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OF HOPE |
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Sharing Memories of Time Spent with Bob Hope Originally published June 23, 2002 |
 Andy's wife, actress Ann Jillian, gives Bob Hope a big smacker, which he seems to be enjoying |
Hollywood turned out
in honor of Bob Hope
of TheColumnists.com
We all knew in advance that Bob Hope was too weak to attend, yet his loyal pals were there anyway to honor him by helping dedicate the new Bob Hope Veterans Chapel at the Los Angeles National Cemetery.
They were all there that
day in May--and I mean everyone, ladies and gentlemen.
Every one of his pals who could still walk, that is.
Some were stars from the old Hollywood era, from the time when
stars dressed like “STARS.” Many of the biggest names
from Hope's golden era are gone now, but any who could make an
appearance did so. I was there with my wife, Ann Jillian, and
our son, Andrew. It gave me a sad feeling to look around and
see how few of the great ones were still with us on that warm,
sunny day.
Bob's dear wife, Dolores, made a brief appearance even though she's now 93 and frail. Dolores said, “I need a little help getting around these days,” as her son, Tony, held her arm. Dolores told us Bob wasn't up to coming himself, but when she whispered in his ear that she'd go in his place. she said, "A most beautiful smile came on his face.”
The 120-voice Tabernacle choir sang one of Bob’s favorite songs, “I Remember You,” as well as a medley of our armed forces themes, and we all sang, “God Bless America.” We said the “Pledge of Allegiance.” Andrew, who's 10, loved it all. He felt very special to be the only kid invited, and he treated the afternoon with a quiet reverence and respect.
One of the local politicians looking to score points with Dolores, ended his remarks by presenting her with a loaf of gourmet bread that he said had been blessed.
When time came for writer/producer Mort Lachman (“All in the Family,” etc.) to speak, he slowly made his way to the podium with the aid of a cane. Mort’s opening line was, “Are we through giving bread to the poor?”
The audience roared with laughter. This broke the ice as well as showing us that Mort could still ad-lib a comedy line, even at 89. He said he was asked to keep his remarks down to three minutes–then added, “They got to be kidding me. At my age, I can’t do anything in three minutes!”
He told us he knew the Hopes ever since Bob gave him a job right out of the service.
Seated in our row was Jayne
Meadows, looking terrific, but missing her Steve Allen, as we
all do. Another real star was there--Debbie Reynolds--who said,
“I’m here to speak about Bob’s movie career. Seems
I’m the only one who worked in pictures with Bob who’s
still alive!”
We all laughed at how true this nearly was. But there were a
few others, too, who had worked with Bob back then, like Red
Buttons, the 1957 Oscar-winner (for "Sayonara")--a
small man, loaded with big time talent.
This was the Hollywood Ann Jillian adored, the one she introduced me to back in 1976. Sure we had some pals from the younger set, like Johnny Depp who enjoyed my cooking and brought his father back to our house for more of it, but it was the “old school” stars that we enjoyed the most. Ann was lucky to have had a foot in both ponds. The Old School stars had the best manners. They were, by far, the class act. The older stars who knew Hope had turned out to honor him. But I was surprised not to see even one current “star” present to show their respect for a pillar of their industry. Maybe they were all working?
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aboard the battleship New Jersey during one of the Bob Hope war zone tours. |
As I looked around, there was the usual assortment of politicians and of course the Veterans, family & friends of Bob and Dolores Hope. The event was being videotaped mainly for Bob to watch in his home, but, knowing the current Hope office, I think it will turn up on TV in some form or another.
We all sang “Thanks For The Memory” to Bob, with a special lyric on occasion of his 99th birthday, “Thanks for the memory, of ninety-nine years of fun--With us you’re number one” etc., etc.
My mind started thinking back to the fun times I could recall with Bob, back then he always called me ‘Coach,” and I never learned why.
Like the time I booked Ann to be Bob’s opening act on the concert circuit. We traveled the USA doing stage shows in just about every city, but the one in Rockford, Illinois, quickly came to mind. It was in their 10,000-seat boxing arena. Bob and Ann each did their own show as well as duets together. They used a makeshift stage that was really a boxing ring with the posts and ropes taken down. The orchestra was seated alongside the "ring.”
The sold-out house went wild for Bob and Ann, so much so that we were offered a private plane ride to our next gig in Westbury, N.Y., by a corporate executive. Bob, with all his millions, could never pass up a free plane ride--and neither could we. So, of course, he said yes, and Ann and I went along. It was a small Lear Jet. All the luggage was piled in the back. Ann and I sat in row one, Bob and his agent, Frank Rio, sat behind us in row two.
