My parents had a vacation home near the Russian River in Sonoma County, CA, which was only a few miles from the MacMurray Ranch on Westside Road. One summer afternoon in around 1962, when I was 10 years old, a few other kids and myself rode our bikes out to the MacMurray Ranch and the other kids who had been by there before, pointed out the entrance. As we were sitting there on our bikes, a jeep drove down the driveway with (what appeared to me) a very tall, distinguished looking man, wearing a fedora hat. As he stopped and got out of the jeep, he took off the hat to wipe his brow and I discovered that he was nearly bald but it was definitely Fred MacMurray, especially when he said in that deep voice, "Hello boys", and we all said "Hello, Mr. MacMurray". He got his mail out of the mailbox on the road, got back in his jeep and went back up the driveway. That was my 10 second encounter with Fred MacMurray and I never forgot it. Watching "My Three Sons" on TV became a special treat for me.
Thanks for sharing that great story! I don't think I ever saw a photo of the late great Fred MacMurray without his toupee. Wonderfully gifted actor. Equally good in both comedic & dramatic parts. And from what I've read, thanks to savvy real estate investments, he became one of the wealthiest people in Hollywood (along with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby & Randolph Scott).
I was extremely lucky to grow up in the 60s and 70s watching the greats such as Bob Hope, John Wayne, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, etc. Too many of today's actors are talentless hacks who would never have made it back in the day.
I remember Johnny Carson interviewing Orson Wells back in the 80s, I guess. Johnny asked Orson why there are no big personalities in movies any more and Orson says he though that kind of talent must be going into rock and roll bands. Makes me wonder where these charismatic people are today, not in movies or rock and roll for sure....
How gracious and sincere of Bob Hope to speak about Fred MacMurray in this way, and after a great film career for Fred, he did fabulous comedy with The Absent Minded Professor and Son of Flubber, classic Disney films and his renowned and beloved My Three Sons on television. Bob Hope is an immortal from that time who always brings a smile ☺
" The Caine Mutiny ", " The Apartment " , " Double Indemity ". Three of the greatest films ever made, with one thing in common, they all starred the great Fred MacMurray. For sure he did some not so great stuff, as did most actors, but these three put him on top of the tree for all time. Great to hear Bob Hope being so generous towards Fred.
Alice Addams with Katherine Hepburn in the 30's. The Egg and I, with Claudette Colbert in the late 40's, yet never even nominated for an Academy Award; a very underrated actor
Paul Douglas had been cast to play philandering executive Jeff Shelldrake in Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" but died of a sudden massive heart attack before production started. Fred was quickly cast (he'd of course worked earlier with Billy in the noir classic "Double Idemnity") in the role & of course gave a superb performance.
Many people remember MacMurray's role as the amiable, understanding father in My Three Sons, but he could play an outstandingly convincing bastard in roles like The Caine Mutiny, The Apartment and Double Indemnity.
@@greg19670 Indeed it is. And I am shocked to this day how many people never have seen it or even heard of it, especially insurance people...just the other day I was speaking to a lady who handled insurance death claims for 30 years and she said she never heard of it. she seemed to get a little nervous when I explained the plot and especially about how MacMurray slips the signature form in when the husband is signing the automobile insurance thinking it was for auto insurance....she seemed very intrigued about that..
Boy, you can say THAT again! When Jack Lemon's character returns his key for the executive washroom (in The Apartmant) to Mr. Shelldrake, you wanted to cheer. McMurray's character in "The Caine Mutiny" was more of an instigator than a major heavy, but the attorney in the case chewed him a new one at the end of the movie.
@MrRacket991 I heard or read that while performing in _My Three Sons_ , Fred MacMurray's contract stipulated that he would only work 2 days a week. All his scenes had to be completed in that time.
Stanwyck was fine, but weaker in my opinion as a blonde. Wilder back then was working directly off his scripts and the dialogue in Double Indemnity looks pretty goofy on the written page. It was crucial to get somebody to fully commit to that 'right down the line' type patter without it sounding hokey and having the wheels off. Fred really did put it together nicely in that one. It's also timeless.
This Hope story is a diamond. It has everything. In my Army time in Vietnam in 1972, came Bob Hope in his last show over there . It was in Saigon. I took pics. Smaller crowd than the massive stuff you've seen in newsreels. Had the girls, the jokes...A couple years later I have a weekend job as an orderly in Physical Therapy while studying it in college. Location, San Mateo. So, guess who winds up a patient there. BIng Crosby. He had fallen off a stage. Off I go up to the top floor with the single rooms..blast into his room without waiting for the nurses station to hover over, and tell Bing, "You're coming with me." No guerney for Bing, I took the whole bed to P.T. (special bed elevators) While in the elevator, alone with him, he starts singing..It's just me and Bing.
We lost so many great entertainers.....the older folks could do it all. Ever watch Hope and Cagney tap dance together? The clip is here on youtube and imagine when they danced together, both were close to or in their 60's.
A lot of people just think of Fred MacMurray as Steve Douglas on My Three Sons, but he was equally terrific at both comedy and dramatic roles. My favorite movie of his was the old Humphrey Bogart movie, The Caine Mutiny.
@@warrenhoffman2006 I remember watching Fred MacMurray in The Shaggy Dog & The Absent Minded Professor where he invented "Flubber", a substance smeared on the bottoms of somebody's shoes, causing them to bounce high in the air.
WHAT a guy! Always one of my favorites...I was lucky enough to be in Honolulu in 1995 while they were celebrating the VJ Day and in the parade in downtown were Bob and Delores in a 1945 convertible. After a lifetime of wanting to see BOB HOPE, there he was...five feet away from me sitting with Delores...he said hello Will always cherish that moment... An American treasure...RIP, buddy...
Much more interesting than any of the unelected windsor rabble. I can listen to him all day, whereas the windsors have nothing to say that I want to hear.
