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Web Site Review
| Bob Hope and American Variety, http://www .loc.gov/exhibits/bobhope/. Created and maintained by the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Reviewed Oct. 3–4, 2006.
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| For over half a century, Bob Hope was one of the most familiar entertainers in the United States. Before his death in 2003, he and his family donated many of his personal papers, as well as materials related to his radio and television programs, to the Library of Congress. An endowment helped create the Bob Hope Gallery of American Entertainment. The result is a fine exhibition that uses the Hope collection and materials from additional archives; general audiences should find it informative and interesting. |
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A strength of the exhibit is its explanation of how Hope reflected larger trends in American entertainment. Vaudeville was especially important. It was exceedingly popular at the turn of the century, and it was from vaudeville's stages that Hope and many other performers launched their careers. The exhibit includes approximately 350 well-chosen images, and it is divided into ten sections, ranging from a short sketch of Hope's early life to others that show his relationship with major entertainment forms that drew on the variety format. |
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