UncleJoe Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I'm a big fan of Hope's but even HE would laugh at such a title given him. The entertainer of the century, if there was one, has to be Jolson. If you judge by the opinion of peers, no entertainer is held as greater. Jolson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton_Keyes Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I assumed that title referred to his longevity rather than his talent or popularity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I'm a big fan of Hope's but even HE would laugh at such a title given him. The entertainer of the century, if there was one, has to be Jolson. If you judge by the opinion of peers, no entertainer is held as greater. Jolson! Oh MY gosh! Now THIS thread is SURE to go ALL over the place now that Jolson's name has been mentioned here! Sorry UncleJoe, but I might suggest Ol' Blue Eyes(no not Newman, that OTHER guy from Hoboken New Joy-see) as some so-called "Entertainer of The Century". And back to "Jolson" here...Gotta say "You ain't heard nothin' yet", 'cause just WAIT until this suggestion of yours segues into that tedium about "blackface vs political correctness" and which I guarantee is RIGHT around the corner and comin' this way after your suggestion of Jolson being bestowed this "honor". (...and not that I think the guy wasn't a notable entertainer from the first half of the 20th Century, BUT because i KNOW this crowd around here, AND I think Sinatra was a whole lot more talented overall, and that's who immediately sprang to MY mind as I read your opening post) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM108 Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I'm a big fan of Hope's but even HE would laugh at such a title given him. The entertainer of the century, if there was one, has to be Jolson. If you judge by the opinion of peers, no entertainer is held as greater. Jolson! Good God. If anything those two were the lamest entertainers of the century, or at least the most overrated. As for the greatest entertainers of the century, I'd go with either Babe Ruth or Harry Houdini, or if you want to add a bit of versatility, there's the magician / writer / card assassin Ricky Jay. Or sure, Sinatra or the Beatles. Of course all of this is purely subjective, and I'm sure that some folks would still break down in tears at the sound of a white man in blackface singing "Mammy". It truly takes all kinds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primosprimos Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I'm a big fan of Hope's but even HE would laugh at such a title given him. The entertainer of the century, if there was one, has to be Jolson. If you judge by the opinion of peers, no entertainer is held as greater. Jolson! Who gave him this title? Were they drunk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I think that the longevity of Bob Hope's career, his success in vaudeville, and, in particular, radio, films and television, have made him a legendary figure. There is also, of course, his relationship with the American military as a perennial entertainer, from WW2 through Korea to Viet Nam. He may be as deserving of the title as any of a small number of entertainers whose names could be listed. If a sports figure such as Babe Ruth qualifies, such as Andy suggested, then surely Muhammad Ali is an "entertainer" that should be considered, as well. Sinatra is a good pick, but what about Crosby? Some would argue, I'm sure for what may still be the most famous of rock bands, the Beatles. I rather suspect, though, that few today, some sixty odd years since his death, would consider Jolson as Entertainer of the Century. No offense, Uncle Joe. I wouldn't be surprised though if, at the time of his death, Al would have had a lot of people's nod as Entertainer of the Half Century. But tell me, Uncle Joe, just as a long shot guess, do you also have a sentimental attachment for Edgar Buchanan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arturo Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm a big fan of Hope's but even HE would laugh at such a title given him. The entertainer of the century, if there was one, has to be Jolson. If you judge by the opinion of peers, no entertainer is held as greater. Jolson! OK, I can understand Ole Ski Nose getting the nod, but Jolson, never. I never got his appeal AT ALL. I do acknowledge that he was exceedingly popular in his time. But as all things of this nature, they lessen as time goes on and younger people have no idea who these entertainers were. Since I watched many of Hope's movies growing up, I I know he was immensely popular in the 40s, 50s and beyond, on film, radio, tv and army camps, I can see justification to Hope receiving this designation over Jolson. Maybe Crosby, Sinatra or Elvis would give him a run, but the Beatles are Four individuals, so that takes them out of the category, imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roverrocks Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 How about Lillian Gish with a 75 year career being the E. of The Century!