Fred was such a great guy that the incredibly lovely June Haver remarked to a friend while Fred's first wife was still alive, "why can't I find a man like Fred MacMurray".? She made a movie with him and every day, Fred would call his wife at the same time to check on her and the kids. She could see that he had principles. After Havers marriage to Fred, she stated, "God sent him to me." That's the highest recommendation that any man could ever get!!!!! And I also, love Fred MacMurray!!!!
John all who came through the great depression had an appreciation for life!! We've gotten mean through the years! I keep hearing another great depression is around the corner? Perhaps a thankful humility will return should an economic bust transpire?
So interesting to hear Bob Hope speak about the entertainment business and the celebrities he knew so well. None more famous and highly regarded than Bob Hope himself. He was a class act.
Interesting story about MacMurray to me because it is rare to hear Bob talk about someone being more successful than him - which sure didn't happen often. By 1972, of course, Bob was the biggest star in town, but Fred was still popular from the tv show. Just interesting how one got success, then the other, then the other - who was more popular reversed several times. That whole crew from those days all knew each other when they were nothing, so they were always comfortable with each other.
I met Fred MacMurray once, very briefly, at a college event in 1985. His wife of many years, June Haver, was with him. I forget what we talked about, other than Clint Eastwood and Carmel, CA coming up in the conversation. Unlike so many celebrities, it was no different than interacting with Steve Douglas or any of his on-screen personas. Great guy and June was lovely, too.
I've heard stuff like that. Yet it's funny, because I've also read that Hope and Crosby adlibbed throughout the "Road To" movies, to the point that the screenwriters would get upset with them for changing their material!
@@BuckyBrown-lt4ry He must've taken lessons from Shemp Howard. Lol. Shemp was known for adlibbing or wisecracks & very seldom stuck to the script. Shemp worked with Abbott & Costello, & Costello one time got mad @ Shemp for getting more laughs than he did.
When Bob wasn't 'on' he was a Fantastic story teller. But most all of the entertainers from this era were masters of the language.. incredibly articulate communicators. (Look who's famous today.. makes you want to cry.)
Regardless of your opinion of Hope's politics, he was one of the best talk show guests ever. Not to be missed if scheduled. He was always SO RELAXED, the stories flowed easy, but they weren't just funny anecdotes, they were often insightful about work-life or friendship, or family life.
@@prof113 Right winger, outspoken in his support for the Vietnam War, famously opposed to equal pay for women, and fairly openly misogynist (big part of stand-up routine), and was something of a force in the Republican Party.
@hd-xc2lz why lie? He was not opposed to equal rights. He was an MC at a beauty pageant in which feminists were attacking contestants. That does not mean he doesn't want women to have rights. He was patriotic , for the war, when it began as everyone was.
What really gets me about these interviews is that they were all real. Dick Cavett was a terrific interviewer and when he interviewed these show business giants he was honest with them. I watched interviews of this show spanning from Groucho Marx to Jimi Hendrix and they all share something in common. They were clean and truthful, as well as being a little funny. Today you got Jay Leno and other people who just do haste
Unlike many actors who made it and lost it, like Peter Lawford, Gig Young, George Raft and Bob Cummings, Fred kept his feet on the ground and saved and invested his earnings.
The no BS Bob Hope. That's one reason we loved him so. If you haven't seen him and Cagney dance on the table, pull it up , it's on youtube. Those old actors were multi-talented.
Fred MacMurray was one of the first actors that I'd first seen on his TV show _My Three Sons._ Hard to imagine my shock when years later I started catching his many movies where he played a heel or tough guy.
Actor Paul Douglas had been cast in the Fred's role in "The Apartment" but his sudden passing before production started allowed Fred to do it & give his usual excellent performance.
@@TanjiTuesday Indeed! I've read that the four wealthiest actors from Hollywood's Golden Age ended up being Fred, Bob, Bing & Randolph Scott. Mostly thru savvy real estate investments.
When I lived in the area, I belonged to a riding group. We rode our horses on Fred MacMurray’s property a few times. We (the women) always looked our best on those rides!
That's what I was thinking of. Without Fred MacMurray, we probably would have never heard of the other three. Fred, I know you didn't write it, but you were indirectly responsible for the world most famous song sung by more people than Happy Birthday to you. And you sang We Will Rock You beautifully, for the billions of people who were inspired by you!
I will say to the day I die that Dick Cavett had the best talk show in the history of television. I only wish I had been older when this aired on TV because I was only 12 years old in 1972 and I can barely remember the Dick Cavett Show at all when it was on the air (so thank God for UA-cam now!!). The show went on well until the 1980s but realistically I was a teenager and 20-something back then so specifically making time to watch a sober talk show wasn't high on my list of priorities, especially during the '80s, when Letterman was the rage and Carson was still holding court on NBC. But Cavett's show never felt rushed along like the networks have always treated late night shows that always try to squish 3 or 4 guests into a one hour (or 90 minute show like Carson was in the "old days"). With Dick Cavett, I'm finding out now as I watch his shows on YT they end after 60 minutes and you just wish any interview with any guest would go on for at least another hour. Mr. Cavett was always the most gracious host, genuinely humorous yet self-effacing and he kept the spotlight on his guests, but under that easy-going style on the surface, it is obvious he was always prepared for whoever his guests were, and he had real discussions with whoever was on the show for the entire hour. It's obvious he did his homework beforehand, such as getting to know something like a song from an old nearly forgotten Broadway musical comedy ("Roberta"), in order to have it playing upon the return from a station break - but the subtleness wasn't lost on Bob Hope, who had been the star of "Roberta" on Broadway way back in 1933, almost 39 years before this interview. If that's not a measure of total "class" and respect (not to mention being studious), I really don't know what is. Dick Cavett is a vanished breed of that kind of person found anywhere on television now, and that is just sad. Given that I'm 64 now, it speaks volumes for what kind of world my own generation has forsaken while creating a cheap often low-brow imitation of it all in pursuit of nothing but gossip, shock-talk and earning money at the expense of just being humble and respectful toward people who have actually created or done things in their lives that are of legitimate merit that deserves recognition.
