Bob Hope
Born May 29, 1903 (Age: 122)
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Eltham, London, England, UK
Biography
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, and entertainer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films — 54 in which he starred. These included a series of seven Road to... musical comedy films with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner. In addition to hosting the Academy Awards show 19 times, more than any other host, Hope appeared in many stage productions and television roles and wrote 14 books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" was his signature tune. Hope was born in the Eltham district of southeast London. He arrived in the United States with his family at the age of four, and grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. After a brief stint in the late 1910s as a boxer, Hope began his career in show business in the early 1920s, initially as a comedian and dancer on the vaudeville circuit, before acting on Broadway. Hope began appearing on radio and in films starting in 1934. He was praised for his comedic timing, specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes that were often self-deprecating. He helped establish modern American stand-up comedy. Between 1941 and 1991, Hope made 57 tours for the United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining active duty U.S. military personnel around the world. In 1997, the United States Congress passed a bill that made Hope an honorary veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Hope appeared in numerous television specials for NBC during his career and was one of the first users of cue cards. Hope retired from public life in 1998 and died on July 27, 2003, at the age of 100.
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, and entertainer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films — 54 in which he starred. These included a series of seven Road to... musical comedy films with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner.
In addition to hosting the Academy Awards show 19 times, more than any other host, Hope appeared in many stage productions and television roles and wrote 14 books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" was his signature tune.
Hope was born in the Eltham district of southeast London. He arrived in the United States with his family at the age of four, and grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. After a brief stint in the late 1910s as a boxer, Hope began his career in show business in the early 1920s, initially as a comedian and dancer on the vaudeville circuit, before acting on Broadway. Hope began appearing on radio and in films starting in 1934. He was praised for his comedic timing, specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes that were often self-deprecating. He helped establish modern American stand-up comedy.
Between 1941 and 1991, Hope made 57 tours for the United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining active duty U.S. military personnel around the world. In 1997, the United States Congress passed a bill that made Hope an honorary veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Hope appeared in numerous television specials for NBC during his career and was one of the first users of cue cards.
Hope retired from public life in 1998 and died on July 27, 2003, at the age of 100.
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Filmography
Breakdown: 1975
2025
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as Self - Co-Host, 47th Academy Awards (archive footage)
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Age: 122
Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer
2006
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 102
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
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as
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Age: 102
Judy Garland: By Myself
2004
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 100
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Entertaining the Troops: Bob Hope & the USO
2002
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 98
Bob Hope and the Road to Success
2002
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 98
Buñuel in Hollywood
2000
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 96
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
1999
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as (archive footage)
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Age: 96
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
1997
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 94
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Bob Hope: Laughing With the Presidents
1996
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as Self - Co-Host
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Age: 93
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Radio Star - Die AFN-Story
1995
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as Self
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Age: 92
That's Entertainment! III
1994
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as (archive footage)
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Age: 91
Shanks for the Memory
1994
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as
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Age: 91
A Century of Cinema
1994
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as Self
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Age: 90
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Bob Hope's Bag Full of Christmas Memories
1993
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as Self
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Age: 90
Bob Hope's Four-Star Christmas Fiesta from San Antonio
1992
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as Self
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Age: 89
Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Files
1992
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as
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Age: 88
No Image
Stars and Stripes: Hollywood and World War II
1991
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as Self
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Age: 88
Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer from Saudi Arabia
1991
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as Self
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Age: 87
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
1990
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as Self
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Age: 87
Dors: The Other Diana
1990
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as
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Age: 86
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic
1990
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 86
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Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
1990
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as Self
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Age: 86
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Bob Hope's Love Affair with Lucy
1989
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as Self - Host
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Age: 86
Miss Piggy's Hollywood
1989
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as Self
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Age: 85
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Bob Hope's Super Bowl Party!
1989
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as Self
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Age: 85
Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show
1988
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as Self
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Age: 85
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 85
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
1988
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as Self
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Age: 84
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
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as Self
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Age: 84
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Just a Song and Dance
1987
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as
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Age: 84
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
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as Self
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Age: 83
TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines
1986
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as Self
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Age: 82
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
1986
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as Self
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Age: 82
Classic Comedy Teams
1986
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 82
Spies Like Us
1985
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as Self
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Age: 82
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 81
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It's Ho-Ho Hope's Jolly Christmas Hour
1984
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as Self - Host
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Age: 81
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Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny
1982
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as Self
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Age: 78
The George Burns (Early) Early, Early Christmas Special
1981
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as Himself
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Age: 78
A Love Letter to Jack Benny
1981
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as Himself
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Age: 77
A Tribute to Dr. Shock
1980
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 76
Lucy Moves to NBC
1980
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as Self
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Age: 76
The Muppet Movie
1979
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as Ice Cream Vendor
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Age: 76
Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy
1978
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as Self
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Age: 75
Mickey's 50
1978
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as Self
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Age: 75
Pat Boone and Family: A Thanksgiving Special
1978
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as Self
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Age: 75
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
1978
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as Self
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Age: 75
No Image
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
1977
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as Host / Barf Vader
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Age: 74
No Image
The George Burns One-Man Show
1977
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as Self
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Age: 74
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Ann-Margret: Rhinestone Cowgirl
1977
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as Self
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Age: 73
The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here?
