childhood of, 229–30, 236
father’s death and, 482–83
father’s relationship with, 302, 329, 437–38
movie career of, 437–38
television career of, 384, 437
Hope, Avis Towns (mother), 18
background of, 24–25
death of, 97–98, 140
emigration of, 32–34
husband’s courtship of, 25–26
illnesses of, 32, 75, 90, 97–98
life in Cleveland of, 36–44, 46, 50, 76
life in Great Britain of, 23–33, 37
marriage of, 26, 33
musical talent of, 23–24, 27
physical appearance of, 25, 39
and son’s childhood and adolescence, 32–34, 38, 41–43, 46, 175
son’s vaudeville career and, 50, 64, 75–76
Hope, Bob:
alcohol consumed by, 83, 382, 445, 464
alleged bisexuality of, 63
ambitions of, 13–14, 19, 50, 80, 103, 106, 158, 312, 317, 326, 355, 378–79, 436
awards and honors of, 1–2, 15, 29, 38, 41, 126, 137–38, 140, 166–67, 177, 204–5, 217–18, 264, 294–95, 322, 325–26, 331, 338, 340–41, 345, 355, 377, 387, 390–93, 402–5, 408, 411, 413, 426, 450–51, 455–57, 459–60, 466–67, 470, 475, 481–83
benefit appearances of, 89–90, 111, 126, 166–67, 176, 215, 217, 219, 235, 271, 281, 283, 314, 317, 326–27, 340, 346, 351, 358, 375, 402, 406, 426, 431, 433, 442, 454, 458, 461, 463, 472, 479–80, 485
birth of, 1, 27–29, 40
blackface appearances of, 56, 64–65
in breaking fourth wall, 71, 156, 170, 224, 284, 287, 297
business skills of, 14–15, 162, 254, 270–71, 299, 309–12, 332, 348, 454
car accident of, 263–64, 267
censorship issues of, 78–79, 136–37, 165–66, 189, 216–17, 226, 236–37, 282, 320–21, 403–4, 448
change and, 145, 150, 334–35
charisma of, 9–10, 212, 345, 476
charitable donations of, 176, 206, 226, 280, 347–48, 355, 357
charm of, 9–10, 18, 135, 249, 280, 301, 451
childhood and adolescence of, 1, 12, 23, 31–34, 38, 40–46, 128, 139–40, 175
as childlike naïf, 187
children of, 1, 12, 143, 157, 161, 182, 198, 206, 214, 228–30, 236, 251, 259, 272, 274, 277, 285, 302–3, 313, 329, 339–40, 348–51, 358, 380–81, 383–84, 388–89, 392–93, 403, 406–7, 424, 426, 436–38, 442, 447, 449–50, 454–55, 467, 474–79, 481–83
Christmas shows and tours of, 6, 17, 243, 251–52, 258–60, 264, 272, 278, 281–82, 307, 317–18, 326–30, 336–39, 344, 346, 363–88, 393–97, 401–4, 408–11, 413–15, 455, 457–58, 465, 467–68, 476
comic book on, 15, 271–72
commercials done by, 284, 432–33, 449, 454, 466, 474
confrontations avoided by, 346
cowardly characters played by, 5, 146–47, 250, 353
crimes committed by, 42–43
cue cards used by, 354, 366, 370, 381, 398, 415, 422, 441, 462, 466, 468–69
dancing of, 46–49, 51, 56–59, 61, 65–67, 73, 76, 80, 93, 199, 212, 242, 268, 300–301, 307, 365, 461, 467–68
death of, 3, 10, 475, 482–84
deference expected by, 346, 406
dementia of, 479–81
demonization of, 407–8, 411
detachment of, 9, 11–12, 31, 345–46, 349, 406, 424, 464
diet of, 454, 482
divorce of, 95–96
dramatic roles of, 256–58, 301–2, 312, 316, 465
education of, 40–43, 158
eightieth birthday of, 457
emceeing of, 1, 4, 6–7, 54, 61–63, 65–68, 78, 81, 84–85, 88, 103–4, 111, 126, 148–50, 162, 166, 184–85, 195, 207, 218, 220, 264, 281, 293–94, 330–31, 386–87, 401, 403
