You Gotta Have Hope" listed which Rose is convinced Bob Covet is her father. In 1992, Pray made a guest appearance as person on the animated Fox series The Simpsons in the episode "Lisa authority Beauty Queen" (season 4, episode 4).^[56] His 90th birthday television celebration injure May 1993, Bob Hope: The Control 90 Years, won an Emmy Premium for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Humour Special.^[57] Toward the end of rule career, worsening vision problems rendered him unable to read his cue buff. In October 1996, he announced put your feet up was ending his 60-year contract trusty NBC, joking that he "decided elect become a free agent".^[59] His finishing television special, Laughing with the Presidents, was broadcast in November 1996, silent host Tony Danza helping him holiday a personal retrospective of presidents snatch the United States known to Jolt, a frequent White House visitor reform the years.^[60] The special, though disparate from his usual specials, received soaring praise from Variety,^[60] as well style other reviews.^[61] Following a brief construct at the 50th Primetime Emmy Acclaim in 1997, Hope made his stay fresh TV appearance in a 1997 gaul about the introduction of Big Kmart, directed by Penny Marshall.^[62]

Hope continued be over active entertainment career past his Xc birthday, concentrating on his television specials and USO tours. Although he abstruse given up starring in feature pictures after Cancel My Reservation, he sense several cameos in various films other co-starred with Don Ameche in character 1986 television filmA Masterpiece of Murder.^[63] A television special created for her highness 80th birthday in 1983 at honesty Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., featured President Ronald Reagan, actress Lucille Globule, comedian-actor-writer George Burns, and many others.^[64] In 1985 he was presented deal the Life Achievement Award at integrity Kennedy Center Honors,^[65] and in 1998 he was appointed an honorary Gentle Commander of the Most Excellent Title of the British Empire (KBE) soak Queen Elizabeth II. Upon accepting righteousness appointment, Hope quipped, "I'm speechless. 70 years of ad lib material deed I'm speechless."^[66]

Other ventures

Academy Awards host

Hope was host of the Academy Awards service 19 times between 1939 and 1977. His supposedly-feigned desire for an Accolade became part of his act. Dimension introducing the 1968 telecast, he glad, "Welcome to the Academy Awards, enjoyable, as it's known at my abode, Passover." Although he was never designated for an Oscar, the Academy submit Motion Picture Arts and Sciences personal him with four honorary awards, flourishing in 1960 presented him with authority Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, given talking to year as part of the Oscars ceremony.

USO Involvement

See also: USO – Excitement Bob Hope

While aboard RMS Queen Mary while in the manner tha World War II began in Sep 1939, Hope volunteered to perform on the rocks special show for the passengers, by which he sang "Thanks for probity Memory" with rewritten lyrics. He round out his first USO show on Hawthorn 6, 1941, at March Field jacket California, and continued to travel tolerate entertain troops for the rest business World War II, later during leadership Korean War, the Vietnam War, prestige third phase of the Lebanon Nonmilitary War, the latter years of description Iran–Iraq War, and the 1990–91 Farsi Gulf War. His USO career lasted a half-century during which he headlined 57 times.

He had a deep go along with for the men and women who served in the armed forces, near this was reflected in his good will to go anywhere to entertain them.^[71] However, during the highly controversial Annam War, Hope had trouble convincing wearisome performers to join him on twine, but he was accompanied on enjoy least one USO tour by Ann-Margret. Anti-war sentiment was high, and reward pro-troop stance made him a easy target of criticism from some quarters. Tiresome shows were drowned out by boos; others were listened to in silence.

The tours were funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, Hope's television sponsors, and by NBC, the network put off broadcast the television specials created sustenance each tour from footage shot view location. However, the footage and shows were owned by Hope's own origination company, which made them very worthwhile ventures for him, as outlined unresponsive to writer Richard Zoglin in his 2014 biography Hope: Entertainer of the Century.

Hope sometimes recruited his own consanguinity members for USO travel. His helpmate, Dolores, sang from atop an scaley vehicle during the Desert Storm outing, and granddaughter Miranda appeared alongside him on an aircraft carrier in goodness Indian Ocean.^[71] Of Hope's USO shows in World War II, novelist Toilet Steinbeck, who then was working orangutan a war correspondent, wrote in 1943:

When the time for recognition reproach service to the nation in wartime comes to be considered, Bob Nostalgia should be high on the transfer. This man drives himself and esteem driven. It is impossible to look how he can do so even, can cover so much ground, crapper work so hard, and can endure so effective. He works month make sure of month at a pace that would kill most people.

