How to contactTHE BOB HOPE THEATRE

ELTHAM

Postal Address:The Bob Hope Theatre

Wythfield RoadEltham, London SE9 5TG

Telephone: 020 8850 3702Fax: 020 8850 8763

E-mail: info@bobhopetheatre.co.ukWebsite: www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

HOW TO FIND US

A Brief HistoryNearest British Rail Station: ELTHAM

Buses: 321, 124, 126,132, 160161, 233,286,, 314, B16

Early in 1979, Eltham Little Theatre - occupying a former church hall inWythfield Road, London SE9 - seemed doomed.The lease from the Parochial Church Council had expired; the premises wereup for sale; the membership and management feared it might be only a matterof months before their company was homeless for the first time since 1946.

Brave plans were made for future productions, but closure appeared inevitable.

Yet - a long way away - events were taking place which two years later wouldsave the theatre and give drama a permanent home in Eltham.

BOB HOPES INTEREST

Plans were in hand for the first Bob Hope Pro-Am GolfClassic, intended to be an annual event in aid of selectedcharities. Since 1964, Bob Hope himself had beensponsoring a similar event in the USA - the DesertClassic in Palm Springs, held primarily for the benefit ofthe Eisenhower Memorial Hospital.

Bob Hope was born in Craigton Road, Eltham in 1903. He emigrated to theUSA at the age of four; but he always maintained strong links with Britain.Within his organisation the idea was born that he might fund a theatre centrein his home town, particularly for the benefit of young people.

Accordingly, in 1980, Bob Hope visited our theatre. His reception wasoverwhelming; his car was mobbed on the forecourt and it became a struggleto get him safely into the theatre.

From the stage he announced - to members, the public, the press and a batteryof TV cameras - that he intended to get the project off the ground. And thatsvery important to me he added.

Just how much this meant to all the people associated with Eltham LittleTheatre may be imagined - particularly if one understands the theatres longand complicated history.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all those Theatre Members who have contributed tothis booklet over the years by documenting events and publishing them in anumber of forms. Without them, this brief history of Eltham Little Theatreand the Bob Hope Theatre would not have been possible.

If you would like any further information about the Bob Hope Theatre, howto become an active member or Friend of the Theatre, please contact theTheatre Office.Details of how to contact us are on the back of this booklet.

Thank you for your interest in our Theatre.

In February 1998, Her Majesty The Queenconferred on Bob Hope the honour ofKnight Commander of the Most ExcellentOrder of the British Empire....an HonoraryKnighthood...the highest award for a citizenof another country. On May 17th 1998, ourHonorary Secretary, Jim Shepherd, wasinvited by the Hope family, to attend theInvestiture at the British Embassy inWashington DC.

Pictured right: Bob Hope, Dolores Hope and Jim Shepherd at the Investiture in Washington

In May 2003, Bob Hope celebrated his 100th birthday. It had been almost ayear of celebration. The BBC presented a special programme Bob Hope at

100 to mark the event. It was hostedby Bob Monkhouse from the Theatre,where the Royal Artillery Band openedthe programme with Thanks for theMemory, Bobs signature tune.

Pictured left:: Jim Shepherd, Hon. Secretary, BobMonkhouse, and Paul Howard (former Hon.Chairman)

In June 2003, the London Borough of Greenwich awarded Bob Hope theFreedom of the Borough. At 100 years old, Bob was too frail to make thejourney to receive the honourhimself. He asked if our Hon.Secretary could receive this on hisbehalf and the Council agreed.

Pictured right: Deputy Mayor of Greenwich;Jim Shepherd, (Hon. Secretary), Leader of theCouncil, Chris Roberts, Mayor Janet Gillman,Wendy Hamilton (BHT FundraisingManager) and Greenwichs Chief Executive

THE BEGINNINGS

Eltham Little Theatre was born on 12th November 1943 to promotetheatre, drama, music and the allied arts in Eltham and the immediatevicinity. During its early years , while it was without a permanent home, itsfounder members acted as a sort of clearing house for local amateur societies.By the end of 1944, ELT administered twelve affiliated drama and musicsocieties, with 215 members and 45 in the bank.

