Bob Hope

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Bob Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-born American comedian, actor, and entertainer whose work spanned almost eight decades. Born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, London, he moved to the United States with his family as a child and grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. He became a U.S. citizen in 1920.

Hope started in show business on the vaudeville circuit as a dancer and comedian, even trying boxing briefly under the name Packy East, before settling on the name Bob in 1929. He moved into Broadway and radio in the 1930s and then into films.

He acted in more than 70 short and feature films, starring in about 54. He is best known for the Road to… musical comedies with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, a seven-film series made between 1940 and 1962. He also became a famous television host, beginning regular specials in 1950, and he hosted the Academy Awards 19 times between 1940 and 1977.

Hope was famous for his quick one-liners and self-deprecating humor. He entertained U.S. troops for decades through USO tours, starting in 1941 and continuing through 1991. For his service, Congress named him an honorary veteran in 1997.

In his personal life, Hope married Dolores Hope in 1934, and they had four children. He also had other business and sports interests, including ownership stakes in the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Rams. He loved golf and often appeared in charity events.

Hope retired from public life in 1999 and died at age 100 in 2003 in Toluca Lake, California. His wife Dolores died in 2011. His work left a lasting mark on American comedy and a lasting legacy of entertaining generations of audiences.