Comedy (1935 - 55)
 The
Bob Hope Show was similar to the Bing Crosby
Show. Like Crosby, he came to radio early and stayed late. He
shared with Crosby an ability with words, a glibness, a keen intelligence.
They did not however share their styles. Crosby on the air was slow
and mellow: Hope was a machine gun, constantly firing off jokes.
Jane Froman, a frequent
guest on the Bob Hope Show
Showcased in the show were the likes of James Melton, Jane Froman,
Jack Kirkwood, Patricia Wilder and Frank Parker. The Pepsodent Show with Yehudi
became intertwined with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson but all
along, Hope was definitely the star. No one had ever told jokes quite
like Bob Hope. His monologues were rapid-fire blasts of comedy, extremely
topical and wildly appreciated by all of his audiences.
Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2008 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved-Reproduction is prohibited.
Hope had Olympic style writers writing for him and he insisted that
the script be exactly 37 minutes long. It was then whittled down joke
by joke until only the surefire material remained. The result on the
air was a breathless gush, with six laughs a minute guaranteed.
|
E-mail this page to a friend