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrroberts Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It's hard to dispute the huge wide spread popularity of Bob Hope over the course of his long career. Very few enjoyed the success he had in radio, television, film, and doing live appearances. His tireless efforts in traveling anywhere, anytime to entertain the troops makes him extra special to the generations who saw him. He may be the closest one to having claim to such a title as "Entertainer of the Century". But I don't believe his legacy will carry over quite as well as Elvis, The Beatles, Humphrey Bogart, etc. Hope is much more an entertainer of "his" time, not that there's anything wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It's hard to dispute the huge wide spread popularity of Bob Hope over the course of his long career. Very few enjoyed the success he had in radio, television, film, and doing live appearances. His tireless efforts in traveling anywhere, anytime to entertain the troops makes him extra special to the generations who saw him. He may be the closest one to having claim to such a title as "Entertainer of the Century". But I don't believe his legacy will carry over quite as well as Elvis, The Beatles, Humphrey Bogart, etc. Hope is much more an entertainer of "his" time, not that there's anything wrong with that. Funny but the post I made at the Bing Crosby thread would work here as well; Sinatra is the entertainer of the 20th century. For a group it would be The Beatles. To me there is no contest. I'm not saying they were the best (since that would be some jazz cat almost no one, even at this forum, had heard of), but the most popular. For actor, Wayne and Monroe lead the pack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM108 Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Funny but the post I made at the Bing Crosby thread would work here as well; Sinatra is the entertainer of the 20th century. For a group it would be The Beatles. To me there is no contest. I'm not saying they were the best (since that would be some jazz cat almost no one, even at this forum, had heard of), but the most popular. Well, Louis Jordan may not strictly qualify as a jazz musician, but he was a hell of a lot more entertaining than Bing Crosby, and might even give Ole Blue Eyes a run for his money in that department And then there was Billy Eckstine, the great crooner of the Chitlin' Circuit. When he was once told by a friend of Sinatra that Sinatra wished he had a voice like his, Eckstine replied "Tell you what---You give me Sinatra's money, and he can have my m*therf***ing voice". Even Sinatra had to appreciate that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakeem Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I have no problem at all with Bob Hope's designation as "Entertainer of the Century." But I am reminded that just after he died in July 2003, Entertainment Weekly put the gents from Bravo's "**** Eye for the Straight Guy" on the cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElCid Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It's simple. Hope did SO MANY things SO WELL for SO LONG and he was a truly nice guy. All the others mentioned did a few things very well-and some weren't so nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Well, Louis Jordan may not strictly qualify as a jazz musician, but he was a hell of a lot more entertaining than Bing Crosby, and might even give Ole Blue Eyes a run for his money in that department And then there was Billy Eckstine, the great crooner of the Chitlin' Circuit. When he was once told by a friend of Sinatra that Sinatra wished he had a voice like his, Eckstine replied "Tell you what---You give me Sinatra's money, and he can have my m*therf***ing voice". Even Sinatra had to appreciate that one. I'm well aware of both of the artist you list and I hope they are not forgotten as time marches on. But to me Sinatra has the best legacy as it relates to the various abilities related to being entertainer of the century. Frank does have weaknesses; e.g. he didn't play an instrument or dance very well. But I find his singing and associated records to be tops (his phrasing more so then his voice), his acting was good and he was in many hit movies, and his stage shows and T.V. appearances are very entertaining. Astaire is someone to consider but I haven't seen any recording of him doing a live show. Judy Garland is also in the running. As for Hope? I don't place him in the same converstaion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM108 Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm well aware of both of the artist you list and I hope they are not forgotten as time marches on. But to me Sinatra has the best legacy as it relates to the various abilities related to being entertainer of the century. Frank does have weaknesses; e.g. he didn't play an instrument or dance very well. But I find his singing and associated records to be tops (his phrasing more so then his voice), his acting was good and he was in many hit movies, and his stage shows and T.V. appearances are very entertaining. Astaire is someone to consider but I haven't seen any recording of him doing a live show. Judy Garland is also in the running. As for Hope? I don't place him in the same converstaion. Just to be clear, I agree with you that all things considered (talent, charisma, versatility, longevity, number of reinventions, etc.), Ole Blue Eyes is most definitely the one. I only put Jordan and Eckstine up there to give people a sample of just how great they also were. Of course I figured that you'd be more than familiar with both of them. Garland's got it all except longevity. Astaire's got it all, too, but today he's remembered almost exclusively by TCM buffs and other fans of classic movies. I doubt if you'll ever hear "The Continental" played after every Yankees home game, as "New York, New York" is, where millions of people a year hear it and even more have heard about the practice that's been a staple of Yankee games for decades. OTOH as Hollywood's all time best pool player in real life, Astaire