Bob Hope

Biography

Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope KBE, KC*SG, KSS (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, and entertainer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films—54 in which he starred. These included a series of seven Road to... musical comedy films with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner.

In addition to hosting the Academy Awards show 19 times, more than any other host, Hope appeared in many stage productions and television roles and wrote 14 books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" was his signature tune.

Hope was born in the Eltham district of southeast London. He arrived in the United States with his family at the age of four, and grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. After a brief stint in the late 1910s as a boxer, Hope began his career in show business in the early 1920s, initially as a comedian and dancer on the vaudeville circuit, before acting on Broadway. Hope began appearing on radio and in films starting in 1934. He was praised for his comedic timing, specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes that were often self-deprecating. He helped establish modern American stand-up comedy.

Between 1941 and 1991, Hope made 57 tours for the United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining active duty U.S. military personnel around the world. In 1997, the United States Congress passed a bill that made Hope an honorary veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Hope appeared in numerous television specials for NBC during his career and was one of the first users of cue cards.

Hope retired from public life in 1998 and died on July 27, 2003, at the age of 100.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Bob Hope, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Self

Late Night with David Letterman

Self

I Love Lucy

Bob Hope

Tony Awards

Self

The Simpsons

Bob Hope (voice)

The Mike Douglas Show

Self - Co-Host

The Mike Douglas Show

Self

The Merv Griffin Show

Self

Filmography

Year	Movie	Role
2022	Kids' TV: The Surprising Story	Self (archive footage)
2022	Rat Pack	Self (archive footage)
2021	Boulevard! A Hollywood Story	Self (archive footage)
2018	Howard	Orville 'Turkey' Jackson (archive footage)
2017	This Is Bob Hope...	Self (archive footage)
2016	Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops	Self
2014	And the Oscar Goes To...	Self (archive footage)
2014	Bing Crosby: Rediscovered	Self (archive footage)
2010	Dalí & Disney: A Date with Destino	Himself (archive footage)
2010	Bing Crosby: The Television Specials Volume 2 – The Christmas Specials	Self
2010	The Best of Johnny Carson
2009	1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year	Self (archive footage)
2008	Johnny Carson Celebrates Christmas	Self
2006	The Best of Carson, Volume 1
2006	Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer	Self (archive footage)
2005	Legendary Christmas Entertainers	Self
2005	Pioneers of Primetime
2004	Los Angeles Plays Itself	Adam J. Niles in Bachelor in Paradise (archive footage)
2004	Judy Garland: By Myself	Self (archive footage)
2003	Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer	Self
2003	Bob Hope: The Road to Laughter	Self (archive footage)
2003	Christmas in Hollywood	Self (archive footage)
2002	Edith Head: The Paramount Years	(archive footage)
2002	Bob Hope and the Road to Success	Self (archive footage)
2002	Entertaining the Troops: Bob Hope & the USO	Self (archive footage)
2001	The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1	Self (archive footage)
2001	The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2	Self (archive footage)
2000	Hollywood Musicals of the 40's	Self (archive footage)
2000	Buñuel in Hollywood	Self (archive footage)
1999	Television: The First Fifty Years	Self (archive footage)
1999	Behind The Music: The Day The Music Died	Self (archive footage)
1999	Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults	Self (Archival Footage)
1998	The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts	Self - Roastee (archive footage)
1997	The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender	Self (archive footage)
1996	Bob Hope: Laughing With the Presidents	Self - Co-Host
1996	Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular	Self
1994	That's Entertainment! III	(archive footage)
1994	That Little Monster	Bob Hope / Bob (uncredited)
1994	A Century of Cinema	Self
1994	Liberation	Self (archive footage)
1994	Forrest Gump	Self - in Vietnam (archive footage) (uncredited)
1994	Shanks for the Memory
1993	Bob Hope's Bag Full of Christmas Memories	Self
1991	Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer from Saudi Arabia	Self
1991	Stars and Stripes: Hollywood and World War II	Self
1990	You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story	Self
1990	Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration	Self
1990	The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic	Self (archive footage)
1989	Bob Hope's Love Affair with Lucy	Self - Host
1989	Miss Piggy's Hollywood	Self
1989	Bob Hope's Super Bowl Party!	Self
1988	Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show	Self
1988	Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration	Self
1988	The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind	Self (archive footage)
1988	Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC	Self
1987	Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood	Self
1986	TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines	Self
1986	Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special	Self
1986	A Masterpiece of Murder	Dan Dolan
1985	Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers	Self (archive footage)
1985	Spies Like Us	Self
1984	It's Ho-Ho Hope's Jolly Christmas Hour	Self - Host
1984	Bob Hope's USO Christmas in Beirut	Self
1984	The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
