THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS DELUXE COLLECTION -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 11/19/17

 

Bob Hope was one of those comics who got as much mileage out of a bad joke as he did a good one (a talent shared by Johnny Carson).  In fact, he sometimes seemed to welcome audience groans so that he could do that "take" and comment about how bad the joke was.  Which, of course, got the biggest laugh!

If you're a fan of the inimitable Hope comedy style, especially as presented on all of his various television specials over the decades, you'll be able to gorge yourself on it with the colossal four-volume, 19-DVD boxed set from Time-Life, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS DELUXE COLLECTION. 

It's a dizzying mish-mash covering five decades of Bob's TV memories--39 specials and more--all in a collage of celebrity guests, comedy and musical bits, and endless one-liners--that should have you alternately laughing and groaning for days. 

The first volume, "Thanks for the Memories: The Bob Hope Specials", contains 13 specials from 1956 to 1996 on six discs and embodies what those of us who grew up with these shows remember most about them.  It's pure Hope, just him getting a bunch of his old-school showbiz friends and hot (at the time) current stars together, putting his gag writers to work, and churning out hours of relentlessly corny comedy that revels in its own casual, offhand silliness.

Most of them are clip montages framed by new Hope footage, including one all-blooper show and another featuring all the ex-presidents he's rubbed shoulders with and poked goodnatured fun at over the years (several of them and their First Ladies appear on the show). 

A more youthful Bob is often juxtaposed with the later, older Bob (sometimes seemingly a bit too old to still be at it) as in his 90th birthday special.  There's also a long look at Bob's lifelong obsession with golf called "Shanks For the Memories."

One highlight is John Wayne playing a frontier Archie Bunker who doesn't want his son (Bob) marrying an Indian maiden played by Joanna "O Mighty Isis" Cameron.  Wayne, ever the good sport, shows his comedy chops here and in another comedy exchange with Bob later on. 

Perennial pal Bing Crosby, Robert Goulet, Angie Dickinson, Redd Foxx (as Santa Claus), Carol Burnette, Cyd Charisse, Jimmy Durante, Eddie Cantor, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, Jackie Gleason (in drag!), and the entire cast of "I Love Lucy" are among the veritable boatload of familiar faces who also appear throughout the set.

The four-disc set "Bob Hope: Entertaining The Troops" is ten shows of Hope's legendary global roadshow for our armed forces, both in and out of wartime and wherever in the world they may be, from World War II all the way to the first Gulf War.  These range from later videotaped shows to the early black-and-white filmed footage, always with a sea of eager young soldiers' faces ecstatic over this thrilling sampling of entertainment from back home.

The times and places may change, as well as the generations of both soldiers and performers (with Bob, moustachioed comic Jerry Colonna, singer Frances Langford, and bandleader Les Brown often serving as the only constants), but the shows all have a common theme and feel as these celebrities give their all for the ever-appreciative troops. 

Some of the familiar faces seen in this set are Raquel Welch, Phyllis Diller, Brooke Shields, Johnny Bench, Neil Armstrong, Ursula Andress, Ann-Margaret, Rosey Grier, Romy Schneider, Lana Turner, Teresa Graves, Joey Heatherton, Lola Falana, Marie Osmond, The Judds, Vic Damone, Jack Jones, various Miss World winners, and many more.

Disc four contains two bonus specials including "Hope For the Holidays: Bob Hope's Bag Full of Christmas Memories."  This is one of those "too-old Bob" shows with his and wife Delores' home Christmas party serving as a framing device for lots of classic clips.  The party scenes are as stiff and corny as you can get with such names as Joey Lawrence, Loni Anderson, and Ed Marinaro mingling with actual Hope family members whose acting is hilariously bad.

"Bob Hope: TV Legend" is an 8-disc grab bag of more USO shows for the troops in addition to some regular comedy specials (16 shows in all) ranging from the late 50s to the early 70s.  There's lots more overseas stuff with such guests as Janis Paige, Jill St. John, Anita Bryant, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Andy Williams, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Redd Foxx, Jim Nabors, Gina Lollobrigida, Hedda Hopper, Jayne Mansfield, Tuesday Weld, and Neile Adams.  One of the main highlights is getting to see Steve McQueen doing comedy with Bob in two seperate appearances.

