i greeted him and found out that the whole room was filled with guys from pavuvu.pened his eyes and said bob hope when did you get here. i couldn't handle that i had to walk away. that was one of the touchest moments in -- toughest moments in my life. >> reporter: bob hope hoped to be a part of the troops at one moment, and the white house in the next. he entertained many presidents. >> it is my honor to give this to you. >> i like to tell jokes about a thing like this because it's one of the nicest things that's ever happened to me and i feel very humble. >> reporter: in 1989 he came to the bay area to take part of a benefit for victims of the loma prieta earthquake. >> we're used to this because we had an earthquake down in l.a. 1971. >> hi mom. >> hi dad. >> reporter: i'll tell you it was really something. >> it was really something i got up and ran around the house and the house got up and ran around me. >> i have been wanting to do something ever since it happened. i was thinking about it would be nice to help. >> in retrospect it was clearer, bob hope was bor