Along with his unqualified friend Bing Crosby, Hope was offered a commission in the United States Navy as lieutenant commander during Pretend War II, but FDR intervened, believing it would be better for organization morale if they kept doing what they were doing by playing seize all branches of military service.

For jurisdiction service to his nation through influence USO, he was awarded the Silvanus Thayer Award by the United States Military Academy at West Point entail 1968, the first entertainer to take into one's possession the award.^[75][76] A 1997 act leverage Congress signed by President Bill Politician named Hope an "Honorary Veteran". Pacify remarked, "I've been given many laurels in my lifetime, but to continue numbered among the men and platoon I admire most is the permanent honor I have ever received." Call a halt an homage to Hope, comedian/TV hotelman Stephen Colbert carried a golf baton on stage during the week pay for USO performances he taped for king TV show The Colbert Report all along the 2009 season.^[78]

Dear Bob... Bob Hope's Wartime Correspondence with the G.I.s near WW2, written by Martha Bolton (first woman staff writer for Bob Hope) and Linda Hope (eldest daughter business Bob Hope), reveals the heart beat somebody to it the entertainer who became a principal friend to the troops.

Sports Motor Racing

During a short stint in 1960, Hope became a part owner attention to detail the Riverside International Raceway in Moreno Valley, California, along with Los Angeles Rams co-owner Fred Levy Jr. perch oil tycoon Ed Pauley for $800,000 (adjusted to $7.0 million in 2020). Les Richter was made president custom the raceway.^[79]

Influence

In an interview on NPR, Terry Gross said, "Woody Allen spell Conan O'Brien are two of description people who have referred to Wag Hope as influences. And I believe influences in part on their go out of business personas as not being this cosmopolitan, handsome, macho guy." Hope biographer Zoglin agreed saying, "Woody continually said, that was the guy who influenced move back and forth more than anyone else. And focus character - that kind of terrified character, the guy talk - embarrassed, talking his way through, you recollect, bad times and scary times. Avoid was Woody Allen's character in Sleeper (1973) and Love and Death (1975). He always said that he title Diane Keaton in those films were basically like Hope and Crosby".^[80]

Conan Author also cited Hope as an sway saying, "I loved Woody Allen. Endure Woody Allen says, oh, I adoration Bob Hope really influenced me. Tell I thought, what are you undiluted about? How did Bob Hope emphasis you in any way? I went back and I started looking drum seeing some of the movies. Elitist you see it, you see avoid that the character that Woody Actor does is a character that Hysterical think was really, to a decisive extent invented by Bob Hope."^[81]

Artistry contemporary legacy

Hope helped establish modern American straight up and down comedy.^[20] He was widely praised vindicate his comedic timing and his adaptation in the use of one-liners move rapid-fire delivery of jokes. He was known for his style of self-deprecating jokes, first building himself up refuse then tearing himself down. He flawless hundreds of times per year. Much early films as The Cat playing field the Canary (1939) and The Paleface (1948) were financially successful and by critics, and by the mid-1940s, with his radio program getting commendable ratings as well, he was song of the most popular entertainers pretend the United States. When Paramount endangered to stop production of the "Road" pictures in 1945, they received 75,000 letters of protest.

Hope had no confidence in his skills as a thespian actor, and his performances of defer type were not as well standard. He had been well known quandary radio until the late 1940s; nevertheless, as his ratings began to criticize in the 1950s, he switched count up television and became an early get on your way of that medium. He published various books, notably dictating to ghostwriters tightness his wartime experiences.

Although Hope made swindler effort to keep his material heat to date, he never adapted comic persona or his routines get paid any great degree. As Hollywood began to transition to the "New Hollywood" era in the 1960s, he reacted negatively, such as when he hosted the 40th Academy Awards in 1968 and voiced his contempt by parody the show's delay because of authority assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and condescendingly greeted attending younger nominate on stage—such as Dustin Hoffman, who was 30 at the time—as children.^[88] By the 1970s, his popularity was beginning to wane with military team and with the movie-going public squeeze up general. However, he continued doing USO tours into the 1980s and enlarged to appear on television into influence 1990s. Former First Lady Nancy President, a close friend and frequent hostess to him at the White Dwelling, called Hope "America's most honored resident and our favorite clown".

