He worked with Raquel Welch, Ann-Margret, Connie Stevens, The Golddiggers, the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander, he was awarded honorary Oscars multiple times. I produced that show. During the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and again when the Korean War began in 1950, Hope joined the USO to support the men and women of the US Armed Forces. The first Bob Hope USO Christmas Show for the troops was in December of 1948, during the Berlin Airlift. After 15 years in the Air Force, Doug Watjus left the military armed with a degree from Texas A&M University and an MBA. Diahann Carroll dances on stage with Bob Hope, right, during a taping of a USO show aboard USS Iwo Jima in 1979. Bob Hope's USO shows were a staple for many decades, entertaining generations of military personnel in the United States Armed Forces. I hope I can be excused a little sentimentality as I look back over 22 of these Christmas trips [and remember] the millions of service men and women who responded to our efforts with warmth, enthusiasm and affection.. Bob Hope entertaining the troops in 1944 (U.S. Army photo via WikiMedia Commons; public domain) One of the entertainers who would become inextricably linked with the USO was Bob Hope. The appearance of DoD visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. In honor of Womens History Month, were looking back at some of the famous females who have helped shape the history of the USO. Bob Hope entertained Americans for decades, but his most impactful shows were for soldiers deployed overseas during the holidays. Here, Hope shakes hands with a service member in Southeast Asia in 1969. He got a real connection with the guys that were serving, Linda said. In late 1942, Bob Hope headed on his first USO tour outside of the continental U.S. to Alaska, which was then a U.S. territory. Many of the service members in the crowd during this last USO tour had a grandfather who had seen Hope perform in WWII or Korea, as well as a father who had seen Hope perform in Vietnam. As the USO celebrates its 75th anniversary, On Patrol asked USO tour veteransactors, musicians, athletes, authors, cartoonists and even a Muppet or twowhy they stepped up to support our military and their families. Im sure I speak for many vets, not only Vietnam, but also Korea and WWII. Undeterred by enemy fire or rough seas, Hope went straight to the front lines, delivering laughter, music and above all else a reminder of home to our men and women in uniform, just when they needed it most. Thankyou, LOS ANGELES, CA The USO, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening Americas military service members by keeping themconnecte, Bob Hope USO operates centers at LAX, Ontario International Airport, Orange County at John Wayne Airport, Palm Springs InternationalAirpor, From a home cooked Thanksgiving meal to sandwiches prepared by our volunteers to even freshly baked cupcakes and Girl Scout Cookies, BobHo, From his first show at March Field in Riverside, California, in 1941, to his final USO tour in 1990 to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as part of, Bob Hope USO, with the help of our amazing volunteers supports military unit homecomings and deployments at our USO Centers, in thecommuni, Bob Hope USO volunteers are the heart and soul of the organization. Bob Hope USO Headquarters. Additionally, through a partnership with the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation, today the USO provides service members with the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program. The comedy legend was about to put on what would be his final USO show of the Vietnam War. In 1954, when actress Marilyn Monroe was on her honeymoon in Japan with her new husband, New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio, she flew to South Korea to perform for the American troops there shortly after the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. And his buddies kept asking him if shes got a sister!, Hed also poke fun at himself: Working in a war zone is great for a comedian. Remember the boys and girls whose fathers may never come back.. Things change. His shows grew from a small comedy act to an ensemble of celebrity-studded, televised programs. (Above) Bob . Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. The beloved Bob Hope USO Shows. Bob would say, Come here, lets do this, and wed go into one of our little bits. I was in a USMC Combined Action Unit (K-1) unit on Hoa Me Island at the entrance to Chu Lai with approximately 12 other Marines. Bob Hope was many things, but to the USO and to the service members of the United States, he was the " one-man-morale machine .". The joke became I did more Bob Hope shows than he did, Shields said. The USO in Florida is coming up with creative ways to support service members, such as with therapy dog visits to USO centers to keep morale and spirits high. | With Bob Hope, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Ursula Andress, Ann-Margret. Hopes legacy as a USO tour veteran