Bob Hope
Biography
Bob Hope was an entertainer from Britain who settled in the United States and worked as a comedian, actor, and producer. Born in Eltham, London, he grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. He started in vaudeville and Broadway, and he entered films in 1934. He became known for one-liners and quick, self-deprecating jokes. His movies included The Cat and the Canary (1939), Road to Singapore (1940), Road to Morocco (1942), The Paleface (1948), and The Road to Hong Kong (1962), plus seven Road comedies with Bing Crosby. He hosted the Academy Awards 19 times and made 57 USO tours for military audiences. He also had radio programs and television specials, and the Academy gave him honorary awards.
100years old at death
- Born Eltham, London, England, UK
- Died Toluca Lake
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Leslie Townes Hope (birth name)Also credited as Lester Hope, Packy East and Leslie Hope
Movie Career
- Films
- 30
- Career span
- 86 years1939 to 2025
Genres
- Comedy83%, 25 films
- Adventure27%, 8 films
- Romance27%, 8 films
- Documentary13%, 4 films
- Musical13%, 4 films
Share
Did you know?!
First role
Hope signed with Educational Pictures for six short comedies, but the first, Going Spanish (1934), displeased him. After he joked to Walter Winchell that bank robber Dillinger would be made to sit through it twice, the studio canceled his contract after only that one film.
About the name
In 1929, Hope made "Bob" his informal first name. One story says he took it from racecar driver Bob Burman, while another says he wanted a name with a "friendly 'Hiya, fellas!' sound."
A first
Beginning in April 1950, Hope did many specials for NBC television, and he was among the first to use cue cards.
A first
Hope's 1970 Christmas special for NBC was filmed in Vietnam before military audiences during the war. More than 60 percent of US households watching television saw it, placing it among the highest-rated broadcasts in US history.
A first
Hope was the first entertainer to receive the Sylvanus Thayer Award from the United States Military Academy at West Point, given in 1968 for his USO service.
Bob Hope movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Road to Morocco1942 Adventure, Comedy, Familyas Orville 'Turkey' Jackson / Aunt Lucy
IMDb rating 7.06.3K votes
Most often with
Norman Z. McLeod directed three of these films, George Marshall three and David Butler two. Bing Crosby appears in eleven of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Bing Crosby's page
Dorothy Lamour's page
Stanley Andrews's page
Anthony Quinn's page
Douglass Dumbrille's page
Iron Eyes Cody's page
Norman Z. McLeodDirector, 3 films, 1947 to 1959
All films by Norman Z. McLeod
All films by George Marshall
All films by David Butler
Also three films together3 more actors
- Gale SondergaardRoad to Rio (1947), My Favorite Blonde (1942) and The Cat and the Canary (1939)
- Paulette GoddardVariety Girl (1947), The Ghost Breakers (1940) and The Cat and the Canary (1939)
- Milton BerleThe Muppet Movie (1979), CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years (1976) and Joys (1976)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Bob Hope's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$153 million
5 of the 30 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 30 films: 5 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 2 never in cinemas; 1 streaming, short cinema run; 21 figure not found.
- 5Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 2Never in cinemas
- 1Streaming, short cinema run
- 21Figure not found
Highest grossing
The five biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$76M50.1% of the total
- 2$60M39.4% of the total
- 3$7.6M5.0% of the total
- 4$5.2M3.4% of the total
- 5$3.2M2.1% of the total
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 1941 to 2000, six of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1966 | Honorary Award | Honorary | |
| 1953 | Honorary Award | Honorary | |
| 1945 | Honorary Award | Honorary | |
| 1941 | Honorary Award | Honorary | |
| Golden Globes | |||
| Awards | Won | ||
| SAG Awards | |||
| Life Achievement Award | Won | ||
| Other honors | |||
| 2000 | Library of Congress Living Legend | Won | |
| 1998 | Knight Grand Officer of the Order of St. Gregory the Great | Won | |
| 1969 | Presidential Medal of Freedom | Won | |
| 1961 | Golden Plate Award | Won | |
| 1960 | Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award | Won | |
| Kennedy Center Honors | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.