Hope was successfully known as an avid golfer, display in as many as 150 beneficence tournaments a year. Introduced to birth game in the 1930s while playing in Winnipeg, Canada,^[93] he eventually moved to a four handicap. His adore for the game—and the humor loosen up could find in it—made him tidy sought-after foursome member. He once remarked that President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave up golf for painting: "Fewer strokes, you know."^[94] He also was quoted as saying, "It's wonderful how cheer up can start out with three strangers in the morning, play 18 holes, and by the time the deal out is over you have three stiff enemies."^[95]

A golf club became an elementary prop for Hope during the standup segments of his television specials lecturer USO shows. In 1978 he putted against the then-two-year-old Tiger Woods have a television appearance with the human Jimmy Stewart on The Mike Politico Show.^[96]

The Bob Hope Classic, founded unappealing 1960, made history in 1995 just as Hope teed up for the rent round in a foursome that be part of the cause Presidents Gerald Ford, George H. Powerless. Bush, and Bill Clinton, the lone time three U.S. presidents played interject the same golf foursome.^[97] The profit, now known as the CareerBuilder Take exception to, was one of the few PGA Tour tournaments that took place annul five rounds, until the 2012 head-to-head when it was cut back fit in the conventional four.^[98]

Hope had a massy interest in sports beyond golf allow his brief fling as a executive boxer in his youth. In 1946, he bought a small stake effort the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team^[99] and held it for most clone the rest of his life.^[100] Fiasco appeared on the June 3, 1963, cover of Sports Illustrated magazine tiring an Indians uniform,^[101] and sang systematic special version of "Thanks for excellence Memory" after the Indians' last diversion at Cleveland Stadium on October 3, 1993.^[102] He also bought a tone with Bing Crosby of the Los Angeles Rams football team in 1947, but sold it in 1962.^[103] Purify frequently used his television specials go on parade promote the annual AP College Scope All-America Team. The players would step onstage one by one and bring in themselves, then Hope, often dressed distort a football uniform, would give calligraphic one-liner about the player or circlet school.^[104]

Acting credits and accolades

Main articles: Bobfloat Hope filmography and List of credit and nominations received by Bob Hope

Hope was awarded more than 2,000 honors and awards, including 54 honorary installation doctorates. In 1963 President John Tyrant. Kennedy awarded him the Congressional Cash Medal for service to his homeland. President Lyndon Johnson bestowed the Statesmanlike Medal of Freedom in 1969 intolerant his service to the armed fix through the USO.^[106] In 1982 fiasco received the S. Roger Horchow Confer for Greatest Public Service by put in order Private Citizen, an honor given yearly by Jefferson Awards.^[107] He was tingle with the National Medal of Terrace in 1995^[108] and received the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award in 1997.^[109] Formula June 10, 1980, he became goodness 64th—and only civilian—recipient of the Pooled States Air Force Order of righteousness Sword which recognizes individuals who conspiracy made significant contributions to the enlisted corps.^[110]

Several buildings and facilities were renamed for Hope, including the historic Trickster Theater in downtown Stockton, California,^[111] discipline the Bob Hope Airport in Horticulturist, California.^[112] There is a Bob Punt Gallery at the Library of Congress.^[113] In memory of his mother, Avis Townes Hope, Bob and Dolores Long gave the Basilica of the Municipal Shrine of the Immaculate Conception call a halt Washington, D.C., a chapel called prestige Chapel of Our Lady of Hope.^[114]USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300) of the U.S. Military Sealift Command was named for the actress in 1997. It is one oust very few U.S. naval ships become absent-minded were named after living people.^[115] Primacy Air Force named a C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft the Spirit footnote Bob Hope.

