Editor’s Note: We welcome Debbie Sklar to myBurbank where she will dive deep into Burbank’s history.
A mystery in Burbank’s history begins with a familiar face: Bob Hope.
A photograph in the Burbank Public Library’s historical collection shows the legendary entertainer addressing a crowd at the Starlight Bowl, with musicians from the Horace Heidt Jr. jazz band behind him.
The puzzle? The event is unidentified, leaving an unanswered question about Hope’s appearance at the outdoor amphitheater.
The black-and-white photograph, taken by Ross Benson, is cataloged as dating to 1988. Its archival identifier is pio01957, and the library lists the Starlight Bowl as the location.
So, what brought Hope to Burbank that day? Was he appearing at a civic celebration, a benefit performance, or another special event? The photograph provides a few clues, but it does not establish the occasion.
There is a possible lead in Burbank’s recent history. On Sept. 27, 1987, Hope headlined a constitution bicentennial celebration at the Starlight Amphitheatre. Organized by Mayor Michael Hastings, the event also featured singer Stephen Bishop, actress Morgan Brittany, television personality Fritz Coleman, and other performers. It was intended to raise money for a memorial honoring the nation’s
Constitution and Burbank’s military veterans.
The celebration drew press attention, and Hope later agreed to help with another fundraiser for the memorial.
The 1987 appearance is an intriguing possibility, particularly because the archived photograph also shows Hope at the Starlight Bowl with a band associated with Horace Heidt Jr. However, the library catalogs Benson’s photograph as a 1988 image. Without additional evidence, the two should not be assumed to depict the same event.
The library holds another photograph of Hope speaking at an unidentified Starlight Bowl event, also cataloged as 1988. That second image, taken by Bonnie Burrow, has the identifier pio01944. Together, the photographs suggest there may be more to uncover about Hope’s appearances at the venue.
Burbank’s historical photograph collection preserves glimpses of the city’s past, but captions sometimes leave questions unanswered. Identifying an event can depend on small details: the people onstage, the musicians, the setting, a newspaper announcement, or a program saved by someone who attended.
That is where local memories may help.
Did you attend an event featuring Bob Hope at the Starlight Bowl in the late 1980s? Do you recognize the musicians or remember a civic celebration, benefit, or other occasion that brought him to the amphitheater?
Readers with information can help the Burbank Public Library add context to its historical collection and bring this unidentified moment into sharper focus.
Until then, the photograph remains a small Burbank mystery starring one of Hollywood’s most familiar faces.