Fred MacMurray was not only one of the nicest and classiest of Hollywood actors, he was also one of its most wealthy. He'd invested in several apartment buildings around Los Angeles. His personal home was in Brentwood Heights (Los Angeles) and the home was very nice, yet understated, especially compared to homes of today. Fred was humble in spirit -- you see much of how he was really like in terms of his personality when you watch, "My Three Sons". That's HIM!
It's nice to see Bob back when he still was in good physical shape. His much later appearances with Carson were rather tedious affairs due to his poor hearing by then, making conversations difficult, Hope frequently talking-over Carson or needing questions or comments repeated. Although I'm an enormous fan of Bob's, never missing his appearances on Carson's show, by then even I knew that it probably was time for the great comedian to step down. His TV specials were still airing at that time, &, of course, I watched each one of them. Although makeup & careful editing could disguise his aging pretty well yet, Bob probably should've retired from doing network specials far sooner than he did. NBC kept them going for a very long time, into the early 1990's actually but ratings had been declining for some years, Bob's TV specials appealing mainly to the older generation who'd always loved him. Aside from age, I think the main issue was that Bob had outlived his era. His monologues, of course, always were up-to-the-second topical, so this couldn't've been behind dwindling ratings & viewership. I believe Bob was, in truth, beginning to have trouble delivering the monologues in front of live studio audiences, as well as during personal appearance tours. Many of the jokes were falling-flat due to his increasing inability to read the cue cards, although, by this time, the cards featured hugely written words, necessitated by the comedian's failing eyesight. Most of the later TV specials had heavily-edited monologues, showing audiences laughing at jokes which succeeded, film of their laughing used to cover-over the flops which were greeted by silence or very minimal laughter. Bob's timing & delivery were in rapid decline, so this is why many jokes didn't generate the laughter they otherwise would have in long-gone days of yore, not the jokes themselves, as Bob always used top-notch writers. Younger management was running NBC by then & Hope's shows no longer reached the demographic all the networks wanted. The specials just sort-of vanished without a trace, quietly, without fanfare. An era in American entertainment, indeed, truly had ended. Thanks for the memories, Bob---you earned a much-deserved rest!
I totally agree with you. Poor Bob should have stopped performing long before he actually did. But to some performers, they can't imagine retiring. Just love it; even when they're past it.
@@jubalcalif9100 Yes, Bob fit your description perfectly. In his very late-career TV specials, in the early 1990's, the emphasis started to shift away from Bob himself, as odd as this sounds. He still did the monologues, I think, almost up to the end but I'm not sure of that. The last specials featured rising new comedians, clips from his movies with actresses who starred with him, excerpts from past shows done on military bases, aircraft carriers, etc. Bob's decline was a slow one, which was a good thing, but the signs were there, not so much to viewers at home, due to editing & makeup, but even with these, one could detect a slight slippage in his timing & some editing became obvious. He always gamely exhibited the old comic-spirit of the past but it became tougher & tougher. Apparently, wife Dolores had no effect on getting Bob to step down. She probably gave up on trying to get him to retire and/or slow-down long-ago. Actually, they started appearing together on many of Bob's final TV specials. It seems Dolores finally was getting the exposure she wanted as a singer, the career she gave up after marrying Bob decades before. These were touching, nostalgic moments for we older folks of their generation but had little or no appeal for the younger, who had no concept of Bob's storied career, his fame, comedic greatness, & the vast amount of laughter & pleasure he gave to U.S. audiences, especially the military, in every phase of show-business. I recall one of Bob's later specials that was a celebration of Peter Sellers, the show being comprised of clips from Sellers' movies! I believe Bob continued doing a Christmas special right up to the end but these were changing, too---comprised often of clips from past Yuletide specials. The very last, I think, was filmed as an Xmas party at Bob & Dolores' house in Palm Springs. I remember being quite aware of Bob's physical decline in this show. There was no monologue or skits & he did relatively little, except greet guests or make a few comments here & there. I knew it was the end.
Hope, The Legend. I think the 'candid' Hope, however, is my favorite. What a fantastic story teller. Name anyone today who comes close to the talent or star power of either Hope or MacMurray.
Sidebar: Far ahead of many would-be wine makers, Fred bought a winery c. 1941. I served a few bottles of Mac red last week! I lament that we'll never again have such stars the likes of like these. RIP to all 🙏
he was the only guy in Hollywood to pull off the bad guy roles in The Caine Mutiny and The Apartment. he could play the D-Bag pretty well. and of course his role in Double Indemnity was huge.
WOW! Please finish the stories! Did he come across that if he didn't think you were important enough he didn't have time for you? Or was it something else?
Spent at least part of his childhood in Wisconsin - my state - and attended Carroll College there, where I worked for 12 years! Funny - I had forgotten that he attended Carroll. One would think there would be MacMurray stuff in prominent places there....but I don't remember seeing any, nor any rooms &c with his name slapped on it.
I grew up in the 50’s, watched a lot of great movies with Fred McM. First was The Egg And I, I believe it was the first appearance of Ma & Pa Kettle. Mr McMurray was good in anything and a great favourite. I’ve watched Murder, He Says on YT - wonderful, but I think YT has pulled it. We are so fortunate to have these movies going back to the 1930s, I don’t think the majority of movies/actors are anywhere near as good - with a few exceptions. Scripts have been sacrificed for over the top swearing and sex - and so boring. With the cost of movie making why waste time with crappy dialogue and boring sex - I want to see an enthralling story. Also find the Hallmark romance & crime drama movies so dull - so what is the remedy????
My dad had a story about meeting fred macmurray in the 40s. At the time my dad was working thru college at a cape cod sandwich shop, he said he really tried to make his sandwich perfectly and macmurray never acknowledged or tipped him. The next day my dad and his freind spotted macmurray at the local beach they were all at. My dad stood behind macmurray and his freind walked in front of macmurray and held his camera up, saying to macmurray "do you mind ?" Macmurray grudgingly agreed thinking he would have his picture taken, he said sure but make it quick. My dads friend then said " No, would you mind moving, im taking a picture of my freind behind you"
I heard that he did not like working with the kids on his tv shows. If you watch carefully, you will not see him shown with any of the kids, just him by himself, which is how they supposedly made the episodes.
At the time, I read that he filmed all of his scenes for a season in something like 2 weeks. That was probably a lot of hours a day to get them done. Child actors are only allowed to work so many hours a day so they probably couldn't be in too many scenes with him. As I recall he did a lot of scenes with Frawley (and the other guy later) and the dog, etc. Might be why. Just speculation on my part.
It's been revealed in recent years that Fred MacMurray - a veteran movie star with lots of clout - arranged to minimize his time commitment to "My Three Sons" by shooting all his scenes in a matter of weeks, around which the other cast worked without him. I still don't understand how this system worked, in terms of getting the amount of MacMurray "coverage" an entire season(?) of shows would need, but somehow, with judicious editing, the scheme worked - and there are lots of scenes (most often "master shots" probably) where Fred interacts with other cast members, including the kids.
Each have their own taste, and I respect that, But I find him much more pleasant than so many other comedians and actors. He had something which just made him extremely likeable....
People got upset at that because everyone (or almost everyone) thought he was performing for the troops for free, purely out of patriotism and love of America and nothing else. It turned out that wasn't the case. That rubbed many Americans the wrong way.
My parents had a vacation home near the Russian River in Sonoma County, CA, which was only a few miles from the MacMurray Ranch on Westside Road. One summer afternoon in around 1962, when I was 10 years old, a few other kids and myself rode our bikes out to the MacMurray Ranch and the other kids who had been by there before, pointed out the entrance. As we were sitting there on our bikes, a jeep drove down the driveway with (what appeared to me) a very tall, distinguished looking man, wearing a fedora hat. As he stopped and got out of the jeep, he took off the hat to wipe his brow and I discovered that he was nearly bald but it was definitely Fred MacMurray, especially when he said in that deep voice, "Hello boys", and we all said "Hello, Mr. MacMurray". He got his mail out of the mailbox on the road, got back in his jeep and went back up the driveway. That was my 10 second encounter with Fred MacMurray and I never forgot it. Watching "My Three Sons" on TV became a special treat for me.
Did he give ya'll a good spanking 😂
That was just across the way from McWarnie ranch if i remember correctly proggoprong 🤔 🤣
Thanks for sharing that great story! I don't think I ever saw a photo of the late great Fred MacMurray without his toupee. Wonderfully gifted actor. Equally good in both comedic & dramatic parts. And from what I've read, thanks to savvy real estate investments, he became one of the wealthiest people in Hollywood (along with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby & Randolph Scott).
@@socoman99 Truly awesome ! Like Rob Reiner’s film !
Russian river pinot hobbs the #1
I was extremely lucky to grow up in the 60s and 70s watching the greats such as Bob Hope, John Wayne, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, etc. Too many of today's actors are talentless hacks who would never have made it back in the day.
I agree with you totally
You got that right!
The beatles
I remember Johnny Carson interviewing Orson Wells back in the 80s, I guess. Johnny asked Orson why there are no big personalities in movies any more and Orson says he though that kind of talent must be going into rock and roll bands. Makes me wonder where these charismatic people are today, not in movies or rock and roll for sure....
And so many more have more talent than Bob Hope ever really had.
How gracious and sincere of Bob Hope to speak about Fred MacMurray in this way, and after a great film career for Fred, he did fabulous comedy with The Absent Minded Professor and Son of Flubber, classic Disney films and his renowned and beloved My Three Sons on television. Bob Hope is an immortal from that time who always brings a smile ☺
I read where he was one of the most loyal people in Hollywood. If you had Fred as a friend, you had a friend for life.
Glad to hear that, if it’s true-I’m sure it is
He certainly came across as a great down to earth fella.
" The Caine Mutiny ", " The Apartment " , " Double Indemity ". Three of the greatest films ever made, with one thing in common, they all starred the great Fred MacMurray. For sure he did some not so great stuff, as did most actors, but these three put him on top of the tree for all time.
Great to hear Bob Hope being so generous towards Fred.
Alice Addams with Katherine Hepburn in the 30's. The Egg and I, with Claudette Colbert in the late 40's, yet never even nominated for an Academy Award; a very underrated actor
Yes
@@Jamestown-y9j Indubitably!
Paul Douglas had been cast to play philandering executive Jeff Shelldrake in Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" but died of a sudden massive heart attack before production started. Fred was quickly cast (he'd of course worked earlier with Billy in the noir classic "Double Idemnity") in the role & of course gave a superb performance.
A villain in all 3 movies
Many people remember MacMurray's role as the amiable, understanding father in My Three Sons, but he could play an outstandingly convincing bastard in roles like The Caine Mutiny, The Apartment and Double Indemnity.
His Lt. Keefer was as close to Darth Vader as the filmgoer would see for another two decades. Just outstanding stuff.
@@greg19670 Indeed it is. And I am shocked to this day how many people never have seen it or even heard of it, especially insurance people...just the other day I was speaking to a lady who handled insurance death claims for 30 years and she said she never heard of it. she seemed to get a little nervous when I explained the plot and especially about how MacMurray slips the signature form in when the husband is signing the automobile insurance thinking it was for auto insurance....she seemed very intrigued about that..
I thought Bogart was the main bad guy in The Caine Mutiny
Boy, you can say THAT again! When Jack Lemon's character returns his key for the executive washroom (in The Apartmant) to Mr. Shelldrake, you wanted to cheer.
McMurray's character in "The Caine Mutiny" was more of an instigator than a major heavy, but the attorney in the case chewed him a new one at the end of the movie.
You have to binge watch Fred's movies. He was an insane good actor.
Saw one of his early.ones today on retro t v
Double Indemnity
A very humble guy, definitely a first class act ! Hats off to you Bob Hope .
He wasn't humble.
@MrRacket991 I heard or read that while performing in _My Three Sons_ , Fred MacMurray's contract stipulated that he would only work 2 days a week. All his scenes had to be completed in that time.