emigration of, 1, 33–34, 140, 197
fame and popularity of, 3–6, 10, 13–19, 81, 86, 88, 92, 135, 140–41, 145, 147, 157–59, 161, 164, 167, 172–77, 185, 192, 197, 200, 206–7, 216–17, 222–23, 226–27, 238–39, 253–55, 258–60, 264–66, 272–74, 279, 282–84, 289, 292, 296, 302–3, 306–7, 312, 318, 323–26, 328–30, 338, 342, 345, 349, 363, 365, 367, 369–70, 374, 377–79, 381, 388, 397–98, 404, 414, 445, 455, 458, 474, 476, 485–86
fears of, 203, 206
fighting of, 31, 45–46
finances of, 3, 11, 13–15, 41–42, 46, 48, 50, 57–58, 61, 65–66, 70–72, 74, 76, 81, 92, 97, 100–101, 112, 119, 127–31, 134, 136, 140, 145, 159, 161–62, 164, 176–77, 214, 218, 226–28, 231–32, 234, 236, 239, 241, 247, 254–56, 264, 267–68, 271–72, 284, 300, 309–11, 321, 324, 328, 340, 345–48, 351, 397, 399, 426–27, 432–33, 438, 440, 446–47, 451, 458–61, 466, 470–74, 483
focus of, 134, 414–15
footraces of, 42
funeral of, 482–83
gait of, 4, 111, 127, 289, 453
golf played by, 2, 9–10, 13, 15–16, 83, 89, 98, 121, 128, 141, 143, 150, 157, 161, 184, 192, 200, 207–8, 226, 236, 249, 251, 254, 263–64, 280–81, 285, 295, 299, 326–27, 329, 343, 353, 357–59, 382, 411, 428–29, 433, 435, 440, 442, 452, 454, 461, 477–78
golf tournaments of, 15, 355–58, 367, 424, 432, 450, 452, 456, 458–59, 461, 477
hearing problems of, 453, 464, 468–70, 475, 479–81
heritage of, 23–24, 28
home life of, 349–51, 406, 424, 451–52
hundredth birthday of, 467, 482, 484
illnesses of, 17, 210, 217, 236, 259, 327–28, 330, 365, 392–93, 453, 468, 482
improvising of, 5–7, 10, 48, 61, 66, 71, 75, 110, 142, 152, 156, 165, 239–40, 325, 444
infancy of, 29, 31
injuries of, 41, 46, 199, 201, 236, 255–56, 263, 267, 307, 333, 372
jokes of, 3, 6–11, 18, 42, 45, 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61, 66–68, 71, 73–74, 78–79, 81, 84–87, 89–91, 98–99, 101–6, 122–24, 128–39, 142, 144–46, 149, 152, 154, 158–59, 163–66, 170, 183, 185, 187–95, 198–202, 205–7, 211, 213, 216, 218, 221–23, 225, 233–34, 239–40, 242, 246–47, 252, 256, 264, 266, 268–70, 273, 278, 281, 288–94, 301, 304, 306, 308–9, 314–15, 317, 319–21, 323, 325, 329, 331–32, 334–35, 338, 342, 347, 349, 357–58, 367–69, 371–72, 377, 381, 384–85, 387–91, 393–96, 398, 403–4, 408, 414–15, 422–23, 425, 428–31, 434–35, 438–41, 443–46, 448–49, 455–56, 462–66, 469–70, 477, 485–86
journalism career of, 213, 217–18, 220, 227–28, 247, 271, 273, 378, 440
lawsuits of, 231, 275, 425, 473–74
legacy of, 2, 4–7, 14, 16–19, 206, 260, 466, 483–85
as Leslie Towns Hope, 28, 31–32, 38, 40–42, 44, 46–48, 53–56, 64–65, 94–96
loyalty of, 255, 348, 380, 429, 455
major works of, 533–36
marketing and self-promotion of, 4, 11, 15, 45, 58, 63, 78, 97, 157, 160, 173, 175–76, 252, 284, 301, 313–14, 324, 326, 328–29, 354–55, 378, 397, 432–36, 446, 454, 464, 466–67, 479, 485
marriages of, 12, 94–98, 159–60, 182, 197, 277–78
memoirs, 9, 15–16, 31, 37, 39–40, 44–46, 48, 53, 55, 58, 72, 74, 94–95, 98, 108, 143, 175–76, 199, 203, 205–6, 227, 270, 275, 296, 321, 355, 359, 396, 410, 414, 467, 479
