Bob Hope
Biography
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, and entertainer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films — 54 in which he starred. These included a series of seven Road to... musical comedy films with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner. In addition to hosting the Academy Awards show 19 times, more than any other host, Hope appeared in many stage productions and television roles and wrote 14 books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" was his signature tune. Hope was born in the Eltham district of southeast London. He arrived in the United States with his family at the age of four, and grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. After a brief stint in the late 1910s as a boxer, Hope began his career in show business in the early 1920s, initially as a comedian and dancer on the vaudeville circuit, before acting on Broadway. Hope began appearing on radio and in films starting in 1934. He was praised for his comedic timing, specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes that were often self-deprecating. He helped establish modern American stand-up comedy. Between 1941 and 1991, Hope made 57 tours for the United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining active duty U.S. military personnel around the world. In 1997, the United States Congress passed a bill that made Hope an honorary veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Hope appeared in numerous television specials for NBC during his career and was one of the first users of cue cards. Hope retired from public life in 1998 and died on July 27, 2003, at the age of 100.
Movies (186)
Breakdown: 1975
2025
Sally
2025
Kids' TV: The Surprising Story
2022
Rat Pack
2022
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
2021
Howard
2018
This Is Bob Hope...
2017
Mansfield 66/67
2017
Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops
2016
Jayne Mansfield: The Tragedy of a Blonde
2015
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
2014
Bing Crosby: The Television Specials Volume 2 – The Christmas Specials
2010
Dalí & Disney: A Date with Destino
2010
The Best of Johnny Carson
2010
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
Johnny Carson Celebrates Christmas
2008
The Best of Carson, Volume 1
2006
Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer
2006
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
Los Angeles Plays Itself
2004
Judy Garland: By Myself
2004
Christmas in Hollywood
2003
Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer
2003
Edith Head: The Paramount Years
2002
Bob Hope and the Road to Success
2002
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
2000
Buñuel in Hollywood
2000
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
1999
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1998
Vaudeville
1997
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
1997
That's Entertainment! III
1994
Shanks for the Memory
1994
That Little Monster
1994
A Century of Cinema
1994
Liberation
1994
Bob Hope's Four-Star Christmas Fiesta from San Antonio
1992
Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Files
1992
Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer from Saudi Arabia
1991
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
1990
Dors: The Other Diana
1990
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic
1990
Miss Piggy's Hollywood
1989
Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show
1988
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines
1986
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
1986
Classic Comedy Teams
1986
Spies Like Us
1985
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
1984
George Burns Celebrates 80 Years in Show Business
1983
James Bond: The First 21 Years
1983
Happy Birthday, Bob!
1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
Showbiz Goes to War
1982
Let Poland Be Poland
1982
The George Burns (Early) Early, Early Christmas Special
1981
A Love Letter to Jack Benny
1981
A Tribute to Dr. Shock
1980
Lucy Moves to NBC
1980
The Muppet Movie
1979
Leif
1979
The Hollywood Clowns
1979
Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy
1978
Mickey's 50
1978
Pat Boone and Family: A Thanksgiving Special
1978
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
1978
The Royal Variety Performance 1977
1977
The George Burns One-Man Show
1977
Ann-Margret: Rhinestone Cowgirl
1977
The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here?
1977
Bob Hope's Comedy Christmas Special
1976
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
1976
NBC: The First Fifty Years
1976
Joys
1976
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
Mitzi & 100 Guys
1975
Hearts and Minds
1974
Ann-Margret: When You're Smiling
1973
The Bob Hope Mardi Gras Special
1973
Cancel My Reservation
1972
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World
1971
Honor America Day
1970
Raquel!
1970
Swing Out, Sweet Land
1970
How to Commit Marriage
1969
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
1968
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
1968
Carnival Nights
1968
The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the World with the USO
1968
Rowan & Martin at the Movies
1968
Eight on the Lam
1967
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
1966
Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!
1966
The Oscar
1966
The Jack Benny Hour
1965
I'll Take Sweden
1965
The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour
1964
A Global Affair
1964
The Sound of Laughter
1963
A Bob Hope Comedy Special
1963
Call Me Bwana
1963
Critic's Choice
1963
The Road to Hong Kong
1962
The Bing Crosby Show
1961
Bachelor in Paradise
1961
Project XX: The Story of Will Rogers
1961
The Facts of Life
1960
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
1960
Alias Jesse James
1959
The All-Star Christmas Show
1958
Paris Holiday
1958
Beau James
1957
The Bob Hope Chevy Show
1956
The Iron Petticoat
1956
That Certain Feeling
1956
The Awful Truth
1956
Showdown at Ulcer Gulch
1956
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
1956
The Seven Little Foys
1955
Playing Fields Association: Cricket
1955
Casanova's Big Night
1954
Here Come the Girls
1953
Scared Stiff
1953
Off Limits
1952
Road to Bali
1952
Son of Paleface
1952
The Greatest Show on Earth
1952
My Favorite Spy
1951
The Lemon Drop Kid
1951
Fancy Pants
1950
You Can Change The World
1950
The Great Lover
1949
Sorrowful Jones
1949
The Paleface
1948
Road to Rio
1947
Where There's Life
1947
Variety Girl
1947
My Favorite Brunette
1947
Monsieur Beaucaire
1946
Road to Utopia
1946
Hollywood Victory Caravan
1945
Story of G.I. Joe
1945
The All-Star Bond Rally
1945
The Princess and the Pirate
1944
Memo for Joe
1944
Let's Face It
1943
Show-Business at War
1943
They Got Me Covered
1943
Strictly G.I.
1943
A Welcome to Britain
1943
Combat America
1943
Road to Morocco
1942
Bob's Busy Day
1942
My Favorite Blonde
1942
Star Spangled Rhythm
1942
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 4
1942
Louisiana Purchase
1941
Nothing but the Truth
1941
Caught in the Draft
1941
Road to Zanzibar
1941
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
1940
The Ghost Breakers
1940
Road to Singapore
1940
The Cat and the Canary
1939
Some Like It Hot
1939
Never Say Die
1939
Thanks for the Memory
1938
Give Me a Sailor
1938
College Swing
1938
The Big Broadcast of 1938
1938
Calling All Tars
1936
Shop Talk
1936
Double Exposure
1935
The Old Grey Mayor
1935
Paree, Paree
1934
Soup for Nuts
1934
Going Spanish
1934
TV Shows (57)
O.J.: Made in America
2016
The Simpsons
1989
The Jim Henson Hour
1989
The Golden Girls
1985
Highway to Heaven
1984
Late Night with David Letterman
1982
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
1980
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
The Captain and Tennille
1976
The Muppet Show
1976
Donny & Marie
1976
People's Choice Awards
1975
Dinah!
1974
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1973
Great Performances
1971
The Johnny Cash Show
1969
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
1969
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
The Danny Thomas Hour
1967
The Pruitts of Southampton
1966
Get Smart
1965
The Hollywood Palace
1964
The Lucy Show
1962
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The DuPont Show of the Week
1961
Kraft Music Hall
1958
The Dick Clark Show
1958
Frank Sinatra Show
1957
The Thin Man
1957
The Steve Allen Show
1956
Tony Awards
1956
Cinépanorama
1956
Screen Director's Playhouse
1955
The Chevy Show
1955
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
Project XX
1954
The Oscars
1953
I Love Lucy
1951
The Red Skelton Show
1951
The Jack Benny Program
1950
The Jack Benny Program
1950
The Jack Benny Program
1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
The Bob Hope Show
1950
What's My Line?
1950
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
Golden Globe Awards
1944