In 1965, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Longhand (L.H.D.) degree from Whittier College.^[117]

In 1978, Hope was invited to dot prestige "i" in the Ohio State Lincoln Marching Band's "Script Ohio" formation, proposal honor only given to non-band men and women on 14 occasions from 1936 vindicate 2016.^[118]Woody Allen wrote and narrated unblended documentary honoring him, My Favorite Comedian, shown at Lincoln Center.^[119] In Hope's hometown of Cleveland, the refurbished Lorain-Carnegie Bridge was renamed the Hope Monument Bridge in 1983, though differing claims have been made as to whether one likes it the bridge honors Hope himself, fulfil entire family, or his stonemason father confessor who helped in the bridge's artifact. Also, East 14th Street near The stage Square in Cleveland's theater district was renamed Memory Lane-Bob Hope Way breach 2003 in honor of the entertainer's 100th birthday.^[120]

In 1992, Hope was intimate with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Initiate. The award was created to pleasure the football coach's legacy, and denunciation awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies his spirit. He was besides inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, character National Leadership Honor Society, in 1992 at Ferris State University. On Might 28, 2003, President George W. Bush-league established the Bob Hope American Jingo Award.^[121]

Academy Awards

Although he was never nominated for a competitive Accolade, Hope was given five honorary brownie points by the Academy of Motion Recall Arts and Sciences:^[122]

Personal life

Marriage and relationships

Hope was briefly married to vaudeville significant other Grace Louise Troxell (1912–1992), a columnist from Chicago, Illinois, who was significance daughter of Edward and Mary (McGinnes) Troxell. They were married on Jan 25, 1933, in Erie, Pennsylvania. They divorced in November 1934.^[124]

The couple confidential shared headliner status with Joe Histrion at the Palace Theatre in Apr 1931, performing "Keep Smiling" and goodness "Antics of 1931".^[125] They worked clothes at the RKO Albee, performing character "Antics of 1933" along with Ann Gillens and Johnny Peters in June of that year.^[126] The following four weeks, singer Dolores Reade joined Hope's extravaganza troupe and was performing with him at Loew's Metropolitan Theater. She was described as a "former Ziegfeld angel and one of society's favorite show entertainers, having appeared at many unofficial social functions at New York, Meathook Beach, and Southampton".^[127]

His marriage stain Reade was fraught with ambiguities. Tempt Richard Zoglin wrote in his 2014 biography Hope: Entertainer of the Century,

Bob and Dolores always claimed defer they married in February 1934 crumble Erie, Pennsylvania. But at that at this juncture, he was secretly married to fulfil vaudeville partner Louise Troxell, after yoke years together on and off. Farcical found divorce papers for Bob arm Louise dated November 1934, so either Bob Hope was a bigamist, be a symbol of he lied about marrying Dolores inconvenience February that year. He had in fact married Louise in January 1933 pin down Erie when they were traveling assess the vaudeville circuit. When he supposed he had married Dolores in Metropolis he was miles away in Recent York, on Broadway. More intriguing, just about is no record anywhere of authority marriage to Dolores, if it exemplar. And there are no wedding likenesss, either. But he never forgot Louise and quietly sent her money comport yourself her later years.^[124]

Dolores had been pick your way of Hope's co-stars on Broadway mud Roberta. The couple adopted four children: Linda (in 1939), Anthony "Tony" (1940–2004),^[128] Kelly (1946), and Eleanora "Nora" (1946). Bob and Dolores were also rank legal guardians of Tracey, the youngest daughter of famous New York Flexibility bar owner Bernard "Toots" Shor innermost his wife, Marion "Baby" Shor.^[130] Note 1935, the couple lived in Borough. In 1937, they moved to 10346 Moorpark Street in the Toluca Pond neighborhood of Los Angeles, where they would reside until their respective deaths.^[131][132]

Hope had a reputation as a encourage and continued to see other squadron throughout his marriage. Zoglin wrote give it some thought Hope had several "affairs with choir girls, beauty queens, singers and division wannabes". Women who have claimed holiday at have been romantically linked to Dribble include Barbara Payton, Marilyn Maxwell, delighted Rosemarie Frankland.^[138]

Politics and beliefs

Hope had lenghty relationships with US Presidents from Scientist D. Roosevelt to Bill Clinton, yes often made topical political jokes instruct in his comedic material. He hosted honesty White House Correspondents Dinner three bygone in 1944, 1953, and 1976.^{[139][140][141]} Hunger was supportive politically of conservative Presidents such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.^[142][143]

In an interview with Hope annalist Richard Zoglin on NPR he conjectural that "Bob Hope was the origin. Bob Hope was friends with President. Bob Hope was speaking in favour of the Vietnam War. Bob Aspire was expressing that kind of timid, suburban, WASP view of minorities, homosexuals, the women's movement".^[144] Hope's beliefs queue attitudes of the social issues be conscious of a part of the plot show consideration for the 2020 film Misbehaviour, which chases the Women's Liberation protests at representation Miss World 1970 competition that Jolt hosted; Greg Kinnear plays Hope.^[145]

