Bob Hope
Leslie Townes Hope
29 May 1903, Eltham, London, England, UK
27 July 2003, Toluca Lake, California, USA
Filmography

"Highway to Heaven" .... Syncompop (1 episode, 1988)
   - Heaven Nose, Mister Smith (1988) TV episode .... Syncompop
A Masterpiece of Murder (1986) (TV) .... Dan Dolan
Spies Like Us (1985) .... Golfer
NBC Family Christmas (1981) (TV)


The Muppet Movie (1979) .... Ice Cream Vendor
"3 Girls 3" (1 episode, 1977)
   - Episode #1.1 (1977) TV episode
Cancel My Reservation (1972) .... Dan Bartlett
Plimpton! Did You Hear the One About? (1971) (TV)


Roberta (1969) (TV) .... Huckleberry Haines
How to Commit Marriage (1969) .... Frank Benson
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell (1968) .... Sgt. Dan O'Farrell
Carnival Nights (1968) (TV)
... aka Jack Benny's Carnival Nights (USA: complete title)
"Get Smart" .... Room Service Attendant (1 episode, 1968)
   - 99 Loses Control (1968) TV episode (uncredited) .... Room Service Attendant
Eight on the Lam (1967) .... Henry Dimsdale
... aka Eight on the Run (UK)
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" .... George Warren / ... (5 episodes, 1963-1966)
... aka The Chrysler Theater
... aka Universal Star Time (syndication title)
   - Murder at N.B.C. (1966) TV episode .... Van Smirtch
   - Russian Roulette (1965) TV episode .... Les Haines
   - Have Girls, Will Travel (1964) TV episode .... Horatio Lovelace
   - Her School for Bachelors (1964) TV episode .... Monte Collins
   - The House Next Door (1963) TV episode .... George Warren
Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966) .... Thomas J. 'Tom' Meade
I'll Take Sweden (1965) .... Bob Holcomb
"The Lucy Show" .... Irving (1 episode, 1964)
... aka The Lucille Ball Show (USA: alternative title)
   - Lucy and the Plumber (1964) TV episode .... Irving
Mr. and Mrs. (1964) (TV) .... Bill Blakley
... aka The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour
A Global Affair (1964) .... Frank Larrimore
Call Me Bwana (1963) .... Matthew Merriwether
Critic's Choice (1963) .... Parker Ballantine
The Road to Hong Kong (1962) .... Chester Babcock
Bachelor in Paradise (1961) .... Adam J. Niles
The Facts of Life (1960) .... Larry Gilbert


The Five Pennies (1959) (uncredited) .... Guest
Alias Jesse James (1959) .... Milford Farnsworth
Paris Holiday (1958) .... Robert Leslie Hunter
Beau James (1957) .... Mayor James J. 'Jimmy' Walker
The Iron Petticoat (1956) .... Major Charles "Chuck" Lockwood
... aka Not for Money
That Certain Feeling (1956) .... Francis X. Dignan
Showdown at Ulcer Gulch (1956) .... Cameo appearance (Influential man)
The Seven Little Foys (1955) .... Eddie Foy
Casanova's Big Night (1954) .... Pippo Popolino
... aka Mr. Casanova (USA)
Christmas with the Stars (1953) (TV)
Here Come the Girls (1953) .... Stanley Snodgrass
... aka Champagne for Everybody
Scared Stiff (1953) (uncredited) .... Skeleton (Cameo appearance)
Off Limits (1953) .... Wally Hogan
... aka Military Policemen (UK)
Road to Bali (1952) .... Harold Gridley
Son of Paleface (1952) .... Peter 'Junior' Potter Jr.
The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) (uncredited) .... Spectator
... aka Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth (USA: complete title)
My Favorite Spy (1951) .... Peanuts White/Eric Augustine
The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) .... Sidney Melbourne (The Lemon Drop Kid)
Fancy Pants (1950) .... Humphrey aka Arthur Tyler


