The late Bob Hope was justly famed for his entertainment of troops in combat zones from World War II to the Gulf War when he was 89. He and the actors and actresses who accompanied him received not a penny for their hard work. I recall an incident from World War II:
He made a practice of visiting wounded soldiers in hospitals, although it tore his guts out. He told the actors and actresses who accompanied him that there was one iron rule, no tears in front of the troops.
In 1943 on the Italian front he was talking, a one sided conversation to be sure, to a soldier who had been in a coma for two months. The soldier suddenly came out of the coma and said: “Bob Hope! How long have you been here?”. Hope had to excuse himself, quickly went outside and bawled his eyes out. He returned a few hours later to joke with the soldier and present him with a purple heart.
Bob Hope lived up to his name.
We’re all very happy to note that he died as a Catholic convert, albeit at a great age.
I don’t remember the year exactly but it was a Christmas special for the Vietnam soldiers.
I don’t recall if he was in Saigon or not.
I was 8 or 9 years old at the latest, and watching the T V screen from a perch in the sofa.
What I recall was the last segment of the show.
The Bob Hope troop started to sing Silent Night.
As they were singing the cameraman panned the audience very slowly. Each and service man and woman were joining in the hymn…and tears were rolling down their faces. As I looked about in our living room our entire family joined in the hymn and tears.
A heartfelt Christmas special indeed.
His name at birth was Leslie Hope.
One story about his name change to Bob Hope was that he didn’t like how his name sounded when it was spoken, last name first.
Hope, Leslie.
A Brit who became the quintessential American.