Fred MacMurray one of the most underrated actors in cinema history. He could be hilarious like in Murder He says or scary in Double Indemnity!!!!
manluvsthe60s He’s not “underrated”,... overused cliche meaningless word. If you like someone just directly say you like them.
And he was great as a real creep in the Apartment. He was very versatile.
Not at all. He was a Big Star ! How can you say Mr Douglas was UR ?
And then he was the calm, loving father in My Three Sons! Yeah, he was great.
He was the highest paid actor in 1944, pretty good for being underrated.
Fred MacMurray's performance in Double Indemnity is one of Hollywood's greatest. It's his picture.
Stanwyck was fine, but weaker in my opinion as a blonde. Wilder back then was working directly off his scripts and the dialogue in Double Indemnity looks pretty goofy on the written page. It was crucial to get somebody to fully commit to that 'right down the line' type patter without it sounding hokey and having the wheels off. Fred really did put it together nicely in that one. It's also timeless.
How about that speech Edward g Robinson gives about the duty of an insurance adjuster.
I’d put his performance in The Apartment up there too
@@pepelemoko01 no
@@jennifersman7990 I think I read somewhere he got abused by women in public after the apartment.
This Hope story is a diamond. It has everything. In my Army time in Vietnam in 1972, came Bob Hope in his last show over there . It was in Saigon. I took pics. Smaller crowd than the massive stuff you've seen in newsreels. Had the girls, the jokes...A couple years later I have a weekend job as an orderly in Physical Therapy while studying it in college. Location, San Mateo. So, guess who winds up a patient there. BIng Crosby. He had fallen off a stage. Off I go up to the top floor with the single rooms..blast into his room without waiting for the nurses station to hover over, and tell Bing, "You're coming with me." No guerney for Bing, I took the whole bed to P.T. (special bed elevators) While in the elevator, alone with him, he starts singing..It's just me and Bing.
We will never see such people again. Quality.
Quality? What the hell does THAT mean? 😂
Uh means he hasn't done any "alt " research.
I think Keanu Reeves might come close. Such a nice humble guy.
Honest, classy and insightful of Mr. Hope.
two legends , Bob and Fred
He was a tall, good looking man with class.
As Snagglepuss would say, "Indubitably!"
Hope & MacMurray - two legends
Indeed.
We lost so many great entertainers.....the older folks could do it all. Ever watch Hope and Cagney tap dance together? The clip is here on youtube and imagine when they danced together, both were close to or in their 60's.
This is about the only time I've seen Hope somewhat emotional.
Me too.
Bob Hope was a good storyteller.
Macmurray was unique and it is kind of Hope to mention what a nice guy he was
A lot of people just think of Fred MacMurray as Steve Douglas on My Three Sons, but he was equally terrific at both comedy and dramatic roles. My favorite movie of his was the old Humphrey Bogart movie, The Caine Mutiny.
That's right Robert. And remember war is a 24 hour job, there will be no more novel writing on the Caine.
great movie, bogey, van johnson, fred macmurray, jose frerrar and all the other actors.
@@warrenhoffman2006 I remember watching Fred MacMurray in The Shaggy Dog & The Absent Minded Professor where he invented "Flubber", a substance smeared on the bottoms of somebody's shoes, causing them to bounce high in the air.
He was great in The Caine Mutiny
@RUFUS T. FIREFLY You looking in the mirror again and whispering not so sweet nothings to yourself ?
Bob realized how great Fred MacMurray really was :)
WHAT a guy!
Always one of my favorites...I was lucky enough to be in Honolulu in 1995 while they were celebrating the VJ Day and in the parade in downtown were Bob and Delores in a 1945 convertible.
After a lifetime of wanting to see BOB HOPE, there he was...five feet away from me sitting with Delores...he said hello
Will always cherish that moment...
An American treasure...RIP, buddy...
Thanks for the memories Mr. Hope!
Bob Hope was rather like royalty, You gotta givem his respect.
Robert, might have made a good President if he wasn’t from England 😄😄🙏🇺🇸.
Much more interesting than any of the unelected windsor rabble. I can listen to him all day, whereas the windsors have nothing to say that I want to hear.
@@dorothycoker8830 They even made a 1 hour t.v. show, promoting him as President, in the 1960's!
If Biden was still running I would like to see Bob beat him.
Fred and Bob had huge talent
Fred had talent. Hope had a good agent.
@@JesseWright68 he lived til 100. He had to do something right.
You know nothing about talent, showbiz or life, asshole.
@@JesseWright68 You hit the bullseye.
@@BuckyBrown-lt4ry I Hope Bob at least gave you a reach around.
See what I did there? 😜😜😜
Fred was such a great guy that the incredibly lovely June Haver remarked to a friend while Fred's first wife was still alive, "why can't I find a man like Fred MacMurray".? She made a movie with him and every day, Fred would call his wife at the same time to check on her and the kids. She could see that he had principles. After Havers marriage to Fred, she stated, "God sent him to me."
That's the highest recommendation that any man could ever get!!!!!
And I also, love Fred MacMurray!!!!
Dick Cavett and Johnny Carson were probably the two best talk show hosts I've seen.
Different styles. I liked them both.
Dick Cavett was such a masterful host. Of all the interviewers, I’ve ever seen, Cavett was the best by a country mile.
This is a story from the past Got to admit, the talent had more class back then because they appreciated where they were in life.
John all who came through the great depression had an appreciation for life!! We've gotten mean through the years! I keep hearing another great depression is around the corner? Perhaps a thankful humility will return should an economic bust transpire?
He was always very funny, and in a very plesant way too.
You never feel uncomfortable when you are watching him...
I loved that story...my favorite actors are Fred MacMurray and Bob Hope..
So interesting to hear Bob Hope speak about the entertainment business and the celebrities he knew so well. None more famous and highly regarded than Bob Hope himself. He was a class act.
Absolutely!
A national treasure and one of the all time greats. A real class act.
+max welter agreed!!!