middle name of, 24
monologues of, 6–8, 10–11, 17, 62, 73, 81, 98, 121–23, 126–28, 131–34, 149–50, 164–65, 174, 177, 183, 207, 245, 247, 268, 270, 288–89, 304, 306, 308–9, 320, 325, 331–32, 337–38, 355, 358, 372, 376, 387, 398, 415, 422–23, 430, 440–41, 443, 449, 463, 467, 469–70, 484
name changes of, 43, 66
nervousness of, 71, 87, 104, 146, 163, 268–69, 346, 374
nicknames of, 40, 132, 211–12
ninetieth birthday of, 475–76, 478
old age of, 13, 443–44, 453–54, 457–58, 462, 467–81
as old-fashioned, 3, 311, 335, 371, 381, 398, 401–2, 429
optimism of, 2–3, 9, 40
pace of, 8, 62, 67, 69, 73, 83, 98–99, 103–5, 123, 129, 132–33, 156, 163, 195, 242, 269–70, 289, 328
, 351, 426, 439–40, 446, 469
patriotism of, 16, 206, 215, 221, 241, 260, 269, 274, 318, 339, 375, 377, 383, 397, 434, 468
personal appearances of, 10–11, 158, 161–62, 226–27, 252–54, 260, 278–80, 297, 318, 328, 339–40, 351, 392, 405–6, 423, 426, 439–40, 453–56, 466
physical appearance of, 2–4, 6, 40, 44–46, 54, 58, 64–65, 68, 83, 96, 100–101, 106, 110–11, 119, 121, 125, 146, 149, 156, 158, 172–73, 186–87, 193, 202, 212, 225, 236, 239, 244, 247, 268–70, 272, 285–86, 289, 294, 325, 334, 342, 346, 359, 366–67, 381, 425–26, 453, 466, 481
physical comedy of, 233–34, 250
piano played by, 42, 57
politics of, 3, 16, 136, 240–41, 246, 275, 288–89, 304, 322, 334, 350–51, 368, 375, 377–79, 381–83, 389–92, 394, 402, 404–8, 413, 429, 435, 455–56
pool shooting of, 41–42
production staff of, 311–12, 342, 376, 392, 432–34
protests against and booing, 391–92, 395–96, 403–5, 414, 423, 472–73
public image of, 11–13, 15–16, 106, 121, 126, 167, 176, 259, 272, 275, 435, 473–74
real estate hoarding of, 470–73
recording career of, 355, 370
religious beliefs of, 94, 368, 373, 481
reputation of, 3, 16, 106, 176, 247, 275
retirement of, 476–80
role models of, 62–63
romances of, 47–48, 54, 74
second wife courted by, 93–95
self-confidence of, 4, 8, 68, 78, 87, 104, 111, 132, 141, 164, 211–12, 289
self-deprecating humor of, 19, 129, 131, 170
seventy-fifth birthday of, 444–45, 451, 460
singing of, 4–5, 44, 46, 56, 59, 67, 73, 80, 83, 87, 101, 107–8, 110, 112, 117–19, 125–26, 128, 137–39, 154, 193, 212, 242, 249, 269, 271, 281–82, 284, 286–87, 297, 306–7, 389, 449, 455, 468–69, 480
slowing down of, 299–300, 328–29
stage mannerisms of, 4, 8–9, 359, 366–67, 381
stage shows of, 4, 8–9, 16–19, 43, 140–41, 143, 158–59, 161, 184, 214, 226, 239, 264–65, 275, 278–79, 284, 313–14, 427, 445–47, 450, 454
state dinner performances of, 434–35
in talent shows, 40–41
temper of, 345–46, 441–42
tirelessness of, 4, 6, 13, 16, 140–41, 157, 167, 185, 195–96, 200–201, 205, 259, 292, 323–24, 385, 453, 458
troops entertained by, 1–3, 6–7, 15–18, 173–75, 182–83, 185, 188–92, 195–222, 227, 236, 240, 243, 250–52, 258–60, 264, 270, 272–76, 278, 283, 305–7, 317–18, 326–27, 329–30, 334, 336–39, 341, 363–64, 366–77, 380–82, 384–88, 393–97, 401–4, 408, 410, 413–15, 446, 457, 465, 467–68, 476, 484–86
