Entertainment

Thanks For the Memories

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

May 9, 2000 / 9:35 AM EDT / CBS

The legendary comedian who made Thanks for the Memories his theme song is giving the nation something to remember.

He is in Washington this week to attend the opening of the permanent Bob Hope Gallery of American Entertainment in the Library of Congress.

"He's anxious to be here," Hope publicist Ward Grant said Monday. "We're anxious to get him here and get some photographs at the exhibit."

Hope and wife, Delores, arrived Saturday, Grant said. Hope is scheduled to attend a private reception Tuesday evening at the library.

Hope's son Anthony, daughter Linda, and singer Connie Stevens spoke at a press preview of the exhibit Monday.

"I'm looking forward to going through this collection myself and reliving and resharing those times and I hope the public feels the same way," Anthony Hope said.

He said that the collection shows "wrenching moments on occasion, very serious moments, very funny moments.

Added Stevens, who traveled with Hope on some of his famous USO shows, "He taught me more than anything to make the stage my home and the audience my family." She called him "more than a national treasure" and "American royalty."

The exhibit includes 88,000 pages of jokes given to the library by Hope as well as countless other letters, photos, videos and other mementos.

The items range from pictures of Hope with crooner Bing Crosby, his partner in the Road films; memorabilia from his USO trips to entertain troops in Asia during the Vietnam War and a display titled Faces of Bob Hope that has busts of his distinct profile with its ski-sloped nose.

"His career pretty much parallels the history of American entertainment. He excelled in all the mediums," said Library of Congress spokesman Craig D'Ooge. "It's both a history of Bob Hope and a history of American entertainment."

The Hope family has donated $3.5 million for the upkeep of the items.

Hope turns 97 on May 29.