In this 1942 photo, Hope dons the uniform of a ticket taker in the Presidio of San Francisco Post Theatre to take tickets for his own broadcast show. Raquel Welch teamed up with Bob Hope and others in 1967 and traveled to Saigon, Vietnam, to perform a TV special. Here's a look at 10 of the greatest performers to grace the USO stage. Here, Hope performs for troops in the Persian Gulf in 1990. Find another USO location . In 1964, Hope took the first of nine USO trips to Vietnam to record special holiday episodes of his show and he never went alone. Vicki Lawrence. Joining him on this trip were entertainers Rosemary Clooney, Brooke Shields, Les Brown and his band, LaToya Jackson and Miss Universe 1990. Bobby Crane uses his experience, knowledge and kind demeanor to make every soldier and military family member feel at home. Decades after the USOs creation, Hope is still legendary, thanks to the USO shows he started performing during World War II at a time when international phone calls home were impossible and Internet access wasnt even a concept. The appearance of DoD visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. The USO relies on your support to help service members and their families. But then her mother, Bob Hopes wife Dolores Hope, always put it in perspective for her. Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra appear as baseball players in a comedy sketch. We rely on our volunteers to ensure that our troops are cared for ands, For troop movements, whether getting on a plane or a bus, Bob Hope USO Volunteers form a Sandwich Brigade and, like an assembly line,cre, For most of us, the holidays are a time for families to unite and come together. During that same May 1979 show, Diahann Carroll danced on stage with Bob Hope. Consisting of sisters LaVerne, Maxene, and Patty, the group was quite active from the late 1930s into the early 50s, and boasted sales of more than 75 million records over the groups career. When the USO was founded in 1941 and Hope began performing, he provided a crucial link to home for military families. Fort Irwin, CA, 92310. In fact, Hopes Christmastime specials were so popular that his 1970 holiday broadcast still stands as one of the most popular television episodes of all time. Here, he holds his legendary golf club while performing for troops using a megaphone in 1990. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. You can always blame the bombs on the enemy., And at the USO, too: The USO and I have had a wonderful relationship over the years, extending to all parts of the world. :27 Easter based entertainments that aren't biblical epics", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Hope_television_specials&oldid=1126167914, This page was last edited on 7 December 2022, at 22:34. Though the performer loved the boys as much as they loved her, she had a special bond with the Special Forces. Bob Hope knew what it meant to be away from home during the holidays. And the USO is there for every dignified transfer. Service members can walk into participating USO locations, record themselves reading their childs favorite story and have that recording shipped home. With so many of our service members deployed overseas, many, Military Spouse Appreciation Nights provides fun, interactive social events that provide opportunities for military spouses to connect,est, Our Bob Hope USO Programs Team hosts weekly scavenger hunts for MilKids in Southern California, and across the United States. During December 1987, Bob Hope headed back overseas on yet another USO Holiday Tour. Though he wore many hats as an entertainer, starting out as a dancer, film actor, and radio comedian, Bob Hope is perhaps best remembered as the driving force behind the USO . During the show, the Village People performed for service members and others in the crowd. This page is not available in other languages. Bob Hope entertains our troops at his annual USO tour of Southeast Asian military bases. Im not sure he touched them in the same way that he did in World War II, she added, wistfully. Although World War II came to an end in the later months of 1945, Bob Hope continued his mission of entertaining service members for several months and years to come. Thats a better legacy and use of the money he put in the foundationto do some good.. Frank and Janis sing several tunes and Bob tries to convince a teenaged Natalie Wood that she needs to date more mature men (such as he). As a USO Grafenwoehr volunteer, Army Staff Sgt. Vietnam War Bob Hope Show Photo, The Adventures of Bob Hope Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) Comics and Graphic Novels & TPBs Not Signed, Les Brown Self - orchestrator Anita Bryant Self Jerry