BIOGRAPHY: BOB HOPE: AMERICA'S ENTERTAINER (TV)
Summary
One in this series of documentaries which examines the professional and personal lives of a wide range of individuals, both those in the public eye and those of historic note. This documentary, aired as part of A&E's Biography By Demand Week and hosted by Harry Smith, uses still photographs, archival footage, and interviews with family, friends, and collaborators to examine the life and career of comedian/actor Bob Hope. After an introduction by Harry Smith, the program begins with a selection of clips spanning Hope's career. As the clips appear on screen, John Harlan narrates, covering the following highlights of Hope's career: entertained American troops through five wars; authored twelve books; was awarded fifty-six honorary doctorates, though he never completed high school; was honored by eleven United States presidents; and was courted by royalty. Next, the program continues with a brief history of Hope's parents, his birth on May 29, 1903, in Eltham, England under the name Leslie Townes Hope, and his childhood in Cleveland, Ohio. The program notes that Hope's love for entertaining emerged when he was a young man on the vaudeville stage. In 1927, Hope began his Broadway stage career performing in "Sidewalks of New York," though as Harlan explains, his run in the show did not last long. It was at this time that Hope changed his name to Bob Hope and moved to Chicago and performed on the Orpheum circuit. Friend Milton Berle adds, "The big time was playing the big theaters," of which the circuit was considered. Later, Hope returned to the Broadway stage performing in "Ballyhoo." As Harlan notes, after the show's conclusion, Hope was booked at the Capitol Theater where he performed with Bing Crosby; and they became lifelong friends, developing skits and enjoying golf. Next, Delores Hope recalls her first meeting with her husband-to-be at the Vogue Club. The program then continues to follow Hope's career: his stage work in the 1935 production of "Ziegfeld Follies," and his starring role in Cole Porter's "Red Hot and Blue" with Ethel Merman (rare footage is shown of Hope and Merman); his films of the silver screen including "The Big Broadcast of 1938," (his film debut, and where he made the song, "Thanks for the Memory" his own); and the 1940 film, "The Road to Singapore" which was the first of seven "Road" movies. Hope's foray into radio and television is featured next and clips of his early television appearances and his subsequent television specials are shown, particularly his USO tours entertaining American troops abroad. Writer/producer Mort Lachman comments, "the sympathy (that Bob had) for those men was outstanding." Biographer William Faith adds, "he is a genuine patriot." As the program concludes, Harlan notes that Hope continues to help others through his sponsorship of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, a charity golf tournament. Publicist Frank Liberman notes that Hope is "the consummate landmark comedian of our time," while NBC Vice President of Specials Rick Ludwin adds, "They'll never be another one like him." Commercials deleted.
(This program first aired on Sunday, January 4, 1998, at 8:00 p.m. on the A&E Network.)
Details
- NETWORK: A&E
- DATE: July 14, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:53
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57453
- GENRE: Arts documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Biography; Comedy
- SERIES RUN: A&E - TV series, 1987-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Michael Cascio … Executive Producer
- Lorene Machado … Coordinating Producer
- Carolanne Dolan … Supervising Producer
- James Hardy … Producer
- Linda Hope … Producer, Writer
- Suzanne Ali … Associate Producer
- Andrew Lande … Writer
- James Hardy … Editor
- Jack Tillar … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Director
- Harry Smith … Host
- John Harlan … Narrator
- Milton Berle
- Bing Crosby
- William Faith
- Delores Hope
- Bob Hope
- Mort Lachman
- Frank Liberman
- Rick Ludwin
- Ethel Merman
- Cole Porter