Early in 1946, Eltham Parish Hall - which during the war had beenrequisitioned as a furniture store - was released. By arrangement with theParochial Church Council, ELT found a home there on an annual lease basis.

In May 1946. Eltham Little Theatre was registered asa Company, limited by guarantee. The theatrebuilding was officially opened by the Mayor ofWoolwich (later incorporated into the LondonBorough of Greenwich). Following a few hecticmonths of cleaning and restoration (including therestoration of seating and lighting equipment) thefirst production was staged by one of the affiliatedsocieties, the Kerwin Players, who presented HeddaGabler, directed by Winifred Kershaw.

During the period from 1948 to 1950 there were some 600 individual membersand 25 affiliated societies. A new production was staged every other weekendthroughout the season.

Throughout this time the theatres management aimed eventually to purchasethe building. Members were continually engaged in fund-raising activities tothat end. By 1957 however, it became apparent that the asking price wasbeyond reach, and a sub-committee memorandum was submitted to theBorough Council with a recommendation that the building be acquired as anartistic centre for Eltham. While rejecting the recommendation, the Boroughawarded the theatre a grant in aid, towards running expenses, in the the sumof 150. This grant, increased to keep step with inflation continued until the1980s.

Raising the stage and redecorating the Theatre, July 1951

The number of affiliated dramatic and operatic societies made it impossibleto give everyone a fair showing on the theatres stage or, indeed, for themanagement to exercise any kind of artistic control. So the theatre graduallymoved towards the establishment of its own group of performers with itsproduction programme under the control of a Drama Committee.

During the late 1970s several commercial concerns expressed an interest in thebuilding for such purposes as a video recording studio, a sports centre and amulti-entertainment complex. None of these came to fruition for one reasonor another.

And so, by 1979, the theatres membership was almost resigned to its fate. Thelease was not to be renewed, funds were low...and then Bob Hope stepped in.

The 1980 and 1981 Bob Hope Classic Golf Tournaments in Britain raised58,000 for the direct benefit of Eltham Little Theatre Limited, and a similarsum for the Stars Organisation for Spastics (SOS). The money was to be usedfor the purchase of the premises and as a start on the refurbishment of thebuilding.

While negotiations for the purchase of the bullding continued, DickieHenderson - Vice Chairman of the Bob Hope British Golf Classic - gave abenefit performance of his one-man show at the theatre to raise funds towardsrefurbishment. This was a tremendous evening of entertainment, enhanced bythe presence in the audience of several star personalities, including Max Wall.

In 1996 the British Film Institute launched Cinema 100 to commemorateone hundred years of cinema in Britain. The Theatre managementnominated Bob Hope for a commemorative plaque to be placed on the housewhere he was born in Craighton Road, Eltham.

The organisers felt this was appropriate and awarded the plaque.

Bob asked his grand-daughter, Miranda Hope, to represent him at theunveiling of the plaque and we were pleased to welcome her to the Theatre.She spent a very full day with us, during which time the Mayor of Greenwichinvited her for tea in the Mayors Parlour, she visited the Bob Hope and BobHope Theatre exhibits at the Greenwich Borough Museum and visited theRoyal Blackheath Golf Club (one of Bobs favourites), and stayed late into theevening to see our production of Absent Friends.

Many of our members were at theTheatre for her visit and werecaptivated by her enthusiasm for ourorganisation.

Miranda Hope presents the Mayor of Greenwich,Councillor Janet Gillman, with the latest Bob Hopebook and video.

Pictured right:: Paul Howard (former Chairman),Miranda Hope, Jim Shepherd (Hon. Secretary), Mayor Janet Gillman, John Goodwin (former Treasurer)..

Bob Hope died on July 27th 2003, shortly after celebrating his 100th birthday.The Hope family continue to maintain contact with us and their interest in theTheatre is ongoing.

In September 2004, a new Bob Hope Theatre opened in Stockton, California.We were invited to be there and attended the Gala Opening where wepresented the Theatre with a watercolour painting of the Bob Hope Theatre,Eltham. Painted by local artist and Theatre member, Peter Slaughter, this nowhangs in a place of honour in the refurbished theatre.

