The USO relies on your support to help service members and their families. Photo credit USO Archives. Register now to attend this fun event! With so many of our service members deployed overseas, many, Military Spouse Appreciation Nights provides fun, interactive social events that provide opportunities for military spouses to connect,est, Our Bob Hope USO Programs Team hosts weekly scavenger hunts for MilKids in Southern California, and across the United States. In 1938, Bob Hope was selected as star and host for The Pepsodent Show broadcast on NBC after working for many years building a successful career from vaudeville to Broadway, radio, and film. Actor: The Ghost Breakers. Aside from Hopes impact as a performer, the true testament to Hopes influence can be seen in the number of actors, comedians, musicians and athletes today who eagerly volunteer to join a USO show or tour. I can honestly say being able to attend the 1970 Bob Hope Christmas Show in Long Binh was the highlight of my Vietnam tour.. In 1964, Hope took the first of nine USO trips to Vietnam to record special holiday episodes of his show and he never went alone. Hopes legacy lives on at the USO not only in the entertainment of the troops, but also in his unshakeable belief in and dedication to expressing gratitude to Americas service members for the sacrifices they make every day on behalf of this country. Here, Hope performs for troops in the Persian Gulf in 1990. Hope lightened the mood in deadly serious situations, and he thrived on the crowds response. The 1970 show was one of American televisions most-watched events of all time. Each week is. In 1990, Martin and his wife visited troops in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of the Gulf War. For the next several decades, he continued the annual tradition of filming a series of special holiday episodes of his show in front of a military audience serving overseas in places like Iceland, Greenland, Alaska, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Western Pacific. I mean, its amazing how high the morale is. Frances Langford, the singer. Bob would say, Come here, lets do this, and wed go into one of our little bits. All rights reserved. Linda got a firsthand taste of USO tours when she began producing her fathers television specials, something she did for the last 20 years of his performances. It has been updated in 2021. For more stories about veterans and military history, check out our TogetherWeServed Blog. U.S. troops came to rely on Bob Hope USO shows. 20002023 The Veterans Site and GreaterGood. Thats a better legacy and use of the money he put in the foundationto do some good.. Bob and Janis Paige appear as kitchen workers who pretend they are wealthy to impress the other. Many of his USO tours occurred over Christmas. The memories Dinah Shore created for the service members who saw her perform on USO tours left lasting impressions. Since 1941, the United Service Organizations has provided support to the service members of the United States military. Between 1964 and 1972, Hope recorded 9 holiday shows in Vietnam. This story appears in the Spring 2016 issue of On Patrol, the magazine of the USO. Every day, Americas service members selflessly put their lives on the line to keep us safe and free. Measures 24" x 115762288302. USO stars who entertained troops in Korea during and after the Korean War: Frankie Adams - female ballet, soft shoe, and tap dancer (Her stage name was Kathy Bryan. Details about Lot of 6 VHS tapes sold as used blank pre-recorded, Bob Hope USO Shows See original listing. This page is not available in other languages. Comedian Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, London, England, the fifth of seven sons of Avis (Townes), light opera singer, and William Henry Hope, a stonemason from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. Americans back on the home front, too, eagerly watched Hopes holiday specials, hoping to catch a glimpse of their soldier serving overseas. I see the boys, see how happy theyre acting when I get there.. I guess its kind of special to me, like having a grandchild, she said in a UPI story. His first show for the group was in California on May 6, 1941. It was a . Fun fact: After 1948, Hopes radio show changed names to The Bob Hope Show. Over the next few decades, his various specials on television and radio would fall under several names and iterations of this new show name. In this 1942 photo, Hope dons the uniform of a ticket taker in the Presidio of San Francisco Post Theatre to take tickets for his own broadcast show. Nearly 75 years after the USO's creation, Hope is still legendary, thanks to the USO shows he started performing during World War II at a time when international phone calls home were impossible and Internet access wasn't even a concept. That Christmas Day, It was raining, pouring rain before the show. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. Hope logged over 30,000 miles and gave more than 150 performances during this trip. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. In the Second World War, Rooney served with special services in the U.S. Army for nearly two years, earning a Bronze Star Medal. The Andrews Sisters. Bob Hope, Raquel Welch, Elaine Dunn, Miss World Madeleine Bel and Barbara McNair head out on the December 1967 Bob Hope Holiday Tour. JOIN YOUR LOCAL USO AND THE LA RAMS OUTREACH TEAM AT A PLAY60 FOOTBALL EVENT FOR KIDS! During these iconic USO Christmas shows in which Hope would leave his own loved ones behind to be with the troops, service members deployed to far-off and unfamiliar places were able to enjoy a few hours of fun away from the battlefield. The appearance of DoD visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. His whole style was based on his vaudeville experience and variety shows, and things had changed. Thanks to his radio broadcasts, Bob Hope was already immensely popular with the troops when World War II broke out. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Shawn McKinley's idea of slowing down to let his broken arm heal was to volunteer at his local USO center. Photo credit USO Archives. 