Interesting story about MacMurray to me because it is rare to hear Bob talk about someone being more successful than him - which sure didn't happen often. By 1972, of course, Bob was the biggest star in town, but Fred was still popular from the tv show. Just interesting how one got success, then the other, then the other - who was more popular reversed several times. That whole crew from those days all knew each other when they were nothing, so they were always comfortable with each other.
More successful than Hope? Are you on drugs? Do your homework!
Do you listening, to this video
I met Fred MacMurray once, very briefly, at a college event in 1985. His wife of many years, June Haver, was with him. I forget what we talked about, other than Clint Eastwood and Carmel, CA coming up in the conversation. Unlike so many celebrities, it was no different than interacting with Steve Douglas or any of his on-screen personas. Great guy and June was lovely, too.
Fred was great in "The Caine Mutiny", and held his own with Bogart, Van Johnson, and Jose' Ferrer.
Indeed he did !!
Thank you for this. It's nice to hear Mr Hope so candidly admiring a fellow star.
Interesting seeing Bob Hope when he's not 'on' and just telling a story.
Jonathan Winters tells a story of being in a special with him and how Nothing was adlibbed. Hope was Strictly by the script. No spontaneity at ALL!
I've heard stuff like that. Yet it's funny, because I've also read that Hope and Crosby adlibbed throughout the "Road To" movies, to the point that the screenwriters would get upset with them for changing their material!
In his early days, Hope was known as a good ad-libber. Fact.
@@BuckyBrown-lt4ry He must've taken lessons from Shemp Howard. Lol. Shemp was known for adlibbing or wisecracks & very seldom stuck to the script. Shemp worked with Abbott & Costello, & Costello one time got mad @ Shemp for getting more laughs than he did.
When Bob wasn't 'on' he was a Fantastic story teller. But most all of the entertainers from this era were masters of the language.. incredibly articulate communicators. (Look who's famous today.. makes you want to cry.)
Regardless of your opinion of Hope's politics, he was one of the best talk show guests ever. Not to be missed if scheduled. He was always SO RELAXED, the stories flowed easy, but they weren't just funny anecdotes, they were often insightful about work-life or friendship, or family life.
Politics?
@@prof113 Right winger, outspoken in his support for the Vietnam War, famously opposed to equal pay for women, and fairly openly misogynist (big part of stand-up routine), and was something of a force in the Republican Party.
@@hd-xc2lz he could have been worse...he could have been a leftist...
Are your compliments about liberal icons also tempered with a "regardless of" warning?
@hd-xc2lz why lie? He was not opposed to equal rights. He was an MC at a beauty pageant in which feminists were attacking contestants. That does not mean he doesn't want women to have rights.
He was patriotic , for the war, when it began as everyone was.
So they come back from commercial just to go immediately back to commercial. Some things never change.
Like this. Real respect and appreciation.
This is the manner in which classy, educated people communicate.
Right on bro
What a gracious man he was.
What really gets me about these interviews is that they were all real.
Dick Cavett was a terrific interviewer and when he interviewed these show business giants he was honest with them. I watched interviews of this show spanning from Groucho Marx to Jimi Hendrix and they all share something in common. They were clean and truthful, as well as being a little funny.
Today you got Jay Leno and other people who just do haste
Unlike many actors who made it and lost it, like Peter Lawford, Gig Young, George Raft and Bob Cummings, Fred kept his feet on the ground and saved and invested his earnings.
I loved Fred MacMurray as the Dad in the tv series “My Three Sons”.
Indeed. I always found that pipe smokers are gentle, kind & understanding people.
Some of the newer pipe smokers are not that classy....
Not surprising to hear what a swell gent he was, it's the Irish/Scots in his blood.
I finished off three pints before realizing you said 'Scots' and not 'Scotch' in his blood.
The no BS Bob Hope. That's one reason we loved him so. If you haven't seen him and Cagney dance on the table, pull it up , it's on youtube. Those old actors were multi-talented.
@cavettbiter, Thank you for all these beautiful videos!
I heartily concur !!
Fred MacMurray was one of the first actors that I'd first seen on his TV show _My Three Sons._ Hard to imagine my shock when years later I started catching his many movies where he played a heel or tough guy.
Gosh that's a lovely tribute.
These Dick Cavett interviews are great, these people (stars) just want to open up to him.
Fed MacMurray was a great and versatle actor long before he became famous on TV in 'My Thee Sons."
You speak the truth, Kemo Sabe !!
Fred was good. He did westerns as well as dramas. He even played a firm ship captain.
HE REALLY SHOWED HIS RANGE IN THE APARTMENT
which apartment? didn't the guy lived in a house?
@@waldolydecker8118 Yes Sir on My Three Sons. I meant the movie The Apartment.
@@thomaspiccirillo6820 - you're a good sport, lol.
Actor Paul Douglas had been cast in the Fred's role in "The Apartment" but his sudden passing before production started allowed Fred to do it & give his usual excellent performance.
Thank you Bob Hope. One of the best.
Fred MacMurray was a big star before My three sons. Bing Crosby said Fred MacMurray was wealthier then him or Bob Hope.
Not quite.
@@BuckyBrown-lt4ry Absolutely quite. MacMurray made money through investments. MacMurray was one of the wealthiest celebrities ever.
It was well known that the shrewd MacMurray was the wealthiest star.
@@TanjiTuesday Indeed! I've read that the four wealthiest
actors from Hollywood's Golden Age ended up being Fred, Bob, Bing & Randolph Scott. Mostly thru savvy real estate investments.
Watching this makes me realize how good Dave Thomas's impression is.
Dave Thomas' Hope impression is amazing !
When I lived in the area, I belonged to a riding group. We rode our horses on Fred MacMurray’s property a few times. We (the women) always looked our best on those rides!
He was the most talented lead singer of all time and his performance at Live Aid is legendary
I didn't know Bob Hope or Fred MacMurray sang at Live Aid. Talk about being multi talented.
That's what I was thinking of. Without Fred MacMurray, we probably would have never heard of the other three. Fred, I know you didn't write it, but you were indirectly responsible for the world most famous song sung by more people than Happy Birthday to you. And you sang We Will Rock You beautifully, for the billions of people who were inspired by you!