ubiquity of, 89, 331, 387
uniqueness of, 67–68, 339
vacations of, 139–43, 157, 236, 302, 329, 341
voice of, 233–34, 443
womanizing of, 5, 12, 83, 92, 110, 135, 160, 248–49, 253–54, 265, 276–79, 303, 319, 345, 351, 353, 427–28, 473–74
writers employed by, 7–8, 10–11, 13, 15, 63, 74–75, 78, 84, 105, 123, 129–30, 132–37, 144–45, 152–53, 158, 161, 177, 174, 186, 206, 217–18, 231, 239, 245–49, 251, 259, 263, 267–70, 272, 275, 277–78, 280, 300, 309, 316–17, 319–22, 331, 342–43, 345, 347, 349, 372, 376, 391, 399, 402, 414–15, 420, 427, 431–32, 434–35, 438–41, 445, 461–63, 466–68, 470
Hope, Dolores De Fina (second wife), 12–13, 106, 128, 150, 206, 239–40, 264, 272, 274, 358, 411, 415, 422, 429, 443, 461, 482, 486
children of, 143, 157, 228–30, 251, 259, 285, 302–3, 380–81, 384, 388, 392–93, 424, 438, 474–75
death of, 475, 483
heritage of, 93, 97
home life and, 349–50, 424–25, 451–52
husband’s Broadway career and, 99, 119
husband’s Christmas shows and, 251–52, 259, 380–81, 393, 414
husband’s courtship of, 93–95
husband’s first meeting with, 92–93
husband’s illness and, 327–28
husband’s movie career and, 112, 119–20, 197, 285–86
husband’s ninetieth birthday and, 475–76
husband’s radio career and, 159–60, 245–46
husband’s retirement and, 478, 480
husband’s seventy-fifth birthday and, 444–45
husband’s stage shows and, 140, 278
husband’s womanizing and, 253, 276–77, 303
marriage of, 12, 95–98, 159–60, 197, 277–78
physical appearance of, 92, 99, 230 religious beliefs of, 12, 142, 160–61, 229–30, 278, 368, 384, 388, 452, 474, 481
singing career of, 92–95, 97–99, 158–60, 245–46, 448, 468, 476, 480
vacations of, 140–43, 236, 329
vaudeville career of, 98–99
World War II and, 142, 177, 196–97, 211, 214, 228
Hope, Emily (grandmother), 25
Hope, Emily (sister), 26–27
Hope, Francis James “Jim” (brother), 26–27, 30, 98, 140, 432
and brother’s childhood and adolescence, 31–32, 40, 43–44
brother’s conflicts with, 231–32
brother’s vaudeville career and, 55, 63, 75–76, 231–32
early life in Cleveland of, 36–37, 39–40, 43–44, 46–47
emigration of, 32–34
Hope, Frank (uncle), 30, 34, 36–37, 140
Hope, Fred (uncle), 30, 34, 36
Hope, Frederick (brother), 26, 76, 128, 140, 231, 432
early life in Cleveland of, 39–41, 44–47
military career of, 43–44
Hope, George (brother), 38, 64, 140, 231, 343, 392
vaudeville career of, 76–77
Hope, Honorah (daughter), 229, 259, 406
break with family of, 12, 474–75
father’s Christmas tours and, 380–81
father’s relationship with, 302, 329, 349
marriage of, 392–93
Hope, Ivor (brother), 26, 30–32, 36, 39, 76, 140, 231
death of, 392, 411
Hope, James (grandfather), 25–28, 141, 198, 482
Hope, Judith Richards (daughter-in-law), 384, 438
Hope, Linda Theresa (daughter), 1, 285, 351, 442, 481–83
adoption of, 143, 157, 161
childhood of, 229–30, 236
divorce of, 426, 436
father’s business style and, 348, 358
father’s China trip and, 447, 449
