Antiquaries Journal

Bob Hope in China: Antique Roadshow?

(Ed. note:  The author was a script writer for Bob Hope between 1977 and 1992.)

In 1974, soon after Richard Nixon opened relations with the People’s Republic, Hope began a behind-the-scenes campaign to become the first American entertainer to tape a television special there.  Leaning on a raft of influential government pals including Henry Kissinger and calling in markers he’d been collecting from the government since World War II, he finally received permission to take his show there as part of a cultural exchange program dubbed “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” by the press.

So on June 16, 1979, after a four-hour flight from Narita, Japan, a Chinese Airlines 707 filled with our merry band of mirth makers eager to get their first look at this hotbed of Communism, touched down at the Peking (now Beijing) Airport.  Our guest stars would arrive over the next several days — Mikhail Baryshnikov, Crystal Gayle, Big Bird from Sesame Street, mimes Shields and Yarnell and a popular disco-duo, Peaches and Herb.

We would spend the entire month — three weeks in Peking and a week in Shanghai — taping the 3-hour special that would air on NBC in the Fall.  On the rare days we weren’t busy shooting, we were allowed to shop — officially and accompanied by our government-assigned interpreter — only at government-sponsored retail outlets for tourists called “Freedom Stores.”  Here the prices were set and clearly marked — no dickering. Even so, they were reasonable, and I brought home three good-quality wool rugs which still serve admirably.

Longing for a little more adventure, one afternoon, my writing partner Gig Henry and I, along with Hope’s longtime makeup man, Don Marando, slipped away from our guide for a couple of hours.  In a narrow alley about a mile from the hotel, we discovered a small antique shop, obviously not intended for foreigners (of which there were few since the country had only recently been opened to the west).

The musty interior was piled high with artifacts from estate-sales — rugs, furniture, household utensils, silverware, paintings, photos, lamps, vases, family stamps called chops made of marble or ivory and decorated with dragons, lions, monkeys and other characters from China’s ancient mythology.  More items made of ivory — chopsticks, statuary, and finely-carved jewelry. Up a narrow flight of stairs was the clothing — kimonos, men’s suits, jackets, caps, sandals, shoes — all in a pile that said it hadn’t been disturbed in years.

Hanging on one wall of the dimly lit mezzanine, almost unnoticed, were 100 to 300 year-old costumes retired from the Peking Opera — multicolored capes, pantaloons, garments weighted down with gold embroidery. Here was a treasure trove that foreigners weren’t supposed to find!  We felt like Sydney Greenstreet stumbling upon the Maltese Falcon. We made a few purchases (mostly chops, jewelry and ivory chopsticks) and headed back to the hotel.

That night over dinner, we casually mentioned our find to Mikhail Baryshnikov — Mischa to his friends, thank you — and he went giddy with excitement. “Peking Opera costumes? Authentic ones?” Immediately, we had to draw him a detailed map so he could check them out next day.  A few days later, Mischa’s manager asked me if I’d be willing to lend his client some money. He had run out of cash (we were allowed to bring $3000 into the country and to strictly account for it when leaving) and he had arranged to buy five of the costumes for around $300 apiece.

I said to the manager, “Like I’m gonna lend money to a Russian defector who’s in show business? This is a joke, right?” Of course, I was joking. Actually, I had about tapped out too, but suggested he ask our production cashier, Wil Oborn — we were issued a daily per diem in yuan — for an advance.

I recently met a friend of Misha’s and was told the five priceless costumes are now on display in glass cases in his Manhattan brownstone.

Excerpted from THE LAUGH MAKERS: A Behind-the-Scenes Tribute to Bob Hope’s Incredible Gag Writers (c) 2009 by Robert L. Mills and published by Bear Manor Media.  To order:  http://bobhopeslaughmakers.weebly.com

Kindle e-book $2.99: www.amazon.com/dp/B0041D9EPO

About the Author

A native of San Francisco, Bob Mills served in the Navy after high school, graduating from San Francisco State University in 1962 and the University of California Hastings Law in 1965.  He practiced in Palo Alto, CA for ten years before moving to Hollywood to write for television.  He worked on the Dinah Shore Show, the Steve Allen Show and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts before joining Bob Hope as a staff writer  in 1977. He traveled the world with Hope for the next seventeen years. In 2009, his book The Laugh Makers: A Behind-the-Scenes Tribute to Bob Hope’s Incredible Gag Writers was published by Bear Manor Media and was named one of Leonard Maltin’s “Top 20 Year-End Picks.”  To order:  http://bobhopeslaughmakers.weebly.com