Some of the guests appearing in the regular in-studio shows include old partner Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball, Danny Thomas, George Burns, Carroll Baker, Vikki Carr, Cyd Charisse, Don Rickles, Paul Lynde, Don Adams, Angie Dickinson, Olivia Newton-John, David Niven, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, and literally dozens of others.  People who love to play "Spot the Stars" will be in heaven with this endless procession of celebrity faces.

Finally, there's the disc entitled "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Bob Hope" in which Dino presides over the roasting of Bob himself, with the help of numerous comics and other celebrities (including filmed bits by John Wayne and Henry Kissinger).  Reverend Billy Graham is the most unlikely participant, while then-governor Ronald Reagan pulls off some surprisingly good one-liners. 

The best, of course, come from comedy legends Milton Berle, Don Rickles, Foster Brooks, Flip Wilson, Rich Little, Nipsey Russell, and Jack Benny, with able assistance from actor Jimmy Stewart.  And the humor is wonderfully non-PC, so the easily-triggered might want to watch with caution. 

In addition to the four DVD sets, the collection includes a full-sized magazine on heavy paper, entitled "Bob Hope: Making Us Laugh For 100 Years."  It's packed with rare photos and essays about Hope's life and career.  Each DVD set also contains illustrated contents booklets. Image quality varies with that of the original sources, some of which are showing their age.  For me, this just increases the nostalgia value.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS DELUXE COLLECTION is the sort of thing that makes not having cable-TV easy, because with this, you've got something good to watch for at least a week or two.  It's like an endless buffet of entertainment for the starving Bob Hope fan. 



Format: DVD (19 Discs)
Running Time: 37 hours + extras
Genre:  TV/Comedy
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Stereo

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS DELUXE COLLECTION -- DVD Review by Porfle

I'LL TAKE SWEDEN -- DVD Review by Porfle

  

Originally posted on 6/15/16

 

In the 60s, middle-aged comics like Bob Hope made what I like to refer to as "old fogey" comedies in which they and their same-generation viewers could commiserate about the wacky state of "these kids today." 

The 1965 "so bad it's good" romp I'LL TAKE SWEDEN (Olive Films, Blu-ray and DVD) is a prime example of Bob not quite getting what was going on with the youngsters right after Beatlemania, still seeing them in a wacky 50s rock-and-roll sort of way--only more freaky and frenetic what with the twistin' and the fruggin' and whatnot. 

Nat Perrin, who wrote for guys like the Marx Brothers and Eddie Cantor back in the day (DUCK SOUP, KID MILLIONS), and Groucho's own son Arthur, who would later give us the quintessential "old fogey" comedy THE IMPOSSIBLE YEARS, pack the script with tired one-liners for Bob to throw away left and right without much enthusiasm or comic inspiration.  (Don't get me wrong, though--I still love that Bob.)

One of the funniest things about the movie, in fact, is seeing Hope and company trying to create a hybrid between the old-fashioned screwball comedy and the modern "beach party" farce without ever really understanding where to go with it or how to make it seem in any way relevant to either generation except by adding a part naughty, part quaintly-puritanical sexual element. 

Hope plays Bob Holcomb, a widowed oil company executive who comes home from a business trip to find that his daughter JoJo (Tuesday Weld in full blonde-babe mode) is on the verge of marrying a rock-and-roll-crooning party boy named Kenny Klinger (Frankie Avalon).

In order to separate them, Bob accepts an extended assignment in Sweden, but then JoJo falls for a Swedish lothario (Jeremy Slate as "Erik") who only wants to have you-know-what with her.  With Kenny suddenly looking good in comparison, Bob invites him to Sweden for a series of what we movie watchers like to call "comic complications."

When Bob and his new Swedish flame Karin (Dina Merrill) end up in the same scenic hotel where JoJo and Erik are debating the pros and cons of premarital sex (he's pro, she's con) and Frankie Avalon is running around being Frankie Avalon, we get one of those situations where everyone just misses bumping into each other and the chaste young girl comes THIS close to throwing away her virginity to a (gasp) sex maniac!

