- Title: UK: REACTIONS TO DEATH OF BOB HOPE FROM TOWN WHERE HE WAS BORN, ELTHAM.
- Date: 29th July 2003
- Summary: (W6) ELTHAM, KENT, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 28, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. EXTERIOR OF 'THE BOB HOPE THEATRE' 2. CARTOON PICTURE OF BOB HOPE'S FACE AT THE THEATRE 3. A BOB HOPE THEATRE POSTER 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JIM SHEPHERD, HONORARY SECRETARY FOR 'THE BOB HOPE THEATRE' SAYING: "I found him to be very warm and a man of the people really. One of the things that I found fascinating about him was that he always discouraged fan clubs and the reason for that I think was because he was so approachable. When he came here and met people in Eltham and here at the theatre he was like one of the boys, very approachable, very warm." 5. BRONZE MODEL STATUE OF BOB HOPE DISPLAYED INSIDE THE THEATRE 6. PLAQUE FROM WHEN BOB HOPE OPENED EXTENSION OF THEATRE 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JIM SHEPHERD, HONORARY SECRETARY FOR 'THE BOB HOPE THEATRE' SAYING: "Oh I think the people of Eltham think it's a fun thing. Everybody knows where he was born, the house where he was born although he left here, 97 or 94 years ago he's still well remembered. He never forgot his British roots and we like that here." 8. THE EDWARDIAN HOUSE WHERE BOB HOPE WAS BORN 9. PLAQUE OUTSIDE THE HOUSE WITH BOB HOPE'S NAME 10. THE HOUSE 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FREDA CARDWELL, LOCAL RESIDENT WHO LIVES IN THE SAME STREET WHERE HOPE WAS BORN, SAYING: "We were very proud of that here, I think most people knew and knew of the good he'd done by opening the theatre and that sort of thing. Everybody was very proud of him and we all knew where he was born, the house where he was born in." 12. A MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN ON THE SAME STREET LOOKING AT A HISTORY BOOK OF ELTHAM FEATURING BOB HOPE 13. THE STREET AND HOUSE WHERE HOPE WAS BORN 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAUL HARRISON, LOCAL ESTATE AGENT, SOLD HOPE'S OLD HOUSE RECENTLY, SAYING: "Far from it I don't think he's ever forgotten his roots where he came from. We're all proud to have the connection there and he's shown it through his actions which speak volumes." (QU: AND WHAT WOULD THOSE ACTIONS BE?) "Well, having supported the theatre for one thing, he could have turned his back on it when they needed help. To show an interest in the property and what was going on here, they've (his family) kept in touch so I'm very proud of that." 15. FRONT OF THE HOUSE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th August 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ELTHAM, KENT, UNITED KINGDOM
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA42M96BNSULRDP0NGS6L7X53D1
- Story Text: Residents of Eltham, England where legendary
entertainer Bob Hope was born a hundred years ago have reacted
to the news of his death.
Hope died of pneumonia on Sunday night (July 27) at
9:28 p.m./12:28 a.m. EDT (0428 GMT) in the United States with
his family at his side a spokesman said on Monday (July 28).
Hope was the ultimate comedian, a master of timing who
turned the one-liner into an art form and became a national
institution.
He was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, Kent, England,
the fifth of seven sons of a stonemason. His father moved his
family to Cleveland, Ohio in the United States (U.S.) when
Hope was three years old to work on a church there.
Hope kept his connection with the town by making several
visits over the years and supporting the local theatre. Jim
Shepherd, Honorary Secretary for the 'Bob Hope Theatre'
recalled the times when he met Hope.
"I found him to be very warm and a man of the people
really. One of the things that I found fascinating about him
was that he always discouraged fan clubs and the reason for
that I think was because he was so approachable. When he came
here and met people in Eltham and here at the theatre he was
like one of the boys, very approachable, very warm."
During World War II, Hope took his show to American
forces around the world, touring in Europe, Africa and the
Pacific. He later performed in Vietnam and during the Gulf
War.
At the age of 94 he received an honorary knighthood at the
British Embassy in Washington. The knighthood (KBE) was in
recognition of his work entertaining troops in several wars,
including the 1990 Gulf War.
The Edwardian house where he was born and lived until he
was seven years old is in Kent, in southern England, and
residents there are proud of the connection.
"We were very proud of that here, I think most people knew
and knew of the good he'd done by opening the theatre and that
sort of thing. Everybody was very proud of him and we all knew
where he was born, the house where he was born in," said Freda
Cardwell who lives on the street where Hope was born.
The house was recently sold by local estate agent Paul
Harrison who met Hope's daughter Linda and showed her around
the house after she expressed an interest to see it.
"We're all proud to have the connection there and he's
shown it through he actions which speak volumes," Harrison
said. "
Hope's career, which included stints as an amateur boxer,
minstrel in black face and dancer, spanned seven decades in
which he starred in five mediums: vaudeville, radio, stage,
movies and television.
Virtually running his own joke factory by employing almost
100 writers, Hope was able to draw on a collection of hundreds
of thousands of jokes that specialized in sexual double
entendres, gags about his ski-nose and lines that paid homage
to his decided lack of humility and willingness to con anyone.
With his trademark ski-slope nose, Hope was one of the
first super stars and one of the 20th century's greatest
comedians. He also pioneered with Bing Crosby of one of
Hollywood's most enduring genres -- the buddy movie.
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