| NAME | MESSAGE |
| Tom Degan |
posted 07/28/03 08:39 AM Central Time (US)  contact the author directly
Bob Hope died today. Well folks, here'e a phrase that's overused but this is, indeed, the end of an era. He was the last of the comedians of the golden age of radio - they're all gone now - and one almost hat to weep at the state of humor today and the thought that a wonderful era has vanished today. Road To Heaven! Bing and Bob have got a new film to shoot; It ought to be a riot. Sleep well, Leslie. |
| Carmela |
posted 07/28/03 09:09 AM Central Time (US)  no email address given
I'm too upset right now. Thanks for the Memories Bob! |
| Ben Weaver |
posted 07/28/03 09:56 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
"Thanks for the memory,of rainy afternoons, swinging Halem tunes, and motor trips and burning lips, and burning toast and prunes. How lovely it was". And Thank-you--so Much. Say Hello to Bing. |
| Sue Horn |
posted 07/28/03 10:35 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I knew this was coming, but I'm still sad. Well, he made it to his 100th birthday with almost a month to spare, and I guess the quality of life that he had of late was not good, so this is a blessing, but I will still miss him. I wonder if Bing was at the pearly gates to meet him? Hope so. |
| Sue Horn |
posted 07/28/03 12:20 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
One of the news reports was full of minor errors. They got his birthday wrong, though, and I couldn't let it slide. Here's what I wrote: "Thanks for the nice tribute. It's too bad that there were a few details incorrect, not the least of which the fact that Bob celebrated his 100th on May 29 not May 23 this year. The reason I know is that I celebrated my 45th the same day. I have been toasting Bob's health on my birthday for as many years as I can remember. From now on, I guess I'll be toasting his memory." |
| Jane FitzGerald |
posted 07/28/03 12:22 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
Saw the news at our production studio this morning. It's rainy Cincinnati and that seems appropriate for such a gray day. Some of you know the story of my attending Bob's son Kelly's wedding reception in Toledo back in the late 1960's. There was no place in Defiance Ohio (the bride's hometome) large enough, so they bussed the guests up to Toledo which is my hometown. Since I was a journalism major at the time, my dad talked the Hope lead-folk into approving me as a member of the press. I still have the photo of Kathryn Crosby and me as she entered the lobby. That was the afternoon I knew that I wasn't cut out to be a journalist; just not nosy enough. But it sure is a great memory...thanks Mr. Hope. Heaven is a happier place today. |
| DEAN |
posted 07/28/03 12:59 PM Central Time (US) no email address given
This is the second time in my life, apart from immediate family losses, that I felt something essential drain out of my life. The first time of course was when Bing left us. Now Bob has left our house and closed the door quietly behind him. Most of my unfulfilled youthful dreams were fuelled by their wonderfuly heart warming and adventurous "Road" films and the melodies they contained drifted through my head and cheered me in some dark moments. Maybe the boys are not too far away and, is it my imagination, or do I hear the faint sound of two voices singing,"Put it there Pal?" Goodnight Bob. |
| Eric |
posted 07/28/03 01:38 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
Thanks Bob. You gave more people hope than you will ever realize. Your memory will no vanish from the hearts of all those you have touched. Your tireless work for humanity will not be forgotten, but will continue on for generations to come. Now you can rest...Maybe get a round or two of golf in. |
| Greg Van Beek |
posted 07/28/03 02:34 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
It was sad, but not unexpected news when I learned of Bob's death on the radio at 8:30 am. Not unexpected, because just last week I heard from a friend who is very close to the Hope's that they almost lost him a week or so ago. He wanted me to keep it quiet, as did the family (word didn't leak out to the press, surprisingly), but at that time, it was advised that his family get his affairs in order. All of his funeral and memorial arrangements were made then, as they knew the end was near. From my perspective, having been hearing the true details of Bob's deteriorating condition over the past several years, I can tell you he's definitely in a better place. It was hard on everyone, seeing Bob incapacitated and bed-ridden, with failing eyesight and hearing, unable to communicate to old friends. It's a tribute to his spirit and determination, however, that he hung on and made it to reach his 100th birthday. No one knows how he pulled it off. His wife said he wanted to beat George Burns, and he did. Burns lived 45 days past his 100th birhtday. Bob lived just shy of two months past his May 29th celebration. The world will never know a legend, an institution, as large and significant as Bob Hope has been. How fortunate we all were to have had him with us as long as we did, at a time when virtually all of his contemporaries are gone. What a reunion it must've been when Bob came striding through the pearly gates, waving his golf club, calling out for Bing and Lucy and the rest of his pals. To paraphrase what Bob said in 1974 when he eulogized Jack Benny: God keep him, enjoy him. We did for 100 years. |
| Hobie and Cathie Wilson |
posted 07/28/03 03:15 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I can see it. Bob SWINGING ON A STAR. What a perfect picture to our minds eye. |