lives on in the USO Hope Coin, which is now presented to USO entertainers who emulate Hope in supporting the troops through in-person entertainment and activism. For more details, please click the linkhttps://socalairshow.com/, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. Though the performer loved the boys as much as they loved her, she had a special bond with the Special Forces. The remains of each one of them have first returned to American soil at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Joining him on this trip were entertainers Rosemary Clooney, Brooke Shields, Les Brown and his band, LaToya Jackson and Miss Universe 1990. His maternal grandmother was Welsh. It was a very interesting experience because of all the restrictions in the Middle Eastrespecting all their religious [traditions], she said. He came up with the idea of finding out who were the officers and what were the situations at the various bases and built his monologues about those particular things. Soon after, he began traveling overseas to visit troops in the European and Pacific Theatres. Measures 24" x 115762288302. Skip to navigation; Skip to main content; Skip to footer; Bob Hope USO. The First Show Bob Hope in USO Uniform Via Getty Images. Christmas at the Hope house in Toluca Lake, California, usually meant one thing: Dad was gone. Linda works through the Bob and Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation and its programs to ensure her fathers memory and contributions will not be forgotten. The actress and singer said the years she spent touring with Hope provided some of the most meaningful moments of her life. Traveling on 27 USO tours with Bob Hope is an experience actress Brooke Shields, says shell never forget. Though he wore many hats as an entertainer, starting out as a dancer, film actor, and radio comedian, Bob Hope is perhaps best remembered as the driving force behind the USO tours that featured the United States greatest entertainers traveling to show their support for the troops and lift the spirits of those fighting on the front lines. Ann Oldenburg is a Washington area-based freelance writer and former Washington Post and USA Today writer. Whether Christmas or any other time, it was always an event for the Hope children to say goodbye to their father as he headed off on a tour, Linda said.We would go to see them off at some private airfield. Nearly 75 years after the USO's creation, Hope is still legendary, thanks to the USO shows he started performing during World War II at a time when international phone calls home were impossible and Internet access wasn't even a concept. Please support The Veterans Site by adding us to your ad blockers whitelist ads help us to provide food and supplies to veterans. Then wed go to the next place. President Bill Clinton named Hope an Honorary Veteran in 1997, to which Hope said, Ive been given many awards in my lifetime but to be numbered among the men and women I admire most is the greatest honor I have ever received.. Here, Hope performs for service members and their families in Fairbanks, Alaska. Here, Hope introduces Langford to an audience of enlisted men. At all stages of a service members active duty and even beyond, USO volunteers are ready to provide support. That Christmas Day, It was raining, pouring rain before the show. At its heart, The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families is also a rare opportunity for military families to relax, dance, laugh and spend quality time together. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. But then her mother, Bob Hopes wife Dolores Hope, always put it in perspective for her. During this and the many WWII USO Camp Show trips that followed, Hope hosted dozens of variety-style shows featuring some of the biggest names in Hollywood. From that first show, Hope would go on to entertain the troops for nearly 50 years, through World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Lebanon Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War. FOR SALE! She recalled that she and Hope were once on a plane on Christmas Eve. His daughter, Linda, one of Bob and Dolores Hopes four children, said was simple. He often insisted on traveling straight to the front lines, even occasionally placing himself in harms way, in order to put on a variety show of comedy, singing and dancing. For more stories about veterans and military history, check out our TogetherWeServed Blog. Service members can walk into participating USO locations, record themselves reading their childs favorite story and have that recording shipped home. The sisters performed extensively for troops of the Allied forces during World War II, frequently singing their hit song, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, as part of their USO performances. Like fellow USO performer Bob Hope, actor and comedian Mickey Rooney began entertaining troops during World War II and continued to do so throughout his lifetime. Here, he exits a garland-lined bunker while ashore. A total of 272 NBC variety specials