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 (USPS) Hope devoted his life to making people laugh. He is most known for his unwavering commitment — from World War II through Operation Desert Storm — to supporting morale by entertaining military personnel serving overseas. He had a top rated television show on NBC, and also found success on the live stage, in radio shows and in motion pictures. He became one of the most honored and beloved performers of the 20th century.
USPS Furthers Art Series in Postage Stamps
JANUARY 03, 2009USPS Bob Hope (1903-2003) returns to a “stamping ovation” May 29 on the USS Midway in San Diego when the Postal Service issues a stamp in his likeness on what would have been his 106th birthday. Kazuhiko Sano of Mill Valley, CA, worked under the direction of art director Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, to create the stamp image that is based on a photograph of Hope.
Hope devoted his life to making people laugh. He is most known for his unwavering commitment — from World War II through Operation Desert Storm — to supporting morale by entertaining military personnel serving overseas. He had a top rated television show on NBC, and also found success on the live stage, in radio shows and in motion pictures. He became one of the most honored and beloved performers of the 20th century.
Although Hope never officially served in the U.S. Armed Forces, he dedicated a significant part of his life to entertaining America’s men and women in uniform, starting in 1941 and continuing through the Persian Gulf War five decades later. After giving hundreds of performances overseas, he earned the nickname “G.I. Bob” and in 1997 became the first person recognized by the U.S. Congress as an “honorary veteran of the United States Armed Forces.”
Hope’s thousands of honors also included the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Among his many friends were several U.S. presidents, with whom he often played golf for charity. Bob Hope died at his home in Toluca Lake, CA, on July 27, 2003, two months after his 100th birthday.
Richard Wright
On April 9, former Chicago Post Office employee and renowned author Richard Wright (1908-1960) becomes the 25th inductee into its Literary Arts series. The dedication ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. in the lobby of the Chicago Post Office, 433 W. Harrison St.
Best remembered for his controversial 1940 novel, Native Son, and his 1945 autobiography, Black Boy, Wright drew on a wide range of literary traditions, including protest writing and detective fiction, to craft unflinching portrayals of racism in American society.
The stamp artwork by Kadir Nelson of San Diego, CA, features a portrait of Richard Wright in front of snow-swept tenements on the South Side of Chicago, a scene that recalls the setting of Native Son. Nelson’s portrait of Wright was based on a circa 1945 photograph. Nelson worked under the direction of art director Carl T. Herrman of Carlsbad, CA.
Gary Cooper (Legends of Hollywood)
On Sept. 10, Gary Cooper (1901-1961), becomes the 15th inductee into the Legends of Hollywood series when the Postal Service honors the popular leading man from Hollywood’s “Golden Age.” For decades, Cooper was the all-American hero, whose believable performances and strong, silent appeal brought him a lifetime of fame.
Art director Phil Jordan designed the stamp using a portrait by artist Kazuhiko Sano of Mill Valley, CA. The image is based on a black-and-white photograph of Gary Cooper taken by George Hurrell circa 1940. The selvage art — or area outside of the stamps — is based on a still from High Noon (1952), depicting Cooper in his Academy Award-winning role as the courageous Marshal Will Kane.
More stories about stamps:
Chinese New Year and Statehood Commemoration
200th Anniversary of Lincoln's Birth
Collage of Civil Rights Pioneers
Love Is In The Air at the USPS
"Flags of Our Nation" and Supreme Court Justices
Early TV Memories Make Guest Appearance
Edgar Allan Poe ImmortalizedUSPS: www.usps.com
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