| Greg Van Beek |
posted 07/28/03 10:10 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
If anyone saw the Larry King tribute to Bob this evening on CNN, you'll note that he said a few things about Bing that weren't true. I just sent the following e-mail to Mr. King to correct him: "I thoroughly enjoyed your tribute to the memory of Bob Hope this evening. Well done and well put together. However, when you said that Bob wasn't invited to Bing Crosby's funeral, you were mistaken. Bob was in attendance, and photos of him arriving for the wake and at the gravesite are readily available. Also, when you stated that Bing didn't do USO shows and it hurt Bob, this is also not totally correct. While he wasn't as active as Bob with the USO, Bing did do an extended tour in England and France in the Autumn of 1944. Just wanted to set the record straight and give Crosby his due. Am looking forward to your show with Linda Hope tomorrow evening." |
| David Lobosco |
posted 07/28/03 10:42 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I saw that Larry King tribute as well, and it was Mickey Rooney (making up stories as he does) who said Bing never did a USO show. Rooney kept on talking about himself while the tribute was about Bob Hope! Larry King also said that Bob Hope wasn't invited to Bing's funeral...which is incorrect. I was so angered that I called my fiancee and complained. I taped the Larry King tribute, but I edited out those errors. Mickey Rooney and Jane Russell have both seen better days! |
| Carmela |
posted 07/28/03 11:44 PM Central Time (US) no email address given
I didn't catch the Larry King tribute but I'm fed up with the Bing Bashing. Bing deserves A lot more respect than he gets. I wish he could have lived to be 100 then maybe he might have got more respect. We respect him here. Thanks for this Great Site Steven! |
| Scott T |
posted 07/29/03 03:20 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
Another Legend has passed on this year. Thanks to Bob for 100 Awesome years. His memory will live on. DVDs of his movies. CDs of his radio shows. Bing probably greeted Bob at the gates of heaven and said "Put it there pal!". |
| Tom Degan |
posted 07/29/03 06:13 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I started to tape the Larry King program but wound up stopping the recorder half way through. The Linda Hope interview tonight will no-doubt be better. I can't help but reflecting on the fact that Bob was the last of the great comedians of the golden age of radio. Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Burns and Allen, Edgar Bergen, Bing Crosby - they're all gone now. Heaven must be laughing a little louder tonight. |
| Bob |
posted 07/29/03 09:57 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
The generally negative treatment that Bing continues to receive from the national media, on those rare occasions when they acknowledge that he ever existed, must, by now, be setting some kind of record for kicking a man when he's down. |
| Judy Schmid |
posted 07/29/03 11:23 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
Someone should reference James Cagney's tribute to Bing's work for the USO that has been mentioned on this site - how much Bing gave for the soldiers....hmmm..maybe *I* will. How can supposed 'journalists' continue to get off with such sloppiness? Of course, I'm sure, since I didn't see it, that it was the Mickey Rooney show last night rather than a tribute to Bob Hope. |
| Brian R. Johnson |
posted 07/29/03 11:53 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
A few thoughts on the last 24-hours of coverage on the passing of Bob Hope: First, I didn't feel the sadness that I thought I would. And then, at one point last night I realized why. I didn't feel as though death had cheated us on this. Bob had contributed more to us and to his profession than anyone had a right to expect, and had ceased his career some time ago. As Rush Limbaugh said on his program yesterday, "There's just no better definition of a full life than Bob Hope." With Bing it was different. He could have performed many years more than life allowed. The sloppiness of the reporting is shameful though... It's not like the media didn't have the time to do this right. One AP story said that Bob had made eight two-reel comedies before he got to Hollywood. He actually made one and promptly got fired because he told Walter Winchell that "(Going Spanish) is so bad that when they catch Dillinger they're going to make him watch it... twice." The New York Times obit was written by Vincent Canby and Mr. Canby assumed room-temperature in three years ago. Letterman and Leno both took time out of their shows last night to praise Bob and that is as it should be. CBS and ABC both gave Bob half-hour specials last night (the former in prime-time, the latter on "Niteline") Maybe NBC stands for "Not Bob's Company" anymore. |
| Greg Van Beek |
posted 08/01/03 03:46 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I'd like to share an e-mail I received from a friend who worked for Bob and Dolores Hope from the office at their North Hollywood home up until last year. I think it sums up very well the way many of us feel about Bob: "The passing of Bob Hope is certainly the end of an era. I have only the best of memories of meeting and working for him. He was still very charming and funny even in his last years. A truly remarkable human being and I've been reminded of this again and again as I've watched the many nice tributes to him. He worked in all aspects of show business and through the years performed with every one of my favorite stars. Without exception! What a guy. What an inspiration." May he rest in peace. |