1988 Hope hosting the Academy Awards: Brando, Bogey, Bing, Coop and Cary Grant

Rare clips of Bob Hope emceeing the Academy Awards in the 1950s. Honorees include Marlin Brando, Humphrey Bogart, Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper and Cary Grant. The exchange between Bob and Bing is priceless.

Hope had turned 85 years old in May 1988 and NBC marked his fiftieth year with them -- radio and TV combined. So, despite the Writers Guild strike which was ongoing at the time, a gigantic 3-hour party was staged at the NBC studios in Burbank.

The guest list read like a Who's Who of show business and the entertainment combined live performances with clips of scenes from Hope's films, his hosting the Academy Awards and past TV specials. Live guests Included Lucille Ball, George Burns, Milton Berle, Steve Allen, Sammy Davis, Jr., Leslie Uggams, James Stewart Marie Osmond, Curt Cameron, Reba McEntire, Jay Leno, Jonathan Winters, Ann Jillian, Betty White, Danny Thomas, Tony Randall, Bernadette Peters, Shecket Green, Olivia Newton-John, Bea Arthur, Linda Gray, Barbara Eden, Florence Henderson, and a host of others.

You can read all about the how Hope worked with his guests and his writers and what happened behind-the-scenes of these classic Bob Hope video clips by reading my book "THE LAUGH MAKERS: A Behind-the-Scenes Tribute to Bob Hope's Incredible Gag Writers," chosen a "Top 20" 2009 Year End Pick by Leonard Maltin who says...

"Having spent twenty years writing for the indefatigable Bob Hope, and traveling all over the world, Bob Mills is well qualified to salute the famous corps of gagmen who kept the comedian knee-deep in jokes. These first-hand recollections summon up the final phase of Hope's career—and the end of the trail for an entire brand of show business."
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Order THE LAUGH MAKERS personally inscribed by theAuthor. US$20 + $3 p&h ($5 non-US) Send to: LAUGH MAKERS 4241 Beck Avenue Attn: Shipping STUDIO CITY, CA 91604

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Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.
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To or order your copy of THE LAUGH MAKERS (new or used), just click on this Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593933231/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Or this Barnes & Noble link:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Laugh-Makers/Robert-L-Mills/e/9781593933...

Or, if you'd prefer the KINDLE e-version for $2.99, click here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041D9EPO

See all the photos contained in the book at:
http://bobhopeshowbackstage.weebly.com

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