AMERICA'S TRIBUTE TO BOB HOPE (TV)
Summary
This televised special honors comedian Bob Hope and commemorates the opening of the Bob Hope Cultural Center at the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts in Palm Springs, California. Hope opens the program by providing background on the McCallum Theatre, funded by Pearl McCallum McManus, daughter of noted landowner "Judge" John Guthrie McCallum. Lucille Ball takes the stage and briefly discusses her longtime friendship and many projects with Hope, and then introduces the members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, who perform a number onstage. Next, pianist Van Cliburn performs Robert Schumann's love song "Widmung" ("Dedication"), and John Forsythe takes the stage introduces Diahann Carroll and Vic Damone, who sing a medley of romantic ballads, including "The Song Is You," "With a Song in My Heart," "How Long Has This Been Going On?", and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face." Ball introduces ten-year-old violin prodigy Leila Josefowicz, who performs a classical solo with orchestral accompaniment and receives a standing ovation. Next, Forsythe introduces a brief clip from Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest musical "The Phantom of the Opera" starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Webber then takes the stage and introduces Brightman and co-star Steve Barton, who perform "All I Ask Of You" from the show. Following this, a recording is shown of many of Hope's friends, including Ann-Margret, George Burns, Johnny Carson, Phyllis Diller, Alan King, Barbara Mandrell, Donald O'Connor, Dinah Shore, O.J. Simpson, Danny Thomas and others serenading him with "Thanks For the Memories." Finally, President Ronald Reagan formally presents Hope with the first-ever America's Hope Award, and Hope accepts his trademark comedic style. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: March 5, 1988 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:42771
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Specials; Music
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV, 1988
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Gregory H. Willenborg … Executive Producer
- Wenda Fong … Associate Producer
- Buz Kohan … Writer, Lyrics
- Talley Beatty … Choreographer
- Marilyn Banks … Dancer
- Carl Bailey … Dancer
- Gary DeLoatch … Dancer
- Christopher Huggins … Dancer
- Sharrell Mesh … Dancer
- Deborah Manning … Dancer
- Stephen Smith … Dancer
- Andre Tyson … Dancer
- Debora Chase … Dancer
- Desiree Sewer … Dancer
- Max Luna … Dancer
- Dereque Whiturs … Dancer
- Adrienne Armstrong … Dancer
- April Berry … Dancer
- Kevin Brown … Dancer
- David St. Charles … Dancer
- Van Cliburn … Guest, Performer
- Diahann Carroll … Guest, Performer
- Vic Damone … Guest, Performer
- Sarah Brightman … Guest, Performer
- Steve Barton … Guest, Performer
- Leila Josefowicz … Guest, Performer
- Ann-Margret … Guest
- Lucille Ball … Guest
- George Burns … Guest
- Johnny Carson … Guest
- Phyllis Diller … Guest
- John Forsythe … Guest
- Bob Hope … Guest
- Alan King … Guest
- Barbara Mandrell … Guest
- Donald O'Connor … Guest
- Ronald Reagan … Guest
- Dinah Shore … Guest
- O.J. Simpson … Guest
- Danny Thomas … Guest
- Andrew Lloyd Webber … Guest
- John Guthrie McCallum
- Pearl McCallum McManus
- Robert Schumann