• Bob Hope, known as "The King of Comedy," was an English-born actor, comedian and entertainer on vaudeville and Broadway and in radio, television and the movie industry.CNN: Bob Hope dead at 100 He was widely respected for his humanitarian work.

• Fast Facts

  1. Full name: Leslie Townes Hope
  2. Born: May 29, 1903
  3. Birthplace: Eltham, London
  4. Died: July 27, 2003
  5. Spouses: Grace Louise Troxell (1933-?) (divorced); Dolores Reade (1934-death)
  6. Children: Linda, Anthony, Nora, Kelly
  7. Hosted the Academy Awards 18 times between 1940-1978, more than anyone else in Oscar historyEntertainment Weekly: Five Reasons Bob Hope is a Hollywood Original
  8. In October 1997, Resolution 75 was unanimously passed by Congress making him the first honorary veteranCongress: H.J. RES.75
  9. Earned an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 1998Chortle.com: Bob Hope
  10. He earned 58 honorary doctorate degrees for his humanitarian workNewsday: Bob Who?
  11. Starred in more than 75 filmsChortle.com: Bob Hope

• Early Career

  Hope was born May 29, 1903, in Eltham, London. His parents moved to the United States when he was four years old. After winning a Charlie Chaplin impersonation contest in 1915, he knew he wanted a career in show business.

  After holding a variety of jobs, young Hope decided to venture into vaudeville in the 1920s. By 1928, he started using the stage name "Bob" and by the 1930s he was at the top of the vaudeville world. Hope then starred in several Broadway musicals, including Roberta and Red, Hot, and Blue.

• Movies

  After a few unsuccessful attempts to break into the movies, his first picture with Paramount, The Big Broadcast of 1938, helped Hope become one of the studio's biggest stars. Some of his hits were My Favorite Brunette, The Paleface, and his very popular Road movies, costarring Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour.

• Hope and the Oscars

  Even though he never won an Oscar for acting, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored him five times with two honorary Oscars, two special awards and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.Entertainment Weekly: Five Reasons Bob Hope is a Hollywood Original

• Radio and T.V.

  Starting off with his first radio appearance on The Fleishmann Hour, his cunning wit landed him a 20-week contract for NBC's Woodbury Soap Show. In 1938, he started his own NBC radio show that ran for 18 years. In 1950, Hope signed a deal with NBC that led to over 1,145 television programsCNN: Bob Hope dead at 100 and specials, including The Bob Hope Show.

• World Record Holder

  Hope holds two entries in The Guinness Book of World Records. The first is for the entertainer with the "longest running contract with a single network- spanning 61 years" and the second is "the most honored entertainer" for having over 1,500 awards for his humanitarian and professional endeavors.Official Site: Bob Hope Sets a New World Record

• USO Tours

  Hope's great humanitarian efforts entertained U.S. soldiers for nearly 60 years through World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. The Film Music Society: Hope Sprang Eternal In 1941, he performed his first USO show.CNN: Bob Hope dead at 100 In honor of his USO career, in 1998 Hope was bequeathed the title of "honorary veteran" by Congress.Congress: H.J. RES.75

• Quotes

  1. "I would have won the Academy Award if not for one thing - my pictures. Oscar night at my house is called Passover."--Bob Hope BBC News: Bob Hope's One-Liners
  2. "Where else but in America could the Women's Liberation Movement take off their bras, then go on TV to complain about their lack of support?"--Bob Hope BBC News: Bob Hope's One-Liners
  3. "I'm never going to retire. I intend to be cracking jokes on my way to the grave."--Bob Hope BBC News: Bob Hope's One-Liners

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Academy Awards | Bing Crosby | Lucille Ball

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