Colonna Self Vic Damone Self Phyllis Diller Self Reita Faria Self - as Miss World Billy Graham Self Johnny Grant Self Joey Heatherton Self Tippi Hedren Self Jack Jones Self Korean Kittens Themselves Les Brown and His Band of Renown Themselves Diane McBain Self The Nicholas Brothers Themselves Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. With Bob Hope, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Ursula Andress, Ann-Margret. Get to know the legendary Bob Hope and his 50 years of work with the USO entertaining troops through these rare 11 photos from the USO archives. I think one cant be near that in large doses and not be touched. Bob Hope and Lola Falana, right, perform for thousands of U.S. troops stationed in Vietnam in 1970. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Hope would do 57 USO tours, including 48 Christmas shows, going out during every major conflict . The sisters performed extensively for troops of the Allied forces during World War II, frequently singing their hit song, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, as part of their USO performances. Bob Hopes USO shows were a staple for many decades, entertaining generations of military personnel in the United States Armed Forces. The name Bob Hope just seems to be synonymous with the USO, as Hope devoted so much time to the organization and the troops. Connie Stevens, 77, has a similar view of the Bob Hope USO shows. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. I mean, its amazing how high the morale is. Instead, Martin and his wife met with service members and signed autographs. | The USO relies on your support to help service members and their families. Bob would say, Come here, lets do this, and wed go into one of our little bits. Just nine months after the United States entered World War II, Bob Hope embarked on the first-ever USO tour by traveling to Alaska to entertain members of the Armed Forces. Here, during that same trip, Bob Hope and Ann Gillian perform for service members on the USS Guam during the 1983 USO Holiday Tour. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). By 1939, Bob Hope was already a pretty big star in radio and television. On his last overseas USO tour to the Middle East in 1990, Bob Hope was joined by baseball legend Johnny Bench. This story appears in the Spring 2016 issue of On Patrol, the magazine of the USO. The first Bob Hope USO Christmas Show for the troops was in December of 1948, during the Berlin Airlift. This program includes footage - previously unreleased - which was obtained from various armed services sources, as well as excerpts from previous . Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. JOIN YOUR LOCAL USO AND THE LA RAMS OUTREACH TEAM AT A PLAY60 FOOTBALL EVENT FOR KIDS! In 1938, Bob Hope was selected as star and host for The Pepsodent Show broadcast on NBC after working for many years building a successful career from vaudeville to Broadway, radio, and film. In the Second World War, Rooney served with special services in the U.S. Army for nearly two years, earning a Bronze Star Medal. Actress Brooke Shields recalls having an awesome time with Bob Hope, too. Shore, a polio survivor who overcame a limp caused by the disease, unwittingly earned the nickname Dinah when a disc jockey heard her sing Ethel Waters Dinah during an audition. Being stationed overseas can be difficult for every member of a military family, but especially for military children, who often have to constantly adapt to new environments and remain resilient through every new move. Many of the service members in the crowd during this last USO tour had a grandfather who had seen Hope perform in WWII or Korea, as well as a father who had seen Hope perform in Vietnam. She recalled that she and Hope were once on a plane on Christmas Eve. Here, the pair entertain service members during the holiday season. | Furthermore, the USOs Southern California service area is aptly called the Bob Hope USO, in honor of the legendary entertainer who resided there for decades. During that same USO trip to Japan and Korea, Bob Hope sits with men of the X Corps as members of his troupe entertain the crowd in Wonsan, Korea, on October 26, 1950. Hopes legacy lives on at the USO not only in the entertainment of the troops, but also in his unshakeable belief in and dedication to expressing gratitude to Americas service members for the sacrifices they make every day on behalf of this country. In the past decade alone, the USO has sent big-name stars like Scarlett Johannsen, Chris Evans, Daughtry, Elizabeth Banks, Ray Allen, Wilmer Valderrama, Meghan Markle, Dianna Agron and more to brighten the faces of deployed military members today. USA & International; Australia; Canada; France; Germany; Italy; Spain; United Kingdom; And hed tell all of us that with the DoD and the USO well be as safe as possible.. The Andrews Sisters. Aside from Hopes impact as a performer, the true testament to Hopes influence can be seen in the number of actors, comedians, musicians and athletes today who eagerly volunteer to join a USO show or tour. In honor of Womens History Month, were looking back at some of the famous females who have helped shape the history of the USO. Please support The Veterans Site by adding us to your ad blockers whitelist ads help us to provide food and supplies to veterans. . Bob Hope, Raquel Welch, Elaine Dunn, Miss World Madeleine Bel and Barbara McNair head out on the December 1967 Bob Hope Holiday Tour. The appearance of DoD visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. In 2015, after recognizing the need for an increased presence in military communities both stateside and abroad, the USO launched an aggressive center expansion effort to bring connectivity, entertainment and programming to more service members and families. There were so many men down in this black ocean. Seabee Ron Ronning, 19, and his fellow naval construction buddies worked around the clock to build a runway for Bob Hopes C-141. According to Vietnam Magazine, Welch joined Hope on stage to add a few crowd-pleasing dance moves to his rendition of Dancing in the Streets. Scroll down to watch Welchs solo performance from that 1967 show. It was a very interesting experience because of all the restrictions in the Middle Eastrespecting all their religious [traditions], she said. You felt like you were renewed, he said. The beloved Bob Hope USO Shows. Message & data rates may apply. Driving Force Behind the USO Tours. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice. From his first show at March Field in Riverside, California, in 1941, to his final USO tour in 1990 to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as part . I think it has to do with laughter.. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken the lives of nearly 7,000 American service members. I guess its kind of special to me, like having a grandchild, she said in a UPI story. Almost 50 years after his first performances for the troops, Bob Hope headed, once again, to the Middle East. In fact, from the South Pacific I still get Christmas cards from old diseases!, Linda Hope, left, produced her fathers USO tours toward the end of his career and joined him on his final tour in 1990 during the Gulf War. In late 1942, Bob Hope headed on his first USO tour outside of the continental U.S. to Alaska, which was then a U.S. territory. In the summer of 1944, Bob Hope and his troupe took their USO show to the Pacific arena, hopping from island to island. In the 1940s and 1950s, Hope often did his radio show from military bases overseas. His commitment to the troops was evident not only in how many years he performed USO shows, but also in how determined he was to bring a smile to a soldiers face and how enthusiastic he was about performing for military audiences. Martha Raye entertains troops on a USO tour to Vietnam in 1970. Hope passed away less than six years later, on July 27 2003, at the age of 100. Photo credit Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona, Hope hosted a special recording of the Pepsodent Show,, reluctantly beginning to appear more regularly on television, service members returning home from Korea on the USS Boxer, USO Bob Hope Christmas Show experiences, his 1970 holiday broadcast still stands as one of the most popular television episodes, final Bob Hope Christmas Show from Vietnam was recorded in 1972, stole the show with her performance of White Christmas, Veterans Share Their Memories of Bob Hope USO Christmas Shows, A New Look at Bob Hope: 11 Rare Photos from the USO Archives, USO Shows In Prose: Entertainment During World War II, Programs for Service Members and Their Families. While the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander during the Second World War, Hope never served in the military himself. Crouch II joined government, nonprofit and corporate leaders at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle to open a dialogue about how best to help transitioning veterans reintegrate into the civilian workforce and their communities. During the Vietnam War, it was difficult for Hope to secure talent to travel with, but this did not deter him. Despite the death of LaVerne in 1967, the Andrews Sisters remained active until disbanding in 1975. Similarly, Navy records show that on December 23, 1947, Hope hosted a special recording of the Pepsodent Show, at Corona Naval Hospital, California in front of a military audience. Remember the boys and girls whose fathers may never come back.. Ontario International Airport, West Wing Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. Variety Girl (1947) (with Bing Crosby and Paramount Pictures all-star cast) as Bob Hope Where There's Life (1947) (with William Bendix) as Michael Joseph Valentine Road to Rio (1947) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Hot Lips Barton The Paleface (1948) (with Jane Russell) as 'Painless' Peter Potter Bob Hope's first radio show for the U.S. Armed Forces was broadcast from March Field in Riverside, California. