| The first was to North Africa and Italy, where she became the first entertainer to reach rescued soldiers at Anzio. In the 1940s and 1950s, Hope often did his radio show from military bases overseas. Victoria Dawn Addams - entertained the troops in Korea December 1952/January 1953 Bob Hope exits a garland-lined bunker in Beirut, Lebanon in December 1983. In 1990, Martin and his wife visited troops in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of the Gulf War. Bob Hope, original name Leslie Townes Hope, (born May 29, 1903, Eltham, near London, Englanddied July 27, 2003, Toluca Lake, California, U.S.), British-born American entertainer and comic actor known for his rapid-fire delivery of jokes and one-liners and for his success in virtually all entertainment media. I produced that show. | I think he tried to change with it, Linda said. Register now to attend this fun event! Here, during that same trip, Bob Hope and Ann Gillian perform for service members on the USS Guam during the 1983 USO Holiday Tour. Ontario International Airport, West Wing 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. 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. Bob Hope continued entertaining service members around the globe during World War II. Meanwhile, their loved ones back home watched every second on the television screen, hoping for the chance to see their deployed service members face cross in front of the camera. Although Hopes WWII performances won him the adoration of many service members, it arguably wasnt until the mid-twentieth century, when he began regularly hosting his infamous Bob Hope Christmas Show, that the iconic entertainer cemented his legendary status among the military and civilian communities alike. Though the annual tradition ended at this point, the end of Hopes time in Vietnam was not the end of Hopes USO tours or his holiday-time military shows. 20002023 The Veterans Site and GreaterGood. | All these other families have their dads home for Christmas, Linda said. Offered through Bob Hope USO. Access to the document is available at the following link: Read Here. USO2GO kits can transform a remote outpost into a place where troops can relax, organize a pickup football game, jam on a guitar or even access the Internet and connect with their loved ones back home. So he would rearrange the schedule., Traveling on USO tours with Hope is an experience Shields, 50, said shell never forget. 10. In the spring of 1943, he traveled to Camp Polk, Louisiana, along with entertainers Frances Langford and Jerry Colonna, to perform for the troops. Bob Hopes first holiday USO show was in 1948, during the Berlin Airlift. His daughter, Linda, one of Bob and Dolores Hopes four children, said was simple. The memories Dinah Shore created for the service members who saw her perform on USO tours left lasting impressions. For nearly six decades, wherever Bob Hope went to entertain the troops . Even today, our nations military is still able to connect to home thanks to Hope. Learn about the history of the USO, its mission and its continuing legacy today. In this October 1950 photo, Hope wears a pilots gear and climbs out of the cockpit of a jet fighter while on a visit to Kimpo Air Base in Korea. Skip to navigation; Skip to main content; Skip to footer; Bob Hope USO. 340 Golden Shore, Suite 400 Miss World 1969, Actress - Bob Hope Christmas show 1969. He loved to joke about sex and women: Theres still a great need for the USO. The comedy legend was about to put on what would be his final USO show of the Vietnam War. Before I got out I was in charge of a radio section with approximately 70 guys in it. Bob Hope Christmas Tour logo 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. After 15 years in the Air Force, Doug Watjus left the military armed with a degree from Texas A&M University and an MBA. Some of our bases are pretty remote. Coca-Cola's community marketing director's connection to the USO starts in the Philippines, in the famed mansion where her grandmother grew up. The joke became I did more Bob Hope shows than he did, Shields said. Over the last seven decades, some of the countrys best performers have taken the USO stage to entertain troops with music, dancing, and comedy routines. A total of 272 NBC variety specials hosted by Hope were produced from 1950 to 1996. There were so many men down in this black ocean. Raquel Welch teamed up with Bob Hope and others in 1967 and traveled to Saigon, Vietnam, to perform a TV special. As a USO Grafenwoehr volunteer, Army Staff Sgt. I mean, its amazing how high the morale is. 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. Hopes work with the USO in support of the U.S. military paved the way for the many other entertainers who have followed in his footsteps and continue to lift the spirits of our military community today. Here, Hope laughs with troops in England on June 28, 1943, on a tour stop. Diahann Carroll dances on stage with Bob Hope, right, during a taping of a USO show aboard USS Iwo Jima in 1979. Singer. 