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American Morning

Bob Hope Recovering Four Days After Being Hospitalized with Breathing Problems

Aired August 30, 2001 - 10:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A man who entertained generations of U.S. military troops is apparently winning his battle against pneumonia. Doctors in Burbank, California say 98-year-old Bob Hope is recovering four days after being hospitalized with breathing problems.

CNN's Sherri Sylvester has been tracking the story for us. Let's go to her now for more.

Good morning, Sherri.

SHERRI SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.

And Bob Hope's doctors said that actually Sunday morning, he was having a typical day. He had breakfast, he Got up, he was moving around fine. Then about 9:00 p.m. Sunday night, he did experience difficulty breathing, he checked in, and was diagnosed with a mild case of pneumonia. He was in serious condition at that time. But they say he is responding well to treatments with antibiotics and oxygen. And they hopes that he will be able to go home within a few days.

Bob Hope has been accompanied here by his wife Delores, his wife of 67 years, as well as his daughter Linda.

Now his doctor, you know, Bob Hope is 98 years old, and so they want to keep eye on him, and his doctors did speak with reporters yesterday about how his age effects his case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. H. LEE KAGAN, INTERNIST: I would say age contributed to his illness, yes.

QUESTION: You characterize it as minor or mild pneumonia. That is a very serious condition for gentleman of his age, is it not?

KAGAN: That's correct. Pneumonia is always a potentially very serious problem, in the elderly in particular.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SYLVESTER: Now, Bob Hope, of course, his career spans seven decades. He does in fact have four stars on the Walk of Fame, for stage, screen, television and radio. He has a longest running broadcast career in history with NBC, which is right around the corner on Bob Hope Drive. He's made more than 60 future films, 300 television specials. It's estimated he has entertained more than 10 million troops through his USO work. Also a couple of tidbits here. He has 54 honorary degrees, and he has authored 12 books, so Bob Hope has quite a legacy as an entertainer, and all keeping our eye on him.

Now the hospital has said that they will brief us again today. That's at about 3:30 Eastern Time, 12:30 Pacific Time. So we'll give you update as we get that on Bob's condition. We'll closely watch his health at this time.

That's all at this hour. Sherri Sylvester live from Providence, at St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank, California.

HARRIS: Hi, Sherri, Leon here.

Before we let you go, real quickly, do you know whether or not Bob Hope's going to make an appearance when he does leave the hospital at all? I think we did see some video of him going in?

SYLVESTER: I'm sorry, I couldn't understand your question. Could you repeat that?

HARRIS: I understand. I can hear the generators back there in the background behind you.

SYLVESER: Yes.

HARRIS: Just wondering if there has been any talk about yet whether or not Bob hope would make appearance when does leave the hospital?

SYLVESTER: Well, we don't know. Bob was very secretive in terms of the way he checked in. He did come in under a different name. He checked in under a different name, and kind of came in under the radar. He was here for a couple of days before we found out. I imagine that it is up to him whether he decides to kind of greet his fans and greet the media when released, or whether they quietly sneak him out. This is pretty big area. This hospital is huge, with several entrances. So it would be very easy for Hope to once again make a very quiet trek home when he leaves the hospital.

HARRIS: Yes, understood. It would Just make a lot of people happy to see him.

Sherri Sylvester, thank you very much. We'll talk with you later on.

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