If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82). He has a number of great programs available throughout the month of December on his great show. You can also get a large number of these programs at a variety or resources on the web. One place to find these shows is the 500 OTR Christmas Shows from the Internet Archive. This is a great resources for many of these wonderful radio shows!
M*A*S*H Filming Site (Malibu Creek State Park, California) - Friday November 1, 2013
When I was a kid, I remember the Bob Hope specials on TV. They hit at all the big holidays, but they never made a big splash with my family. Not sure why, but I cannot remember watching them as a kid - though I knew they were on. Fast forward many years...and it is happening...I am growing to like Bob Hope.
And while I did not love his comedy when I was a kid, there was never a moment that I can remember not respecting the work that Bob Hope did entertaining troops. In fact, Bob Hope wrote a book in 1944 called I Never Left Home about his experiences entertaining the troops. In 1945, The Lux Radio Theater created a one hour version of the book, unlike the movies they normally played. Here is the episode:
Lux Radio Theater (January 8, 1945)
Summary: The accounting of his time entertaining the troops. Starring Bob Hope, Frances Langford, Tony Romano, Jerry Colonna, and introduced by Cecil B. DeMille.
Whether entertaining troops stateside, overseas, or in a veterans hospital, Bob Hope was very much aware of the sacrifice that these men and women were making. It seems that he spent so many Christmas' away in the service of others, that he brings true meaning to the holiday.
Bob Hope Show (December 28, 1948)
And while I did not love his comedy when I was a kid, there was never a moment that I can remember not respecting the work that Bob Hope did entertaining troops. In fact, Bob Hope wrote a book in 1944 called I Never Left Home about his experiences entertaining the troops. In 1945, The Lux Radio Theater created a one hour version of the book, unlike the movies they normally played. Here is the episode:
Lux Radio Theater (January 8, 1945)
Summary: The accounting of his time entertaining the troops. Starring Bob Hope, Frances Langford, Tony Romano, Jerry Colonna, and introduced by Cecil B. DeMille.
Whether entertaining troops stateside, overseas, or in a veterans hospital, Bob Hope was very much aware of the sacrifice that these men and women were making. It seems that he spent so many Christmas' away in the service of others, that he brings true meaning to the holiday.
Bob Hope Show (December 28, 1948)
Summary: This great show was delivered by Bob Hope in Berlin, Germany during the Berlin Airlift in 1948. This was one of the many shows that he gave to troops both inside enemy lines and stateside. His jokes were always geared to the soldiers, such as when he lamented than the Air Force makes him take an hour to get on a parachute, but they do not fly high enough to open a parasol! He presented the show with General Jimmy Doolittle, as well as Bill Farrell, Irene Ryan, Jane Harvey, composer Irving Berlin, & Jinx Falkenburg. This was his regular show sponsored by Swan soap. The show features Bob's stand up humor, skits, songs (including Slow Boat to China) and some heartfelt acknowledgement of the sacrifice that these soldiers were giving for the war effort. It was very well appreciated by the soldiers.
Bob Hope Show (December 25, 1951)
Summary: This show was performed on Christmas day at the Long Beach, California Veterans Administration Hospital. While this is a partial episode, it is really wonderful. He is joined by his Road Pictures co-star Bing Crosby (I will focus on him in a couple of days). Bing did his share of shows for soldiers, but no one can hold a candle to Bob Hope. Lots of jokes and a funny skit between Bob Hope and Bing Crosby as they are shopping the previous week for Christmas gifts. They add a skit between the two about their younger days!
Thanks for the memories, Bob Hope!
Here are some links to programs relating to Bob Hope:
- Bob Hope radio program episodes via the Internet Archive
- Bob Hope Biography on the Wikipedia
- Bob Hope on Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs
- Bob Hope and American Variety (online exhibit from the Library of Congress)
- Bob Hope - Online Exhibit from the World Golf Hall of Fame
- Bob Hope entry from the Radio Hall of Fame
- Bob Hope USO Centers (Southern California)
- AFRS (Armed Forces Radio Service) article on the Digital Deli
- Also visit 500 OTR Christmas Shows from the Internet Archive.
- Christmas Scripts at Generic Radio Workshop - no they are not from Abbot and Costello!
25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas:
- All Entries
- Day 1 - Nick Carter's Christmas Adventure
- Day 2 - The Saint is No Santa Claus
- Day 3 - Stolen Rings at Christmas with Boston Blackie
- Day 4 - Dragnet's Christmas Episodes
- Day 5 - Nero Wolfe & the Slaughtered Santas
- Day 6 - The Plot To Murder Santa Claus (with Frank Sinatra as Rocky Fortune)
- Day 7 - Christmas at Mission San Gabriel with Romance of the Ranchos
- Day 8 - Arch Oboler's Christmas 1918
- Day 9 - The Story of Silent Night (Hallmark Playhouse)
- Day 10 - Juggler of Notre Dame (with Nelson Eddy)
- Day 11 - Candy Matson's Christmas Episodes
- Day 12 - Lionel Barrymore's Mayor of the Town
- Day 13 - More Radio Adaptations of a Christmas Carol
- Day 14 - Tales Of The Texas Rangers (not those Rangers)
- Day 15 - Christmas in Connecticut (with Ronald Reagan)
- Day 16 - Holidays with Connie - Our Miss Brooks
- Day 17 - The Whistler's Christmas Episodes
- Day 18 - Detroit's WXYZ & The Lone Ranger
- Day 19 - Johnny Dollar and the Nick Shurn Matter
- Day 20 - Christmas Shopping with Jack Benny
- Day 21 - Gunsmoke's Christmas Story
- Day 22 - Bob Hope's Christmas Shows
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