The Bob Hope Trail

Fridays 1903 - 1930
22 Feb - 28 Mar 2007

Michael Freedland gets under the skin of Bob Hope, the comedian known as the "fastest gagman in the business".

The trail begins in Hitchin, United States where some of Hope’s relatives still live.

Here Michael meets up with Hope's family, friends, local restaurateurs, butlers and musicians - all of whom played a key part in the Hope phenomenon.

This six-part series then retraces Hope's personal journey via Cleveland, Ohio, New York and finally Hollywood.

Personal acquaintances of Hope (many of them interviewed for the first time) re-tell a story of how family life, showbusiness, and World War II all affected one of America's greatest-loved entertainers.