The Hope is that Bob could dance

Anyone who has a good sense of Hollywood history knows that James Cagney could dance. Not only did he win his only Best Actor Oscar by portraying singer/dancer/producer George M. Cohan , but he actually began his career as a hoofer.

Who, though, knew that Bob Hope could dance? Sing, sure. But dance? I remember seeing the 1955 film “The Seven Little Foys” at the drive-in, looking over my father’s right shoulder. And, sure, Hope starred in the movies as the vaudeville performer Eddie Foy. Still, I didn’t remember him dancing.

Which is why I was surprised when my friend John Brennan sent me the YouTube link below. It features a scene from “The Seven Little Foys” highlighted by Hope doing a dance-off with the great Cagney himself.

Below: Bob Hope dances against James Cagney in this sequence from the 1955 film “The Seven Little Foys.”