← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · il ragno
Thread ID: 6995 | Posts: 5 | Started: 2003-05-30
2003-05-30 03:21 | User Profile
Not sure how such sentiments will go over on a board like OD but I didn't want May 29th to go by without an acknowledgment of Bob Hope's 100th birthday.
I realize a USO entertainer is not a combatant but Bob Hope is a special case. That he spent 50 years going wherever American servicemen were, to try and make their load a little lighter and give them a little entertainment and taste of home when they were far from their loved ones and home towns....that he never ducked a field hospital or burn unit to comfort the maimed and fallen....that he even felt a responsibility to do so, even at age 88 when he toured the desert for Gulf War I, when he could easily have passed the torch to younger, fitter men....this was an honorable man and a patriot, however misguided you may feel those wars themselves were.
Hope's unscripted responses to questions about his USO experiences reflect his deep compassion & gratitude for the young men who put themselves in harm's way. I couldn't let May 30th creep up on us without a 'thanks for the memories'.
Besides, I happen to enjoy his 40s movies enormously as well. It's a disgrace that Universal (who now control the rights to his classic Paramount films) refused to lease them for viewing to the several cable stations requesting them for commemorative Bob Hope marathons. Geez, you'd think you wouldn't be able to avoid the ROAD movies today, of all days - instead, you can't even find one being broadcast .
2003-05-30 03:38 | User Profile
Originally posted by il ragno@May 29 2003, 23:21 It's a disgrace that Universal (who now control the rights to his classic Paramount films) refused to lease them for viewing to the several cable stations requesting them for commemorative Bob Hope marathons. Geez, you'd think you wouldn't be able to avoid the ROAD movies today, of all days - instead, you can't even find one being broadcast .
What was the motivation for that decision by the studio? Greed/money?
I never paid much attention to Bob Hope, just never felt the urge, but I agree with the direction of the sentiments you express, since he is one of the "old school" Hollywood types who always conducted himself with a degree of honor and class and self-respect. No drug use, no criminal or self-destructive behavior or other scandals to be had from him.
Your assessment above confirms what I'd always thought--that Hope used his fame and "star power" to do good (as best as he was able to determine what "The Good" was), and he never deliberately abused his influence or indulged in any narrow self-aggrandizement.
2003-05-30 03:52 | User Profile
What was the motivation for that decision by the studio? Greed/money?
My understanding is yes: why give the public someting for free when there's a commemorative to drive the selling of tapes/dvds?
2003-05-31 03:40 | User Profile
I like ol' Bob very much. I always enjoyed his Road pictures with Bing Crosby (another old school entertainer I like - the man could really croon), even when I was a kid. Hope's wisecracking coward character worked because of his impeccable comic timing. Plus, he's a decent, honorable man who sacrificed many a Christmas with his family. God bless him.
Hope. Crosby. Stewart. Wayne. Mitchum.
Pitt. Clooney. Affleck. Damon. Reeves.
Sigh.....
:(
2003-05-31 03:59 | User Profile
not a hope fan. always considered vastly overrated compared to crosby... similar with one-trick lewis vs martin... but few truly neg vibes.
almost miss the duke (kind of a statist). miss gable and coop. stewart was decent man, not convinced was always hot actor.
ladd, widmark, lee marvin and mitchum were cool. kinda liked vincent price (he named some names albeit in private).
unfortunately imho most comedians are fags or commies or both.