Bob Hope 

Bob Hope held the distinction of being the world's most honored entertainer, with more than two thousand awards for his professional achievements and humanitarian work, including fifty-four honorary doctorates. One of the great stars of Vaudeville, he also worked in film, radio, and television and traveled to support U.S. military personnel. Though he lived for a hundred years, he was continually busy, and it was said that, were he to live his life over again, he wouldn't have time.

Born Leslie Townes Hope May 29, 1903, in Eltham, London, Hope would later change his name because his classmates shortened "Hope, Leslie" (as called on the school register) to “hopeless.” With his father, William Henry Hope, a stonemason, and his mother, Avis Townes, an opera singer, he was the fifth of seven children in a family where money was always short. Continually moving around, the family eventually emigrated to and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. There the young Hope took odd jobs to bring in money, working as a delivery boy and selling newspapers and shoes. He also became an amateur boxer, a pool hustler, and a busker, performing assorted comedy and dance routines on street corners from the age of twelve. He took dance lessons from King Rastus Brown and Johnny Root, eventually teaming up with his friend Lloyd Durbin to perform in Fatty Arbuckle's Vaudeville shows. This led to a series of appearances on Broadway. It was in the hit musical Roberta that Hope finally achieved major public recognition. This also changed his personal life, as it was through Roberta that he met his wife, singer Dolores Reade, with whom he would go on to adopt four children: Anthony, Nora, Linda, and Kelly.

After Roberta, Hope performed in a series of shows including Ziegfeld Follies, with Fanny Brice; and Red, Hot and Blue, with Ethel Merman and Jimmy Durante. When he became involved with the promotional radio show Capitol Family Hour, he met Bing Crosby, who would become his best friend and work with him for many years. After a stint on The Woodbury Soap Show, he was granted a radio show of his own by NBC. It soon became an American favorite, showcasing stars such as Jerry Colonna, Judy Garland, and Doris Day. When the show finished, Hope had the contacts and the fans to become a movie star.

Over the course of his career, Hope starred in no fewer than sixty four major feature films, including such hits as The Cat and the Canary, with Paulette Goddard and John Beal; Road to Morocco, with Dorothy Lamour and Anthony Quinn; My Favourite Spy, with Hedy Lamarr and Arnold Moss; How to Commit Marriage, with Jackie Gleason, Jane Wyman, and Leslie Nielsen; and Jim Henson’sThe Muppet Movie, with Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, Elliot Gould, and Kermit the Frog. Popular with everyone who knew him, he became a close friend of Lucille Ball and was rumored to have had an affair with Marilyn Monroe.

Working until the age of ninety, Hope also appeared in numerous television shows - mostly variety performances - and became a favorite on the talk show circuit, the only man given permission to interrupt Johnny Carson at any time on his own show. With a deep conviction that laughter could change people's lives, he traveled around the world visiting and performing for U.S. military servicemen. Even after his retirement he continued his humanitarian work. He also found the time to write several books and to become an accomplished golfer, playing with several presidents including Bill Clinton and George W Bush, and winning a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

In 1998, Hope was made an Honorary Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. Pope John Paul II made him a Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great. Years of service on the National Space Institute's board of governors led to him having an asteroid named after him.

July 27, 2003, Hope died of natural causes at his home in Taluca Lake, California.  He is buried in San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Los Angeles.

YUDDY