For sources, there are plenty of biographies of Hope, and not all of them are testimonials to the man's greatness. For instance, "The Secret Life of Bob Hope" by Arthur Marx (Groucho's son and one of Hope's long line of writers) is more critical biography than not.

Hope has been something of a sacred cow in American life because of his career as an official government entertainer for the military, and because his wealth and political influence as a golf partner of presidents, once made him one of the most powerful men in Hollywood.

But just like the true story eventually came out on Bing Crosby after his death, we'll hear soon enough about the real Bob Hope--and it won't be the pretty patriotic picture being painted to memorialize him today.