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Magazine
Eternal Hope
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For over 75 years he entertained millions of Americans. V. GANGADHAR profiles Bob Hope, a true representative of the American age of comedy, who turned 100 recently.
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"Son of Pale Face" ... Jane Russell and Bob Hope.
ON being introduced to the statuesque Swedish beauty Anita Ekberg at a Hollywood party as a representative from Scandinavia, Bob Hope had one look at her clevage and murmured, "Jutland, I presume!" Though he came to employ a host of gag writers for his shows, one-liners and ad libbing came naturally to Bob Hope, the U.S. entertainer, who turned 100 last Thursday (May 29). For over 75 years he entertained millions of Americans through vaudeville, radio, movies, Broadway, television and comic talk shows. A true representative of the American Age of Comedy, Hope was a worthy competitor to men like Will Rogers, Chaplin, Red Skeleton, George Burns and Fred Allen. Possessing so much versatility, it was no wonder he made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for bagging more than 2,000 awards and citations which included 54 honorary degrees from various universities.
The UCLA Students Body honoured him with a Degree in Comedy and a Minor in One Liners. After receiving one such degree, Hope quipped, "My favourite subject was Ancient History, when I went to school there was not much of it." He enjoyed making people laugh, it made him and the audience feel good.
"A sense of humour is good for you," Hope wisecracked, "Ever heard of a laughing hyena with heart burn?" Hope, who came to symbolise the American comic spirit, was in fact a Britisher. Christened Leslie Townsend Hope by his English father and Welsh mother, Hope later explained why the family moved to the U.S. "I left England when I found out I couldn't be the king." The British did the next best thing. In 1998, they conferred an honarary Knighthood on him. "After 70 years of ad libbing, I am speechless," he admitted.
He was a soda jerk, newspaper boy, meat seller, pool hustler. After learning dancing, he performed with various partners. A natural for vaudeville, Hope was discovered by the Radio, signed up for NBC in 1938 and spent the 60 years doing special radio and TV shows for the network.
Hope felt he owed everything to America and it became his duty to entertain American troops, both at home and abroad. Beginning the mid-1940's during the World War, he hopped to every American military base, often in the company of glamorous stars like Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Lana Turner. The armed forces loved this Clown hero, they called him GI Bob. For Hope, the U.S. could do no wrong and like Hollywood contemporary John Wayne, he was a flag waving patriot. He never questioned the armed forces' role in Vietnam and visited Saigon and other war centres to be with the troops. And when the Gulf war came in 1990, Hope was there once more.
If Hope admired the U.S. army, he worshipped the Presidents, from Roosevelt, Eisenhower to Bush W. Bush (Jr). He was often seen in their company, particularly on the golf courses, a game which became a passion with him.
Hope did not bother over issues like Watergate or the Irangate scandals while other comedians did not spare the Presidents (one of them complimented Gerald Ford, for a unique achievement, he could think and talk at the same time!). Very much a right wing conservative, Hope often poked fun at the erstwhile Soviet Union. After a visit to Moscow, he observed, "Moscow hotel rooms are not bad, they are provided with television sets. But you don't watch them, they watch you!"
We in India are familiar with Bob Hope movies which were hugely popular during the 1950's. Remember comedies like "Pale Face" and the "Son of Pale Face" where he was paired with Jane Russell? His 60-odd movies include the "Road" series ("Road to Morocco", "Road to Singapore", "Road to Alaska"... .) which were unadulterated fun. Paramount originally wanted to cast George Burns and Gracie Allen in the lead roles, then thought of Fred McMurray and Jack Oake. When these stars were not available, they roped in Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. The rest was history.
Bob Hope made nearly 60 movies but did not win a single Oscar. But he need not have complained. The Motion Pictures Academy conferred on him, two honorary Oscars, two special awards and one Humanitarian award.
For Hope, there was no business like show business. Ever ready to laugh at himself, he remarked on turning 100, "I am so old, they have cancelled my blood type."
In the "Road" series, Bob was often the fall guy losing his girl to the soft spoken, crooning Bing Crosby. In "Pale Face" he was the simple dentist who was identified as the saviour of the Whites from the Red Indians. On both occasions we laughed with and at him. That was what he wanted.
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