". . . he wasn't often recognized with awards, etc. by his contemporaries, who didn't find him very worthy of special recognition for his acting or his comedy. . . ." GUEST, do you just pull this stuff out of thin air?

He was a generous man as well. Over the years he donated more than a billion dollars to hospitals, charities and civic organizations.

Hope's awards included scores of honorary degrees; special Oscars for humanitarianism and service to the film industry; the George Peabody Award; the National Conference of Christians and Jews Award; and the Medal of Freedom from President Johnson. He received honorary knighthood in England in 1998.

And that the members of your lengthy list of funny folks all, I'm more than certain, would acknowledge that Bob Hope pretty much set the pattern for the stand-up comic.

You and a couple of the other people who have posted on this thread once again raise that Great Cosmic Question that has puzzled humankind since time began:--

Why are there so many more horses asses than there are horses?
Don Firth