Legendary Entertainer Bob Hope Dead at 100
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Legendary entertainer Bob Hope (news) has died at age 100, a family spokesman said on Monday.
Hope died of pneumonia on Sunday night at 9:28 p.m. with his family at his side, spokesman Ward Grant said.
Hope, who was born in England, was the ultimate comedian, a master of timing who turned the one-liner into an art form and became a national institution.
His career, which included stints as an amateur boxer, minstrel in black face and dancer, spanned seven decades in which he starred in five mediums: vaudeville, radio, stage, movies and television.
Virtually running his own joke factory by employing almost 100 writers, Hope was able to draw on a collection of hundreds of thousands of jokes that specialized in sexual double entendres, gags about his ski-nose and lines that paid homage to his decided lack of humility and willingness to con anyone.
With his trademark ski-slope nose, Hope was one of the first super stars and one of the 20th century's greatest comedians. He also pioneered with Bing Crosby of one of Hollywood's most enduring genres -- the buddy movie.
Crosby and Hope became one of the screen's great couples in a succession of "Road" movies beginning with 1939's "Road to Singapore," which was originally a serious drama called "The Road to Mandalay" that was turned into a comedy first for George Burns and Gracie Allen and then for Jack Oakie and Fred MacMurray, all of whom turned it down.
During the Vietnam War Hope was criticized for being a "hawk" who supported the conflict. But he said he was really a middle-of-the-road supporter who wanted the war to end and even tried twice to visit Hanoi and arrange prisoner releases.
He was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, Kent, England, the fifth of seven sons of a stonemason. His father moved his family to Cleveland, Ohio, when Hope was 3 to work on a church there.
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This is so sad. He was one of the great ones. He just turned 100 this past May 29th. My son Scott shares the same birthday (though he has no idea who Bob Hope is, being he's only 12).
Thanks for the memory, Bob. May you rest in peace.
Hope died of pneumonia on Sunday night at 9:28 p.m. with his family at his side, spokesman Ward Grant said.
Hope, who was born in England, was the ultimate comedian, a master of timing who turned the one-liner into an art form and became a national institution.
His career, which included stints as an amateur boxer, minstrel in black face and dancer, spanned seven decades in which he starred in five mediums: vaudeville, radio, stage, movies and television.
Virtually running his own joke factory by employing almost 100 writers, Hope was able to draw on a collection of hundreds of thousands of jokes that specialized in sexual double entendres, gags about his ski-nose and lines that paid homage to his decided lack of humility and willingness to con anyone.
With his trademark ski-slope nose, Hope was one of the first super stars and one of the 20th century's greatest comedians. He also pioneered with Bing Crosby of one of Hollywood's most enduring genres -- the buddy movie.
Crosby and Hope became one of the screen's great couples in a succession of "Road" movies beginning with 1939's "Road to Singapore," which was originally a serious drama called "The Road to Mandalay" that was turned into a comedy first for George Burns and Gracie Allen and then for Jack Oakie and Fred MacMurray, all of whom turned it down.
During the Vietnam War Hope was criticized for being a "hawk" who supported the conflict. But he said he was really a middle-of-the-road supporter who wanted the war to end and even tried twice to visit Hanoi and arrange prisoner releases.
He was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, Kent, England, the fifth of seven sons of a stonemason. His father moved his family to Cleveland, Ohio, when Hope was 3 to work on a church there.
This is so sad. He was one of the great ones. He just turned 100 this past May 29th. My son Scott shares the same birthday (though he has no idea who Bob Hope is, being he's only 12).
Thanks for the memory, Bob. May you rest in peace.
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