Customer Reviews

The Secret Life of Bob Hope: An Unauthorized Biography

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Well -as you'll note from other reviews, how dare Arthur Marx pick on a great American legend! A man that has entertained us for most of the 20th century. A man that has risked his life to bring comfort to the troops of America's numerous wars and conflicts. A man that just couldn't make enough money or women! It was always known in Hollywood and in the Pentagon, what a flagrant womanizer Bob Hope was -in fact just about to the very end of his life. His wife knew it and with the patience of a saint, she stuck by him through countless affairs and one-nighters, both here and overseas. Thats the way it was. The man who always managed to have an ad-lib ready for any occassion -they were all carefully scripted in advance. Again, thats the way it was. No one likes to hear such stories about their heroes and role models, afterall it kind of makes suckers out of us if we go along and believe something like this book. We figure if Bob was that bad, we would have heard about it long ago. Thats where all those great PR people come in and Bob had the best. Worshiped by the public, the servicemen and all those American presidents from both parties. So who wants to make suckers out of all them, it's worse than burning the flag and then spitting on it. Yes, his image was greater than anyone on Mount Rushmore. What's more, Bob Hope knew it, flaunted it and fully exploited it -all the way to the bank. He became the single biggest private owner of real estate in California. Whereas Jack Benny always traded off his showbiz image of being tight with money, in reality he was the total opposite. However, Bob the benevolent was as tight as they come, extremely shrewd and always politically savvy. Not that all thats a crime, but was he really worthy of becoming the most decorated American in history?

Arthur Marx, son of Groucho, a veteran TV writer, playwright, novelist and biographer, took on an impossible and thankless task of showing Bob Hope in the true cold light of reality. But he strongly felt it was something he had to do. Theres no doubt that Bob Hope was extremely talented, his timing was always spot on. Theres no doubt he was the best MC you could ever get, specially at the Academy Awards. Why is it then, that we can take the good and bad when it comes to someone like Frank Sinatra, but not in super-patriot Bob?
And thats what this book is all about really. It's worthy of your making up your own mind and not blindly believing in all the PR hype. Politicians court showbiz because they crave that same insatiable fan worship. Superstar's today don't seem to mind if you think of them badly or not, as long as their name stays in the headlines and the money keeps coming in. But thats right, Bob was of another era.

Bob Hope, America's comedian -- at least among white middle-Americans of a certain age. But like any institution, and he is an institution, there is a downside to one of the country's favorite success stories. Arthur Marx pulls no punches in characterizing Hope's many flaws. Chief are the secretly promiscuous womanizing, the penny-pinching among staffers, the ceaseless self-promotion, and a generally curmudgeonly personality. Not really bad stuff, like mixing with gangsters or playing with drugs, the sorts of things Hollywood is generally prone to. But bad enough to tarnish a nurtured image as family man and patriot. Many readers will avoid a tell-all book like Marx's for that sort of defensive reason. Moreover, I get the feeling that like many in Hollywood Marx respects Hope the comedian at the same time he generally dislikes the man. Nonetheless, he is careful to point out Hope's many strengths as a performer -- his matchless ability with one-liners; his energy, verve and sass; his tireless dedication to servicemen,(which appears genuine); and his shrewd sense of the business. Additionally, Hope makes up for a lack of creative spark with a sound sense of comedy, which has helped him stay on top for a remarkable period. I like the way Marx has included excerpts from routines to provide period flavor. They furnish a sense of popular humor over time, and Hope was an expert purveyor of popular tastes until at least the 1960's when the unpleasant war-mongering side took over. Marx's style is easy and readable. Even so, as another reviewer has pointed out, there is a notable shortage of citations to back up fact. What there are consists of a list of persons interviewed for the book, which seems a little over general for a work of this type. Nevertheless, many allegations are also attributed by name from the list of interviewees. So, however you take it, be prepared for an eye-level approach to a legend who is also very much a flawed individual.

Throughout the history of biographies, official or otherwise, authors who choose to pen books about celebrities, politicians or media figures do so because they either: a) revere or empathize greatly with their subject; or b) have a reason to vilify or skewer that subject's good name. In the case of this book, the latter is in effect. Arthur Marx (son of the great comic actor, Groucho Marx) seems to be doing his best to deflate Hope's standing with the American public. Although a few of his sources seem iron-clad, others appear without so much as a footnote. Lurid tales of Hope's antics, jealousies, and personal feuds are layed out one by one; each paragraph tries to hit harder than the one preceding it. Most will find this book interesting simply because of the sheer ribaldry and titillating content. For instance: Bing Crosby ended up in the hospital in 1948 for an operation, and as is retold by Marx, "Der Bingle" was fellated by a nurse on staff. He was suitably impressed about it that upon being released by the hospital, he promptly told Hope about the nurse's proclivity. It wasn't long before Hope was requesting the same room and the same nurse...with the same end result. Such lascivious behavior should be backed up by corroborating evidence; none, however, is offered. Marx also breaks the rule of biographers: Never include yourself, your family members, or your friends into the life of your literary subject. He introduces Groucho into the storyline in one chapter; and while Groucho was himself an entertainer well-known to millions of Americans, such as Hope was and is, Groucho's life and career didn't intersect with Hope's enough to warrant the inclusion of the elder Marx's name. It was, however, an interesting anecdote, and one Groucho could have easily related to his son. However, some of Arthur Marx's charges may have some validity. When he writes about a special Hope had on T.V. that was almost universally panned by television critics, Hope's spin doctors went into overdrive. They quoted a critic from a paper called "Chicago News," who said Hope's T.V. special was a "delight." An observant Los Angeles critic (who panned Hope's show the most vociferously) was contacted IN PERSON by a Hope employee. The man demanded a detraction, and told the critic that Hope could make her life miserable. The sycophant later said that Hope's show was reviewed most favorably elsewhere. The lady critic points out that the fictitious writer of the fictitious Chicago journal was evidence enough that Hope's latest T.V. effort did indeed fall well short of glory. It is not for me to say that Hope had as many affairs as Marx said he had; it may not be so, and I can't just take his word for it. Marx may have a serious axe to grind, and judging by his attempt to fit all of Hope's transgressions into one book makes it seem that way. All things considered, Marx must be taken with a grain of salt. It is up to those who were in the audience of one of Hope's USO shows to judge the validity of servicemen who castigated and booed Hope because of his "hawk" views of the Vietnam War. Marx tells us that although nearly all films show us nothing but laughing and applauding soldiers, the truth was that Hope had many detractors in the military. I won't argue the fact that Hope had some liberal detractors in his audience. Is Marx inflating the numbers of servicemen who really DID resent Hope and his political views? Again, I was not there; I have no say. I prefer to remember the Bob Hope from the "Road" pictures, ambling off to some misadventure or other with Bing. Or the guy who could just say something funny, and get it in before the censor had a chance to quash it. In conclusion, I tend to agree with a few of Marx's observations; the rest seem to extend the realm of reality. Delores Hope won't talk, and Bing and Marilyn Maxwell et. al., have all been outlived by Hope. No doubt, Hope is a man with faults, as have all of us. Keep that in mind as you read this book.