THE BOB HOPE THEATRE TODAY

The management company remains Eltham Little Theatre Limited, aregistered charity and a company limited by guarantee. It is governed by aBoard of Management, elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. Day-to-day affairs are conducted by the Board, consisting of three officers (Hon.Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer) and seven additional electedmembers.

The Bob Hope Theatre is not a members only club, but a public theatrelicensed annually by Greenwich Council. It is a wholly amateur theatre in thesense that all performers, management and ancilliary workers give theirservices without payment, apart from payments made to professionalmusicians. While previous experience is necessary for some activities, such asproduction, direction and stage management, new members are encouraged totake part and are given appropriate training.

Those who join as members for a moderate annual subscription have the rightto vote at General Meetings and may stand for election to the Board ofManagement. They are kept advised of theatre events via newsletters and havethe right to audition for shows.

There is a thriving junior membership, an integral part of the organisation andsource of extra enthusiasm and vigour.

The Theatres season runs from September to July with a BHT productionstaged, generally, every four or so weeks. The Theatre is available for hire atvery competitive rates and many amateur groups stage their own productionshere.

The Bob Hope Theatres programme of shows is planned and governed by aDrama Team which may, from time to time, appoint a committee to advise onand plan the Theatres season of events.

The Theatre Bar is open Tuesday to Saturday between 9pm and 11pm (7.30 to11pm on performance nights. A new members evening is held in the Bar onThursday evenings when there is no production in the Theatre.

BOB HOPES SECOND VISIT

In September 1982, Bob Hope visited the theatreagain, met by an even more tumultous receptionwhich clearly and genuinely touched him. Heunveiled the new name of The Bob Hope Theatre,a bust of himself (right), a special plaque in thefoyer and a portrait by Llew Hodges who had beenan active member since the theatre was founded.

At the same time he accepted an Honorary Co-Presidency of the theatre.There was to be one other Co-President, Gerald Ford, ex-President of theUnited States of America and a close golfing friend.

THE PURCHASE OF THE BUILDING

At last, in November 1982, the contract for the purchase of the premiseswas completed. In the thirty-ninth year of its existence, Eltham LittleTheatre became The Bob Hope Theatre, Eltham, and was now secure in itspermanent home.

THEATRE DEVELOPMENT

As a result of Bob Hopes generosity the theatre has continued to berefurbished. In August 1991, Bob donated 28,000 from the BenefitPerformance he staged at the London Palladium to raise money directly for thetheatre. He also did us the honour of visiting us again during this visit. Themoney raised from the Benefit was used to build the Bar extension, rebuild thefoyer, refurbish the front of house facilities and auditorium, and to renovateand decorate the exterior of the building.

Our own small, but dedicated, fundraising team continue to raise moneythrough raffles, jumble sales and other special events. Their ongoing activitieshave funded such things as the purchase of electrical equipment and manyfurnishings for the building. We are indebted to their enthusiasm and hardwork.

Our youth drama group, The New Stagers, have alsoorganised special events to raise money to provideequipment for the theatre. An induction loop system tobenefit people with hearing difficulties, black drapes for theStudio are are among the items bought by the group.

In April 1995 the large downstairs room backstage, which formerly housed thetheatres wardrobe and furniture store was refurbished and a studio wascreated. The Board of Management felt it appropriate to name this area TheGeorge Tapp Studio in memory of a founder member who had dedicatedmuch of his life to the organisation as Honorary Secretary and as a stagemanager. Many of our existing members owe a great debt to George, whotrained them in the craft of stage management.

The George Tapp Studio was formally opened by Georges widow, Irene, inOctober 1996 when she unveiled a portrait and commemorative plaque in theStudio.

Now into the 21st Century, we continue to look at ways to improve the facilitesof the Theatre. How these plans develop will, of course depend on financesbeing available. We are currently (Spring 2005) improving the backstage area.

Bob Hopes Benefit Performance at the London Palladium inAugust 1991for the benefit of The Bob Hope Theatre, Eltham

The George Tapp Studio prepared for its opening productionJacques and His Master