» Jim Kershner / Staff writer

Bob Hope, English-born and Cleveland-raised, has no Inland Northwest roots.

Yet, in part because of a certain famous movie partner who did, Hope certainly spent a lot of time in the Inland Northwest.

Hope made at least nine visits to Spokane and the Inland Northwest. He came here for live broadcasts of his radio show, golf benefits with Bing Crosby (the aforementioned movie partner), an appearance at Expo ’74 and even a commencement address at Gonzaga University.

As America prepares to celebrate Hope’s 100th birthday on Thursday, we thought we’d take this opportunity to look back at his memorable Inland Northwest visits:

Live under the stars in 1946

The war was over, the “Road” movies were smash hits, and Hope was one of the biggest radio stars in the country. No wonder 9,000 people went berserk in June 1946 during a live outdoor appearance by Hope in Gonzaga University’s stadium.

“His gags and rapid-fire patter seemed to convulse the Hope fans,” reported the Spokane Chronicle. “Several young women in the front row literally went into hysterics over his antics and gags.”

Those gags included a couple of jabs at Crosby, his “Road” co-star. Bing’s age and his luck with racehorses were already two of Hope’s favorite topics.

“Wasn’t that a nice picture of Crosby in the paper tonight?” he asked the crowd. “He was in the third wheelchair from the left. I really wish Bing could be here tonight, but he had a little accident. One of his horses is dying. He wanted to be there. It’s the first time he was able to be in for a finish.”

He also threw in a few ad libs about the unseasonably cold and threatening weather that night. One of the Paramount starlets mentioned that in Texas you could “reach up and touch the sky.”

“Here in Washington, the sky comes down and touches you,” said Hope. “But we are very glad to be here — in this deep-freeze locker.”

Golfing with Bing at Downriver

The next day, Hope joined Crosby for a benefit golf match at Downriver Golf Course.

The tenor of the match was established on the first hole, when Hope kicked Crosby’s ball away when it got too close to the hole.

“Spectators didn’t care who won — they were out for laughs,” said the Spokane Chronicle.

The Chronicle reported that Hope spent the entire round needling Crosby, needling the gallery, needling anyone within earshot.

“That’s Crosby over there, sonny,” said Hope as a young fan approached him for an autograph. “Maybe you better get his autograph, too. We don’t want him to feel left out of it.”

At least 2,500 fans turned out for the event.

A live radio show and Bing roast

In 1949, Hope returned to do two shows: a live radio broadcast at the Post Theater, followed by a benefit show later that night at the same theater.

The Spokane fans got so excited, mayhem ensued.

“People trying to get into the theater nearly broke down the doors,” said The Spokesman-Review the next morning. “Police had to be called.”

Inside, comic mayhem ensued. Hope once again used Spokane as an excuse to roast Crosby in his hometown. Hope opened the show with an entire routine called “The Crosby Story,” which began with: Bing wasn’t born, he just crawled out of an apple.

He also ribbed the man running the spotlight by peering up into the rafters and saying, “Don’t let the candle go out.”

When it was time for the radio broadcast to begin, The Spokesman-Review reported that “everything tightened up to precision timing.”

But Bob made it all look as “easy as breathing,” said the reviewer.

In hot water with the Boy Scouts

In 1973, Hope returned to the Inland Northwest as the featured entertainer at the 1973 Scout Jamboree-West at Farragut State Park in North Idaho.

The Boy Scouts were primed for the event. Before the emcee was even halfway through Hope’s introduction, the crowd of 27,500 Scouts rose in a standing ovation.

The aftermath of the show, however, wasn’t quite so adoring.

The father of one Scout, a member of a Seattle Scout troop sponsored by the Japanese Baptist Church, complained that Hope used the word “Jap” in a joke.

That word was used widely in America during World War II — but was considered insensitive, if not downright offensive, by 1973.

Hope’s unfortunate joke, caught on a tape recorder, went like this:

“A Japanese fellow went to an eye doctor. The eye doctor says, ‘You have a cataract.’ The Jap says, ‘No, I have a Rincoln Continentar.’ ”

The president of Seattle’s Japanese-American Citizens League asked for, and received, an apology from the Boy Scouts of America — but not, apparently, from Hope.

Hope’s public relations director said only that the script called for the word “Japanese” to be used in both references.

Hope at Expo ’74

Hope’s next Spokane appearance was at Expo ’74 on May 26, 1974, where he uttered his most memorable Bing Crosby crack:

“I know this is Crosby’s hometown,” he said. “Tomorrow I’m going over to see the manger he was born in.”

Environmental awareness was the theme of Expo ’74, but when asked about that subject at a press conference, Hope expressed no sympathy.

“I wish they would forget it, because they’re killing me in my land in California,” he said, referring to environmental regulations.

During the performance, the crowd loved Hope’s many local references.

“What’s that perfume you’re wearing?” he asked a beauty queen onstage.

“Evening in Paris,” she replied.

“Dig that,” he said, pushing his jacket lapel toward her. “That’s Afternoon in Millwood.”

The show was in the old Spokane Coliseum, also known as the Boone Street Barn.

“I’m happy to be here … in this garage,” he said, and paused to glance around. “Couldn’t get the Opera House, huh?”

Maybe Hope was aware of a line that Crosby had used several weeks before, when Crosby was given a tour of the new Opera House.

Luke Williams, in his memoir, “American Entrepreneur,” quoted Crosby as saying:

“Hope can’t appear in a place like this. This is for artists.”

A return visit

Yet Hope did appear at the Spokane Opera House, just over a year later, in June 1975.

He was the featured entertainer for the opening of the new Sheraton Hotel.

He called it a “true family hotel.”

“Every guy I met there was with his niece,” he cracked.

He also tried out a few topical jokes including one about the tragic consequences of a physician’s strike in California.

“Phyllis Diller hasn’t had a face lift in two weeks,” he said.

Gonzaga commencement address

In 1978, Gonzaga University invited Hope to deliver the commencement address and to receive an honorary doctorate.

“I never went to college, all because of a little technicality,” he told the graduates.“High school.”

Because it was the year after Crosby died, much of Hope’s speech was devoted to a tribute to Bing.

He called their friendship “the best security blanket an adult ever had.”

He then told the Gonzaga grads to cherish their friends, because lifelong friendships will be “your most cherished possessions.”

“I hope I have made a lot of friends here,” Hope said, and then he marched down the aisle to the strains of his theme song, “Thanks for the Memories.”

When the music came up, an usher immediately broke into tears.

Hope’s last visits

Hope returned several more times: twice to perform at Dad’s Weekend festivities at Washington State University in Pullman in 1982 and 1986, and again to perform at the University of Idaho in 1987.

His last visit (as far as we can document) came in August 1987 when he was the featured speaker at the national convention of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Spokane.

He again took the opportunity to do some local jokes.

“Your mayor is a great woman named Vicki McNeill,” he said. “I never wanted to kiss a mayor before.”

At 84, Hope’s age had become one of his chief topics.

“Sometimes,” he said, “I see some of my earlier movies on TV and get the feeling I’ve got a son I’ve never met.”

According to The Spokesman-Review, the crowd left the banquet singing “ ‘Thanks for the Memories’ — and meaning every word.”

Jim Kershner can be reached at 459-5493 or by e-mail at jimk@spokesman.com.