Don't Shoot, It's Only Me

by Bob Hope, Melville Shavelson

The long-time king of show business offers a chronicle of his life and career, from Hollywood to the battlefields of North Africa, Europe, Korea, and Vietnam

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Humor, History, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Comedy

315 pages, Hardcover

First published May 17, 1990

About the author

Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG (born Leslie Townes Hope) was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO tours entertaining American military personnel.

Throughout his career, he was honored for his humanitarian work. In 1996, the U.S. Congress honored Bob Hope by declaring him the "first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces."

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. I found myself laughing frequently. As I was reading I began to realize that this might be a generational type book. Most of Hope’s monologues and jokes were about current affairs as well as about politicians, actors and current movies. Therefore, younger generations may not relate unless they are interested in the history of WWII, Korean and Viet Nam Wars.

The book contains lots of photographs. The book ranges from 1938 to 1990 with each decade presented as a chapter. This was a great way to go down memoires’ lane as Hope describes the latest movies, Broadway plays and current events.

I read this as a hardback book obtained from the library. It is 315 pages published in 1990 by G. P. Putnam.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was skeptical about reading this because, at 42, I am not really in Bob Hope's fan base age range - in other words, he was at the tail end of his career when I was a young adult and, though I had nothing against him, he wasn't someone I was really drawn to. Thinking that, for a dollar (!), it would be worth it for the pictures and to skim through, at least, I picked it up. Well.... it was utterly delightful and surprisingly touching. Bob's style of plugging through jokes one after the other without halting too much in between comes through on the printed page. Some of the jokes are very subtle and he doesn't dwell on trying to explain them. You either get 'em or you don't. (Okay, occasionally, he will give a little context to some of the older gags if their timeliness has passed.) Anyway, what he offers is a broad spectrum overview of all the shows he put on for the troops from WWII up to the time the book was published. The result is a sort of history lesson that never feels like a lesson. The book is consistently enthralling and amusing. He catalogued every joke he ever told and his favorites are all trucked out for this tome. What really surprised me, though, was how emotionally affecting the book is. I was driven to tears at least half a dozen times while reading it due to the depictions he provides of the soldiers and conditions in which they lived, especially when in the hospital. It's just a great, human, funny, detailed, poignant reflection from a man who worked tirelessly to help build the morale of our troops. I can't recommend it enough, especially now that we're in another war and he's not here to pitch in.

[Anna Ligtenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

ISBN 0515105651 - Bob Hope is always funny, even when he's not being funny. And, oddly, he's always sappy - even when he's being funny. I cannot imagine anyone reading this without laughing out loud with a tear in their eye.

From 1938 to 1990, spanning a career that spanned the globe and a lifetime, Don't Shoot, It's Only Me tells a story that literally touches everyone. From Pearl Harbor to the Korean War, battles that have shaped both this country and the world, and Bob Hope (and, of course, his friends) was there for all of them, bringing a few laughs to the men and women of the Armed Forces far from home.

As an ironic-funny moment, I remember a running joke. Bad news from Hollywood - guess what? Bob Hope died? No, but (insert whatever). Of course, he DID die, after a long life full of laughs for all of us, but it just doesn't feel like it. It seems implausible that the man who made bearable some unbearable moments in our history could possibly ever die, and for 297 pages, Hope lives on.

- AnnaLovesBooks

[Amy]

"I was born in England and left as soon as I realized I couldn't become king."
ROFL
This book is going to be good xD

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bob Hope says: "One of the reason for writing this book is to tell a whole generation that what happened before they were born does matter."

And that's exactly what he did for me. I went page after page saying "Hey - did you know that Thanksgiving was moved up a week at one point?" "Did you know that 'Charlie' came from VC (Viet Cong) - which has the handle of 'Victor Charlie'?"

The book is written with the set up/delivery that I love so much from Bob Hope, Groucho and other Vaudevillian Comics. It's a great overview of American History through comedy.

[Armelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a memoir of Bob Hope's years of presenting shows to service men and women. It's interesting, but choppy. Like his shows, which mostly consisted of one-line jokes, this book is a long series of "one-line" (okay, two or three line...) stories.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at a yard sale a few years ago. I’ve always enjoyed Mr. Hope’s movies and TV appearances. In 1970, while I was stationed in Cu Chi, Mr. Hope gave a show. While I didn’t get to see it, it was broadcast over AFVN TV. He and his troupe went on nonstop for two hours or more, typically pared down to an hour for network broadcast. His monologue was a good 15-20 minutes and had a healthy number of, well, let’s say, “adult” jokes that also didn’t make the network cut. He held a golf club that must’ve been five feet long and plowed through his one-liners about the Brass, mud, jungles, girls, noise, danger and being away from home; there were several clunkers, but he persisted nonetheless. Of course he had Les Brown’s band, and the dancing and singing girls and banter with all of ‘em. While he was somewhat too patriotic for me, I appreciated his visiting the troops.

All that by introduction to this book, which chronicles Mr. Hope’s visits overseas, with an introductory chapter (1938-1040) related to his being in Vaudeville, then a writer for radio, followed by being a radio host himself. This gives the reader insight into the relationships among the writers and their mutual encouragement, sometimes competition. The remainder, dating from 1941 through 1990, describes his shows, from Europe to Africa to Russia(!) to the Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia; the people in the troupe; some of the (at times very) hairy situations in combat areas; and his continuing radio, TV and movie career. There’s a lot in here, peppered with hundreds of one-liners (it has been postulated that Mr. Hope’s co-writer, Melville Shavelson, actually wrote the text with Hope contributing the jokes). While I am given to understand that Mr. Hope was a womanizing cad who mistreated his writers and was difficult to be around (I believe there are other books that address these issues), He did provide a service that helped the morale of military personnel during several wars, so I have to give him that.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it, although you Millennials may have to do some research on Mr. Hope and his generation of comedians (Milton Berle, Henny Youngman, etc.) for context.

[Liberty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bob Hope is definitely one of the most overrated comedians of recents years. However this is incorrect. Despite his huge fame, he is in many ways one of the most underrated comedians of recent years. People know the name, Bob Hope, well. But I feel like most of them (whether they love him or hate him) have absolutely no idea of the impact he had on American culture during the 20th century. It was simply massive.

In this book, you get a good glimpse of this cowardly hero (that he often presented himself as) during the war years. And by war years I don't just mean WW2. Every war from WW2 to 1990, when he completed the book. His wit (and the wit of his superb staff of writers), flows through nearly every paragraph of the book. I'm a rather smug reader, but I laughed out loud more often than not during the reading.

I must admit though that my favorite part was his introduction. If you read nothing else, read the intro. It's one of the only times you'll ever hear anything of a serious nature from Bob Hope, but there's a reason for it. And it sets the tone for the entire book and gives you an understanding of why and how the USO played such a vital part in WWII.

4+

[Bev Murphy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book written by Bob Hope about his experiences from his first radio show on the Pepsodent Hour to all his shows for the troupes from WW1 through the Persian Gulf. It brought back to mind many wonderful entertainers that I grew up watching on TV and some of the not so wonderful events in history of the 60's and 70's. If you enjoyed Bob as an entertainer and like history this is a book for you.

[Rebecca O'Donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how he uses humor to heal and stay sane.

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We went back to the military and never left until the war was over. It was no great hardship - I wasn't very old then, but somehow in my mind, they all became my kids."

Bob Hope is an English-born American comedian who kept allied (the good guys) troop's morale up, including on the front line. Long before "mental health" was discussed, Bob Hope risked his life and witnessed horrors to keep our boys laughing. They were all his kids, and he loved them until the day he died, and they deeply loved him in return.
My love and darling, Bob Hope, is a deeply good person and silly and I love him. He's one of my childhood heroes - he's a hero, period - and I love him!