The Great Lover (1949) .... Freddie Hunter
Sorrowful Jones (1949) .... Humphrey 'Sorrowful' Jones
The Paleface (1948) .... 'Painless' Peter Potter
Road to Rio (1947) .... Hot Lips Barton
Where There's Life (1947) .... Michael Joseph Valentine
My Favorite Brunette (1947) .... Ronnie Jackson
Monsieur Beaucaire (1946) .... Monsieur Beaucaire
Road to Utopia (1946) .... Chester Hooton
The Princess and the Pirate (1944) .... Sylvester the Great
Let's Face It (1943) .... Jerry Walker
They Got Me Covered (1943) .... Robert Kittredge
Road to Morocco (1942) .... Orville 'Turkey' Jackson / Aunt Lucy
My Favorite Blonde (1942) .... Larry Haines
Louisiana Purchase (1941) .... Jim Taylor
Nothing But the Truth (1941) .... Steve Bennett
Caught in the Draft (1941) .... Don Bolton
Road to Zanzibar (1941) .... Hubert 'Fearless' Frazier
The Ghost Breakers (1940) .... Larry Lawrence
Road to Singapore (1940) .... Ace Lannigan


The Cat and the Canary (1939) .... Wally Campbell
Some Like It Hot (1939) .... Nicky Nelson
... aka Rhythm Romance (USA: reissue title)
Never Say Die (1939) .... John Kidley
Thanks for the Memory (1938/II) .... Steve Merrick
Give Me a Sailor (1938) .... Jim Brewster
College Swing (1938) .... Bud Brady
... aka Swing, Teacher, Swing (UK)
The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938) .... Buzz Fielding
Double Exposure (1935) .... Photographer
... aka Big V Comedies (1935-1936) (#5): Double Exposure (USA: series title)
Watch the Birdie (1935)
Calling All Tars (1935)
Shop Talk (1935) .... Robert Hope Jr.
The Old Grey Mayor (1935) .... Bob Hope
Paree, Paree (1934) .... Peter Forbes
... aka Broadway Brevities: Paree, Paree (USA: series title)
Going Spanish (1934) .... Bob
... aka Bob's Busy Day (USA: recut version)


Father: William Henry Hope (stonemason)
Mother: Avis Townes Hope (singer)
Wife: Dolores Hope (m. 19-Feb-1934, two sons, two daughters)
Son: Anthony Hope (adopted, d. 28-Jun-2004)
Daughter: Linda Hope (adopted)
Son: Kelly Hope (adopted)
Daughter: Nora (adopted)
Born in London and moved to Bristol before emigrating with his parents to the US in 1908. After some years on the stage as a dancer and comedian, he made his first film appearance in The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938) singing "Thanks for the Memories", which became his signature tune. In partnership with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, he appeared in the highly successful "Road to ..." comedies (1940-1952), and in many others until the early 1970s. During World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars he spent much time entertaining the troops in the field.
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1957: Golden Globe: Ambassador of Good Will Awardademy  Award on five occasions.

1959: Emmy: Trustees' Award "for bringing the great  gift of laughter to all peoples of all nations; for  selflessly entertaining American troops throughout the  world over many years; and for making TV finer by these  deeds and by the consistently high quality of his TV  programs through the years

1962: Hollywood Foreign Press Association: Cecil B.  DeMille Award.

1965: Screen Actors Guild: Life Achievement Award

1984: Emmy: Governor's Award

1985: Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Achievement Award

1994: American Comedy Award: Lifetime Achievement  (male)

1995: National Medal of Arts: presented by President  Bill Clinton.
Once remarked the only place where he could walk  unrecognized was in the People's Republic of China. But  even then a Chinese man still recognized him from one  of his movies from before the Chinese Revolution.

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Has four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Has 4 adopted children: Eleanora Avis "Nora", Anthony,  Linda Hope and Kelly Hope.

Has entertained the troops overseas in every war from  WWII to the Gulf War

Awarded an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.  (1998)

Played his first big part in the Broadway version of  "Roberta" in 1933.

In the 1950s, a part-owner of the Cleveland Indians  baseball team. His guest appearance in "I Love Lucy"  (1951) centered around his attending a Yankees-Indians  game at Yankee Stadium.

Holds two entries in "The Guinness Book of World  Records". One is for having the distinction of being  the entertainer with "the longest running contract with  a single network - spanning sixty-one years". The  second is for being the "most honored entertainer",  with over 1500 awards.

Served as United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO)  Entertainment Coordinator from 1941 - 2001. Retired his  post at age 98 in favor of Wayne Newton.

Received 58 honorary degrees.