1983	Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage	Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983	George Burns Celebrates 80 Years in Show Business	Self
1983	Happy Birthday, Bob!	Self
1982	Showbiz Goes to War	(archive footage)
1982	Let Poland Be Poland	Self
1982	Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny	Self
1981	The George Burns (Early) Early, Early Christmas Special	Himself
1980	Lucy Moves to NBC	Self
1980	A Tribute to Dr. Shock	Self (archive footage)
1979	The Muppet Movie	Ice Cream Vendor
1979	The Hollywood Clowns	Self (archive footage)
1979	Derby Fever USA	Self
1979	Leif	Self
1979	Bob Hope on the Road to China	Self - Host
1978	Pat Boone and Family: A Thanksgiving Special	Self
1978	Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy	Self
1978	NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney	Self
1978	Mickey's 50	Self
1977	The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special	Host / Barf Vader
1977	Ann-Margret: Rhinestone Cowgirl	Self
1976	Bob Hope's Comedy Christmas Special
1976	CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years	Self
1976	Joys	Self
1975	Mitzi & 100 Guys	Self
1975	Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?	Self (archive footage)
1975	Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television	Self
1974	Hearts and Minds	Self (archive footage)
1974	The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards	Self - Host
1973	Ann-Margret: When You're Smiling	Self
1973	Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)	Commentator
1973	The Bob Hope Mardi Gras Special	Self - Host
1972	Hollywood: The Dream Factory	Self (archive footage)
1972	Cancel My Reservation	Dan Bartlett
1971	The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World	Self
1971	The Great Radio Comedians	Self (archive footage)
1971	The Bob Hope Christmas Special	Self
1971	Festival at Ford's	Self
1970	Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special	Self
1970	Raquel!	Self
1970	Swing Out, Sweet Land	Self
1970	Honor America Day	Self
1969	How to Commit Marriage	Frank Benson
1969	Roberta	Huck Haines
1968	The Dean Martin Christmas Show	Self
1968	The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell	Sgt. Dan O'Farrell
1968	The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the World with the USO	Self
1968	Rowan & Martin at the Movies	Self
1967	Eight on the Lam	Henry Dimsdale
1967	Bob Hope Comedy Special
1966	Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!	Thomas J. 'Tom' Meade
1966	The Oscar	Bob Hope
1966	Not With My Wife, You Don't	Self - USO Christmas Show (archive footage) (uncredited)
1966	Murder at N.B.C.
1965	I'll Take Sweden	Bob Holcomb
1965	The Jack Benny Hour	Bob Hope / Marcello
1965	Bob Hope Christmas Show	Self
1964	A Global Affair	Frank Larrimore
1964	The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour	Bill Blakely
1963	Critic's Choice	Parker Ballantine
1963	Call Me Bwana	Matt
1963	The Sound of Laughter	Bing Fawcett - Plumber
1963	A Bob Hope Comedy Special	Self
1962	The Road to Hong Kong	Chester Babcock
1961	Bachelor in Paradise	Adam J. Niles
1961	The Bing Crosby Show	Self
1960	The Facts of Life	Larry Gilbert
1960	Hedda Hopper's Hollywood	Self
1959	Alias Jesse James	Milford Farnsworth
1959	Some of Manie's Friends
1958	Paris Holiday	Robert Leslie Hunter
1957	Beau James	Mayor James J. 'Jimmy' Walker
1956	The Iron Petticoat	Captain Chuck Lockwood
1956	Showdown at Ulcer Gulch	Influential Man
1956	That Certain Feeling	Francis X. Dignan
1956	Lucy's Really Lost Moments	Self
1956	The Bob Hope Chevy Show	Himself/Ricky Ricardo
1955	The Seven Little Foys	Eddie Foy
1955	Playing Fields Association: Cricket	Self
1954	Casanova's Big Night	Pippo Popolino
1953	Road to Bali	Harold Gridley
1953	Here Come the Girls	Stanley Snodgrass
1953	Scared Stiff	Skeleton (uncredited)
1952	Son of Paleface	Peter Potter Jr.
1952	Off Limits	Wally Hogan
1952	The Greatest Show on Earth	Spectator (uncredited)
1951	The Lemon Drop Kid	Sidney Melbourne (The Lemon Drop Kid)
1951	My Favorite Spy	Peanuts White / Eric Augustine
1950	Fancy Pants	Humphrey / Arthur Tyler
1950	You Can Change The World	Self
1950	Screen Actors	Self (uncredited)
1949	Sorrowful Jones	Humphrey "Sorrowful" Jones
1949	The Great Lover	Freddie Hunter
1948	The Paleface	'Painless' Peter Potter
1947	Road to Rio	Hot Lips Barton
1947	Where There's Life	Michael Joseph Valentine
1947	My Favorite Brunette	Ronnie Jackson
1947	Is Everybody Listening?	Bob Hope - Bob Hope Radio Program
1947	Variety Girl	Bob Hope
1946	Road to Utopia	Chester Hooton
1946	Monsieur Beaucaire	Monsieur Beaucaire
1945	Road to Home	Self
1945	Hollywood Victory Caravan	Bob Hope
1945	The All-Star Bond Rally	Self - Host
1945	Story of G.I. Joe	Bob Hope (Voice on Radio Program) (voice) (uncredited)
1944	The Princess and the Pirate	Sylvester the Great
1944	Memo for Joe	Self
1943	They Got Me Covered	Robert Kittredge
1943	Let's Face It	Jerry Walker
1943	Strictly G.I.	Self - Master of Ceremonies
1943	A Welcome to Britain	Self (uncredited)
1943	Show-Business at War	Self
1943	Combat America	Self
1942	Road to Morocco	Orville Jackson
1942	My Favorite Blonde	Larry Haines
1942	Star Spangled Rhythm	Bob Hope
1942	Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 4	Self
1942	Bob's Busy Day	Bob
1941	Road to Zanzibar	Hubert 'Fearless' Frazier
1941	Nothing But the Truth	Steve Bennett
1941	Louisiana Purchase	Jim Taylor
1941	Caught in the Draft	Don Bolton
1940	Road to Singapore	Ace Lannigan
1940	The Ghost Breakers	Larry Lawrence
1940	Cavalcade of the Academy Awards	Self - Master of Ceremonies
1939	The Cat and the Canary	Wally Campbell
1939	Never Say Die	John Kidley
1939	Some Like It Hot	Nicky Nelson
1938	The Big Broadcast of 1938	Buzz Fielding
1938	College Swing	Bud Brady
1938	Give Me a Sailor	Jim Brewster
1938	Thanks for the Memory	Steve Merrick
1936	Shop Talk	Robert Hope Jr.
1936	Calling All Tars	Bobby
1935	Double Exposure	Photographer / Robert
1935	Watch the Birdie	Bob
1935	The Old Grey Mayor	Bob
1934	Going Spanish	Bob
1934	Paree, Paree	Peter
	Bob Hope: The Vietnam Years 1964-1972	Bob Hope

