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Bob Hope: TV Legend – 8 DVDs

16 classic specials from 1958-1973 including 10 troop specials. 

Many of these shows are television treasures that have not been seen since their original broadcasts.  Guest appearances from legendary stars include Lucille Ball, Steve McQueen, Lola Falana, Tom Jones, Carol Burnett, Angie Dickinson, Andy Williams, Lana Turner, Jayne Mansfield, Redd Foxx, Zsa Zsa Gabor, George Burns, and many more!

The Bob Hope Christmas Special

Original Air Date: January 15, 1965

Bob Hope, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Anita Bryant, Jerry Colonna, Janis Paige, Miss World Ann Sidney, Jill St. John, Les Brown and His Band of Renown

Bob Hope and company embark on a 1964 Christmas tour to entertain troops stationed in Guam, Okinawa, the Philippines, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Along the way the troupe goes from the freezing cold of Korea to the tropical heat of Thailand—defrosting “so fast they had to keep a drip pan under us”—and in Vietnam experiences danger when the hotel across the street from theirs is bombed. Onstage, the female performers joke about how Bob “tricked” them into coming (the “whole new outfit” he promised turned out to be the 13th airborne), Jill St. John demonstrates the latest dance moves with service members, and Anita Bryant—on her fifth USO tour—serenades two soldiers guarding the stage.

The Bob Hope Christmas Show

Original Air Date: January 16, 1963

Bob Hope, Anita Bryant, Miss USA Amedee Chabot, Jerry Colonna, Janis Paige, Lana Turner, Les Brown and His Band of Renown

Japan, Korea, Guam, the Philippines, Okinawa, Formosa, and aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. Among the highlights: Lana Turner and Bob Hope do the bossa nova and Jerry Colonna is a “gusha”—a Texas geisha. There’s more comedy when Bob brings Miss USA Amedee Chabot onstage. The show closes with Anita Bryant leading everyone in Silent Night.

The Bob Hope Buick Xmas Show

Original Air Date: January 11, 1961

Anita Bryant, Jerry Colonna, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Janis Paige, Andy Williams, Les Brown and His Band of Renown

Bob Hope brings his USO show to the Panama Canal Zone, the West Indies, Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay, and the islands of Grand Turk, San Salvador, and Eleuthera for Christmas 1960. Andy Williams, Janis Paige and Anita Bryant join Bob in an extended sketch about non-commissioned officers and their spouses, and Jerry Colonna pops up in the audience as Fidel Castro and the Rum King of Puerto Rico.

The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the Globe with the U.S.O.

Original Air Date: January 17, 1972

Bob Hope, Vida Blue, Jan Daley, Don Ho, Carmen Sevilla, Rear Adm. Alan Shepard, Miss World USA Brucene Smith, Jill St. John, The Blue Streaks, The Hollywood Deb Stars, Les Brown and His Band of Renown

Bob Hope brings his USO Christmas tour to Hawaii, where the crew breaks in the act and Don Ho and His Wahinis perform Tiny Bubbles, then heads to Wake Island and Okinawa and on to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Spain, and Cuba. Along the way Bob delivers his topical stand-up, and jests with Jill St. John, pitcher Vida Blue, and astronaut Alan Shepard. Also includes roller skating by the Blue Streaks.

The Bob Hope Christmas Special

Original Air Date: January 17, 1973

Bob Hope, Rudy Cardenas, Lola Falana, Redd Foxx, Roman Gabriel, Miss World Belinda Green, Dolores Hope, Fran Jeffries, The American Beauties, Les Brown and His Band of Renown

the Aleutians, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Diego Garcia, the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island, and the USS Midway. Highlights include Bob doing his custom-tailored monologues (with departing fighter jets drowning out his act in Thailand), a “fatigue version of Sanford and Son” with Redd Foxx on Diego Garcia, and Rudy Cardenas’ show-stopping juggling. Bob brings a star-struck service member onstage to sing to Miss World Belinda Green, dances and sings with Lola Falana, and jokes with L.A. Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel.

The Bob Hope Buick Show

Original Air Date: January 16, 1959

Les Brown and His Band of Renown

During the Cold War, Bob Hope brought his USO Christmas show to eight countries in twelve days, performing for troops in the Azores, Africa, Spain, Italy, Germany, Scotland, Iceland, and Canada—and aboard the USS Forrestal in the Bay of Naples, where the wind and rain forced the show belowdecks. Among the highlights: Hedda Hopper and Bob Hope answer questions about Hollywood, Bob “translates” Gina Lollobrigida’s Italian song, Molly Bee goes into the audience to sing directly to service members, and Jerry Colonna turns up in a German spiked helmet and dressed as a Moroccan Berber, a Spanish matador, and Nanook of the North.

The Bob Hope Special

Original Air Date: December 19, 1968

Bob Hope, Nancy Ames, Glen Campbell, Jerry Colonna, Wally Cox, Carol Lawrence, Janet Leigh, Les Brown and His Band of Renown

 

In this Mission: Impossible spoof, Santa Claus has been kidnapped and Bob Hope is on a Mission: Ridiculous to rescue him. The group responsible wants equal rights for women—starting with a female Santa. Agents Thelma Diamond (Janet Leigh), Judo Garland (Carol Lawrence), and Wanda the Whip (Nancy Ames) try to thwart Mr. Phelps (Bob) as he travels to the North Pole, Cuba, and Hong Kong before tracking down Santa (Wally Cox) at the group’s headquarters in his quest to save Christmas.

The Bob Hope Special

Original Air Date: September 22, 1969

Bob Hope, Marty Allen, Steve Allen, Shelley Berman, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Johnny Carson, Jack Carter, Jerry Colonna, Wally Cox, Bill Dana, Richard Deacon, Jimmy Durante, George Gobel, Shecky Greene, Buddy Hackett, Chet Huntley & David Brinkley, Jack E. Leonard, Pat Paulsen, Dan Rowan & Dick Martin, Nipsey Russell, Soupy Sales, Phil Silvers, The Smothers Brothers, Danny Thomas, Flip Wilson, Les Brown and His Band of Renown