Bob Hope
Known for Acting · 289 credits
- Born
- 1903-05-29
- Died
- 2003-07-27
- Place of birth
- Eltham, London, England, UK
- Also known as
- Leslie Townes Hope
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.
Known For
TV Shows (58)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self / Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Simpsons
1989
as Bob Hope (voice)
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self - Co-Host
Late Night with David Letterman
1982
as Self
Great Performances
1971
as Self
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
The Red Skelton Show
1951
as Bob Hope
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
as Self - Host
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Presenter
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
What's My Line?
1950
as Self
Pebble Mill
1991
as Self
Tony Awards
1956
as Self
Get Smart
1965
as Room Service Attendant (uncredited)
The Lucy Show
1962
as Plumber's Assistant
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
as Self (uncredited) / Self - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
I Love Lucy
1951
as Bob Hope
Midi trente
1972
as Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self / Self - Host
The Golden Girls
1985
as Bob Hope
Highway to Heaven
1984
as Sycopomp
The Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self - Host
Dinah!
1974
as Self
The Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Guest
Kraft Music Hall
1958
as Self
People's Choice Awards
1975
as Self - Presenter
The Oscars
1953
as Self
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
as Self (uncredited) / Self (uncredited)
Cinépanorama
1956
as Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1957
as Self
The Muppet Show
1976
as Self - Special Guest Star
The Jack Benny Program
1950
as Bob Hope / Bob Hope / Clyde
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Self - Lux Video Theatre Guest / Self - Intermission Guest
Donny & Marie
1976
as Self
The Thin Man
1957
as Self (uncredited)
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Self
The Hollywood Palace
1964
as Self
Screen Director's Playhouse
1955
as Bob Hope (uncredited)
V.I.P. Schaukel
1971
as Self
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
1969
as Self
The Johnny Cash Show
1969
as Self
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1973
as Self
The Barbara McNair Show
1969
as Self
The Dick Clark Show
1958
as Self
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
1980
as Self
The Danny Thomas Hour
1967
as Makeup Man
The Jim Henson Hour
1989
as Self
O.J.: Made in America
2016
as Self (archive footage)
The Pruitts of Southampton
1966
as Library Patron
The DuPont Show of the Week
1961
as Self
The Captain and Tennille
1976
as Self - Guest
Treffpunkte
1970
as Self
Project XX
1954
as Narrator
Frank Sinatra Show
1957
as Self
Talking Comedy
The Chevy Show
1955
as Self
Movies (231)
The Muppet Movie
1979
as Ice Cream Vendor
Breakdown: 1975
2025
as Self - Co-Host, 47th Academy Awards (archive footage)
Let Poland Be Poland
1982
as Self
The Greatest Show on Earth
1952
as Spectator (uncredited)
Spies Like Us
1985
as Self
Combat America
1943
as Self
Hollywood Victory Caravan
1945
as Bob Hope
The Ghost Breakers
1940
as Larry Lawrence
The Oscar
1966
as Bob Hope
That's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)
Vaudeville
1997
as Self (archive footage)
Alias Jesse James
1959
as Milford Farnsworth
Buñuel in Hollywood
2000
as Self (archive footage)
Casanova's Big Night
1954
as Pippo Popolino
Mitzi & 100 Guys
1975
as Self
My Favorite Spy
1951
as Peanuts White / Eric Augustine
Mansfield 66/67
2017
Sally
2025
as Self (archive footage)
Cancel My Reservation
1972
as Dan Bartlett
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self - Host
Howard
2018
as Orville 'Turkey' Jackson (archive footage)
Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Files
1992
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Judy Garland: By Myself
2004
as Self (archive footage)
Variety Girl
1947
as Bob Hope
Call Me Bwana
1963
as Matt
NBC: The First Fifty Years
1976
as Self
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Royal Variety Performance 1977
1977
as Self
Star Spangled Rhythm
1942
as Bob Hope
The Paleface
1948
as 'Painless' Peter Potter
Bob Hope: The Vietnam Years 1964-1972
as Bob Hope
Nothing but the Truth
1941
as Steve Bennett
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
1966
as Self - USO Christmas Show (archive footage) (uncredited)
Christmas in Hollywood
2003
as Self (archive footage)
The Road to Hong Kong
1962
as Chester Babcock
A Welcome to Britain
1943
as Self (uncredited)
A Century of Cinema
1994
as Self
Liberation
1994
as Self (archive footage)
Road to Morocco
1942
as Orville Jackson
My Favorite Brunette
1947
as Ronnie Jackson
I'll Take Sweden
1965
as Bob Holcomb
This Is Bob Hope...
