Bob Hope’s career stretches across nearly the entire 20th century, touching vaudeville, radio, film, television, and live performance. Known for his rapid-fire jokes and easy confidence, he became one of America’s most recognizable entertainers while carefully shaping a public image built on patriotism, longevity, and control. Behind the familiar smile were intense ambition, rigid professionalism, political closeness, and a comedy style that both defined an era and resisted change. This chronology follows Hope from poverty to power, tracing fame, criticism, influence, and the legacy he left behind.