The book itself kept me laughing, even during rough parts, because Bob Hope can make us laugh no matter what, and we love him for it!

Is Bob Hope a perfect person?
No.

1. He was so intent on keeping his kids (soldiers) looked after that he was kinda an absent (but still provider) father. He did note that he and his kids enjoy each other’s company, so that’s something at least!

2. Before he got married, he said of a younger girl costar: “Right now, think of me as your father figure. When you get older, think of me as your brother. Once you get older than that, it’s every man for himself!”
Good news! He did NOT try to get with the younger girl costar! Good on him! Father figure!
Better news! He did NOT wait around until she was barely-acceptable-age. Then he’d be a brother-figure.
Later…. eh…
Is that necessarily my favorite?
No.
But it’s doable!
And they never got together, so even better — he was always a father figure to her. Good on him!

Good things, though!!

1. I adore how Bob Hope talks about women. He writes them as heroes! He writes them strong, brave, intelligent, with complex inner lives!
Bob Hope views women as equals in every way — a true feminist!
Now.
Bob Hope openly admires beautiful women. I love how he NEVER objectifies women — he is always respectful and treats them as fully human. Nice!
In our day and age, we aren’t allowed to say beautiful women are beautiful (I’m a woman, FYI) — so he speaks more openly about it than we would now — but always still respectfully.

2. He pulled all the strings he could to END THE VIETNAM WAR. Heck yeah! Go him! He didn’t want “my kids” getting killed out there.

3. Bob Hope was ANTI-racist before that was a term. Very civil rights! Very respectful! Love it!

Bob Hope is a deeply good man who helped so many people. I love him!

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐⭐1/2

[Larry Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was great as a history lesson especially for the events of WWII and the Vietnam war. It gave me even more respect for Bob Hope and what he did and what he went through for our soldiers. Its filled with his experience, thoughts, and, of course, jokes. The whole time I was reading it I could picture and hear him delivering those jokes. I recommend this book for his fans, history buffs, and those who wonder about what the USO is about and how the entertainers support our troops abroad.

[Toni L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed out loud so many times. I think Bob Hope is the best American comedian ever.

[KennyO · Rating 2 out of 5]

For an older generation, say pre-Viet Nam, add a star. This is Hope as told by Hope, i.e. zinger by zinger. There's no question about his great contribution to military and Naval morale from WWII into Viet Nam. Hope and his entertainment troupers gave yeoman service offstage as well as on and he gives us his POV of that here.

Hope was an exceptionally talented and active man in many fields throughout his life. He surrounded himself with genuine talent, which on USO tours included the shapely, toothsome babes in their occasionally abbreviated costumes. His shows were a smash at the time but today they'd elicit more derision and protest than laughs. I recommend reading Hope with a forties-fifties state of mind; given that you'll envoy this immensely.

Somewhere during the time of the Viet Nam war, though, it became clear that Hope's sentiments lay more with the brass and the politicians than with the grunts and something intangible and essential was lost in this transition. This book overlooks that change. I'm willing to give him a break on that in the telling of the story from his view because of the great good he did before the disastrous Sixties.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bob Hope was a big deal in our house. My grandmother drove him and Bing Crosby to a USO performance during WWII when they came to New Orleans.
This was like a visit with family. Easy to read, Hope is telling his story with lots of his ‘jokes’ interspersed in the narrative. Sad we don’t have entertainers like him and his friends anymore

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! It really gives you an appreciation for what entertainers went through to give our troops a little morale booster. Though they could have stayed safely state-side, so many of these great people went into the belly of the beast in every conflict for DECADES. I suppose spending a few months out of the house, travelling abroad with Frances Langford or Raquel Welch might off-set being shot at or bombed, but that could just be me. Sometimes these guys even had their travel schedules mess up to the point where they arrived in enemy territory before the army or marines did. This book gives you a real up-close look at what we're missing out on as The Greatest Generation passes on.