The chintzy technical aspects of I'LL TAKE SWEDEN add to its off-kilter appeal--for me, anyway--with its TV sitcom-level production values and sets, lots of cheesy rear projection, and a "Sweden" that exists only on soundstages and backlots with ample stock footage (much in the way "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." did all of his globetrotting without ever leaving the studio.) Longtime "Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" producer Fred De Cordova directs in staid fashion.

Dina Merrill joins the cast once Bob and Tuesday arrive in Sweden, with her "Karin" character going from interior decorator to Bob's love interest faster than he can toss a bad one-liner at her.  Seeing them make out is one of the freakiest things about the whole picture.

Familiar faces that pop up along the way include John Qualen, Walter Sande, Maudie Prickett, and lovely burlesque dancer Beverly Hills.  Jeremy Slate, who was perfectly fine in Westerns such as TRUE GRIT and THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER, displays little comic skill and a really bad Swedish accent in his thankless role as Erik.  Dina has little to do besides grin constantly and giggle at Bob's jokes to make up for his not having a laugh track. 

Tuesday is winsome as always, while Frankie gets to do his beach bum character without the beach (although there is a lake and some bikinis at one point) and with a kookier and somewhat more obnoxious attitude.  In fact, the film is at its most enjoyable when he's on the screen doing his own giddy brand of slapstick or belting out one of the rock-song parodies that have been written for him. 

The DVD from Olive Films is in 1.85:1 widescreen with mono sound.   Subtitles are in English.  A trailer is the sole extra.

I'LL TAKE SWEDEN is the sort of movie I used to watch on TV as a kid and think of it as a "grown-up" comedy.  Now that I've experienced what was then known as "the generation gap" from both sides, I still can't relate to this movie and wonder who the heck it was aimed at.  But that doesn't matter since it has become such a wonderfully oddball and delightfully dated artifact of its time, and half the fun of watching it is just trying to figure the damn thing out. 

I'LL TAKE SWEDEN -- DVD Review by Porfle

BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 4/21/17

 

If you're a certain age, the three-disc DVD set BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS (Time Life) will no doubt come as a primo slice of Grade-A nostalgia, as it did for me. 

If not, you might still have a good time stepping into the wayback machine and seeing something that was such a big part of so many people's lives for around half a century.

That's about how long Bob Hope traveled the world entertaining our troops for Christmas, starting in 1941 and lasting until Operation Desert Shield in the early 90s. 

Wherever there were American soldiers stationed far away from home during wartime, Bob and his stalwart troup of performers were there putting on a show.

 

Over the span of years, the faces in the crowd are always different, yet somehow the same--excited to have celebrities coming all that way just to entertain them, wildly enthusiastic for every lame joke, soft shoe dance step, or sexy girl, and often just a bit wistful at this teasing glimpse of "back home."

Bob's monologues are always corny and cheesy as all get out, but that's pretty much the appeal of these shows, especially in retrospect.  And it's all done with love and a sincere desire to both honor these soldiers and make whatever hardships they endure a bit more bearable, if only for a few minutes. 

(He doesn't neglect those who can't attend the show either, visiting military hospitals in each location.)

 

Bob clearly relishes the spotlight in front of such an appreciative, entertainment-starved audience, and milks every gag for all it's worth.  Who can blame him?  He's definitely getting as much of a charge out of all this as they are.

The same can be said for Bob's guest stars, some of whom probably never got quite this kind of a welcome back in the States.  These include ever-present comic foil Jerry Colonna, comedian Redd Foxx, astronauts Alan Shepard and Neil Armstrong, and sports legends Johnny Bench, Rosey Grier, and Roman Gabriel.

And then, of course, there are the ladies, including Lana Turner, Jill St. John, Ann Jillian, Frances Langford, Marie Osmond, Anita Bryant, Janis Paige, Fran Jeffries, the Pointer Sisters, the Gold Diggers, Lola Falana, various beauty pageant winners, and a sizzling Ann-Margret (clearly the crowd favorite).

Naturally, Bob works just a tad more "blue" than usual for the soldiers, throwing in plenty of military in-jokes and cracks about the often inhospitable locations they're stationed in.

