Bob Hope is 100!

[ishmael]

I was never a big fan, but he represents something having to do with my parent's generation. He was one of their big comedians. Pop would have been 86 in a week, Mom 84 a few weeks ago.

I do remember he cutting up, playing the straight guy to Bing, as well as the sharp wit. All on the small, scratchy TV. I think their buddy films are pretty much dated corn.

"Thanks for the memories." Nonetheless.

[oldriverat]

I thought he was dead. :confused:

[Donn]

Helluva man. Saw him in RVN...he had us rolling in the dust. He had a half a dozen playmates with him....it was a great show. A few years later, I hosted him at an autographing at a bookstore in Cleveland...he's a Clevelander...people lined up for 6 blocks, and brought him an amazing array of gifts, especially putters. He signed books for 4 hours...wouldn't leave until he'd seen everyone. Helluva man.

[ishmael]

I thought he was dead. Nope, 100 this week.

I caught he and Sinatra and Lucy Ball in a re-broadcast of an early fifties radio comedy, about a week ago.

He and Sinatra were both married to the same woman. Hope, having disapeared on a sailing voyage some years back, re-appeared after Lucy Ball (before I love Lucy fame) had married Sinatra. It was very funny. You could tell some of it was spontaneous. They were cracking each other up with their ripostes. Very witty on all parts. Sharp sharp stuff, all around.

Thanks for the personal anecdote Donn. God bless him, and let him pass easily.

Ah for genuine comedy.

[ 05-27-2003, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[Art Read]

Say what you will about the man... But just how many Christmas seasons did he spend with the troops all over the world for so many decades? He didn't have too. But they did, so he did. Says a lot to me.

[Mr. Know It All]

Another ordinary average guy from Cleveland. :D

[Art Read]

Actually... He was born in England, wasn't he?

[Alan D. Hyde]

I think the "Road" movies, particularly The Road to Moracco are still funny.

Yeah, it's kind of slapstick, but it's being shot live and Crosby and Hope are ad-libbing lots of their shameless lines. Both had some help from good writers, of course.

And don't forget Crosby, who Artie Shaw called "the first hip white guy," and who Louis Armstrong said "had a voice like liquid gold." Crosby was the first major entertainer to bring in black performers with him on an equal basis, which he did with Armstrong, whose musical abilities he greatly respected.

Crosby also did much to promote Hope's career.

When they first met, Bing was a BIG deal and Hope was still a minor leaguer, but the affable Crosby treated Hope (who was at first in awe of him) as an equal.

Alan

P.S. A footnote on how things used to be: Crosby, in his early "Rhythym Boys" days, once had a curtain rung down on him by an irate theater manager. His crime? He asked his straight man:

"Do you know how to keep a horse from foaming at the mouth?"

When the straight man replied that he had no idea how to do that, Bing responded with a grin:

"Teach him how to spit!"

This was viewed as pretty rude back in the twenties, when the more circumspect were careful to say "expectorate."

[km gresham]

Great guy. smile.gif I admire comedians who can be hilarious without profanity. They all seem to be trying to appeal to the 13 year old male demographic these days. Even Robin Williams who is possibly the greatest comic right now relies on graphic bedroom and bathroom "humor" in his act. Not funny. I'll take Bob Hope, Jack Benney or that crowd anytime.

[ishmael]

I'll have to take a second look at those 'road films'. My opinion is from many years ago and maybe I've changed.

And Bing is an interesting one. I remember him in a cardigan sweater, hosting golf games. But I heard a biographer interviewed just recently and you're right Alan. Sort of Elvis before Elvis was cool. Good friends with Louis Armstrong, who taught him how to smoke pot. All kinds of different 'color' there.

The first popular singer to understand the power of the microphone.

[Alan D. Hyde]

Jack, there's an interesting biography by Village Voice music writer Gary Giddings, entitled Bing Crosby, A Pocketful of Dreams.

Worth a look, I'd say.

Alan