gets a few bonus points for that. Never underrate the hustler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm a big fan of Hope's but even HE would laugh at such a title given him. The entertainer of the century, if there was one, has to be Jolson. If you judge by the opinion of peers, no entertainer is held as greater. Jolson! Maybe the Russians thinks he's that funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 ...Astaire's got it all, too, but today he's remembered almost exclusively by TCM buffs and other fans of classic movies. I doubt if you'll ever hear "The Continental" played after every Yankees home game, as "New York, New York" is, where millions of people a year hear it and even more have heard about the practice that's been a staple of Yankee games for decades. Hmmmm...In THAT case Andy, I'M now gonna nominate one Mr. RANDY NEWMAN as "Entertainer of the Century"! Uh-huh, 'cause HIS song about ANOTHER city that they play at DODGER and LAKER games after a win is MUCH cooler and HIP than that whole "NY, NY...if I can make it there" crap, duuuuuuude....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtDhtadoeUk (...oh, and btw, yes, I HAVE driven down Imperial Hwy in a convertible, BUT it wasn't with a "big nasty redhead", but with my wife, a very cute and adorable brunette...though she IS goin' grey now days, and which I THINK is kind'a even HOTTER in a way) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedracer5 Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Like all the other lists out there declaring a movie or actor "the greatest of all time," I think declaring someone "the greatest entertainer of the century" is subjective. While I don't dislike Bob Hope, I don't go out of my way to see things he's in. If he happens to appear in a movie or television show or what not with people who I am fans of, I'll watch; but Hope doesn't draw me to a particular film. I am agreeing with others when they state that Hope's "Entertainer of the Century" title could relate to his longevity and prominence in American culture. Hope did achieve success in a variety of different mediums, like vaudeville, radio, television and movies. He was also known as a stand-up comic; but I thought I read somewhere that he was known for lifting other people's jokes (or maybe that was Milton Berle? or both?)? I would say though, based on all the work he did for the USO and other wartime efforts that he did use his celebrity for good. I read a review about a new biography about Hope that I imagine inspired this post: Hope: Entertainer of the Century by Richard Zoglin. The book actually sounded pretty good. Like I said, I am not a fan of Hope; but I don't dislike him. I would definitely consider reading this book. I just like reading biographies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 One thumb up (won't say up what) for Andrew Dice Clay. "So I'm at this bar mindin' my own business when some broad walks up to me and says to me in that wimpy way some people say stuff indirectly, 'You KNOW secondhand smoke kills more people than it does the people who smoke!' And so I tell her...'YEAH?! Then it looks like I'm makin' the right choice here, HUH!' " (...his best line ever...though I doubt even THIS one would qualify the guy as "Entertainer of The Century", Vautrin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredCDobbs Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Annette Funicello was the Entertainer of the 20th Century! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Now if it was Peanut Buttertainer of the century, Annette would be in like Flynn. OH...well...according SOME reports(court records, specifically), Annette even at THIS age MIGHT have been a little too old for Flynn! (...sorry Speedy...just couldn't resist!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakeem Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I am agreeing with others when they state that Hope's "Entertainer of the Century" title could relate to his longevity and prominence in American culture. Hope did achieve success in a variety of different mediums, like vaudeville, radio, television and movies. He was also known as a stand-up comic; but I thought I read somewhere that he was known for lifting other people's jokes (or maybe that was Milton Berle? or both?)? I would say though, based on all the work he did for the USO and other wartime efforts that he did use his celebrity for good. I would tend to doubt that Hope deliberately lifted jokes. He had a retinue of well-paid writers on call at all times. You're probably right about Berle, who was affectionately known as the "Thief of Bad Gags." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 If you throw in the overwhelming importance of his entertaining the troops, that would be a tiebreaker with anyone. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MovieMadness Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 A century is too long to entertain, to even be on top for 20 years is extremely hard. So there is no entertainer of any century, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 A century is too long to entertain, to even be on top for 20 years is extremely hard. So there is no entertainer of any century, lol. Hmmm...I now wonder if perhaps the author of this supposition that "Bob Hope was Entertainer of the Century" might have just confused THAT idea with the fact that Bob LIVED a whole century worth of years??? (...and DID make the most of them of course...with THAT I'll agree!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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