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. Families of GIs who died would send a letter to Dad writing that the last thing they heard from their loved one was they had seen the Hope show and what a fun time that was, how grateful they were Dad had given them that respite from the awful conditions., Linda recalls one soldiers letter in particular. Connie Stevens, right, was just a one of the many stars who joined Bob Hope on his USO tours around the globe. Menu. In 1983, he spent Christmas with U.S. troops in Beirut and in December 1988, performed on bases and ships in the Persian Gulf. VIETNAM BOB HOPE USO SHOW Limited Edition Art Print. What drove his dedication? | entertainment specials for the U.S. Armed Forces, "That's Eastertainment! Think of boys and girls who dont have their dads for years and years because they are serving overseas. Twentynine Palms, CA 92278, Stop by our USO booth at the So Cal Air Show! 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. The 1970 show was one of American televisions most-watched events of all time. However, for his efforts over many generations to bring joy and recreation to military personnel both at home and overseas, the. Comedian. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice. They were a reminder of home and a reminder that even as they served miles away, the folks back home in the U.S. still remembered them. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Instead, Martin and his wife met with service members and signed autographs. Photo credit USO Archives. ), before heading on his first overseas USO Camp Show tour in 1943. As a longtime supporter of the military and a military brat herself, Debbie Keller has dedicated thousands of hours to supporting service members and their military family members at the USO center in Orlando, Florida - and now is being recognized for her efforts, as the 2023 CONUS Volunteer of the Year. View military histories of over 2 million, If you are a veteran, reconnect with people. Despite the death of LaVerne in 1967, the Andrews Sisters remained active until disbanding in 1975. Measures 24" x 115762288302. Behind the grit and determination of a tough soldier making dangerous, daily patrols outside Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, is a vibrant, charming USO volunteer who seems to bring everyone he meets into his circle. His first show for the group was in California on May 6, 1941. His shows grew from a small comedy act to an ensemble of celebrity-studded, televised programs. FOR SALE! Undeterred by enemy fire or rough seas, Hope went straight to the front lines, delivering laughter . Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice. 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. Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope KBE, KC*SG, KSS (May 29, 1903 - July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, and entertainer. This page is not available in other languages. Over the last seven decades, some of the country's best performers have taken the USO stage to entertain troops with music, dancing, and comedy routines. Here, during one of these 1944 shows, Hope performs for troops somewhere in the Pacific. 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. He was also a frequent visitor to American forces stationed in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, regularly seen with his trademark golf club. Here, Bob Hope performs on stage in 1991 at a celebratory event. Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra appear as baseball players in a comedy sketch. Vicki Lawrence. -This story was originally published on USO.org in 2018. USO icon. Undeterred by enemy fire or rough seas, Hope went straight to the front lines, delivering laughter, music and above all else a reminder of home to our men and women in uniform, just when they needed it most. Santa Ana, CA 92707, 210 North El Cielo, Suite 102 Steve Martin is a wild and crazy guy who has brought his unique comedic style to television and the silver screen since the late 1960s. Marlene Dietrich takes time out to chat with service women in France in November 1944. Why did Hope do it? But then her mother, Bob Hopes wife Dolores Hope, always put it in perspective for her. Last Christmas in Alaska, I met a GI who was so lonely he was going steady with his tattoo. The remains of each one of them have first returned to American soil at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. After the conclusion of World War II, Hope continued his film career and successfully made the transition to television. (mostly waiting to go to Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, it was difficult for Hope to secure talent to travel with, but this did not deter him. By 1939, Bob Hope was already a pretty big star in radio and television. The appearance of DoD visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Here, Hope is pictured on stage with his iconic golf club in Southeast Asia in 1970. Tags: Academy Award, Ann-Margret, Berlin Airlift, Berlin Airlift in 1948, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope USO shows, Connie Stevens, he was awarded honorary Oscars multiple times, He worked with Raquel Welch, honorary veteran, Jerry Colonna, Korean War, Second World War, The Cat and the Canary, The Cat and the Canary (1939), The Golddiggers, The Road to Singapore, The Road to Singapore (1940), the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander, TogetherWeServed Blog, Tony Romano, US Armed Forces, USO, Vietnam, Vietnam War, World War II. Hope was already a pretty big star in radio and television service women in in. 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