William Kelly Francis Hope: Facts About Bob Hope’s Son

William Kelly Francis Hope is an actor and the son of British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer, and dancer, Bob Hope and singer, entertainer, and philanthropist, Dolores Hope. William’s parents are both successful and prominent entertainers. His father Bob Hope was also known for the extramarital affairs he had with other women throughout his marriage. His infidelities are a part of the plot of the 2020 film Misbehaviour.

William Kelly Francis Hope: Bio Summary

William Kelly Francis Hope was born in the year 1937 but his actual date of birth is uncertain at the moment. He is 85 years old as of 2022. He is one of the four adopted children of Bob Hope and Dolores Hope. His adopted siblings are Anthony J. Hope, Eleanora Hope, and Linda Hope.

William Kelly Francis Hope’s adoptive parents Bob and Dolores were also the legal guardians of Tracey, the youngest daughter of famous New York City bar owner Bernard “Toots” Shor and his wife, Marion “Baby” Shor. According to his IMDb profile, William is known for That Certain Feeling, This Is Your Life (1955), and The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1969).

How did his parents meet?

William Kelly Francis Hope’s parents Bob Hope and Dolores Hope met in 1933. Dolores Reade became part of Bob Hope’s vaudeville troupe and was performing with him at Loew’s Metropolitan Theater. They were introduced to each other after appearing at the Vogue Club, a Manhattan nightclub.

Bob Hope and Dolores Hope started dating and they reportedly got married on February 19, 1934, in Erie, Pennsylvania. They decided to adopt four children from The Cradle in Evanston, Illinois. The couple was married for several decades and at the time, their union was the longest Hollywood marriage on record. They were married for 69 years until death separated them.

Also Read: Eleanora Hope: What happened to Bob Hope’s daughter?

William Kelly Francis Hope’s parents, Bob Hope and Dolores Hope celebrated their birthdays on May 28 every year; splitting the difference between their respective real birthdays. They lived in Manhattan in 1935 and later in 1937, they relocated to 10346 Moorpark Street in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, where they lived until their respective deaths.

Bob Hope and Dolores Hope shared a great bond between themselves. Dolores was very supportive of her husband. In the 1940s, Dolores started to assist her husband Bob Hope on his tours entertaining U.S. troops overseas. She did so continuously for over 50 years.

William’s father had a reputation as a womanizer

William Kelly Francis Hope’s father Bob Hope was known for the numerous affairs he had. He was a womanizer and continued to see other women throughout his marriage. He was briefly married to Grace Louise Troxell (1912–1992), a secretary from Chicago, Illinois.

Bob Hope and Grace Louise were married on January 25, 1933, in Erie, Pennsylvania until they got divorced in November 1934. Richard Zoglin, who is an American journalist and author wrote in his 2014 biography of Bob Hope dubbed Hope: Entertainer of the Century,

“Bob Hope had affairs with chorus girls, beauty queens, singers, and showbiz wannabes through his 70s; he had a different girl on his arm every night. He was still having affairs into his 80s…” One of the many affairs Bob Hope had was in 1949 while he was in Dallas on a publicity tour for his radio show.

ALSO, READ; Anthony J. Hope: What Happened To Bob Hope And Dolores Hope’s Son?

Bob Hope met a contract player at Universal Studios, Barbara Payton, who at the time was on her own public relations jaunt. Bob set up Barbara in an apartment in Hollywood. According to sources, Bob was unable to satisfy Barbara’s need for attention and definition of generosity. He paid her off to end the affair quietly.

However, in an article printed in July 1956 in the tell-all magazine Confidential, Barbara Payton announced her affair with Bob Hope. “Hope was … at times a mean-spirited individual with the ability to respond with a ruthless vengeance when sufficiently provoked.”His advisors counseled him to avoid further publicity by ignoring the Confidential exposé.

ALSO, READ: Linda Hope- Facts About Bob Hope’s daughter

“Barbara’s … revelations caused a minor ripple … and then quickly sank without causing any appreciable damage to Bob Hope’s legendary career.” Writer Arthur Marx’s 1993 Hope biography, The Secret Life of Bob Hope, revealed Bob Hope’s subsequent long-term affair with actress Marilyn Maxwell, which was so open that the Hollywood community routinely referred to her as “Mrs. Bob Hope”.

Also, according to Richard Zoglin, Rosemarie Frankland, a beauty queen (Miss World 1961) took part in a 30-year affair with Hope. He said she was “the great love of his life”. Bob Hope’s infidelities are a part of the plot of the 2020 film Misbehaviour.

Where is William Kelly Francis Hope now?

William Kelly Francis Hope has lived a private life off publicity. His whereabouts as of 2022 are not known. His father Bob Hope born Leslie Townes Hope, died on July 27, 2003, of pneumonia at his home in Toluca Lake, California two months after his 100th birthday. The following year, on June 28, 2004, William’s brother Anthony J. Hope died at the age of 63.

William’s mother Dolores Hope also died of natural causes at her home in Toluca Lake, California, on September 19, 2011. She died at the age of 102.