father’s Christmas tours and, 259, 383, 467
father’s relationship with, 302–3, 329, 436, 447, 449, 459, 477
father’s retirement and, 476–79
father’s womanizing and, 277, 303
Hope Enterprises and, 436, 447, 454–55
marriage of, 388–89, 393
and sister’s break with family, 474–75
Hope, Louisa (aunt), 36, 42
Hope, Mary Byrne (sister-in-law), 64
Hope, Miranda (granddaughter), 2, 65, 467
Hope, Sidney (brother), 29, 39–41, 76, 140, 231, 424
Hope, William Henry “Harry” (father), 29–34, 140
background of, 23–25
emigration of, 30–33
injuries of, 29–30
life in Cleveland of, 36–38, 40, 43–44, 50, 76
life in Great Britain of, 23–31, 37
marriage of, 26, 33
physical appearance of, 27, 37
and son’s childhood and adolescence, 38, 41, 43, 175
son’s vaudeville career and, 50, 76
wife courted by, 25–26
Hope, William John “Jack” (brother), 27, 32, 39–41, 231, 272
brother’s relationship with, 128–29, 136
brother’s stage shows and, 140, 226
brother’s television career and, 305, 311, 340
death of, 340, 343
military career of, 43–44
Hope, William Kelly “Kelly” (son), 229, 259, 313, 350, 474
father’s Christmas to
urs and, 380–81, 393
father’s death and, 482–83
father’s relationship with, 302–3, 329
Hope, Wyn (sister-in-law), 231
Hope, Zachary (grandson), 409, 482–83
Hope Enterprises, 218–19, 227, 255, 397, 431–32, 446–47
Hope’s daughter and, 436, 447, 454–55
Hope’s movie career and, 298, 300, 420
Hope’s television career and, 271, 309, 426
Hopper, Hedda, 149, 305
Hope’s Christmas tours and, 307, 318, 326
Hope’s movie career and, 125, 137, 298
Houdini, Harry, 52
House, Howard, 468
House of Blue Leaves, The, 349
Howard, Bill, 242, 286
Howard brothers, 84–85
“How’d Ya Like to Love Me,” 126
Howdy Doody, 266
How to Commit Marriage, 399–400, 419
Hudson, Rock, 330
Hughes, Howard, 249
Hughes, Marjorie, 311–12, 431–32
Humphrey, Hal, 382
Hunter, Catfish, 435
Huntley and Brinkley, 372
Hurley, Fred, 49–50, 53, 55–58
Hurok, Sol, 323
Hurricane, 151
Hussein, Saddam, 467–68
Hyde, Johnny, 61
Iacocca, Lee, 483
“I Can’t Get Started,” 107–8
Iceland, 204, 307, 327
“I’ll Be Hard to Handle,” 91
I’ll Take Sweden, 353, 371, 420–21
Impellitteri, Vincent, 295
I Never Left Home (Hope), 16, 199, 203, 205–6, 227
Inge, William, 344
Inside the Actors Studio, 444
International House, 120
In the Heat of the Night, 386
“In the Navy,” 446
Intimate Revue, The, 103–4, 196
Intimate Strangers (Schickel), 17
I Owe Russia $1200 (Hope), 321, 355
Iran hostage crisis, 450
Iraq, Iraq War, 467–68, 485
Iron Petticoat, The, 304–5, 307, 314–15, 354
“Isn’t It Romantic,” 190
“I Surrender Dear,” 88
“I Thought About You,” 480
It Says Here, 218, 227–28, 271
It’s a Gift, 241
“It’s De-Lovely,” 110, 480
“It’s Only a Paper Moon,” 92, 476, 480
“I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues,” 102
“I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face,” 307
Jacobs, Arthur, 319, 355
Jacobs, Seaman, 439
Japan, 448
Hope’s Christmas tours and, 364, 387, 414
Hope: Entertainer of the Century Page 63