Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Bob Hope
Bob Hope Facts
| Sign | Gemini |
| Born |
May 29, 1903 Eltham, London |
| Died |
Jul 27, 2003 Toluca Lake, CA |
| Age | Died at 100 |
| Total Facts | 68 |
Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1983.
Introduced two Oscar-winning songs: "Thanks for the Memory" from The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938) (Music: Ralph Rainger . Lyrics: Leo Robin) and "Buttons and Bows" from The Paleface (1948) (Music: Jay Livingston. Lyrics: Ray Evans).
On his wartime USO tours he had one ironclad rule that he insisted his fellow performers follow: under no circumstances were they allowed to cry when visiting wounded soldiers in military hospitals. This was often difficult given the amount of suffering they saw, but he told his performers that it was their duty to always smile and provide laughs and good cheer for the troops. According to Hope, he broke his own rule only once. While visiting an army hospital in Italy in 1943, he stopped at the bedside of a wounded soldier who had been in a coma for two months. The soldier suddenly opened his eyes and said, "Hey, Bob Hope! When did you get here?" He had to leave the hospital room to keep the troops from seeing his tears, but he returned a few hours later to present the soldier with his Purple Heart medal.
Once remarked the only place where he could walk unrecognized was in the People's Republic of China. But even then a Chinese man still recognized him from one of his movies from before the Chinese Revolution.
Pictured on a 44¢ USA commemorative postage stamp issued 29 May 2009, Hope's 106th birthday. The two official first-day-of-issue postmarks for the stamp feature caricatures by cartoonist Al Hirschfeld.
Played his first big part in the Broadway version of "Roberta" in 1933.
Received 58 honorary degrees.
Retired from show business at the age of 93 after filming Bob Hope's Bag Full of Christmas Memories (1993) (TV).
Served as United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO) Entertainment Coordinator from 1941 - 2001. Retired his post at age 98 in favor of Wayne Newton.
Spent his 99th birthday--29 May 2002--at home in Toluca Lake, CA. Wife Dolores Hope's 93rd birthday was just two days before. Los Angeles National Cemetery dedicated veterans' chapel in his name to salute his lifetime of service entertaining U.S. troops.
There is a major street in Rancho Mirage, CA, named after him. Bob Hope Drive crosses Frank Sinatra, Gerald Ford, Ginger Rogers and Dinah Shore Drives.
USO center is named after him
Was a supporter of Valley Forge Military Academy & Junior College in Wayne, Pennsylvania. He has the "Bob Hope Five-Star Award for Distinguished Service to the United States of America" named in his honor.
Was briefly a professional boxer. He fought under the name Packy East.
Was incorrectly declared dead several times since retiring from the public eye. On the most infamous occasion in 1998, a wire service accidentally posted a pre-written obituary to a Web page. A member of the US House of Representatives saw this bogus news flash and announced Hope's death during a session at the Capitol. Hope learned he was dead when a reporter called his home asking for a statement. According to family members, Hope took this mistake in good humor.
Was the first honoree of the "'Dean Martin' Celebrity Roasts" series on October 30, 1974. The Celebrity Roasts had begun in the last season (1973-74) of "The Dean Martin Comedy Hour" (1965) and were so popular that after that show went off the air, the "Celebrity Roasts" continued as specials.
Wife Dolores Hope was born 27th May 1909. She and Bob celebrated their birthdays on 28th May every year - splitting the difference between their respective real birthdays.
Wrote several books about his experiences over the years, including "I Owe Russia $1200", about his Soviet tour in early 1962; "Confessions of a Hooker", about his lifelong passion for golf; and "Don't Shoot, It's Only Me!", about his many overseas trips to entertain U.S. troops over the years.