Year	TV Show	Role
2016	O.J.: Made in America	Self (archive footage)
1991	Pebble Mill	Self
1989	The Simpsons	Bob Hope (voice)
1989	The Jim Henson Hour	Himself
1985	The Golden Girls	Bob Hope
1984	Highway to Heaven	Sycopomp
1982	Late Night with David Letterman	Self
1980	Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters	Self
1978	The Kennedy Center Honors	Self
1976	Donny & Marie	Self
1976	The Muppet Show	Self - Special Guest Star
1976	The Captain and Tennille	Self
1974	Dinah!	Self
1973	The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts	Self
1972	Midi trente	Self
1971	V.I.P. Schaukel	Self
1971	Great Performances	Self
1970	Treffpunkte	Self
1969	The Johnny Cash Show	Self
1969	The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour	Self
1969	The Barbara McNair Show	Self
1968	Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In	Self (uncredited)
1968	The Dick Cavett Show	Self - Guest
1967	The Carol Burnett Show	Self (uncredited)
1967	The Carol Burnett Show	Self - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
1966	The Pruitts of Southampton	Library Patron
1965	Get Smart	Room Service Attendant (uncredited)
1964	The Hollywood Palace	Self - Cameo Appearance
1963	Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre	Self - Host
1962	The Lucy Show	Plumber's Assistant
1962	The Merv Griffin Show	Self
1962	The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson	Self
1961	The DuPont Show of the Week	Self
1961	The Mike Douglas Show	Self - Co-Host
1961	The Mike Douglas Show	Self
1960	Project XX	Narrator
1959	Startime
1958	Kraft Music Hall	Self
1958	The Dick Clark Show	Self
1957	The Thin Man	Self (uncredited)
1957	Frank Sinatra Show	Self
1957	Tonight Starring Jack Paar	Self
1956	The Steve Allen Show	Self - Guest
1956	Cinépanorama	Self
1956	Tony Awards	Self
1955	The Chevy Show	Self
1955	Screen Director's Playhouse	Bob Hope (uncredited)
1954	The Wonderful World of Disney	Self
1953	The Oscars	Self
1951	I Love Lucy	Bob Hope
1951	The Red Skelton Show	Self - Cameo
1950	The Colgate Comedy Hour	Self
1950	The Jack Benny Program	Bob Hope
1950	The Bob Hope Show	Self - Host
1950	The Jack Benny Program	Self / Clyde
1950	The Colgate Comedy Hour	Self - Host
1950	Lux Video Theatre	Self - Lux Video Theatre Guest
1950	Lux Video Theatre	Self - Intermission Guest
1950	The Jack Benny Program	Self
1950	What's My Line?	Self - Mystery Guest
1948	The Ed Sullivan Show	Self
1944	Golden Globe Awards	Self - Presenter