Bob Hope was one of America’s most beloved performers. His career spanned nearly eight decades. Known for his rapid-fire jokes and comic timing, he is credited with helping establish modern stand-up comedy. Hope skewered celebrities and politicians and crafted a stand-up routine that covered the issues and politics of the day. He was also unafraid to poke fun at himself.
Born in London in 1903, he moved with his family to the U.S. when he was a child. Hope started out on the vaudeville circuit in the 1920s. Then he moved on to performing on Broadway and the radio. Over his long career, he starred in 54 feature films and earned four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Hope was generous with his time and talent. He performed his standup routines for the military around the world on 57 USO tours, from World War II through the Gulf War.
Hope has been knighted by both the Vatican and the British Empire. And in 1964, Hope received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Wyoming.
Learn more in the Samuel A. Peeples papers at UW’s American Heritage Center.