hosted by Hope were produced from 1950 to 1996. Although Hopes WWII performances won him the adoration of many service members, it arguably wasnt until the mid-twentieth century, when he began regularly hosting his infamous Bob Hope Christmas Show, that the iconic entertainer cemented his legendary status among the military and civilian communities alike. For our troops and military families, however, theholiday, Bob Hope USO is proud to provide no-cost tickets to major sports and entertainment events in Southern California, free of charge tomembers, Bob Hope USO maintains teams of specially trained volunteers, on call 24/7, when service members make the ultimate sacrifice. Its the best audience, Hope said in a 1991 Baltimore Sun article. Join us in the center for a relaxing communityget-together, Apr 27th,2023 Photo credit USO Archives. Bob Hope, Raquel Welch, Elaine Dunn, Miss World Madeleine Bel and Barbara McNair head out on the December 1967 Bob Hope Holiday Tour. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. During these iconic USO Christmas shows in which Hope would leave his own loved ones behind to be with the troops, service members deployed to far-off and unfamiliar places were able to enjoy a few hours of fun away from the battlefield. Get to know the legendary Bob Hope and his 50 years of work with the USO entertaining troops through these rare 11 photos from the USO archives. Jerry Colonna, Hopes sideman. The USO relies on your support to help service members and their families. During World War II Hope was sufficiently moved by the sacrifices the U.S. troops made on behalf of the U.S. public that he and his radio troupe traveled nearly every week to perform The Pepsodent Show at a military training site. Victoria Dawn Addams - entertained the troops in Korea December 1952/January 1953 But Linda also remembers that she often worried about her father as he left for dangerous war zones. His maternal grandmother was Welsh. Gloria Loring. Though the annual tradition ended at this point, the end of Hopes time in Vietnam was not the end of Hopes USO tours or his holiday-time military shows. Bob Hope was many things, but to the USO and to the service members of the United States, he was the one-man-morale machine.. Photo credit Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona, Hope hosted a special recording of the Pepsodent Show,, reluctantly beginning to appear more regularly on television, service members returning home from Korea on the USS Boxer, USO Bob Hope Christmas Show experiences, his 1970 holiday broadcast still stands as one of the most popular television episodes, final Bob Hope Christmas Show from Vietnam was recorded in 1972, stole the show with her performance of White Christmas, Veterans Share Their Memories of Bob Hope USO Christmas Shows, A New Look at Bob Hope: 11 Rare Photos from the USO Archives, USO Shows In Prose: Entertainment During World War II, Programs for Service Members and Their Families. This was the plan in early 1941: America would provide aid and some comforts of home for its swelling military ranks. The August 2022 edition of the Bob Hope USO newsletter is now available at the linkbelow: The July 2022 Newsletter for Bob Hope USO is now available. A tribute to Bob Hope's 31 years of entertaining American troops overseas. CA. Dec. 21, 2018 1 AM PT. The USO relies on your support to help service members and their families. Thats why the foundation focuses its financial support on the things Hope cared about, rather than getting his name out. There's a lump the size of Grant's Tomb in your throat when they come up to you and shake your hand and mumble 'Thanks.' Marlene Dietrich takes time out to chat with service women in France in November 1944. Offered through Bob Hope USO. On May 6, 1941, he performed his first USO Show at March Field in Riverside, California, to do a radio show for the airmen stationed there. A few years later, in May 1979, Bob Hope hosted a special USO show in honor of his 76th birthday aboard the USS Iwo Jima, which was moored in the Hudson River at the time. Long Beach, CA 90802. I mean, its amazing how high the morale is. Hope, twirling his golf club and delivering one-liners, was a huge hit. But that visit really made the difference in our deploymentthat got us through the next four, five months. He loved to joke about sex and women: Theres still a great need for the USO. Here, he and his troupe - including actress Ann-Margret, NFL great RoseyGrier, Gen. Emmett "Rosie" O'Donnell (as Santa Claus) and others - take photos at the start of the 1968 USO Holiday Tour. According to Vietnam Magazine, Welch joined Hope on stage to add a few crowd-pleasing dance moves to his rendition of "Dancing in the Streets." Scroll down to watch Welch's solo performance from that 1967 show. Photo credit USO Archives. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. Long Beach, CA 90802, 201 World Way In this October 1950 photo, Hope wears a pilots gear and climbs out of the cockpit of a jet fighter while on a visit to Kimpo Air Base in Korea. I think one cant be near that in large doses and not be touched. USA & International; Australia; Canada; France; Germany; Italy; Spain; United Kingdom; USO2GO kits can transform a remote outpost into a place where troops can relax, organize a pickup football game, jam on a guitar or even access the Internet and connect with their loved ones back home. With him on each annual trip, Hope brought along major celebrities and stars of the day: Ann-Margret, Lola Falana, Raquel Welch, Rosie Grier, Neil Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr., as well as other lesser-known acts comedians, singers and dance troupes, such as TVs Golddiggers., Bob Hope and his troupe at the kick-off of the 18th Annual Christmas Tour. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice. Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra appear as baseball players in a comedy sketch. Raquel Welch performs in Vietnam during a 1967 USO tour. I made Sergeant in 2 yrs 6 months but decided not to stay in the service. Decades after the USOs creation, Hope is still legendary, thanks to the USO shows he started performing during World War II at a time when international phone calls home were impossible and Internet access wasnt even a concept. During that same May 1979 show, Diahann Carroll danced on stage with Bob Hope. Each week is. However, his future undertakings with the USO were inspired by this trip and the warm welcome and gratitude from the servicemen and women in Berlin. On that island it was 113 degrees every day, said Ronning, now 63 and a former mayor of Appleton, Minnesota. During the Vietnam War, it was difficult for Hope to secure talent to travel with, but this did not deter him. In December 1950, reluctantly beginning to appear more regularly on television, Hope recorded his first-ever holiday variety TV special for a New York studio audience, just after returning from a fall USO tour to Korea, where he also recorded episodes of his show. Just nine months after the United States entered World War II, Bob Hope embarked on the first-ever USO tour by traveling to Alaska to entertain members of the Armed Forces. In fact, during WWII, with only a few exceptions, all of Hope's shows were performed for a military crowd. They were a reminder of home and a reminder that even as they served miles away, the folks back home in the U.S. still remembered them. 340 Golden Shore, Suite 400. It was, essentially, a reminder of what they were fighting for. Fun fact: After 1948, Hopes radio show changed names to The Bob Hope Show. Over the next few decades, his various specials on television and radio would fall under several names and iterations of this new show name. Throughout the 1970s, Bob Hope continued entertaining troops all around the world. Comedian Redd Foxx, singer Lola Falana, and a dozen American Beauties, among others, joined Hope on that tour. While the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander during the Second World War, Hope never served in the military himself. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I think it has to do with laughter.. . Carroll, like Hope, would go on several USO tours over the years to entertain troops. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). | In fact, from the South Pacific I still get Christmas cards from old diseases!, Linda Hope, left, produced her fathers USO tours toward the end of his career and joined him on his final tour in 1990 during the Gulf War. Les Brown Self - orchestrator Anita Bryant Self Jerry Colonna Self Vic Damone Self Phyllis Diller Self Reita Faria Self - as Miss World Billy Graham Self Johnny Grant Self Joey Heatherton Self Tippi Hedren Self Jack Jones Self Korean Kittens Themselves Les Brown and His Band of Renown Themselves Diane McBain Self The Nicholas Brothers Themselves Message & data rates may apply. Steve Martin is a wild and crazy guy who has brought his unique comedic style to television and the silver screen since the late 1960s. Last Christmas in Alaska, I met a GI who was so lonely he was going steady with his tattoo. Bob Hope and Lola Falana, right, perform for thousands of U.S. troops stationed in Vietnam in 1970. When the USO was founded in 1941 and Hope began performing, he provided a crucial link to home for military families. The Tradition of Bob Hope Christmas Shows and USO Visits Bob Hope entertains troops in Saudi Arabia in 1990. Bob Hope continued entertaining service members around the globe during World War II. His commitment to the troops was evident not only in how many years he performed USO shows, but also in how determined he was to bring a smile to a soldiers face and how enthusiastic he was about performing for military audiences. His secretary would sit down with him every week or two, and he would dictate responses to be typed up and mailed off. