Synopses & Reviews
The first definitive biography of Bob Hope, featuring exclusive and extensive reporting that makes the persuasive case that he was most important entertainer of the twentieth century.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Born in 1903, and until his death in 2003, Bob Hope was the only entertainer to achieve top-rated success in every major mass-entertainment medium, from vaudeville to television and everything in between. He virtually invented modern stand-up comedy. His tours to entertain US troops and patriotic radio broadcasts, along with his all-American, brash-but-cowardly movie character, helped to ease the nationand#8217;s jitters during the stressful days of World War II. He helped redefine the very notion of what it means to be a star: a savvy businessman, pioneer of the brand extension (churning out books, writing a newspaper column, hosting a golf tournament), and public-spirited entertainer whose Christmas military tours and tireless work for charity set the standard for public service in Hollywood. But he became a polarizing figure during the Vietnam War, and the book sheds new light on his close relationship with President Richard Nixon during those embattled years.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Bob Hope is a household name. However, as Richard Zoglin shows in this revelatory biography, there is still much to be learned about this most public of figures, from his secret first marriage and his stint in reform school, to his indiscriminate womanizing and his ambivalent relationship with Bing Crosby and Johnny Carson. Hope could be cold, self-centered, tight with a buck, and perhaps the least introspective man in Hollywood. But he was also a dogged worker, gracious with fans, and generous with friends.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Hopeandlt;/Iandgt; is both a celebration of an entertainer whose vast contribution has never been properly appreciated, and a complex portrait of a gifted but flawed man, who, unlike many Hollywood stars, truly loved being famous, appreciated its responsibilities, and handled celebrity with extraordinary grace.
Review
and#8220;Bob Hope was an entertainment colossus, shrewd and influential well beyond show business. Richard Zoglinand#8217;s biography captures it alland#8212;the public and private Hope.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;This beautifully written volume is, at last, andlt;Iandgt;theandlt;/Iandgt; book about Bob Hope. Zoglin covers everything: the early life, the sky-rocketing triumphs in every medium, the life-riskingand#8212;and ego-feedingand#8212;patriotism that spanned the globe, bringing laughter (and gorgeous ladies) to our troops in wartime, the wealth, the women, the quirks, the warts, the temper, the cheapness, the touching generosity, the fabulous talent and the genius-managed career."
Review
"Richard Zoglin's fascinating biography is as close as we're ever going to get to one of the most opaque human beings ever to become justifiably world-famous. Bob Hope lived so long that it's easy to forget how original he was, not to mention brilliantly funny and attractive. It's all here: the women, the politics, the amazing career, the selfless devotion to American soldiers, the unexpected empathy, and, thank God, the laughter."
Review
"A wonderful biography by Richard Zoglin. For me it's a feast."
Review
"A definitive biography of this legendary performer has long been overdue, an undertaking andlt;Iandgt;Timeandlt;/Iandgt; magazine theater critic Zoglin completes here with great attention to detail and commendable skill. . . . Not just for Hope fans, Zoglinand#8217;s work will also appeal to readers interested in the colorful history of American entertainment, in which Hope played a prominent role."
Review
andlt;xmlandgt;andnbsp;andlt;m:mathprandgt;andlt;m:mathfont m:val="Cambria Math"andgt;andlt;m:brkbin m:val="before"andgt;andlt;m:brkbinsub m:val="--"andgt;andlt;m:smallfrac m:val="off"andgt;andlt;m:dispdefandgt;andlt;m:lmargin m:val="0"andgt;andlt;m:rmargin m:val="0"andgt;andlt;m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"andgt;andlt;m:wrapindent m:val="1440"andgt;andlt;m:intlim m:val="subSup"andgt;andlt;m:narylim m:val="undOvr"andgt;andlt;/m:narylimandgt;andlt;/m:intlimandgt;andlt;/m:wrapindentandgt;andlt;/m:defjcandgt;andlt;/m:rmarginandgt;andlt;/m:lmarginandgt;andlt;/m:dispdefandgt;andlt;/m:smallfracandgt;andlt;/m:brkbinsubandgt;andlt;/m:brkbinandgt;andlt;/m:mathfontandgt;andlt;/m:mathprandgt;andlt;/xmlandgt;and#8220;Revelatoryand#8230;unabashedly ambitiousand#8230;fascinating.and#8221;andlt;xmlandgt; andlt;/xmlandgt;
Review
and#8220;Terrificand#8212;scrupulously researched, likely definitive, and as entertaining and as important (to an understanding of 20th- and 21st-century pop culture) as its subject once genuinely was.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;A Bob Hope bio even millennials can loveand#8230;As Zoglin vividly demonstrates here, Hope, who died in 2003, was a groundbreakerand#8212;a song-and-dance man who was also one of the inventors of stand-up comedy. Hope took great humanity, spectacular delivery and ordinary material and somehow transformed himself into one of the best-loved cultural icons of the age. Whether or not youand#8217;ve heard of him, this insightful bio is worth a read.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Richard Zoglinand#8217;s biography andlt;Iandgt;Hopeandlt;/Iandgt; does such an effective job of arguing the appeal that even the Hope-hater comes away eager to see more of his good early work, and more sympathetic to the forces in his life and in the countryand#8217;s which left him hard to like at the end.and#8221;
Synopsis
Revelatory fascinating (The New York Times): The first definitive biography of Bob Hope, featuring exclusive and extensive reporting that makes the persuasive case that he was the most important entertainer of the twentieth century.
