Entertainer Bob Hope brought comfort to generations of American troops on the Home Front and on battlefronts beginning in World War II.

Every Tuesday night from 1938-1948, Bob Hope hosted The Pepsodent Show on NBC. The program held the number one spot on the radio charts from 1942-1944.

During World War II and in the decades following, Bob Hope visited American troops for the holidays. His performances for those serving around the world brought them a bit of home. And year after year, his televised Christmas specials brought the faces of those troops into American living rooms.

The Hollywood Canteen, which had been in operation since October 1942, closed its doors after one last hoorah on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945. In all, more than 3,000 volunteers, many famous stars among them, had welcomed and entertained nearly four million servicemen and women.

Entertainer Bob Hope performed his regular radio show in front of a military audience at the US Naval Training Facility in Oceanside, California on May 8, 1945. The next day he played a central role in the Victory broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Service. These performances both took a more somber tone than usual.

“While some high school letters are worn on sweaters, your letters are next to our hearts.”

Read excerpts from some of the winning essays, which contemplate what the duty of art and artists should be during times of war and conflict.    

The war correspondent and the entertainer shared a mission to connect with those in service during World War II.  

Join Kimberly Guise, curator of the special exhibit So Ready for Laughter: The Legacy of Bob Hope, and Hope biographer Richard Zoglin for a discussion about the entertainer’s life and work.

Honoring Bob Hope’s lifelong dedication to troops and veterans, the Museum visits hospitalized heroes.

Join us for a night of spooky revelry, including a happy hour followed by a murder mystery party and film screening.

Join us at the Museum for a full day celebrating Bob Hope’s career in radio, with a humor-writing workshop, a radio-themed STEM workshop for girls, and a “live” radio-broadcast re-creation!