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). In this 1942 photo, Hope dons the uniform of a ticket taker in the Presidio of San Francisco Post Theatre to take tickets for his own broadcast show. Almost 50 years after his first performances for the troops, Bob Hope headed, once again, to the Middle East. Coca-Cola's community marketing director's connection to the USO starts in the Philippines, in the famed mansion where her grandmother grew up. Part of Hopes schtick was to poke fun at the units own military brass, a technique that always worked. When you go down into all these landings, all the servicemen welcomed us so warmly. Her acting career contains a recurring James Bond credit: she played General Gogol's assistant Rubelvitch in the films The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, and Octopussy. He was also known for his decades of overseas USO tours to entertain U.S. troops . Families of GIs who died would send a letter to Dad writing that the last thing they heard from their loved one was they had seen the Hope show and what a fun time that was, how grateful they were Dad had given them that respite from the awful conditions., Linda recalls one soldiers letter in particular. The words thank you are simply not enough when we talk about all Bob Hope did for the troops and the USO. Not long after the tragic Beirut Bombings in 1983, Bob Hope hosted a USO Holiday Tour to the area with fellow stars Brooke Shields, Ann Jillian, Cathy Lee Crosby, Miss USA 1983, Vic Damone and George Kirby. for directions to Bob Hope USO Headquarters, for directions to Los Angeles International Airport, for directions to John Wayne Orange County Airport, for directions to Palm Springs International Airport, for directions to Ontario International Airport, for directions to Military Entrance Processing Station, Los Angeles, for directions to March ARB Joint Regional Deployment Center, Military Entrance Processing Station, Los Angeles, March ARB Joint Regional Deployment Center. Similarly, Navy records show that on December 23, 1947, Hope hosted a special recording of the Pepsodent Show, at Corona Naval Hospital, California in front of a military audience. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Jayne Mansfield. They had to do with such a variety of topicsasking when they were going to be coming home, and would he be able to set a date with Lana Turner or Rita Hayworth. Free shipping for many products! In addition to hosting other USO trips and recording non-holiday USO-themed television specials, Hope went on to film further holiday tours overseas. ", Hope and the USOs Bob Hope Christmas Shows, USO's Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program Keeps Service Members and Their Kids Connected, For 40 Years, Bob Hope USO Christmas Shows Brightened the Holidays for Deployed Troops, Programs for Service Members and Their Families. Bob Hope. Over the last seven decades, some of the country's best performers have taken the USO stage to entertain troops with music, dancing, and comedy routines. The group took a break from their act in the mid-1950s, but later continued to perform. Tags: Academy Award, Ann-Margret, Berlin Airlift, Berlin Airlift in 1948, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope USO shows, Connie Stevens, he was awarded honorary Oscars multiple times, He worked with Raquel Welch, honorary veteran, Jerry Colonna, Korean War, Second World War, The Cat and the Canary, The Cat and the Canary (1939), The Golddiggers, The Road to Singapore, The Road to Singapore (1940), the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander, TogetherWeServed Blog, Tony Romano, US Armed Forces, USO, Vietnam, Vietnam War, World War II. A year later, in San Diego, Hope recorded a December episode of his show in front of service members returning home from Korea on the USS Boxer. Actress Brooke Shields recalls having an awesome time with Bob Hope, too. I wish I had pictures to show my kids. Crouch II joined government, nonprofit and corporate leaders at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle to open a dialogue about how best to help transitioning veterans reintegrate into the civilian workforce and their communities. Raquel Welch teamed up with Bob Hope and others in 1967 and traveled to Saigon, Vietnam, to perform a TV special. :27 Easter based entertainments that aren't biblical epics", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Hope_television_specials&oldid=1126167914, This page was last edited on 7 December 2022, at 22:34. He brought such enthusiasm, brought your life back to you. From his first show at March Field in Riverside, California, in 1941, to his final USO tour in 1990 to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield, Hope loved to make em laugh. VIETNAM BOB HOPE USO SHOW Limited Edition Art Print. Actor. The USO Transition 360 Alliance, launched in May 2015, offers a holistic approach to transition through free employment and family programs via partners Hire Heroes USA, Stronger Families, RP/6 and The Comfort Crew for Military Kids. But Hope and his USO gangs presence on the tiny island was about much more than entertainment. Above you'll see a picture of Bill Johnson, who will appear as Bob Hope, along with singer John Stevens as Bing Crosby and Cape vocalists Jessica Curran, Jenn Dashnaw and Anna McEntee as the Andrews Sisters. Diane McBain. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy. Country music legend Loretta Lynn, who went overseas with the USO in 1983 and 1986, headlined our 1988 Christmas tour with her friend, Conway Twitty. The following entertainers performed for U.S. military personnel and their allies in the combat theatre during the Vietnam War (19591975). In 1990, she went on his last USO tour to Saudi Arabia. It was a ritual to see him off, and when he came home itd be the same thing all over again, she said. It was a collaboration that forever linked the names Bob Hope and the USO, giving both a new visibility, respect, and recognition. There must have been at least 20 of them that traveled. The final Bob Hope Christmas Show from Vietnam was recorded in 1972. For troops who were lucky enough to see him live despite having very different tastes and attitudes compared to the generation of service members before them Hopes Vietnam era shows were the highlight of their time in Vietnam. Director Mort Lachman Writers Mort Lachman Bill Larkin John Rapp Stars Bob Hope Raquel Welch Barbara McNair See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 2 Critic reviews Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys 3 nominations total Photos 294 Top cast Edit They increased the morale immensely, Ronning recalled. Mary Margaret and the Martells (1969) Mary Martin. Two years later, Bob and his wife Dolores Hope headed on their final USO tour, again to the Middle East, and hosted their last Bob Hope Christmas Show for service members deployed as part of Operation Desert Shield. We will be meeting at the Joshua Tree Visitors Center (off of Smoketree and 62 - Freedom Way Plaza), Fort Irwin National Training Center, Center, 21 Langford Lake Rd, Your donations help the USO deliver world-class entertainment to service members and military families around the world. Joining Hope on the tour were Jerry Colonna, Jayne Mansfield, Dorothy Provine, Anita Bryant, Rosemarie Frankland, Onnie Morrow and Les Brown and his band. JOIN YOUR LOCAL USO AND THE LA RAMS OUTREACH TEAM AT A PLAY60 FOOTBALL EVENT FOR KIDS! Bob Hope exits a garland-lined bunker in Beirut, Lebanon in December 1983. Although, the actor and comedian didnt put on a show, which was at the request of military officials, as public entertainment was not locally permitted. All rights reserved. Hopes last holiday special Hopes for the Holidays was in 1994, almost 50 years after his first. -This story was originally published on USO.org in 2019. Programs for Service Members and Their Families. Hope logged over 30,000 miles and gave more than 150 performances during this trip. She said, No, not all have them are home for Christmas. Though he wore many hats as an entertainer, starting out as a dancer, film actor, and radio comedian, Bob Hope is perhaps best remembered as the driving force behind the USO . Already an established comedian and actor by the onset of World War II, Bob Hope performed and broadcast his first USO show on the radio for service members on May 6, 1941, at an Army Air Corps (now known as the U.S. Air Force) Base at March Field in Riverside, California. He worked with Raquel Welch, Ann-Margret, Connie Stevens, The Golddiggers, even Neil Armstrong. U.S. troops came to rely on Bob Hope USO shows. Throughout April, the Month of the Military Child, the USO is highlighting how our centers around the globe are providing creative ways for military children to connect to one another and their families. Diahann Carroll, who was the first African American woman to star in her own television series when Julia debuted in 1968, went on many USO tours over the years to entertain American troops. Singer. Here, in July 1945, Bob Hope and other USO Camp Show entertainers smile in London. The namesake of our organization, Bob Hope was a legendary American entertainer, actor, showman, comedian and philanthropist. Hope would do 57 USO tours, including 48 Christmas shows, going out during every major conflict . Bldg 693 Del Valle Dr., Suite 107 Photo credit Library of Congress. It was pretty awesome, frankly.. Fun fact: Jerry Colonna, Hopes longtime sideman since WWII, would often play Santa. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. Although comedy and the U.S. military had changed a great deal since that first show in 1941, Hope was still delighted to do what he did best: bring laughter to service members just when they needed it most. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice. Miss World 1969, Actress - Bob Hope Christmas show 1969. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The 1970 show was one of American televisions most-watched events of all time. Hope lightened the mood in deadly serious situations, and he thrived on the crowds response. When Crawford died in 1977, the USO was one of the beneficiaries of her will, according to Vanity Fair.

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