I'd love to see Rick Moranis as Dick Cavett and Dave Thomas as Bob Hope reprise this
I will say to the day I die that Dick Cavett had the best talk show in the history of television. I only wish I had been older when this aired on TV because I was only 12 years old in 1972 and I can barely remember the Dick Cavett Show at all when it was on the air (so thank God for UA-cam now!!). The show went on well until the 1980s but realistically I was a teenager and 20-something back then so specifically making time to watch a sober talk show wasn't high on my list of priorities, especially during the '80s, when Letterman was the rage and Carson was still holding court on NBC. But Cavett's show never felt rushed along like the networks have always treated late night shows that always try to squish 3 or 4 guests into a one hour (or 90 minute show like Carson was in the "old days"). With Dick Cavett, I'm finding out now as I watch his shows on YT they end after 60 minutes and you just wish any interview with any guest would go on for at least another hour. Mr. Cavett was always the most gracious host, genuinely humorous yet self-effacing and he kept the spotlight on his guests, but under that easy-going style on the surface, it is obvious he was always prepared for whoever his guests were, and he had real discussions with whoever was on the show for the entire hour. It's obvious he did his homework beforehand, such as getting to know something like a song from an old nearly forgotten Broadway musical comedy ("Roberta"), in order to have it playing upon the return from a station break - but the subtleness wasn't lost on Bob Hope, who had been the star of "Roberta" on Broadway way back in 1933, almost 39 years before this interview. If that's not a measure of total "class" and respect (not to mention being studious), I really don't know what is. Dick Cavett is a vanished breed of that kind of person found anywhere on television now, and that is just sad. Given that I'm 64 now, it speaks volumes for what kind of world my own generation has forsaken while creating a cheap often low-brow imitation of it all in pursuit of nothing but gossip, shock-talk and earning money at the expense of just being humble and respectful toward people who have actually created or done things in their lives that are of legitimate merit that deserves recognition.
Fred MacMurray was not only one of the nicest and classiest of Hollywood actors, he was also one of its most wealthy. He'd invested in several apartment buildings around Los Angeles. His personal home was in Brentwood Heights (Los Angeles) and the home was very nice, yet understated, especially compared to homes of today. Fred was humble in spirit -- you see much of how he was really like in terms of his personality when you watch, "My Three Sons". That's HIM!
He was also a very good business man and became one of the richest people in Hollywood, real estate and loans,😮😊❤
It's nice to see Bob back when he still was in good physical shape. His much later appearances with Carson were rather tedious affairs due to his poor hearing by then, making conversations difficult, Hope frequently talking-over Carson or needing questions or comments repeated. Although I'm an enormous fan of Bob's, never missing his appearances on Carson's show, by then even I knew that it probably was time for the great comedian to step down. His TV specials were still airing at that time, &, of course, I watched each one of them. Although makeup & careful editing could disguise his aging pretty well yet, Bob probably should've retired from doing network specials far sooner than he did. NBC kept them going for a very long time, into the early 1990's actually but ratings had been declining for some years, Bob's TV specials appealing mainly to the older generation who'd always loved him. Aside from age, I think the main issue was that Bob had outlived his era. His monologues, of course, always were up-to-the-second topical, so this couldn't've been behind dwindling ratings & viewership. I believe Bob was, in truth, beginning to have trouble delivering the monologues in front of live studio audiences, as well as during personal appearance tours. Many of the jokes were falling-flat due to his increasing inability to read the cue cards, although, by this time, the cards featured hugely written words, necessitated by the comedian's failing eyesight. Most of the later TV specials had heavily-edited monologues, showing audiences laughing at jokes which succeeded, film of their laughing used to cover-over the flops which were greeted by silence or very minimal laughter. Bob's timing & delivery were in rapid decline, so this is why many jokes didn't generate the laughter they otherwise would have in long-gone days of yore, not the jokes themselves, as Bob always used top-notch writers. Younger management was running NBC by then & Hope's shows no longer reached the demographic all the networks wanted. The specials just sort-of vanished without a trace, quietly, without fanfare. An era in American entertainment, indeed, truly had ended. Thanks for the memories, Bob---you earned a much-deserved rest!
I totally agree with you. Poor Bob should have stopped performing long before he actually did. But to some performers, they can't imagine retiring. Just love it; even when they're past it.
@@jubalcalif9100 Yes, Bob fit your description perfectly. In his very late-career TV specials, in the early 1990's, the emphasis started to shift away from Bob himself, as odd as this sounds. He still did the monologues, I think, almost up to the end but I'm not sure of that. The last specials featured rising new comedians, clips from his movies with actresses who starred with him, excerpts from past shows done on military bases, aircraft carriers, etc. Bob's decline was a slow one, which was a good thing, but the signs were there, not so much to viewers at home, due to editing & makeup, but even with these, one could detect a slight slippage in his timing & some editing became obvious. He always gamely exhibited the old comic-spirit of the past but it became tougher & tougher. Apparently, wife Dolores had no effect on getting Bob to step down. She probably gave up on trying to get him to retire and/or slow-down long-ago. Actually, they started appearing together on many of Bob's final TV specials. It seems Dolores finally was getting the exposure she wanted as a singer, the career she gave up after marrying Bob decades before. These were touching, nostalgic moments for we older folks of their generation but had little or no appeal for the younger, who had no concept of Bob's storied career, his fame, comedic greatness, & the vast amount of laughter & pleasure he gave to U.S. audiences, especially the military, in every phase of show-business. I recall one of Bob's later specials that was a celebration of Peter Sellers, the show being comprised of clips from Sellers' movies! I believe Bob continued doing a Christmas special right up to the end but these were changing, too---comprised often of clips from past Yuletide specials. The very last, I think, was filmed as an Xmas party at Bob & Dolores' house in Palm Springs. I remember being quite aware of Bob's physical decline in this show. There was no monologue or skits & he did relatively little, except greet guests or make a few comments here & there. I knew it was the end.
Lovely moment.