Kindle e-book $2.99: www.amazon.com/dp/B0041D9EPO

How To Inspect An Old Master Painting

Antique Trader Indian Arrowheads Price Guide $14.92 Antique Trader Indian Arrowheads Price Guide

Mckeown’s Price Guide To Antique & Classic Cameras 2005-2006 $93.33 Mckeown’s Price Guide To Antique & Classic Cameras 2005-2006

Antique Trader Tools Price Guide $18.65 The Most Valuable Tool in Your ToolboxLacking the edge on tool information? Cut through the competition and hammer home deals like a pro with Antique Trader Tools Price Guide. Featuring 700 color photos, thousands of listings with current values, market t

Antique paintings Penglai fairyland $20 Antique paintings Penglai fairyland Suitable for sending friends and relatives, especially the boss’s gift!

Paintings $18.47 Paintings

Antique Trader Salt And Pepper Shaker Price Guide $14.92 Hangers, kissers, nesters, long-boys, and more are covered in this comprehensive guide to collecting salt and pepper shakers, which comes complete with an up-to-date price guide and more than one-thousand color photos throughout. Original. 10,000 first pr

Great Paintings $22.4 Featuring 66 works from great artists through the ages including Zhang Zeduan, Rothko and Botticelli, this guide to the world’s greatest paintings examines the story behind each piece, includes artists’ biographies and explores the social context of each

Schroeder’s Collectible Toys, Antique to Modern Price Guide $14.89 Provides values of more than 20,000 toys dating from the 19th century to today, in a book that includes action figures, books, Disney and Fisher Price toys, Matchbox cars, trains and much more. Original.

Antique Trader Book Collector’s Price Guide $18.65 Organized into 13 categories–including Americana, banned books, paranormal, mystery and more–a collector’s guide discusses identifying and grading books and provides readers with 8,000 detailed listings for assessing original editions. Original.

Antique Trader Antiques and Collectibles 2012 Price Guide $16.08 No Synopsis Available

Antique Trader Pottery & Porcelain Ceramics: Price Guide $21.64 No Synopsis Available

Antique Trader Bottles Identification & Price Guide $18.31 No Synopsis Available

Antique Trader Perfume Bottles Price Guide $16.65 No Synopsis Available

Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2006 $1 No Synopsis Available

Antique Trader Collectible Cookbooks Price Guide $16.41 The creators of OldCookbooks.com include color cover illustrations, brief descriptions, value estimates, definitions, author information, and tips for collecting general, charity, and product advertising recipe cookbooks from the late 19th century to the

Bedroom paintings ,wall art ,abstract art paintings Htzsrwh020 $50.53 abstract oil paintings painted by skillful artists customers’ sizes and designs are welcome best quality & wholesale price

Collector’s Information Bureau Collectibles Market Guide & Price Index $18.63 A comprehensive Guide to a wide variety of collectible categories from a trusted name in the Antique & Collectible Market – includes pricing.

Miller’s Buying Affordable Antiques: Price Guide 2006 $4.99 Thanks to television programs like The Antiques Roadshow, collecting antiques is hotter than ever – but it’s easy to overpay. That’s why this guide provides actual prices for items sold through auctions and antiques dealers in the preceding year, along with 1,500 color photographs that take the guesswork out of identification. Professional tips make it simple to buy outstanding antiques even on a limited budget, and the book covers everything from antique furniture to watches, glass and pottery to scientific instruments, arms and armor, jewelry, and more. Current market trends are outlined, while the guide’s popular “MillerÂ’s Compares” feature contrasts similar items to explain why one sells for big money, while the other fetches only a fraction of that price.

wall art canvas oil paintings HTTH019 $21.05 canvas oil paintings handmade by skillful artists customers’ sizes and designs are welcome best quality & wholesale price

modern oil painting , canvas oil paintings HTTHT047 $57.89 modern oil paintings handmade by skillful artists customers’ sizes and designs are welcome best quality & wholesale price

Looking at Paintings; A Guide to Technical Terms $15.78 No Synopsis Available

Baseball Card Price Guide 2010 $17.16 Baseball Card Price Guide 2010

The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide $22.36 The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide

Goldmine Record Album Price Guide $20.15 Goldmine Record Album Price Guide

Beckett Basketball Card Price Guide $22.36 Beckett Basketball Card Price Guide

A Connoisseur’s Guide to Antique Clocks & Watches $12.65 A Connoisseur’s Guide to Antique Clocks & Watches