Comedian Bob Hope and his wife, also an entertainer, are buried side by side at Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana Cemetery in Mission Hills, CA.
Bob Hope's gravesite has the simple inscription
"Leslie Townes Hope
'Bob'
1903-2003"
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us:
"Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope, KBE, KC*SG, KSS (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003), was an American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer, dancer, athlete, and author. With a career spanning nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in over 70 films and shorts, including a series of "Road" movies also starring Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. In addition to hosting the Academy Awards 19 times (more than any other host), he appeared in many stage productions and television roles and was the author of fourteen books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" is widely regarded as Hope's signature tune.
Born in London, England, Hope arrived in America with his family at the age of four and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He began his career in show business in the early 1920s, initially on stage, and began appearing on the radio and in films in 1934. He was praised for his comedy timing, specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes—which were often self-deprecating, with Hope building himself up and then tearing himself down. Celebrated for his long career performing United Service Organizations (USO) shows to entertain active service American military personnel—he made 57 tours for the USO between 1941 and 1991—Hope was declared an honorary veteran of the United States Armed Forces in 1997 by act of the U.S. Congress. He also appeared in numerous specials for NBC television, starting in 1950, and was one of the first users of cue cards.
Hope participated in the sports of golf and boxing, and owned a small stake in his hometown baseball team, the Cleveland Indians. He was married to performer Dolores Hope (née DeFina) for 69 years. Hope died at the age of 100 at his home in Toluca Lake, California."
Dolores Hope's inscription reads:
"Dolores DeFina Hope
1909-2011"
This website (
visit link) has a photo of the gravesite and adds:
"Birth: May 27, 1909
Bronx
Bronx County
New York, USA
Death: Sep. 19, 2011
Toluca Lake
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Singer, Philanthropist and Humanitarian. Widow of legendary entertainer Bob Hope. In the 1930s she found work as a singer in New York, playing in Bars and night clubs under the stage name Dolores Reade. While working at the Vogue Club in 1933, Dolores first met a young comedian named Bob Hope, who had come with pal George Murphy to see her sing. Dolores was quoted as saying it was "love at first song" as she sang "It's Only a Paper Moon." In the following nights Bob waited for her outside of the club. Their courtship led to marriage on February 19, 1934. She ended her career as a club singer, and joined Bob in his vaudeville act. She left show business to focus on motherhood. The Hopes adopted four children: Nora, Linda, Tony, and Kelly. She would return to the stage helping her husband perform at his USO shows. She performed for the troops from World War II until Operation Desert Storm in 1991. She would make history as the only female entertainer allowed to perform in Saudi Arabia. Bob and Dolores also donated time and money to various charities throughout the world. In 1993, at the age of 83 Dolores recorded her first album, "Now and Then." In 1997, she would return to the stage performing for two weeks with her good friend Rosemary Clooney. In February 2003 Bob and Dolores celebrated 69 years of marriage. The well-loved comedian celebrated his 100th birthday that May, but passed away on July 27, 2003. She would lose son Tony the following year. In 2009, Dolores Hope too became a centenarian. In the years following her husband's death Dolores focused her attention on philanthropic work with the Bob and Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation. Dolores Hope died at the Toluca Lake Home she shared with Bob at age 102. (bio by: The Perplexed Historian)
Family links:
Parents:
Theresa Kelly DeFina (1890 - 1977)
Spouse:
Bob Hope (1903 - 2003)*
Children:
Anthony Jude Hope (1940 - 2004)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana Cemetery
Mission Hills
Los Angeles County
California, USA""