1977
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as Self
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Age: 73
Bob Hope's Comedy Christmas Special
1976
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as
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Age: 73
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Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular
1976
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as Self
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Age: 73
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
1975
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as Self
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Age: 72
Hearts and Minds
1974
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 71
No Image
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
1974
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as Self - Host
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Age: 71
Ann-Margret: When You're Smiling
1973
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as Self
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Age: 69
The Bob Hope Mardi Gras Special
1973
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as Self - Host
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Age: 69
No Image
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
1973
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as Commentator
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Age: 69
Cancel My Reservation
1972
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as Dan Bartlett
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Age: 69
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 68
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Festival at Ford's
1971
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as Self
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Age: 68
The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World
1971
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as Self
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Age: 68
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The Great Radio Comedians
1971
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 67
No Image
The Bob Hope Christmas Special
1971
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as Self
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Age: 67
No Image
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
1970
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as Self
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Age: 67
Honor America Day
1970
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as Self
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Age: 67
No Image
Roberta
1969
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as Huck Haines
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Age: 66
How to Commit Marriage
1969
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as Frank Benson
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Age: 66
Carnival Nights
1968
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as Self
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Age: 64
Rowan & Martin at the Movies
1968
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as Self
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Age: 64
No Image
Murder at N.B.C.
1966
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as
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Age: 63
No Image
Bob Hope Christmas Show
1965
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as Self
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Age: 62
The Jack Benny Hour
1965
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as Bob Hope / Marcello
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Age: 62
I'll Take Sweden
1965
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as Bob Holcomb
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Age: 62
The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour
1964
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as Bill Blakely
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Age: 60
A Global Affair
1964
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as Frank Larrimore
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Age: 60
The Sound of Laughter
1963
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as Bing Fawcett - Plumber
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Age: 60
A Bob Hope Comedy Special
1963
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as Self
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Age: 60
Call Me Bwana
1963
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as Matt
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Age: 60
Critic's Choice
1963
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as Parker Ballantine
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Age: 59
The Road to Hong Kong
1962
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as Chester Babcock
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Age: 58
The Bing Crosby Show
1961
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as Self
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Age: 58
Bachelor in Paradise
1961
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as Adam J. Niles
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Age: 58
Project XX: The Story of Will Rogers
1961
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as Self - Narrator
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Age: 57
The Facts of Life
1960
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as Larry Gilbert
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Age: 57
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
1960
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as Self
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Age: 56
Alias Jesse James
1959
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as Milford Farnsworth
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Age: 55
No Image
Some of Manie's Friends
1959
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as
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Age: 55
The All-Star Christmas Show
1958
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as Self
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Age: 55
Paris Holiday
1958
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as Robert Leslie Hunter
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Age: 54
The Bob Hope Chevy Show
1956
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as Himself/Ricky Ricardo
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Age: 53
The Iron Petticoat
1956
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as Captain Chuck Lockwood
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Age: 53
That Certain Feeling
1956
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as Francis X. Dignan
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Age: 53
The Awful Truth
1956
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as Jerry Warner
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Age: 52
Showdown at Ulcer Gulch
1956
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as Influential Man
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Age: 52
The Seven Little Foys
1955
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as Eddie Foy
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Age: 52
Playing Fields Association: Cricket
1955
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as Self
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Age: 52
Casanova's Big Night
1954
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as Pippo Popolino
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Age: 50
Here Come the Girls
1953
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as Stanley Snodgrass
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Age: 50
Scared Stiff
1953
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as Skeleton (uncredited)
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Age: 49
Fancy Pants
1950
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as Humphrey / Arthur Tyler
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Age: 47
No Image
Screen Actors
1950
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as Self (uncredited)
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Age: 46
You Can Change The World
1950
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as Self
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Age: 46
Hollywood Victory Caravan
1945
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as Bob Hope
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Age: 42
Story of G.I. Joe
1945
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as Bob Hope (Voice on Radio Program) (voice) (uncredited)
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Age: 42
No Image
Road to Home
1945
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as Self
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Age: 42
The All-Star Bond Rally
1945
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as Self - Host
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Age: 41
Road to Morocco
1942
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as Orville Jackson
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Age: 39
Bob's Busy Day
1942
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as Bob
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Age: 39
My Favorite Blonde
1942
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as Larry Haines
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Age: 38
Star Spangled Rhythm
1942
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as Bob Hope
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Age: 38
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 4
1942
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as Self
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Age: 38
Louisiana Purchase
1941
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as Jim Taylor
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Age: 38
Nothing but the Truth
1941
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as Steve Bennett
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Age: 38
Caught in the Draft
1941
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as Don Bolton
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Age: 38
Road to Zanzibar
1941
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as Hubert 'Fearless' Frazier
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Age: 37