Bob Hope - Hope for the Holidays (1993)

Remember when TV holiday specials were an event the entire family would watch together? For the first-time-ever on DVD, this delightful look back at Bob Hope’s Christmas specials allow viewers to relive the classic comedic and musical moments Hope shared with his wife Dolores and a host of celebrity friends. Fully authorized by Hope Enterprises, "Hope for the Holidays" celebrates the universal themes of family, fun and holiday spirit.

Originally broadcast on NBC from the 1950s through the 1990s, Hope’s Christmas special was an annual tradition for families across America for over 40 years. This landmark collection contains classic musical duets and comedy sketches Hope performed with special celebrity guests including Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Red Skelton, Joey Lawrence, The Judds, Jack Benny, Dolly Parton, John Wayne and many others. Additionally, the DVD features rare holiday bloopers from Hope’s personal collection as well as a bonus "Silver Bells" collection, featuring full performance duets with Gale Storm, the beautiful Shirley Jones, a young Marie Osmond, Olivia Newton-John in the 70's and country superstar, Reba McEntire.

Bob Hope - You couldn't do better

My dad got to see Bob Hope over in England during WW-2. I missed him by a day in Subic Bay, Philippines. Bob Hope is said to have been the greatest comedian ever. Who am I to argue? I lived for his Christmas TV specials every winter, and I rolled on the floor to his banter with troops and with the other stars. This is a very nice collection of some of his best holiday stuffing guaranteed to renew your holiday spirit. Little else needs to be said. Just get it and laugh yourself unconscious. February 15, 2008

A special Special

This Christmas special was done near the end of Bob Hope's life and it features family and friends reminiscing with him about some of his favorite moments from the various Christmas specials he did over the years. We watched it several times over the holidays. My kids liked it, but my mother was particularly enchanted by it. It brought back a lot of memories--for which we eternally thank Mr. Hope! January 28, 2008

Bob Hope Christmas Classics

I love Bob Hope and all the wonderful things he did in his life time. Most of the video brought back pleasant memories sitting in front of the TV with my family. The sitting at his home with friends and family was disapointing and non professional. I think a single narrator would have been much more effective. January 7, 2008

great

what a nice trip down memory lane..............my parents loved it too

I am a child of the 60's/70's so it was nice to re-visit some topics of the day..............in excellent humor January 7, 2008

A ghost from Christmas Past.

Now that I am in my 30's, I see everything I once knew and loved being replaced with another generation of performers --- most of whom I don't like or are at best mediocre. So few of today's stars can inspire the same admiration I felt when I was a kid. Even as a young boy I knew there was something significant about Bob Hope. I grew up watching his Christmas specials, but so did my father and grandfather (via the USO shows). Bob was just as much a fixture of the holiday as tinsel on a tree. But after he passed, that all seemed to stop.

Fortunately, with this DVD I can now keep a part of that tradition alive. Alongside the annual must-sees like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" I have these wonderful moments of Bob Hope at his holiday best. It has clips and sketches from shows I remember, but also from shows before my time, all of which were laugh-out-loud funny. The extras include bloopers, which should not be missed because it gives a peak at what he was like behind the scenes -- which is as charming and funny as you thought he would be.

If you like Bob Hope and miss seeing his Christmas specials, this DVD will give you a dose of the old - but timeless - holiday spirit that you can share with the next generation. My only complaint is it's not long enough. But I wouldn't be satisfied until there was a DVD box set of each individual Christmas special shown in its entirety. Until that happens, I am very happy to have this to watch again and again. January 3, 2008

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