In Breaking Walls episode 148 we spend February of 1944 with America’s top comedian, Bob Hope, as he whisks himself around the country, entertaining troops and broadcasting to the masses.

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Highlights:

• Leslie Townes Hope’s Rise to Stardom

• Broadway and Early Radio Shows

• The Big Broadcast of 1938

• The Pepsodent Program

• Early February 1944 World War II News

• NBC Dominates Tuesday Nights in 1944

• Bob with Guest Ginger Rogers

• The 4th War Bond Drive

• Command Performance with Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland

• Mid February World News Roundup

• Bob with Guest Bing Crosby

• Bob with Guest Carole Landis

• News as we Leave February

• Bob Gets Sick, Is Honored by The Academy

• Looking Ahead to March with The Great GIldersleeve

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The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air — By John Dunning

• Bob Hope: The Road Well-Traveled — By Lawrence J. Quirk

• The Spirit of Bob Hope: One Hundred Years, One Million Laughs — By Richard Grudens

• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

• Bob Hope: The Road from Eltham — By Charles Thompson

As well as articles from:

• Aces of World War II

• Broadcasting Magazine

• The Military Times

• Radio Daily

• The Seattle Times

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On the interview front:

• Bob Hope was with both Dick Cavett in 1972 and Johnny Carson in 1974.

• Ken Carpenter, Jim Jordan, Hariet Nelson, Wendell Niles, Hal Peary, and Lurene Tuttle spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these chats at Speakingofradio.com

• Jim Jordan also spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org

• Red Skelton spoke with Merv Griffin in 1975

• Bing Crosby spoke with Same Time, Same Station

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Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Thanks For the Memory — By Bob Hope and Shirley Ross

• Ghost Bus Tours — By George Fenton

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A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene.

For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com.

An extra special thanks to Doug Hopkinson who provided the Bob Hope episode with Bing Crosby that aired February 15th, 1944.

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Thank you to:

Tony Adams

Steven Allmon

Orson Orsen Chandler

Phil Erickson

Gerrit Lane

Jessica Hanna

Perri Harper

Thomas M. Joyce

Ryan Kramer

Earl Millard

Gary Mollica

Barry Nadler

Christian Neuhaus

Ray Shaw

Filipe A Silva

John Williams

Jim W.

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WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers