Honor America Day (1970)

04/07/1970

Overview

Bob Hope's 2 1/2 hour star-spangled salute to America... "Honor America Day" as aired on July 4, 1970 on WTOP Channel 4 Washington. Billed as a non-partisan, rally around the flag event, it was really an effort to help out his buddy Nixon and prop up sagging poll numbers mostly due to the Vietnam War. As you might expect many people saw through the effort as only war-supporting entertainers were recruited for the event. At some point during the show, supposedly protesters (who can be heard), were hit with tear gas that ended up drifted into the mostly white, evangelical, middle-age conservative audience relaxing on the national lawn. Guests include: Bob Hope, Les Brown & his band, Barbara Eden, Ester Phillips, Jeanie C. Riley, Jack Benny, Dinah Shore, Teresa Graves, Dorothy Lamour, The New Christy Minstrels, Sugar Ray Robinson, Kate Smith, Red, Skelton, Connie Stevens, Glen Campbell and more.