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). Heres a look at 10 of the greatest performers to grace the USO stage. He brought such enthusiasm, brought your life back to you. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BOB HOPE SIGNED PROGRAM INSERT 1975 USO MAN OF THE YEAR DINNER at the best online prices at eBay! When these celebrities sacrifice their time to travel to places such as Iraq, Afghanistan or South Korea and meet one-on-one with our nations military, they are joining the ranks of countless others who saw the selflessness and impact of Hope and his career that was almost entirely dedicated to those who serve. ' During the Vietnam War, Sinatra visited and sang for troops at the U.S. military bases near Saigon. And his buddies kept asking him if shes got a sister!, Hed also poke fun at himself: Working in a war zone is great for a comedian. Singer. The USO in Florida is coming up with creative ways to support service members, such as with therapy dog visits to USO centers to keep morale and spirits high. Victoria Dawn Addams - entertained the troops in Korea December 1952/January 1953 We went to the local parish school, Linda said. As an actor, Rooney appeared in over 300 films, his career spanning from the late 1930s until he passed away in 2014. He had the same caring attitude. These included a series of seven Road to . Palm Springs, CA 92262, 1940 East Moore Way He couldnt remember the up-and-comers name, so he called her the Dinah girl. It stuck throughout her more than 50 years in entertainment. Frances Langford, the singer. Bob Hope USO Headquarters. During her second tour, lasting 11 months, she entertained near the front in France and Germany.. Bob Hope and Claudette Colbert smile with sailors at Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona. Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with the USO knows a little about the history of Bob Hope USO shows. I never thought to find out his name. The namesake of our organization, Bob Hope was a legendary American entertainer, actor, showman, comedian and philanthropist. Hope moved to Bristol before emigrating with his parents to the USA in 1908. Her acting career contains a recurring James Bond credit: she played General Gogol's assistant Rubelvitch in the films The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, and Octopussy. As the USO celebrates its 75th anniversary, On Patrol asked USO tour veteransactors, musicians, athletes, authors, cartoonists and even a Muppet or twowhy they stepped up to support our military and their families. He started his career in the 1920s as a vaudeville comedian, but was needed to bring laughter to a different kind of venue. You know, they just jumped up at it.. Who started USO? 20 Year old beauty pageant winner from Vienna, Austria. For service members on the front lines who were dealing with the daily stresses and dangers of being in a war zone, Hopes USO shows provided a brief moment of levity in otherwise dark and challenging times. Owned and operated by CharityUSA.com, LLC. During the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and again when the Korean War began in 1950, Hope joined the USO to support the men and women of the US Armed Forces. His secretary would sit down with him every week or two, and he would dictate responses to be typed up and mailed off. A year later, in San Diego, Hope recorded a December episode of his show in front of service members returning home from Korea on the USS Boxer. Connie Stevens, right, was just a one of the many stars who joined Bob Hope on his USO tours around the globe. Fun fact: After 1948, Hopes radio show changed names to The Bob Hope Show. Over the next few decades, his various specials on television and radio would fall under several names and iterations of this new show name. We had a regular life, and then all of a sudden wed see Dad up on stage, singing and dancing and telling jokes and everybody laughing and having a good time in hangars. I remember saying, Why does Dad always have to be away? As time went by and Hopes shows became