I too loved Hope movies as a kid (who didn't), but by mid 60s he was getting a bit tiresome, by 80s unwatchable. I read the biography by Arthur Marx and I was disillusioned (can all that book be true? Do Marxes have it in for Hope?) Interesting, however:

1) He really was a scoundrel not unlike his screen image. It is said that his writers (among them the great Melvin Frank/Norman Panama) finally said "let's just make him the fast-talking, vain wannabe womanizer that he is in real life".

2) He was always in competition w the romantic lead for affection of Hollywood ladies and striking out, yet later (as he got more famous) learned to lure young starlets with promises of helping their careers.

3) He mostly sat out WW II until late, when he realized there was career opportunity in jumping on the patriotic bandwagon. What following was commendable, yet the premises may have been cynical.

4) Apparently, Delores stuck with him through all his affairs and he "fell in love with her all over again" (while I guess accepting her Catholic terms) around age 70?

5) Forever in competition with similar scoundrels Milton Berle and Bing Crosby.

6) Dorothy Lamour got really tired of the Hope/Crosby bit, apparently resisted all their womanizing stuff, but stayed in it for the fame and $$$ (honestly, they made her career).

7) John Wayne gets beat up for his arch conservativism, but Bob Hope may have been his equal?

8) Hope and Berle were said to have incredible minds with fantastic memories (they each catalogued and could recall over 10,000 jokes).

BTW, that is Rhonda Fleming in the photo with Hope? I've gotta say, I've seen most of the old movies and stars, but nobody really takes my breath away like that woman! Underrated, a classic beauty!