 

These gags go over like gangbusters every time, as do the endless succession of (family-TV-friendly) sexual references.  Needless to say, most of the humor in these shows is gloriously un-PC.

The first show, "Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer in Saudi Arabia" (Original Airdate: 1/12/91) is the latest one in the collection (and the only one on videotape instead of film) and features scenes from Bob's final overseas shows during Operation Desert Shield. 

These include topical references to Hussein and Khadafi and lots of jokes about sand and camels.  By this time Bob was getting on in years so it's heartwarming to see him still at it, entertaining the troops.

Other 60 and 90-minute segments in the set, which are mostly clip shows assembled from several different stops all over South Pacific and Far Eastern military bases, are "The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the World with the USO" (Original Airdate: 1/16/69), "Bob Hope: Memories of WWII", "The Bob Hope Christmas Special" (Original Airdate: 1/15/65), "The Bob Hope Christmas Show" (1/16/63), "The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the Globe with the U.S.O." (Original Airdate: 1/17/72), and "The Bob Hope Christmas Special" (Original Airdate: 1/17/73).

These earlier shows feature a relatively younger and more energetic Hope, who, along with his faithful entourage, often brave dangerous surroundings and less than reliable transportation (a propeller stops working during one airplane flight). 

Of course, such nerve-rattling events only serve to give Bob more stories and jokes with which to regail his next joyous audience.  And if you're like me, you'll greet BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS with roughly the same enthusiasm, along with that inescapable nostalgia that adds so much to its undying appeal. 


PROGRAM INFORMATION
Format: DVD/3 Discs
Running Time: 395 minutes
Genre:  TV DVD/Comedy
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Stereo
Street Date: May 2, 2017
DVD SRP: $29.95



Read our original full coverage HERE

BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS -- DVD Review by Porfle

BOY, DID I GET A WRONG NUMBER! -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 1/21/17

 

I remember watching BOY, DID I GET A WRONG NUMBER! (1966) on TV two or three times as a kid.  I thought it was mildly amusing then, but it never really occurred to me how awful it was until it showed up years later as one of "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time" in that book by Harry Medved and Randy Dreyfuss.  So I couldn't wait to see what my reaction to a fresh re-viewing (via Olive Films' new Blu-ray and DVD release) would be after all these years.

Well, having developed a fierce affection for bad movies in the interim (it was always there but seemed to grow ever more keen over time) I now find this almost willfully mediocre and downright aggressively unfunny Bob Hope comedy to be a giddy joy from start to finish. 

This is a prime example of what I refer to as the "old fogey comedy", one of those colorful but dreary little backlot romps in which aging comics like Bob react with supposedly humorous chagrin to the changing mores of the 60s.  It usually involves the generation gap, as in the previous year's I'LL TAKE SWEDEN in which Bob co-starred with those crazy kids Tuesday Weld and Frankie Avalon.
 

 

But here, his comfortably conservative lifestyle is given a good shaking up by nothing less than the big S-E-X, in the form of a scantily-clad, perpetually way-hot Elke Sommer.  (Bob has a couple of teenaged kids in this but they don't figure that prominently.)  Since a more relaxed attitude toward sex was creeping into 60s cinema at the time, it was up to guys like Bob to step up and give their somewhat calcified take on it while keeping things family-friendly. 

Elke plays sexy starlet Didi, whose every film is highlighted by a bubble bath scene.  Her manager/director/boyfriend (Cesare Danova as "Pepe Pepponi") eggs her on when she begins to balk at such constant exploitation. (She wants to be a serious actress.) 

One day she escapes from the set in nothing but bubbles and disappears.  A few comic complications later and she's hiding out in real estate agent Bob's hideaway cottage by a secluded lake while a nationwide woman-hunt ensues.  (Bob's name in the film is "Tom Meade" but I think I'll just keep calling him "Bob" if that's okay.) 



Kindhearted Bob's attempts to help her hide from the world (while resisting overt carnal temptation) are thrown into disarray when his wife Martha ("Make Room For Daddy"'s Marjorie Lord) shows up at the cottage for a weekend love tryst with Bob, followed by Pepe and his strong-arm goons.  Meanwhile, Bob's sassy maid Lily, played by Phyllis Diller in full fright-wig mode, does her best to provide comedy relief to the comedy. 