more of a staple, he assembled a team of regular collaborators: Tony Romano, the musician. The words thank you are simply not enough when we talk about all Bob Hope did for the troops and the USO. USO centers have served and supported military members and their families for the past 75 years. But Hope and his USO gangs presence on the tiny island was about much more than entertainment. Jayne Mansfield. Throughout the 1960s, Bob Hope hosted several other USO Holiday Tours. At its heart, The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families is also a rare opportunity for military families to relax, dance, laugh and spend quality time together. Communication wasnt instantaneous like it is today. It was pretty awesome, frankly.. The number of men and women deployed to the front lines may be fewer today, but the USO is becoming more expeditionary to meet their needs. For our troops and military families, however, theholiday, Bob Hope USO is proud to provide no-cost tickets to major sports and entertainment events in Southern California, free of charge tomembers, Bob Hope USO maintains teams of specially trained volunteers, on call 24/7, when service members make the ultimate sacrifice. -This story was originally published on USO.org in 2019. Photo credit USO Archives. We will be meeting at the Joshua Tree Visitors Center (off of Smoketree and 62 - Freedom Way Plaza), Fort Irwin National Training Center, Center, 21 Langford Lake Rd, Hope set a precedent for all entertainers who followed in his path. Bob Hope Actor | The Ghost Breakers Comedian Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, London, England, the fifth of seven sons of Avis (Townes), light opera singer, and William Henry Hope, a stonemason from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The final Bob Hope Christmas Show from Vietnam was recorded in 1972. She danced in USO tours in Korea in 1954 and 1956.) Starting bid: US $5.00 [ 0 bids] Shipping: $8.25 Economy Shipping | See . Los Angeles International Airport Then, all of a sudden, the sunlight came out.. In 1991, the USO celebrated its 50th anniversary year. Bob Hope's USO shows were a staple for many decades, entertaining generations of military personnel in the United States Armed Forces. This tradition began in 1941, when he performed a radio show at March Field in Riverside, California. The remains of each one of them have first returned to American soil at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. On that island it was 113 degrees every day, said Ronning, now 63 and a former mayor of Appleton, Minnesota. The comedian and actor participated in 57 USO tours, visiting military members during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the first Gulf War. Two years later, Bob and his wife Dolores Hope headed on their final USO tour, again to the Middle East, and hosted their last Bob Hope Christmas Show for service members deployed as part of Operation Desert Shield. In retrospect, it was these performances that endeared Hope into the hearts and minds of patriotic citizens for years to come. It was a . Menu. Photo credit Bob Hope Legacy LLC. I wish I had pictures to show my kids. Offered through Bob Hope USO. Hopes last USO tour was in 1990, when he visited service members deployed to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield. He got a Jeep, got (singer) Frances Langford and (comedian) Jerry Colonna and found the platoon and did a half-hour show., Service members often went to great lengths to see a show.Rob Struck was a 21-year-old mail clerk when he hopped in the back of a Jeep in Phuoc Binh and rode for over two hours to Long Binh, a sprawling U.S. Army base in Vietnam, to see Hopes 1970 Christmas Day show. Linda got a firsthand taste of USO tours when she began producing her fathers television specials, something she did for the last 20 years of his performances. Things change. Here, Bob Hope performs on stage in 1991 at a celebratory event. Apparently, this worked to Dolores advantage as she stole the show with her performance of White Christmas. It was always something he felt compelled to do.. The legendary entertainer dedicated his talents to our service members by bringing a bit of home wherever he went. Though he wore many hats as an entertainer, starting out as a dancer, film actor, and radio comedian, Bob Hope is perhaps best remembered as the driving force behind the USO tours that featured the United States greatest entertainers traveling to show their support for the troops and lift the spirits of those fighting on the front lines. Message & data rates may apply. Message & data rates may apply. musical comedy films with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner. United States Congress conferred the unique honor of being an honorary veteran on Bob Hope in 1997. I can honestly say being able to attend the 1970 Bob Hope Christmas Show in Long Binh was the highlight of my Vietnam tour.. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. Another guy named ski let me take his spot as he had seen it the year before. Here, he and his troupe - including actress Ann-Margret, NFL great RoseyGrier, Gen. Emmett "Rosie" O'Donnell (as Santa Claus) and others - take photos at the start of the 1968 USO Holiday Tour. I wouldnt have been able to go and produce the show if my father hadnt been there to oversee me and be responsible for me, even though I was the one doing all the business and the work to set up things to protect him and all the cast and crew., To see him on the backs of trucks and doing shows, climbing on ammo crates and in and out of helicopters, it was really inspiring for me, she said. TogetherWeServed.com Inc. All Rights Reserved | Not a U.S. Government Website. He taught me how to serve my country, Stevens said of Hope. Dancer. 20002023 The Veterans Site and GreaterGood. The government would build and lease buildings and citizens would staff and fund centers through the newly formed USO. For over 50 years, the USO and NFL have joined forces to keep service members connected to family, home and country. 20 Year old beauty pageant winner from Vienna, Austria. I saw the Bob Hope USO show in Chu Lai Vietnam in December of 1967. Clip from Bob Hope USO tour Cu Chi Vietnam 1968.DVD series available at Time/Life -This story was originally published on USO.org in 2018. Being stationed overseas can be difficult for every member of a military family, but especially for military children, who often have to constantly adapt to new environments and remain resilient through every new move. Photo: Flickr/Peabody Awards Johnny Bench, Bob Hope, Ann Jillian and others pose outside of a plane in 1990. He received thousands of letters over the years. The show included Marie Osmond, Glen Campbell, George C. Scott, Brooke Shields, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mary Martin, Mickey Rooney, and Robert Ulrich. Although Hope hosted his last USO tour in 1990, the tradition he began of entertaining service members during the holidays still continues at the USO today. Soon after, he began traveling overseas to visit troops in the European and Pacific Theatres. The legendary comedian traveled the world, visiting remote outposts in Alaska, dangerous battle zones in Beirut and isolated battleships in faraway seas to put on USO shows. He was coming off The Big Broadcast of 1938, where he first sang his soon-to-be signature song, Thanks for the Memory. List of entertainers who performed for American troops in Vietnam, Soapography, "Rick Springfield and Kimberly McCullough", aired June 16, 2007, on SOAPnet, "List of entertainers who performed for American troops in Vietnam", Learn how and when to remove this template message, Denise Perrier (African American Female Entertainers in Vietnam), The Ralph Kimbrough and Dee Steele Show (1969), On the Road: USO Shows: Bob Hope and American Variety (Library of Congress), Bob Hope's Overseas Christmas Tours: Around the World with the Troops 19411972 (1980)(TV) (IMDb.com), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_entertainers_who_performed_for_American_troops_in_Vietnam&oldid=1126390848, Quintessence 1970 (Clive and Stanley Romney, Sheryl Albiston, Jack McDonald, Ruth Sorensen), This page was last edited on 9 December 2022, at 02:50. Ann-Margret. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. According to Hope himself, this effort was undertaken because he was expressly asked by the Pentagon. Linda works through the Bob and Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation and its programs to ensure her fathers memory and contributions will not be forgotten. It was miserable there. Life goes on, she said. I think whatever he was involved with was the favorite tour.. Throughout the 1970s, Bob Hope continued entertaining troops all around the world. According to the Library of Congress, Marlene Dietrich made two overseas USO tours. He had complete commitment and real respect for them.According to Shields, Hopes legacy is Humanity for our men and women in uniform.. There were a lot of those., Some letters were more serious, she said. Johnny Grant, Jayne Mansfield, Bob Hope, Hedda Hopper and others on a Holiday USO tour in 1957. Miss World 1969, Actress - Bob Hope Christmas show 1969. In 1997, by act of Congress and with the signature of President Bill Clinton, Hope was made and "Honorary Veteran."

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