2017
as Self (archive footage)
Off Limits
1952
as Wally Hogan
Bachelor in Paradise
1961
as Adam J. Niles
Scared Stiff
1953
as Skeleton (uncredited)
How to Commit Marriage
1969
as Frank Benson
Joys
1976
as Self
Road to Bali
1952
as Harold Gridley
Rowan & Martin at the Movies
1968
as Self
The Great Lover
1949
as Freddie Hunter
Showdown at Ulcer Gulch
1956
as Influential Man
Eight on the Lam
1967
as Henry Dimsdale
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
2014
as Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope Comedy Special
1967
Raquel!
1970
as Self
The Princess and the Pirate
1944
as Sylvester the Great
Never Say Die
1939
as John Kidley
Mickey's 50
1978
as Self
The Big Broadcast of 1938
1938
as Buzz Fielding
Richard
1972
as Self (archive)
The Iron Petticoat
1956
as Captain Chuck Lockwood
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
The Best of Johnny Carson
2010
as Self (archive footage)
Just a Song and Dance
1987
Bob Hope: The First 90 Years
1993
as Self
Dors: The Other Diana
1990
Jayne Mansfield: The Tragedy of a Blonde
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Hearts and Minds
1974
as Self (archive footage)
Sorrowful Jones
1949
as Humphrey "Sorrowful" Jones
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
as Self (archive footage)
They Got Me Covered
1943
as Robert Kittredge
James Bond: The First 21 Years
1983
as Self
The Cat and the Canary
1939
as Wally Campbell
Beau James
1957
as Mayor James J. 'Jimmy' Walker
Critic's Choice
1963
as Parker Ballantine
Son of Paleface
1952
as Peter Potter Jr.
Give Me a Sailor
1938
as Jim Brewster
Fancy Pants
1950
as Humphrey
Elf: Christmas in Tinseltown
2004
as Self (archive)
You Can Change The World
1950
as Self
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
2021
as Self (archive footage)
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
as Self (archive footage)
That Certain Feeling
1956
as Francis X. Dignan
Ann-Margret: Rhinestone Cowgirl
1977
as Self
The Hollywood Clowns
1979
as Self (archive footage)
Where There's Life
1947
as Michael Joseph Valentine
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
1968
as Sgt. Dan O'Farrell
The Seven Little Foys
1955
as Eddie Foy
Here Come the Girls
1953
as Stanley Snodgrass
Road to Zanzibar
1941
as Fearless
Classic Comedy Teams
1986
as Self (archive footage)
The Fabulous Allan Carr
2017
as Self (archive)
A Global Affair
1964
as Frank Larrimore
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
as Self (archive footage)
Story of G.I. Joe
1945
as Bob Hope (Voice on Radio Program) (voice) (uncredited)
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
1997
as Self (archive footage)
Honor America Day
1970
as Self
Swing Out, Sweet Land
1970
as Self
Road to Utopia
1946
as Chester Hooton
Showbiz Goes to War
1982
as Self (archive footage)
Edith Head: The Paramount Years
2002
as Self (archive footage)
A Tribute to Dr. Shock
1980
as Self (archive footage)
College Swing
1938
as Bud Brady
Bob Hope: The Road to Laughter
2003
as Self (archive footage)
Show-Business at War
1943
as Self
Bob Hope's Bag Full of Christmas Memories
1993
as Self
Murder at N.B.C.
1966
The George Burns One-Man Show
1977
as Self
Ann-Margret: When You're Smiling
1973
as Self
Road to Rio
1947
as Hot Lips Barton
The Sound of Laughter
1963
as Bing Fawcett - Plumber
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
as Self (archive footage)
My Favorite Blonde
1942
as Larry Haines
Leif
1979
as Self
Bob Hope's Super Bowl Party!
1989
as Self
Project XX: The Story of Will Rogers
1961
as Self - Narrator
Monsieur Beaucaire
1946
as Monsieur Beaucaire
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
as Self (archive footage)
About Bob Hope
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 si… With 289 credits spanning from 1934 to 2025, Bob Hope has appeared in 231 films and 58 TV shows.
Fans searching for Bob Hope movies, Bob Hope filmography, or the latest projects starring Bob Hope can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Bob Hope Movies
- The Muppet Movie (1979) — as Ice Cream Vendor
- Breakdown: 1975 (2025) — as Self - Co-Host, 47th Academy Awards (archive footage)
- Let Poland Be Poland (1982) — as Self
- The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) — as Spectator (uncredited)
- Spies Like Us (1985) — as Self
Where to Watch Bob Hope Films
Most Bob Hope movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Bob Hope, check our movies catalogue and browse page.