Meeting Bob Hope, 1957, by Lance Naismith
From MemoryArchive
Who: Lance Naismith What: Meeting Bob Hope When: September, 1957 Where: Orillia, Ontario
My parents, sister and I were up in Orillia, visiting relatives when, enroute back home to Peterborough, I met someone whom I had always enjoyed seeing in the movies - Bob Hope. Now, here I am, all of 8 years old, coming face to face with a screen legend in, of all places, Orillia, Ontario. We had come into this small roadside restaurant, on Highway 11, just outside Orillia and made a purchase. My sister and parents left the restaurant to go to the car when, turning from the counter, I see a man standing beside one of the booths. There was a woman and I believe 2 children sitting at the booth. I look straight at him and he returns my look...I can't believe my eyes. There stands a man who looks exactly like Bob Hope. Everything, even down to the distinctive nose of his. He stands there and smiles, maybe thinking I may approach him but, regrettfully, being my shy 8 years, I walk from the restaurant. I told my parents that I thought Bob Hope was in the restaurant and, with that knowing look of parental disbelief, we continued our journey. Hey, we're up in the boondocks of Ontario. Now, in the grand scheme of things, this may not be a big thing, except for one point. I always regretted not saying hello and, if he was open to talking, being able to talk to someone I viewed as a screen legend. Maybe, since he was with family, he would not want to be bothered and I should respect that, but, it would have been nice to talk to someone I admired. My lesson from this.. Don't let chance opportunties go by you without at least trying. A lot of dreams and satisfaction can be lost if you ignore those fleeting moments of chance in life. Up until Mr. Hopes death, my parents really never believed that I saw him but, upon his death and doing some research, I learned that in fact he had been in Orillia that day. He had been appearing at the C.N.E. in Toronto and went to Orillia after being invited to open a local radio station. He took his family so that they could see life in Ontario. I'm not exactly wildlife but, I wish I, my sister and parents could have met Mr. Hope and his family and spent some time letting him talk to an average family from Ontario. I can only imagine what it might have been like...Grab the ring when you can