The whole delightfully jumbled mess is like a deluxe episode of a bad 60s sitcom, with Bob and Phyllis lugging a drugged Didi from room to room so the increasingly perplexed Mrs. Meade won't stumble over her. 

Horny Boy Scouts peer through the windows, their hormones doing backflips at the sight of the elusive Didi in one of Bob's shirts. (Elke, needless to say, is well worth peering at.)  Martha, of course, eventually discovers Didi and goes into a fit of jealousy just about the time Pepe and the police show up thinking Bob has murdered poor Didi. 

 

Through it all, Bob just keeps firing off the really bad one-liners with the inimitable rubber-faced Phyllis giving him stiff competition.  (She has the advantage of being able to punctuate each of her cringeworthy gags with that trademark cackle of hers.) By now, Bob's zest for filmmaking had apparently started to wane as his performance, amazingly, seems hardly less perfunctory than the ones he gave during his many network TV specials. 

Marjorie Lord, bless her heart, not only has to act sexually aroused by Bob Hope but is cursed with one of the most god-awful "big hair" hairstyles ever to burst forth like Godzilla from a studio makeup department, while the whole film gives off a weary air of "what's with these crazy 60s anyway?" cluelessness. 

To top it off, the story ends with nothing less than a full-scale bad car chase, which means lots of stunt people driving around in fast motion while Bob, Phyllis, and the rest mug it up in front of rear-projection screens. (Phyllis Diller hunched over a dirt bike is a sight not soon forgotten.) 

Amazingly, the director, George Marshall, had a body of work that boasted such films as DESTRY RIDES AGAIN and HOW THE WEST WAS WON. Somehow he would later end up helming such relatively lesser fare as Elke's THE WICKED DREAMS OF PAULA SCHULTZ (Tarantino fans will recognize the reference to it in KILL BILL VOL. 2) and Jerry Lewis' less-than-stellar HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER, both of which make fitting companions for this resolutely unremarkable yet perversely watchable effort.

The DVD from Olive Films is in 1.85:1 widescreen with mono sound and optional English subtitles.  No extras.

To recap my two most important points: BOY, DID I GET A WRONG NUMBER is (1) a pretty bad movie, and (2) a delightfully fun experience.  Junk film junkies will understand.  As "old fogey" comedies go, it's one of the worst, which means it's one of the best.  And if that's too confusing, just sit back, ignore everything else, and peer at Elke for an hour and a half. 

BOY, DID I GET A WRONG NUMBER! -- DVD Review by Porfle

A Bunch Of Old-School Celebrities Introducing Themselves (Bob Hope Special: "Joys", 1976) (video)

 

Here's a big, goofy grab bag of names that were famous in the 70s...

...with the people who owned them introducing themselves.

Some you may not remember, others you just can't forget.

How many do you remember?


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

A Bunch Of Old-School Celebrities Introducing Themselves (Bob Hope Special: "Joys", 1976) (video)

"THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS DELUXE COLLECTION" Celebrates a Legendary Entertainer with the Most Complete Collection of His TV Specials Ever Assembled

AMERICA'S GREATEST ENTERTAINER OF THE 20TH CENTURY IS CELEBRATED IN THE MOST COMPLETE COLLECTION OF HIS TELEVISION SPECIALS EVER AVAILABLE
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS DELUXE COLLECTION

Featuring More Than 37 Hours of Classic Hope and Legendary Celebrity Guests, This 19-Disc Set Includes 39 Specials - Including 20 Not Seen Since Their Original Broadcast -- and Bonus Features Including Hope's Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, a 32-Page Memory Book Filled with Rare, Archival Photos and Stories, All Housed in a Deluxe Collector's Box for $249.95srp
-- Just in Time for the Holidays!