It seemed just a few minutes after the plane got airborne that Bob needed to visit the bathroom. Frank Rio yelled to the pilot, “Where’s the bathroom on this plane?” The co-pilot came back into the cabin, sort of bent over, walking on his knees, he whispered into Frank’s ear that because the baggage was piled to the ceiling, it was blocking the bathroom door. It could not be moved in flight. Frank informed him that Bob had prostrate concerns and had to pee, so he asked him; “What do you guys do up there when you have to go?”
So, the co-pilot reached into his pocket and whipped out a large zip-loc plastic bag and handed it to Frank. The co-pilot returned to the cockpit.
Frank had a whispered conversation with Bob, relating what the pilot told him. Soon Frank whispered in my ear, ‘Andy, no matter what, don’t let Ann turn around for five minutes. The old man has to pee in a bag.”
Well, I’m an old copper and curious by nature, so sure, I sneaked a peek to see how they were going to accomplish this difficult task. To see the 6’-2” Frank Rio on his knees, facing Bob Hope, holding the bag open for the kneeling Bob to whiz in, was a comical sight I'll never forget! I kidded Frank later, saying, “And they call cops bag men!”
To this day, Frank still won’t look me in the eye, and Bob, of course, never knew I had sneaked a peek.
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of time on aircraft, touring with Bob Hope. Here he looks quite comfortable between actress Brooke Shields and his lovely wife, Ann Jillian. |
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I also thought of the Christmas week in 1983, when Beirut was the hot spot, and the USO trip that Ann took there with Bob. I tagged along.
Bob, Ann, singer Vic Damone and comic George Kirby all rehearsed their comedy skits on the long plane rides. I soon got tired and bored. I could only sleep sitting up with my head down on what was basically an RV type dinette table. There was only one bed on the plane, in the next compartment, and I kept thinking about it, wishing I could stretch out for just an hour or so. I was sitting across from Dolores Hope, who soon spotted my eyes closing and suggested I go lay down in the bed. I said, "I’d like to, but that’s for Bob and you, right?" Dolores said, “Go lay down.” I thanked her as I stood up, patted her hand, and headed for the next compartment where I saw a neatly made bed, fresh pillows and all. I stretched out on the bed and soon drifted off to sleep.
I'm not sure if I slept for a few minutes or a few hours, but I felt a hand shaking my shoulder. As I opened my eyes, there was Bob Hope–motioning with his thumb for me to get out of his bed. I was out of it and just rolled over and got back in the deep sleep groove immediately. I then felt something pulling on my ear. This time I became full awake and there was Bob holding me by my ear saying, “Let's go, Coach, out! It’s mine!!” I quickly jumped up, said something stupid like, “Hey boss, sorry, but Dolores said it was okay.” Bob just waved his hand as if to say, “No, it’s not okay” as he flipped the pillow over and laid down. I walked my red face into the main cabin on the plane, looking for Dolores, but I bumped into Ann and told her what had occurred. Ann laughed and took me by the hand to Dolores, informed her about it, and she laughed heartily and said; “We should write a bit on that.”
Some years later, Bob Hope telephoned our house, advising me he wanted Ann to go with him to golf. So I yelled to Ann, “Pick up the phone; Bob wants you to play GOLF! I knew Ann was not a golfer, but I thought I'd let her tell him. I heard Ann in the kitchen saying, “Oh Bob, of course, I’d be honored to” and things like that. As soon as Ann was off the phone, I yelled “Fore! fore!, fore!” Ann asked why I was saying that?
"Because your golf game is not on the level of Bob and Dolores and you had better get your 'fore' ready to yell so you don’t hit anyone," I told her.
Ann said, “You’re so silly! He didn’t want me to go golfing; he wants us to go with him to the GULF, as in Saudi and Desert Shield, and I said yes.”
All I could think of was sleeping at that hard RV table again! And yes, one bed on board, and pretty much the same, I was encouraged to take a nap in the bed, and yes, once again Bob took me by the ear out of his bed, but this time he said, “Listen, Coach, we have to stop meeting like this!” Bob had that mug on his kisser that we’ve all seen so often in those “road to” pictures with Bing. Because I knew Bob better by this time, I just smiled and got out of his sack, never to return.
I have so many memories of Bob and Dolores, from these USO show tag a-longs, to their “Italian Night” dinner parties at their home in Palm Springs, but there’s not enough space to write them all here.
Bob Hope was born in England, (we all forgive him) yet he became the best “Ambassador of Good Will” the USA ever had. I pray he lives forever, and I would suggest everyone come visit the Bob Hope Chapel next time in L.A.–and please, say a little prayer for Bob Hope, because he’s a good man.
© 2002 by Andy Murcia.
The photos are from the Murcia family collection. All rights
reserved.
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