Hope: Entertainer of the Century

by Richard Zoglin

  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