With his topical jokes and his all-American, brash-but-cowardly screen character, Bob Hope was the only entertainer to achieve top-rated success in every major mass-entertainment medium of the century, from vaudeville in the 1920s all the way to television in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. He virtually invented modern stand-up comedy. Above all, he helped redefine the very notion of what it means to be a star: a savvy businessman, an enterprising builder of his own brand, and a public-spirited entertainer whose Christmas military tours and unflagging work for charity set the standard for public service in Hollywood.
As Richard Zoglin shows in this entertaining and important book (The Wall Street Journal), there is still much to be learned about this most public of figures, from his secret first marriage and his stint in reform school, to his indiscriminate womanizing and his ambivalent relationships with Bing Crosby and Johnny Carson. Hope could be cold, self-centered, tight with a buck, and perhaps the least introspective man in Hollywood. But he was also a tireless worker, devoted to his fans, and generous with friends.
Scrupulously researched, likely definitive, and as entertaining and as important (to an understanding of twentieth- and twenty-first-century pop culture) as its subject once genuinely was (Vanity Fair), Hope is both a celebration of the entertainer and a complex portrait of a gifted but flawed man. A wonderful biography, says Woody Allen. For me, it s a feast. "
Synopsis
and#8220;Revelatoryand#8230;fascinatingand#8221; (andlt;iandgt;The New York Timesandlt;/iandgt;): The first definitive biography of Bob Hope, featuring exclusive and extensive reporting that makes the persuasive case that he was the most important entertainer of the twentieth century.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;With his topical jokes and his all-American, brash-but-cowardly screen character, Bob Hope was the only entertainer to achieve top-rated success in every major mass-entertainment medium of the century, from vaudeville in the 1920s all the way to television in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. He virtually invented modern stand-up comedy. Above all, he helped redefine the very notion of what it means to be a star: a savvy businessman, an enterprising builder of his own brand, and a public-spirited entertainer whose Christmas military tours and unflagging work for charity set the standard for public service in Hollywood.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;As Richard Zoglin shows in this and#8220;entertaining and important bookand#8221; (andlt;iandgt;The Wall Street Journalandlt;/iandgt;), there is still much to be learned about this most public of figures, from his secret first marriage and his stint in reform school, to his indiscriminate womanizing and his ambivalent relationships with Bing Crosby and Johnny Carson. Hope could be cold, self-centered, tight with a buck, and perhaps the least introspective man in Hollywood. But he was also a tireless worker, devoted to his fans, and generous with friends.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Scrupulously researched, likely definitive, and as entertaining and as important (to an understanding of twentieth- and twenty-first-century pop culture) as its subject once genuinely wasand#8221; (andlt;iandgt;Vanity Fairandlt;/iandgt;), andlt;iandgt;Hopeandlt;/iandgt; is both a celebration of the entertainer and a complex portrait of a gifted but flawed man. and#8220;A wonderful biography,and#8221; says Woody Allen. and#8220;For me, itand#8217;s a feast.and#8221;
About the Author
Richard Zoglin is a contributing editor and theater critic for andlt;iandgt;Timeandlt;/iandgt; magazine. His book andlt;iandgt;Comedy at the Edge: How Stand-up in the 1970s Changed Americaandlt;/iandgt; is considered the definitive history of that seminal era in stand-up comedy. Zoglin is a native of Kansas City, Missouri, and currently lives in New York City.