Since it is out of print, you may have to consult your library to see if they have a copy.

The people who panned this book *clearly* have their shorts in a wad (that's a colloquial phrase for "cognitive dissonance") over having their shiny perceptual "Bob Hope" bubbles painfully burst after discovering the rather unsavory truth. Too bad, that's what you get for putting somebody up on a pedestal. Especially somebody who doesn't deserve it. I give the book five stars because it soundly draws a clear distinction between Bob Hope's carefully crafted public persona and what he was REALLY like, "behind the scenes"... a mean-spirited, self-aggrandizing, womanizing opportunist! In other words, he was a first-class spoiled brat and a major league hypocrite. This book would be a lot less interesting if the dichotomy that is Bob Hope wasn't a fact of life, and admittedly, it will not be very interesting to the people who don't remember him. But for those of us that do, it is an excellent biography. Pretty soon we'll all be dead too, but at least we'll kick off knowing the value of "belief" in terms of accepting uncritically and without question whatever is tossed one's way by the public relations machinery.... an object lesson which translates neatly not just for the entertainment business, but for media and government as well.

This book shows you that Bob was a womanizer, but Bob was way worse than what this book says. Check out another book about Bob Hope called "Thanks For The Memories" by Brice Taylor. Yep, Bob and Michael Jackson had something in common, only Bob had underaged girls not boys.

Bob Hope is known the world over as an all-American American. A devoted husband and father, a patriot and a man who entertained countless millions of soldiers during war. But in this book, we discover a Bob Hope few knew existed. A Bob Hope who used his travels as an excuse to sleep with sexy young women. The story has many credible sources, including such longtime Hope friends as Milton Berle and Steve Allen. And, Marx, as the son of the great Groucho, undoubtedly has known a lot of dirt about Hope for years. He has waited until now to write the book, because Hope is too old, feeble and forgotten to fight back. Although it's disappointing to read such things about Hope, this book is anyone interested in the truth.

Oh, for gosh sakes. Arthur Marx is a complete loser who managed to squeak out a living as a comedy writer only by working his father's connections. Groucho thought Arthur was a lousy comedy writer, and this book proves he's a lousy human being, as well. Hope was one of Arthur Marx's employers, and it was Hope that turned his father's career around by insisting that he work off the script when he invited Groucho to come on the air with him. Little did he imagine at the time that the thanks he would get for his benevolence to Groucho (a benevolence he displayed throughout his career) would be a knife in the back from his pathetic lowlife son. The book is a collection of snide, filthy, innuendos from unnamed sources, former employees, and the sort of enemies that competent, hard-working, brilliant individuals like Hope always make within their own industries.

I think it is amazing how quickly people attempt to destroy a great American hero's reputation as soon as it's safe to do so. How credible can Mr. Marx's accusations be when most of his sources are unnamed or too old or already deceased to confirm his claims? Surely some of these women would have come forward a long time ago with a "Hope's love child" story. I don't buy it Mr. Marx. If I could, I would give a less than one star.

Have not read the book yet, but probably won't. Have already learned way more than I care to about this Satanist. He was a leading mind control programmer and handler who worked closely with Henry kissinger. He abused hundreds of women and got his jollies while doing so. You can learn more about this creep at a place called Intheknow7 just google it. Also, in a book by Bryce Taylor, one of Bob's mind control slaves. This man is definitely not "resting in peace" and he deserves everything he is getting.

All I have to say is, if your a big fan of Bob Hope and believe that Mr. America- loyal, faithful husband and family man then don't read this you will look at him differently or probably won't be able to look at him at all. All I can say is I'm not surprised, what man don't sleep around? What disappoints me is that how easy the women went to bed with him, it takes two to tangle, and obviously these women wanted to do it. So I don't necessarily blaim Bob Hope, if their willing to give it up, any man is going to take it. All I have to say is and I've been saying it for years, Write books like this, when their alive and around to defend themselves. This book will break anybody's heart who's a big Bob Hope fan and believed he was Mr. America- faithful husband and family man. All I have to say is if he was this bad, it would of came out, all the wrongdoing came out about the rest of the stars of the past and present, I'm sure someone would of tried to tarnish his career like what happen to Bill Clinton, I'm sure some woman would of came forward and said something. I don't know what to believe, I wish somebody would let Bob Hope and his family read this book and get their say. Some things are just left best unsaid, and let people and fans believe the illusion and image the stars create.