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. "Believe me when I say that laughter up at the front lines is a very precious thing precious to those grand guys who are giving and taking the awful business that goes on there. But it was a rigorous schedule, the actress recalled, and Hope lead the charge. This incredibly popular program allows service members to read a bedtime story to their children from halfway around the globe. 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. Owned and operated by CharityUSA.com, LLC. 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. Les Brown Self - orchestrator Anita Bryant Self Jerry Colonna Self Vic Damone Self Phyllis Diller Self Reita Faria Self - as Miss World Billy Graham Self Johnny Grant Self Joey Heatherton Self Tippi Hedren Self Jack Jones Self Korean Kittens Themselves Les Brown and His Band of Renown Themselves Diane McBain Self The Nicholas Brothers Themselves Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! Bob Hope Actor | The Ghost Breakers Comedian Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, London, England, the fifth of seven sons of Avis (Townes), light opera singer, and William Henry Hope, a stonemason from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. Here, Hope performs for service members and their families in Fairbanks, Alaska. Throughout April, the Month of the Military Child, the USO is highlighting how our centers around the globe are providing creative ways for military children to connect to one another and their families. Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra appear as baseball players in a comedy sketch. After 15 years in the Air Force, Doug Watjus left the military armed with a degree from Texas A&M University and an MBA. Thank you. Service members and their families in the Southern California area can stop by one of several Bob Hope USO locations, including Bob Hope USO at LAX where the iconic Theme Building is home to Bob Hope USO at LAX. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BOB HOPE SIGNED PROGRAM INSERT 1975 USO MAN OF THE YEAR DINNER at the best online prices at eBay! Actress Brooke Shields recalls having an awesome time with Bob Hope, too. One woman with a truck and a tent changed that for thousands of service members. Bob Hope performs for service men at Munda Airstrip in the Solomon Islands in October 1944. 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. Here, the pair entertain service members during the holiday season. Bob Hopes name has become synonymous with the USO, and there can be no greater honor. Download our app to find events, locations and programs near you. You could see the joy that it gave them for us to be there.. The people back at home loved hearing something from a base from where one of their loved ones was stationed, Linda said. When Crawford died in 1977, the USO was one of the beneficiaries of her will, according to Vanity Fair. Joining Hope on the tour were Jerry Colonna, Jayne Mansfield, Dorothy Provine, Anita Bryant, Rosemarie Frankland, Onnie Morrow and Les Brown and his band. Every day, Americas service members selflessly put their lives on the line to keep us safe and free. In March 1965, she was the first recipient of the USO Woman of the Year Award, according to Brandeis University. Dancer. Decades after the USOs creation, Hope is still legendary, thanks to the USO shows he started performing during World War II at a time when international phone calls home were impossible and Internet access wasnt even a concept. Humanity, caring, commitment, support of the troopsthat was the mission of the USO, and it was the mission of the Bob Hope USO shows too. And even though he had 60, 70 years difference between the young men and women who were serving at that time and himself, he tried to be topical and bring the same kind of feeling to the show.. It was this USO trip that inspired Hope to begin his tradition of entertaining the military community during the holiday season. Fresh from his motion picture successes The Cat and the Canary (1939) and The Road to Singapore (1940), he was well received, and when the United States joined World War II in December of that year, he resolved to work with the USO to bring more shows to service members. One of Bob Hopes most significant Christmas performances took place in Berlin in December 1948, in which Hope and his USO troupe performed for troops supporting the Berlin Airlift. Here, Bob Hope performs on stage in 1991 at a celebratory event. Letters from the time or later reflections show that their USO Bob Hope Christmas Show experiences were often very similar: being selected to go to the show; being issued clean uniforms; the trip from the field to the base where the show was being held; the disbelief at seeing Bob Hope and other stars; the singing of Silent Night at the end of the show. Here, Hope is wearing a flight suit and helmet as he shakes hands with Col. Netcher on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on December 27, 1957. I hope I can be excused a little sentimentality as I look back over 22 of these Christmas trips [and remember] the millions of service men and women who responded to our efforts with warmth, enthusiasm and affection.. Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. He received thousands of letters over the years. And hed tell all of us that with the DoD and the USO well be as safe as possible.. ' During the Vietnam War, Sinatra visited and sang for troops at the U.S. military bases near Saigon. It was pretty awesome, frankly.. Imagine those guys thanking me! Message & data rates may apply. Whether its in USO centers around the country or on military bases around the world, the USO works hard to bring a slice of home to those serving abroad and in distant lands. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. Bob Hope entertains troops in Saudi Arabia in 1990. Boys and Girls of all ages arewelcome. We will be meeting at the Joshua Tree Visitors Center (off of Smoketree and 62 - Freedom Way Plaza), Fort Irwin National Training Center, Center, 21 Langford Lake Rd, Dad heard that this platoon marched all this way and missed the show. Fort Irwin, CA, 92310, USO/Family Service Center Hopes legacy as a USO tour veteran lives on in the USO Hope Coin, which is now presented to USO entertainers who emulate Hope in supporting the troops through in-person entertainment and activism.