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Bob Who?

By Shawna Van Ness | STAFF WRITER

May 29, 2003

Over a whopping eight-decade career he's been a radio host, a Broadway star, a movie actor and a fixture on TV. He's been a high-profile golf partner to more than a few former presidents and famously entertained American troops overseas. But invite someone under the age of 30 to reminisce about Bob Hope, and get ready for a blank stare.

"Who's Bob Hope?" asked 19-year old Arnold Jankie of Jamaica.

"You mean that old guy?" said Melanie Olivieri, 21, of Howard Beach.

In a pop culture universe that cycles through its icons faster than you can say Evan "Joe Millionaire" Marriott, it takes more than 80-plus years of nonstop work to impress. Hope turns 100 today, and we wondered just how familiar the man "The Guinness Book of World Records" names as the "most honored entertainer" is with people, say, under age 30.

So we asked them: "Who is Bob Hope?"

The (admittedly unscientific) findings? An entire generation is apparently, well, Hopeless.

"He's been on television, he used to be a comedian, a Jay Leno-David Letterman kind of thing, but before their time," says 25-year-old Tiffany Sizse, of Centereach.

"I remember something about a Bob Hope New Year's Eve special ... he was in a couple movies," says Jeff Roditi, 23, of Queens Village.

Well, sort of. Hope traveled overseas to entertain U.S. troops fighting in seven conflicts, from World War II to Operation Desert Storm. In 1997, Congress named him the nation's first honorary veteran of war. He's also a British knight and the holder of 58 honorary doctorate degrees.

Still, he's hardly a household name anymore. Of those we asked who did remember a sliver of Hope's once- ageless fame, most aren't quite sure exactly who he is. Some of those who do remember were surprised to learn he's still alive.

"He was a lot of generations ago," says 25-year-old Roberto Serpas of Far Rockaway.

Generations? Do the math. It's been more than 30 years since Hope's last major film role and 53 years since his television debut. The fact is, Hope was old enough to be living in a senior retirement center before the 20-somethings were even born. Nonetheless, there were occasional glimmers of recognition from a few who still have a sense of the performer's place in American pop culture history.

"Who doesn't know who Bob Hope is?" asked an incredulous Justin Horan, 20, of Bethpage. "He had a lot of TV specials, he rooted on the troops during war.... I know he likes to golf." But, he adds, "He's before our time."

What a difference a few years make. Ask someone a bit older to share their favorite Bob Hope memories and you're in the Hope zone - people in the 35-and-older ballpark. They probably will prattle off television appearances, stand-up acts and more, with ease.

"He's one of the last original entertainers," says Ira Nockowitz, 37, of Farmingdale. "I remember all his movies with Bing Crosby and the comedy shows ... all the good things he used to do for the armed forces."

Says 35-year-old Joanne Luksch, "He always had a cigar in his mouth [he never did] and big glasses [he didn't]." She remembers Hope's USO tours abroad and often watched his holiday specials at home in Wantagh. Although it's been a while since she's seen him onscreen. "Television is all about the young, hip people now," she says. "They don't talk about the older stuff anymore."