Make them laugh - Bob Hope.

On March 30th, 1908 - a 5 year old boy named Leslie Townes Hope was processed on Ellis Island. He has arrived upon the SS Philadelphia from Bristol, England. The ship had fought in the Spanish American War and would again fight in World War I, but for now it was a Transatlantic ocean liner transporting immigrants to the United States of America. The building on Ellis Island was only eight years old, and one can only imagine was a poor boy Bristol might have thought of it. His stay in New York was brief, as he and his quickly journeyed from Ellis Island to settle in Cleveland, Ohio.

As was the case for many immigrant families in the early 20th century, money was so scarce that every single family member had to work to put food on the table. The Hopes had 7 growing boys to feed! At age 12, Leslie took to busking in the streets. He was talented and people enjoyed watching him. He even won a Charlie Chaplin impersonation contest! At age 16, he tried his hand as a boxer. His boxing name was Packy East. He won three of four matches, but that was as far as his boxing career went. He worked briefly in a variety of jobs ranging from a butcher shop, to shoe salesman, to soda jerk.

Leslie's mother was an aspiring opera singer and encouraged his showbiz tendencies. Despite financial struggles, he enrolled in dance lesson with his girlfriend. The showbiz bug bit him hard and Leslie went off to perform on the Vaudeville circuit. He had an act called the Dancemedians - that say him teamed up with George Byrne, the Hilton twins, and his friend from dance school - Lloyd Durban!

In 1929, Leslie informally changed his name to Bob. Bob Hope. It become evident Bob was funniest on his own, so he went solo. He performed with the Zeigfeld Follies in 1936 and in the Broadway hit Red, Hot, and Blue with Ethel Merman and Jimmy Durante.

In 1934, his voice was first head on the radio. In 1938, the Pepsodent Show starring Bob Hope began. Any good performer knows he needs good collaborators, so he hired eight writer while he paid of of pocket!!!! And he paid them well! $2500 a week! He has a success television career and movie career, often teaming up with Bing Crosby, to enter Ian the masses. His genius is preserved in movies like 'The Road to Singapore,' numerous television specials, commercials, and in even the Simpsons where he played himself in season 4's 'Lisa the Beauty Queen.' But the biggest impact he made on his audiences was the one he made on our armed forces overseas.

On February 4, 1941, the United Service Organizations - AKA USO - formed with a focus of strengthening America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, hone, and country, throughout their service to their nation.  Hundreds of entertainers ranging from Abbott and Costello to Tallulah Bankhead to Marlene Dietrich, to Duke Ellington, to the Rockettes, to to Dinah to Shore, to Ed Sullivan took part in Camp Shows overseas for American troops, but Bob Hope's enthusiasm and efforts surpassed all the rest.

Bob Hope spent 48 Christmases overseas with American service personnel throughout his life.  His first USO appearance was in 1941 and his final was fifty years later in 1991.  He was willing to entertain wherever and whenever the US needed him.  After World War II was over, the USO was largely forgotten about, and the U.S. Government sent out an impassioned plea asking entertainers to not abandon the GI's now that the war was over.  Among the first to say yes - Bob Hope.  So ingrained in the consciousness of the US military was Bob Hope that he was declared the first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces.  A C-17 Air Force Plane was named in his honor - The Spirit of Bob Hope.  The navy followed suit naming one of their vessels the "USNS Bob Hope."  And if you think Bob Hope got these honors easily, take into account that the Nazis thrice bombed towns while Bob Hope was there, and Bob Hope and his crew would travel over 300 miles in a jeep to perform and bring joy and laughter to troops who needed uplifting.  He was such a target that, during the Vietnam War, the Vietcong targeted Bob Hope at his hotel and missed him by a mete 10 minutes.  He wrote five books.  The fifth was called, "The Last Christmas Show" which was dedicated to "the men and women of the armed forces and to those who also served by worrying and waiting."  Bob Hope, and immigrant from England, in many ways carried the spirits of the US military on his back.  He took his holidays and gave them to American Troops - bringing them joy and laughter.

Bob Hope was an immigrant.

Bob Hope made America Great.

You can learn more about Bob Hope and his life by watching this documentary.