Bob Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003)
“For a man who played third billing to Siamese twins and trained seals, Bob Hope has become the most recognized profile and talent in the world. And, in the entire history of show business, no individual has traveled so far — so often — to entertain so many.
Hope’s entertainment persona has been evident in every decade of the 20th century — from impersonating Charlie Chaplin in front of the firehouse in Cleveland in 1909, to celebrating an unprecedented 60 years with NBC in 1996.”
“ The fifth of seven sons, he was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, England on May 29, 1903. His English father, William Henry Hope, was a stonemason — his Welsh mother, Avis Townes Hope, an aspiring concert singer.”
“In 1940, Hope made his first film with popular crooner Bing Crosby. The pair starred together as a pair of likeable con artists in The Road to Singapore with Dorothy Lamour playing their love interest. The duo proved to be box office gold. Hope and Crosby, who remained lifelong friends, made seven Road pictures together.”
Filmography
Dan Dolan
Golfer
Frank Benson
Sgt. Dan O’Farrell
Room Service Attendant
Henry Dimsdale
George Warren / Horatio Lovelace / Les Haines / …
(Himself)
Thomas J. ‘Tom’ Meade
Bob Holcomb
Bob Hope
Bill Blakley
Frank Larrimore
Matt
Adam J. Niles
Larry Gilbert
Milford Farnsworth
Robert Leslie Hunter
Mayor James J. ‘Jimmy’ Walker
Major Charles “Chuck” Lockwood
Francis X. Dignan
Influential Man
Lux Video Theatre Guest
Pippo Popolino
Stanley Snodgrass
Skeleton (uncredited)
Wally Hogan
Guest – Cameo / Guest Comedian
Spectator (uncredited)
Peanuts White/Eric Augustine
Sidney Milburn (The Lemon Drop Kid)
Freddie Hunter
Michael Joseph Valentine
Jerry Walker
Robert Kittredge
Bob
Jim Taylor
Steve Bennett
Don Bolton
Wally Campbell
Nicky Nelson
John Kidley
Steve Merrick
Jim Brewster
Bud Brady
Buzz Fielding
Robert Hope Jr.
Photographer/Robert
Bob
Bobby
Bob
Peter
Master of Ceremonies
Bob
“Hope did many specials for the NBC television network in the following decades, beginning in April 1950. These were often sponsored by General Motors (1955–1961), Chrysler (1963–73) and Texaco (1975–1985), and Hope served as a spokesman for these companies for many years and would sometimes introduce himself as “Bob, from Texaco, Hope.” Hope’s Christmas specials were popular favorites and often featured a performance of “Silver Bells” (from his 1951 film The Lemon Drop Kid) done as a duet with an often much younger female guest star (such as Olivia Newton-John, Barbara Eden, and Brooke Shields), or with his wife Delores, with whom he dueted on two specials.
In October 1956, Hope appeared on an episode of the most-viewed program in America at the time, I Love Lucy. He said, upon receiving the script: “What? A script? I don’t need one of these”[cite this quote], and ad-libbed the entire episode. Desi Arnaz said of Hope after his appearance: “Bob is a very nice man, he can crack you up, no matter how much you try for him to not.”[cite this quote] Lucy and Desi returned the favor by appearing on one of his Chevy Show specials (with Vivian Vance and William Frawley) later that season and the former would go on to co-star with Hope in three movies.”
“Hope’s entertainment persona was evident in every decade of the 20th century — from impersonating Charlie Chaplin in front of the firehouse in Cleveland in 1909, to celebrating an unprecedented 60 years with NBC in 1996″
Thanks For The Memories Bob.