It's very witty, as only Bob Hope can do, and very informative at the same time. I highly recommend it for anyone who would like a laugh and a succinct lesson in American Politics of the 20th century.

[Tlingit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up watching Bob Hope. My Grandfather liked him probably because he did many appearances with Bing Crosby. This book though is really more interesting than I thought it would be. It takes the reader through WWII through the Vietnam War since Hope traveled to entertain the troops extensively. Hope started out in Vaudeville and worked his way into radio before television was even born. I actually find this book to be a piece of history that any would find interesting. It is also not a heavy piece since Hope is a comic and laces his jokes through out the narrative. Ok he had Melville Shavelson write this but it is Hope's material. The many celebrities that he met and worked with, the Heads of State, Musicians, Film Actors and well known people (many most young people won't know,) he treats easily and without being nasty about them. It's a great book.

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book expecting it to be a standard autobiography. But while it is autobiographical, it sticks to the half century Hope spent touring with the USO. The most remarkable thing about the book is Hope's ability to recall his experiences down to the smallest details, including which jokes he gave at which locations. Throughout the book Hope is the eternal optimist, confident that each war, conflict or "police action" was taking us another step closer to a time when there would be no more wars. (While this seems naive in this day and age, one must keep in mind that the book was written in 1990 during the heady days immediately following the fall of the Berlin Wall.)

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Bob Hope's many biographies. I picked it up because something I read recently piqued my interest in him. This was largely a history of the twentieth century told through one-liners. This one focused on Hope's work with the USO. He toured military bases through all of the armed conflicts of the 20th century. His respect for the American soldiers comes through every line - especially the hospital scenes. His false modesty was a bit wearing, but he really seemed thankful for all of his writers and colleagues.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd reading....just as enjoyable as the first time. If you like your history with comedy this is the book for you. It's all about his time doing his shows for the troops. 3 wars worth....and the "police actions". I love the man...always did...for some reason I identify with his time more than my own.

He does give tons of credit to his writers and to those who did the tours with him, Les Brown and of course Jerry Colonna. I miss his type of comedy.....

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! History and Humor all on the same page and in the same book. Fascinating. Loved it.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ultimate Reading Challenge 2016. A book by a comedian.

This book is primarily about Bob Hope's work with the USO during WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He talks a great deal about those who accompanied him on these trips and a bit about the danger. There is also a little bit about his work on radio, his movies, and his TV show.

[Angela Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laugh out loud funny! Anecdotal, charming, self-deprecating and, at times, very poignant. A collection of remembrances of Bob Hope's many tours entertaining the troops. It's light, but it has moments that grip the heart. If you grew up remembering Bob Hope's television specials, or if you are a fan of classic comedy like Hope's, then this book will be a satisfying and enjoyable read.

[Shae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, It captures Bob Hopes comedy so well but I just wasn't totally in the spirit and only got about half thru. I am setting it to the side for later. It did get me on a Road Movie kick though. Seriously, Road to Bali...Comic gold.

[Darlis · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS IS THE FUNNIEST HISTORY BOOK I EVER READ!!

I used to have it as an option for my history class. Of course if they don't know Bob Hope's timing, they don't really get the humor--but it is laugh-out-loud hilarious

[AlixJamie]

What's better than a history of the United States during WW2, Korea and Vietnam?
A history of the United States during WW2, Korea and Vietnam written by a world-class comedian.
Namely, Bob Hope.
Awesome!

[G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughters been watching alot of Bob Hope movies (go figure) but the guy was king of the one liners. Here is a fascinating look at the evolution of the USO shows he helped create and as a result, a fascinating look at the different wars of the 20th century.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good book this was. If you don’t like history , pass this book up, because Bob Hope was involved in most of it. He called this book a “rambling valentine to my adopted country”. The fact that he loves America and loves the US military troops shows through very loudly.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, good reading while the car warms up, five minutes at a time. I wonder if Giuliani has read this. Nah, his influence is more Milton Berle.