And I've given him every chance in the world. SOME of it's funny, to be sure, but most of it isn't. And I wish he was b
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cabaretwoman — 19 years ago(July 09, 2006 06:23 PM)
I never thought he was the least bit funny either. In fact, I seem to remember him doing stand-routines where his audiences did not laugh at all, but merely applauded, probably out of politeness.
step into my parlour
http://www.sherlockhoward.homestead.com -
tseybert — 11 years ago(October 18, 2014 02:00 PM)
This is key, I think.
I used to think he wasn't very funny. I was a kid in the 1970s and I would see him on specials and2000 on talk shows and I would wince a lot. Also, when I would see his movies on TV, it would be his later films, which - as far as I can tell - were marketed to kids when they went to TV. The only one I specifically remember is "The Seven Little Foys," which I didn't like too well.
But then, as a teen, I discovered The Road to Morocco, and I still think that's one of the funniest movies of the 1940s. Some of the rest of the Road movies are almost as good.
As I've gotten a little older, I've given his older movies more of a chance and an awful lot of them are pretty damn funny. Like My Favorite Spy or The Paleface or Sorrowful Jones or Here Come the Girls.
Bob Hope was a riot in the 1940s and he still made quite a few good movies in the early 1950s. After that try to be polite!
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acking3 — 19 years ago(July 19, 2006 01:55 PM)
I think It's harder to get laughs when you work "clean", and Bob Hope always did that. He was never offensive, or mean sprited that I can recall. His timing and delivery was unique, and his jokes were usually timely to the news of the day, (much like Johnny Carson). A lot of the material he had to use on primetime TV audiences was a bit cornball, but thats understandable. I think he WAS funny in a wholesome kind of way.
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dreamgrl — 19 years ago(July 21, 2006 09:52 PM)
Keep in mind that no one can make a blanket statement "He/she IS not funny" about any actor or comedian. Because humor - even more than beauty - is in the eye of the beholder. I just happened to read an old salon.com article today with the same premise: Bob Hope wasn't ever funny, everyone who ever said so was either lying or being polite, blah blah blah. I was fairly annoyed because there wasn't a single caveat. Not even a 'times have changed' nugget. Well, I am a twenty-five year old woman who grew up with Bob Hope movies and I can say that I find most of them genuinely funny most of the time. There's a lot of humor in the films that doesn't fit today's styles, or was current and topical at the time - and so is now out-dated - but I always enjoy them. The fact is, that Bob Hope's style of humor probably doesn't su1908it your taste. Which is perfectly okay. I personally don't like Benny Hill or Rodney Dangerfield because of their styles. And, as Stuart Smalley would say - that's okay. Just don't anybody be mean and actually bash my Bob.
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GalenSteele-1 — 18 years ago(May 29, 2007 07:00 AM)
He was funny. Most of his jokes were jokes of the period. Unless you either lived then or know history his jokes would fly over ones head. In his later life some of his jokes were "dry", but when you look at his history and what he did for our country and our servicemen/women, he is the true meaning of priceless. Happy Birthday Bob, I know you are still with us. P.S. missed you in Viet-Nam but saw you eleven years later at the Air Force Academy with Barbara Mandrell, Barry Gibbs and Diana Ross.
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mkaiser-3 — 19 years ago(April 25, 2006 10:30 PM)
Bob Hope was a funny man, great singer and fine character actor. I think his film career waned in the 60s. It's understandable after 20 years of playing basically the same sort of character that he'd try some different things. I think the 1960s and 70s represented a time where Bob was more of a "fish out of water". How to Commit Marriage was DREADFUL because it features the USUALLY funny Bob Hope and Jackie Gleason as record promoters. Unfortunately, neither Gleason or Hope are even REMOTELY funny in this film and are miscast.
Critic's Choice was a final attempt for a Lucy/Bob picture. Lucille Ball was eager to play a character unlike Lucy Ricardo, and Bob Hope was also eager to play a different character. Unfortunately Critic's Choice was lackluster. What do you expect when the role Bob Hope played was originated by Password legend Allen Ludden? Cancel My Reservation was likely intended to be Bob's last. Here, his one liners are forced and very much out of place.
The rest of Bob's career was pretty much confined to annual Bob Hope specials. In 1995, with rumors about his health declining (and a famous report of his death that turned out to be false) Bob was determined to show somehow, that he still had it.
Bob would do one last performance on a PBS special, Swing Alive. His wife Delores came out and sang, then the familiar fanfare "Thanks for the Memory" played. While old photos of Bob were shown, Les Brown escorted Bob Hope to his spot next to Delores. Bob looked heavier and looked every bit of his 95 years. There was some slight redness in his eyes, but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as it looked in the tabloids. Les assures the audience, obviously emotional about Bob's appearance, that he still sings. Les handed Bob the microphone, and almost like magic, the spirit of Bob Hope came out of the 95 year old body, as he sang a song written especially for him. Delores and Les could be seen commenting to each other, as they too seem amazed of how well Bob is doing despite his age. Delores then introduces a routine that Bob once did with Ethel Merman, the song "S Delightful", where Bob only got to sing "IT'S". A perfect routine for an aging man, considering Bob co5b4uld barely hear or see. Delores made some obvious cues with her microphone and Bob knew that was his cue. Bob would speak one last time when he was made an honorary veteran. Again, his spirit came to life when handed the microphone, and Delores made an indication that she wanted to speak. Bob gave her a classic radio style introduction that he would give on his radio show. -
HimmelskeVaffel — 19 years ago(November 02, 2006 12:09 PM)
Bob Hope is the best! Sure some of his jokes may feel outdated today, but he presents a sort of humour I admire. Most of his jokes I find hysterical, especially all the adlibs and bloopers. (I listen to his radio programs as wellamazing stuff!!) His delivery and facial expressions made the entire package complete. Whenever I have feeling down, I just pop in one of those Road pictures, or anything else of his, and my day turns rightside up again.