Entertained U.S. troops starting 6th May 1941, and  became the first 'honorary veteran' by Congress.

He entertained 11 different Presidents, beginning with  Franklin Delano Roosevelt and ending with Bill Clinton.

His golf buddy was Prescott Bush, the father and  grandfather of presidents George Bush and George W.  Bush.

He was the only entertainer to have complete carte  blanche to walk on whenever he felt like it on "The  Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962).

He change his name from Leslie to Bob, because in  school they would call the roll as 'Hope, Leslie' and  classmates shortened it to hopeless.

In a mostly ad-libbed skit for a TV show, Hope joked  with Jimmy Durante about the size of his own nose.  Durante quipped "When it comes to noses, you're a  retailer. I'm a wholesaler!"

Appointed an honorary CBE in 1976.

Wife Dolores Hope was born 27th May 1909. She and Bob  celebrated their birthdays on 28th May every year -  splitting the difference between their respective real  birthdays.

Spent his 99th birthday--29 May 2002--at home in Toluca  Lake, CA. Wife Dolores Hope's 93rd birthday was just  two days before. Los Angeles National Cemetery  dedicated veterans' chapel in his name to salute his  lifetime of service entertaining U.S. troops.

His grandfather lived to age of 99 years, 11 months,  and 25 days

Was honored on the "'Dean Martin' Celebrity Roasts" in  1974.

Has two theaters named after him, one in London and  another in California.

He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.
Was incorrectly declared dead several times since  retiring from the public eye. On the most infamous  occasion in 1998, a wire service accidentally posted a  pre-written obituary to a Web page. A member of the US  House of Representatives saw this bogus news flash and  announced Hope's death during a session at the Capitol.  Hope learned he was dead when a reporter called his  home asking for a statement. According to family  members, Hope took this mistake in good humor.

First show business job was as a dancer in the 'Roscoe  'Fatty' Arbuckle' vaudeville revue in Cleveland in  1924.

Graduated from Fairmount High School in Cleveland,  Ohio.

Wrote several books about his experiences over the  years, including "I Owe Russia $1200", about his Soviet  tour in early 1962; "Confessions of a Hooker", about  his lifelong passion for golf; and "Don't Shoot, It's  Only Me!", about his many overseas trips to entertain  U.S. troops over the years.

Hosted the Oscars 18 times, including the ceremonies in  1939, 1954, 1962 and 1968.

In 1999 he became the first to start the tradition of  the official lighting of the Christmas Tree in  Disneyland. Afterwards, he and wife Dolores Hope drove  their own golf cart down Main Street, through Frontier  Land to Club 33 for dinner.

His last appearance with Lucille Ball on television was  March 28, 1989 on the The 61st Annual Academy Awards  (1989) (TV) show. Hope and Ball introduced a musical  number featuring "The Stars of Tomorrow," (which  included Johnny Depp, Christian Slater, and Ricki  Lake). They both received a standing ovation upon  arriving on stage. Lucille Ball died 28 days later on  April 26. 1989.

Grandfather of actress Leslie Hope.

Brother Jack Hope sometimes served as producer of Bob's  shows; his memoir 'I Owe Russia $1200' is dedicated to  Jack's memory.

Has a ship named after him: USNS Bob Hope.

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.

In 1997, the U.S. Air Force honored Hope by naming a  cargo plane "The Spirit of Bob Hope" after the  legendary entertainer.

USO center is named after him

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith,  pg. 219-222. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN  0816023387

Was a supporter of Valley Forge Military Academy &  Junior College in Wayne, Pennsylvania. He has the "Bob  Hope Five-Star Award for Distinguished Service to the  United States of America" named in his honor.

Was a Master Mason.

At 69 years, his marriage to Dolores Hope holds the  record for the longest Hollywood marriage.

He is among the select few non-band members who have  had the honor of dotting the "i" during The Ohio State  University Marching Band's 'Script Ohio' routine. This  is considered the greatest honor the band can bestow to  any non-band person and is an extremely special (and  rare) event.

Awarded a Congressional Gold Medal by President John F.  Kennedy at the White House. (September 11th 1963).

Awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom by President  Lyndon Johnson on his last day in office. (January 20th  1969)

He was one of the richest movie stars.... he ranked in  the top ten highest salaried stars continuously from  1941-1953 [except for 1948]

Hosted the Academy Awards in 1940, 1943, 1945  (alongside John Cromwell), 1946 (alongside James  Stewart), 1953 (alongside Conrad Nagel), 1955  (alongside Thelma Ritter), 1958 (alongside James  Stewart, David Niven, Jack Lemmon, Rosalind Russell and  "Donald Duck"), 1959 (alongside Jerry Lewis, David  Niven, Laurence Olivier, Mort Sahl and Tony Randall),  1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1975  (alongside Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley MacLaine and Frank  Sinatra) and finally in 1978.

According to Hope's biographer Arthur Marx, son of  comedian Groucho Marx, Hope married his vaudeville  partner of five years, Grace Louise Troxell, on 25  January 1933, although they divorced soon afterwards.  Hope denied that they had actually married.

As a young comedian, he won a Charles Chaplin  look-alike contest in Cleveland.

Was briefly a professional boxer. He fought under the  name Packy East.

He and best friend Bing Crosby were planning to make  one last "road" picture in early 1977, but Bing died  before filming. Bob was so broken up about Bing's death  that he couldn't sleep for days on end. He stated that  it was one of the worst times of his life and that his  wife was his rock who got him through the tough time.

On his wartime USO tours he had one ironclad rule that  he insisted his fellow performers follow: under no  circumstances were they allowed to cry when visiting  wounded soldiers in military hospitals. This was often  difficult given the amount of suffering they saw, but  he told his performers that it was their duty to always  smile and provide laughs and good cheer for the troops.  According to Hope, he broke his own rule only once.  While visiting an army hospital in Italy in 1943, he  stopped at the bedside of a wounded soldier who had  been in a coma for two months. The soldier suddenly  opened his eyes and said, "Hey, Bob Hope! When did you  get here?" He had to leave the hospital room to keep  the troops from seeing his tears, but he returned a few  hours later to present the soldier with his Purple  Heart medal.

Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1983.

Attended the funeral of his friend of more than forty  years, former President Richard Nixon. (27 April 1994).

He was a staunch supporter of the Republican Party.

In November of 1948, when President Harry S. Truman  scored his upset presidential re-election victory, Hope  sent him a one-word telegram: "Unpack". Truman was so  amused by it he kept it in his desk in the Oval Office.

There is a major street in Rancho Mirage, CA, named  after him. Bob Hope Drive crosses Frank Sinatra, Gerald  Ford, Ginger Rogers and Dinah Shore Drives.

He bought several acres of prime real estate in Rancho  Mirage, CA, to build a racetrack. He later decided a  medical center was needed in the area instead, so he  donated the land to build Eisenhower Medical Center,  which is now rated as among the top 100 hospitals in  America today. A medical building on the campus is  named for him and contains statues of he and wife  Dolores Hope in the lobby. Another medical building  next door is called "Hope Square".

Hospitalized with gastro-intestinal bleeding in June  2000. Although he received a blood transfusion after  the bleeding in his colon was stopped, no surgery was  performed.

Hospitalized with pneumonia and respiratory problems in  August 2001. A week after he left hospital on 4  September, Hope and his wife released a joint statement  expressing their horror at the 9/11 attack on the World  Trade Center.

At the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, Hope  released a statement saying he wished he could go to  the country to entertain the troops, but that his  doctors would not allow him.

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

Retired from show business at the age of 93 after  filming Bob Hope's Bag Full of Christmas Memories  (1993).

Hosted the Oscars 11 times.

In 1969, he was worth in excess of $150 million,  largely as a result of shrewd business and real estate  investments.

A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it.
Bob Hope
I don't generally feel anything until noon; then it's  time for my nap.
Bob Hope
I don't know if the presidential candidates are running  for the White House or Animal House.
Bob Hope
If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play at it, it's  recreation. If you work at it, it's golf.
Bob Hope
No one party can fool all of the people all of the  time; that's why we have two parties.
Bob Hope
People who throw kisses are hopelessly lazy.
Bob Hope
[on being told he was being awarded an honorary knighthood] What an honor and what a surprise for a boy born in England, raised in Cleveland and schooled in vaudeville.
Bob Hope
Golf is my real profession - show business pays my  greens fees.
Bob Hope