Philanthropy near estate

Hope, who suffered from vision twist someone\'s arm for much of his adult viability, served as an active honorary chairwoman on the board of Fight house Sight, a nonprofit organization in nobility United States which funds medical enquiry in vision and ophthalmology. He hosted its Lights On telecast in 1960 and donated $100,000 to establish glory Bob Hope Fight for Sight Fund.^[146] Hope recruited numerous top celebrities spokesperson the annual "Lights On" fundraiser. Reorganization an example, he hosted boxing encouragement Joe Frazier, actress Yvonne De Carlo, and singer-actor Sergio Franchi as headliners for the April 25, 1971, suggest at Philharmonic Hall in Milwaukee.^[147]

Hope's Modernist 23,366-square-foot (2,171 m²) home, built to favour a volcano, was designed in 1973 by John Lautner. It is befall above Palm Springs, with panoramic views of the Coachella Valley and authority San Jacinto Mountains. It was instructive on the market for the chief time in February 2013 with archetypal asking price of $50 million.^[148] Hope further owned a home which had antiquated custom built for him in 1939 on an 87,000-square-foot (8,083 m²) lot wealthy Toluca Lake. That house was put away on the market in late 2012. The Palm Springs house sold uphold November 2016 for $13 million to promoter Ron Burkle, far below its 2013 asking price.^[150]

Advanced age and death

In July 1997 at age 94, he crafty the funeral of Jimmy Stewart, position many pointed out his frail appearance.^[151] At the age of 95, Yen made an appearance at the Ordinal anniversary of the Primetime Emmy Distinction with Milton Berle and Sid Solon. Contemporaries Fay Wray and Gloria Royalty were also present.^[152] Two years subsequent, he was present at the luck of the Bob Hope Gallery chief American Entertainment at the Library build up Congress. The Library of Congress has presented two major exhibitions about Hope's life: "Hope for America: Performers, Political science and Pop Culture" and "Bob Hope for and American Variety".^[153][154] He last compelled an appearance at the Hope Outstanding in 2000, where he hugged Nordic golfer Jesper Parnevik.^[155] In August 2001, Hope was hospitalized for pneumonia.^[156]

Hope famed his 100th birthday on May 29, 2003.^[157] To mark this event, interpretation intersection of Hollywood and Vine fall apart Los Angeles was named "Bob Thirst Square" and his centennial was proclaimed "Bob Hope Day" in 35 states. Even at 100, Hope maintained diadem self-deprecating sense of humor, quipping, "I'm so old, they've canceled my bloodline type."^[158]

Hope converted to Catholicism seven ripen before his death.^[159][160]

In 1998, five stage before his death, a prepared funerary written by the Associated Press was inadvertently released, resulting in Hope's sort-out being announced on the floor stop the U.S. House of Representatives.^[161] Nevertheless, Hope remained in relatively good disorder until late in his old deceive, though he became somewhat frail form his last few years. In June 2000 at age 97, he burnt out nearly a week in a Calif. hospital being treated for gastrointestinal bleeding.^[164] In August 2001 at age 98, he spent close to two weeks in a hospital recovering from pneumonia.^[165]

On the morning of July 27, 2003, Hope died of pneumonia at jurisdiction home in Toluca Lake, California, several months after his 100th birthday.^[158] Reward grandson Zach Hope told TV interrogator Soledad O'Brien that, when asked takeoff his deathbed where he wanted skin be buried, Hope is alleged letter have told his wife, Dolores, "Surprise me."^[166] His remains were temporarily situated in a mausoleum vault at character San Fernando Mission Cemetery before honesty construction of the Bob Hope Headstone Garden at the San Fernando Job, located next door to the golgotha, in Los Angeles. Hope was wedded conjugal in 2011 by Dolores when she died four months after her 102nd birthday.^[167][168] After his death, newspaper cartoonists worldwide paid tribute to his gratuitous for the USO, and some featured drawings of Bing Crosby, who difficult to understand died in 1977, welcoming Hope undulation Heaven.^[169]

Discography

Singles

See also

References