AVAILABLE IN STORES NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Bob Hope, America's greatest entertainer of the 20th century, is celebrated in THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS, the most complete collection of his television specials ever assembled!  The TV DVD archivists at Time Life have selected the very best of Hope's 250 network specials spanning five decades, many in support of the U.S. Armed Forces, for this ultimate boxed set.  Celebrating the legendary and beloved entertainer's legacy, this one-of-a-kind collection is packed with comedy, music, dancing, movie stars, and, of course, Bob's memorable monologues all perfect for wholesome family viewing.

Across 19 DVDs, fans will find more than 37 hours of specials, including 20 that have not been seen since their original broadcast, as well as an incredible collection of celebrity guest appearances from the biggest stars of the era such as John Wayne, Bing Crosby, Raquel Welch, Desi Arnaz, Jack Benny, Don Rickles, Barbra Streisand, George Burns, Dean Martin, Ann-Margret, Lucille Ball, Steve McQueen, Lola Falana, Tom Jones, Carol Burnett, Angie Dickinson, Andy Williams, Lana Turner, Jayne Mansfield, Redd Foxx, Zsa Zsa Gabor and many others.

Housed in a deluxe collector's box, stuffed with timeless entertainment, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS is comprised of four releases:

Thanks for the Memories: The Bob Hope Specials (6 Discs) -- Featuring 13 specials from 1956 to 1996, this DVD set contains hilarious compilation shows that spotlight the best moments from years of remarkable footage: a full episode of all-time classic bloopers, Bob Hope's first show in color, his 90th birthday party special, Laughing with the Presidents, and more.  This collection also includes the bonus show Shanks for the Memory, on the world of golf according to Bob Hope. 

Bob Hope: Entertaining The Troops (4 Discs) -- Featuring 10 shows from 1950 to 1993, this DVD set features several USO Christmas specials filmed before troops serving in locations all over the world - from the Cold War through the Vietnam years to the Persian Gulf. The set also contains the holiday-themed DVD Hope for the Holidays, featuring a compilation of Bob Hope's most hilarious Christmas sketches through the years along with his very first Christmas special, as well as the bonus feature Memories of World War II with rare clips, highlights from Bob Hope's Armed Forces Network radio show, and Bob and guests reminiscing about the era.

Bob Hope: TV Legend (8 Discs) - The American treasure is at his very best in this singular collection of 16 classic variety specials from 1958-1973, including 10 USO holiday specials from the Cold War through Vietnam featuring dance, music and comedy and dozens of celebrity guests.  Aside from touching interactions with troops the world over, memorable moments include a star-studded comic ensemble sending up network censorship, a rollicking Western showdown between Bob's comic colleagues and Hollywood cowboys and a nostalgic Tribute to Vaudeville

BONUS DVD: The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Bob Hope (1 Disc) -- This bonus disc features the star-studded roast of Bob Hope hosted by the irrepressible Dean Martin.  Among the roasters featured are Jimmy Stewart, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Don Rickles, John Wayne, and many more!  
Hope's storied life and career spanned more than a century, during which he left an indelible mark across vaudeville, Broadway, recordings, concerts, radio, films and TV.  And this comprehensive collection of his television specials, exclusively from Time Life, showcases the beloved entertainer's inimitable magic like never before!

About Time Life
Time Life is one of the world's pre-eminent creators and direct marketers of unique music and video/DVD products, specializing in distinctive multi-media collections that evoke memories of yesterday, capture the spirit of today, and can be enjoyed for a lifetime. TIME LIFE and the TIME LIFE logo are registered trademarks of Time Warner Inc. and affiliated companies used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc. or Time Inc.

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Format: DVD (19 Discs)
Running Time: 37 hours + extras
Genre:  TV/Comedy
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Stereo

"THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: THE BOB HOPE SPECIALS DELUXE COLLECTION" Celebrates a Legendary Entertainer with the Most Complete Collection of His TV Specials Ever Assembled

On 5/2, Join Time Life for "BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS", a Timeless 3-Disc Set Patriotically Packed with Memories, Laughs and Stars!

FOR U.S. TROOPS AROUND THE WORLD, THERE WAS NO ONE LIKE HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS...

