Bob Hope dies aged 100

Legendary vaudeville entertainer and film star Bob Hope has died aged 100.

Though recently in poor health, the king of the wisecracks, privately celebrated his one-hundredth year in May, quipping: “You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.”

Although his first show business job was as a dancer in a 1924 vaudeville review, the comedian appeared in more than 70 films and numerous television shows throughout his career.

Born Leslie Townes Hope in London, England, in 1903, he moved to the US when he was aged four. His first film appearance was in 1938 in The Big Broadcast where he sang ‘Thanks for the Memory’ which was to be his signature tune.

But Hope was perhaps best known for his long running series of ‘Road to …’ films which co-starred Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour.

He was also well known for his tours entertaining troops in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the 1991 Gulf War.

Winning around 1,500 awards including five special Academy Awards in his long career and has four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hope was granted an honorary knighthood in 1998.

(SP)