Omg tv was so good
Bob, such a nice guy
I like all his movies
Especially Double Indemnity!!
Hope, The Legend. I think the 'candid' Hope, however, is my favorite. What a fantastic story teller. Name anyone today who comes close to the talent or star power of either Hope or MacMurray.
Bob Hope. He always makes me smile. :)
Sidebar: Far ahead of many would-be wine makers, Fred bought a winery c. 1941.
I served a few bottles of Mac red last week! I lament that we'll never again have such stars the likes of like these. RIP to all 🙏
He was from Wisconsin!
Cheers from Milwaukee 🍻
Bob Hope was mom's favorite.
He was great with Bogart in Caine Mutiny, and that was a great movie btw.
Yes. A great film (dynamite cast & script) !
he was the only guy in Hollywood to pull off the bad guy roles in The Caine Mutiny and The Apartment. he could play the D-Bag pretty well. and of course his role in Double Indemnity was huge.
I know exactly what mr hope is saying about freds name in lights... if you don't understand ... somethings wrong.
It's good Dick got this interview when he did. In ten years Bob Hope wont be able to say anything not on a cue card.
Yes indeed. Even though he developed horrible eyesight & hearing problem,s he kept performing almost to the end.
Bob Hope,they don't come better than him!
Met him twice-whatta cold fish!
WOW! Please finish the stories! Did he come across that if he didn't think you were important enough he didn't have time for you? Or was it something else?
Maybe you had body odor, creep.
Who? Bob, Fred or Dick Cavett ?
@@BuckyBrown-lt4ry Ha ! Now THAT'S funny !!
Spent at least part of his childhood in Wisconsin - my state - and attended Carroll College there, where I worked for 12 years! Funny - I had forgotten that he attended Carroll. One would think there would be MacMurray stuff in prominent places there....but I don't remember seeing any, nor any rooms &c with his name slapped on it.
He played a pretty good Dad in MY THREE SONS too!
Fred MacMurry as The Absent Minded Professor..Flubber and all that.
That movie and "The Shaggy Dog" helped Fred become Disney's most popular leading man in the late 50s & into the 60s.
I'd forgotten how huge neckties and shirt collars could be in the '70s. Dick was always dapper and a thorough gentleman.
MR BOB HOPE IS A CLASS ACT.....
fred in "face of a fugitive"
All I could think about when watching Bob Hope was Dave Thomas.
Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis really worked well together here.
Fred MacMurray kept every penny he ever earned - he was the most thrifty & frugal man in Hollywood
Legend has it that's part of what Walt Disney liked so much about him.
He owned a great deal of real estate.
@@Ransomhandsome True. Most of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby & Fred's fortunes were made up of savvy real estate investments.
I grew up in the 50’s, watched a lot of great movies with Fred McM. First was The Egg And I, I believe it was the first appearance of Ma & Pa Kettle. Mr McMurray was good in anything and a great favourite. I’ve watched Murder, He Says on YT - wonderful, but I think YT has pulled it. We are so fortunate to have these movies going back to the 1930s, I don’t think the majority of movies/actors are anywhere near as good - with a few exceptions. Scripts have been sacrificed for over the top swearing and sex - and so boring. With the cost of movie making why waste time with crappy dialogue and boring sex - I want to see an enthralling story. Also find the Hallmark romance & crime drama movies so dull - so what is the remedy????
My dad had a story about meeting fred macmurray in the 40s. At the time my dad was working thru college at a cape cod sandwich shop, he said he really tried to make his sandwich perfectly and macmurray never acknowledged or tipped him. The next day my dad and his freind spotted macmurray at the local beach they were all at. My dad stood behind macmurray and his freind walked in front of macmurray and held his camera up, saying to macmurray "do you mind ?" Macmurray grudgingly agreed thinking he would have his picture taken, he said sure but make it quick. My dads friend then said " No, would you mind moving, im taking a picture of my freind behind you"
I heard that he did not like working with the kids on his tv shows. If you watch carefully, you will not see him shown with any of the kids, just him by himself, which is how they supposedly made the episodes.
At the time, I read that he filmed all of his scenes for a season in something like 2 weeks. That was probably a lot of hours a day to get them done. Child actors are only allowed to work so many hours a day so they probably couldn't be in too many scenes with him. As I recall he did a lot of scenes with Frawley (and the other guy later) and the dog, etc. Might be why. Just speculation on my part.
It's been revealed in recent years that Fred MacMurray - a veteran movie star with lots of clout - arranged to minimize his time commitment to "My Three Sons" by shooting all his scenes in a matter of weeks, around which the other cast worked without him. I still don't understand how this system worked, in terms of getting the amount of MacMurray "coverage" an entire season(?) of shows would need, but somehow, with judicious editing, the scheme worked - and there are lots of scenes (most often "master shots" probably) where Fred interacts with other cast members, including the kids.
A stage hand would hold a mop at Fred's height so the kids would look at the proper direction. They called it Fred the Mop.
Each have their own taste, and I respect that, But I find him much more pleasant than so many other comedians and actors. He had something which just made him extremely likeable....
I read interview with daughter..she said he made movies so he could have his farm...farmer at heart!!❤😊 and he was sexy too!!!😮
This is making me want to watch an episode of my three sons.
Dick Cavett drew out more confessions from big stars than any other talk show host (with the exception of perhaps Parkinson)
Fred made his fortune investing in real estate.
People got upset at that because everyone (or almost everyone) thought he was performing for the troops for free, purely out of patriotism and love of America and nothing else. It turned out that wasn't the case. That rubbed many Americans the wrong way.
True. He'd package those taped USO tours and sell them to NBC for TV specials. For a pretty penny, I'm sure.
One of England's greatest along with Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel. Not forgetting of course that great Welshman Cary Grant.
Liam Mccarron Yes, Bob Hope was born in England and grew up in Cleveland,Ohio.
And your point is???
Liam Mccarron And your point !
Merely pointing out the fact they are great Englishmen.
When Stars 🌟 were Stars 🌟
I liked Fred MacMurray when he was the original singer of Queen