THIS MAY, JOIN TIME LIFE AND THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER OF THE 20TH CENTURY FOR A TIMELESS, STAR-SPANGLED COLLECTION OF HIS TOP-RATED HOLIDAY TV SPECIALS

BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS

Street Date: May 2, 2017
DVD SRP: $29.95

This Commemorative 3-Disc Set, Available EXCLUSIVELY at WALMART, Collects Some of Hope's Historic TV Specials Across Five Decades, Patriotically Packed with Memories, Laughs and Stars, and Filmed on Location at Military Bases from Vietnam to Saudi Arabia

PROGRAM SYNOPSIS
Bob Hope, the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, spent nearly half of his 100 Christmases heading up USO shows as a globetrotting Santa Claus with a golf club, a sackful of jokes, and an airplane filled with stars.  Armed with a lifelong dedication to America's troops and a star-studded crew of performers, he performed on battleships and battlefields, sometimes accompanied by the sound of fighter jets overhead.  The missions were often dangerous, and their schedule brutal, yet for thousands of servicemen and women far from home there was no one like Hope for the holidays.

Bob Hope's legendary NBC-TV comedy and Christmas specials - some of the most-watched programs in television history -- spanned five decades, from President Truman to Clinton.  And, this May, BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS, a timeless 3-disc set from Time Life®, collects some of the legendary performer's greatest and most patriotic holiday specials, including seven classic shows from the '60s to the '90s, re-mastered from original broadcast elements for optimal viewing:

Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer in Saudi Arabia (Original Airdate: 1/12/91) -- During Operation Desert Shield, Hope brought his USO Christmas show to U.S. troops stationed in Saudi Arabia.  Performances include Marie Osmond serenading a serviceman, Hope and Ann Jillian doing a duet and the Pointer Sisters performing "I'm So Excited"; other highlights include a comic exchange between Hope and actress Khrystyne Haje ("Head of the Class").

The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the World with the USO (Original Airdate: 1/16/69) -- Hope brought his USO Christmas tour to Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Midway, and aboard the USS Hancock and the USS New Jersey in the South China Sea.  Bob Hope and former professional football player Rosey Grier trade barbs, the Golddiggers dance on deck for the crews of two passing destroyers and Dick Albers performs his comic trampoline act.  At Okinawa, a skydiver parachutes into the audience and Ann-Margret exhorts members of the different services to stand up during her performance.  Hope does mail call for the troops, inviting one service member (whose mother says he's a good singer) to perform and Gen. Creighton Abrams thanks the entire cast and crew for coming to Vietnam. 

Bob Hope: Memories of WWII -- Hope looks back at World War II with his wife, Dolores Hope, and colleagues who share their recollections about the period, including the shift from shipping audio recordings of radio shows from the U.S. to actually traveling overseas to perform for troops stationed abroad.  Frances Langford and Bob reminisce about their first wartime tour. Footage includes historic clips of Bob, Jerry Colonna and Frances Langford doing a radio show for the Armed Forces Network, Bob onstage with Bing Crosby, and a celebrity road trip to sell war bonds.

The Bob Hope Christmas Special (Original Airdate: 1/15/65) -- Hope and company embarked on a 1964 Christmas tour to entertain troops stationed in Guam, Okinawa, the Philippines, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.  Along the way, the troupe went from the freezing cold of Korea to the tropical heat of Thailand and in Vietnam experienced danger when the hotel across the street from theirs is bombed.  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 (1/16/63) -- From more than a dozen military bases in the Pacific, Bob Hope and his entourage performed the 1962 Christmas tour in 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 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 Christmas Special: Around the Globe with the U.S.O. (Original Airdate: 1/17/72) - In 1972, Hope brought his USO Christmas tour to Hawaii, where Don Ho and His Wahinis perform Tiny Bubbles.  Then, the company head 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.

The Bob Hope Christmas Special (Original Airdate: 1/17/73) --Hope made his 22nd Christmas tour of U.S. military bases to entertain troops, starting with a send-off from Santa Claus (actor and pro football player Merlin Olsen) as the group departs for 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, 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.

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Format: DVD/3 Discs
Running Time: 395 minutes
Genre:  TV DVD/Comedy
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Stereo

On 5/2, Join Time Life for "BOB HOPE SALUTES THE TROOPS", a Timeless 3-Disc Set Patriotically Packed with Memories, Laughs and Stars!