The Legacy of Bob Hope: A Biography of One of History's Best Known and Loved Comedians

What is Hope?

To some, it is a feeling, to others a way of life, to yet others it is a thing to be obtained or lost. But to millions of American servicemen and women, hope was a man, the man who gave them a smile and laughter to carry them back into battle or out into the desert, the face that lifted them out of hell for a few moments and made the world sane again.

Christened Leslie Townes Hope, the man the world knows as Bob Hope was, and remains, one of history’s best-loved and universally admired showmen, not only for his classic wit and many unforgettable lines, but for his deep respect for humankind and his whole-hearted contributions of time and resources to providing entertainment for those who often needed it most—the men and women of the armed forces. Bob Hope’s nearly sixty years of doing shows for the troops remain a unique accomplishment—no comedian before or since has come close to equaling his courage, commitment, and longevity in serving his country through comedy.

Bob Hope’s shows for the troops began in 1941 at March Field, CA, with a radio show performed by Bob and a motley crew of performers. From there he and his show members went on to perform in military bases in the States, Europe, and the Pacific. In 1943 he would make his first excursion into a combat zone—Italy, North Africa and the Southwest Pacific, among other destinations—with a small band of USO performers that included petite Frances Langford, the “Sweetheart of the Flying Fronts” as she was known, Jerry Cologna with his trademark bushy mustache and bulging eyes, Tony Romano, dancer Patty Thomas, and Jack Pepper.

1948 saw the beginning of a new tradition for Bob and his wife Dolores, a Christmas show for the troops, the first of which took place in Germany for the troops carrying out the British Airlift. Although in 1972 with the end of the Vietnam war, Bob called his Christmas trip of the year his last, he continued to spend his Christmastimes doing shows at military bases or veteran hospitals around the country.