Bob Hope passed away Sunday, July 27th, 2003 at the age of one hundred.

Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope on May 29, 1903 in Eltham England. His family uprooted and moved to Cleveland when he was barely four years of age. Later in life, Hope would comment on his family's move by saying, "I left England at the age of four when I found out I couldn't be king!"

Early on, he held many jobs, including delivery boy, soda jerk, shoe salesman, pool hustler, and even ametuer boxer. He finally settled for performing in vaudville, and began an act with then-girlfriend Mildred Rosequist; however, the act did not last, as Rosequist's mother attended one night. Shortly thereafter, he teamed with friend Lloyd Durbin in Cleveland's Bandbox theatre in a short-lived act for the Fatty Arbuckle Show. One year later, with George Byrne, their act flourished, taking off into major houses in New York.

After a lackluster performance on Broadway, Hope and Byrne set off west. In Newcastle, Pennsylvania, Hope secured a three-day date at a local theatre; where, encouraged my the manager and audience, he became a 'single' act.

In 1932, he returned to Broadway in a production of "Ballyhoo," though it wasn't until a year later when he achieved critical acclaim as the wise-cracking Huckleberry Haines in "Roberta." It was during that play that one of his co-performers introduced him to a young Dolores Reade, who would eventually become his wife. Three plays later, Hope finally received the chance of a lifetime, a starring role in a feature film for Paramount in "The Big Broadcast of 1938."

His first appearance with Bing Crosby, a man who would later star with him in several feature films, came in 1936, during the "Capitor Family Hour" radio show. Soon thereafter, he became a regular guest on the NBC radio show "Woodbury Soap Show," then traveling to Hollywood to film "The Big Broadcast of 1938."

The rest is history. Bob Hope went on to star in fifty films, winning praise from critics and fans alike for such classics as the "Road House" movies with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. His television and radio career at NBC lasted for sixty years. He was not a competitive man, winning only one award, an Emmy, for one of his famous television specials. Still, he is on record with the Guiness Book of World Records as being the most honored star of all time. He once said that Oscar Night in his house was called 'Passover,' as he never won a single award for his acting, yet a song he made famous, "Thanks For The Memories," won an Oscar. His last film was in 1985, with an appearance in "Spies Like Us."

Never was his life corrupted by scandal, and not a man, woman, or child can be found who can say something bad about him. He began as an American Icon, but will be remembered as a gift to Humanity. While his acts were among the funniest of all time, even decades after their debut, not a one used the all too common four-letter slur to prop it up. He was married once, to Dolores Reade, and stayed with her for sixty-nine years. Together, they adopted four children, and have four grandchildren. He was a champion of charity, and a wonder of comedy.

His own life ended with a smile, the same smile that he gave all of us through his jokes.

Thanks for the memories, Bob. I'll never forget.