By Allie Martin and Jenni Parker
The director of research for the American Family Association says comedian Bob Hope will be deeply missed by those who love the nation and support the values of freedom and family. AFA’s Ed Vitagliano says Hope’s death marks the end of an era for quality entertainment.
Many Christian leaders regarded Hope highly as a man of great charity and love for humanity. According to Associated Press, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney noted that in times of worry and concern, the comedian “offered the hope that his name signified.” Another admirer was Rev. Billy Graham, who met Hope during a 1949 crusade in Los Angeles, and recalls Hope’s friendship, warmth and humor. Graham says Hope once referred to their golf matches at a White House event, commenting that the evangelist “prayed in the sand traps and walked on water!”
And President George W. Bush, AP reports, said of Hope’s death, “the nation has lost a great citizen …. God bless his soul.”
Vitagliano agrees that Hope, who died Sunday at the age of 100, will be remembered not only as a great comedian but also as a patriot. “He loved his country. I’ll always remember him performing in front of troops overseas — there aren’t many selfless comedians that we see publicly. Bob Hope was a rare person in that he gave back to his country, even when it meant a lot of inconvenience,” Vitagliano says.
Hope’s charity work and tours on behalf of the armed forces have garnered the gratitude and esteem of millions worldwide, including every U.S. president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. And in a recent example of his generosity, the beloved comedian donated his personal papers, scripts, radio and TV programs, and his extensive file of more than 85,000 pages of jokes, to the Library of Congress and the people of the United States.
Across more than eight decades, Hope shone as a star of vaudeville, radio, movies, television and the stage. His death leaves a void in the entertainment industry, not least of all because of the example he set for others. Vitagliano says one reason Hope stood out was that he built a successful career in comedy without being crude, degrading, or demeaning.
“Bob Hope was just a gem. The way that he entertained is something that has pretty much disappeared. He was clean, creative, a brilliant comedian, and we’ll certainly miss the likes of him,” Vitagliano says.
According to the AFA researcher, Hope proved that a successful career could be built on clean, family-friendly humor. His legacy of humor and selfless public service are an inspiration to millions.
In 1997, an act of Congress made Bob Hope an honorary veteran. On receiving the designation, the comedian remarked, “I’ve been given many awards in my lifetime — but to be numbered among the men and women I admire most is the greatest honor I have ever received.”
(This article courtesy of Agape Press).
