From the S&S archives:
Hope and Crosby hit the road again

(Click here for photos from the filming of The Road to Hong Kong)

THOSE TWO FAMOUS American tourists — Bob Hope and Bing Crosby — are hitting the road again.

Four of the largest sound stages at Shepperton Studios, near London, — are being used to record the clowning, crooning and romancing along "The Road to Hong Kong."

According to Hope, "We thought of making 'The Road to London' in Hong Kong, but that would've been silly."

Originally it was planned that Bob and Bing would play the parts of a couple of Palladium entertainers, but the plot has been launched into the space age. Now the two buddies, as a pair of double-dealing vaudeville hoofers, get to Hong Kong by way of the moon, joining British star Joan Collins along the way.

London was chosen as the shooting site because it's the present base of the writing, producing and directing team of Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, who are responsible for reuniting the Groaner and Ski-Snout for their seventh "road" picture and the first in nine years.

Director Panama, who's been collaborating with Frank for 26 years (their credits include "Road to Utopia," "Li'l Abner" and "Facts of Life") explained that the Hope-Crosby negotiations were like "dealing with two empires."

"If I said I didn't like making money I wouldn't be honest," said Crosby, making his 60th picture, "but the role is the important thing. There's been a 'road' picture screening somewhere in the world every day since they started (23 years ago). The film was getting ragged, so we decided to make another."

Der Bingle, in his fit 50s, puffed on his pipe and said he doesn't think of retiring — "not while I've got three or four years left."

Hope, in his 43rd film, explained that he doesn't think of calling it quits as long as "the reviews are good."

Bob, lounging in a ragged Tibetan robe, yakked, "I'm richer than Bing will admit, but he's the one who takes advantage of every opportunity. He talked the Hope family into living with the Crosby family in a big house here because he charges for the laundry."

. He told a British TV audience that he believes living with Crosby would be embarrassing when the washing was hung out, "but what I thought was green lace on his underthings turned out to be money that slipped."

Bob continued digging Crosby with "Bing will have no trouble on this road — it's downhill."

He summed up the present plot: "Bing and I get shanghaied to another planet with Joan. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin — (making guest appearances) are already there — interplanetary wolves."

Miss Collins, sporting a skyscraper hairdo, called working with Bob and Bing "a ball."

"I can hardly get a line out without breaking up," she confessed. "It's not even like working."

And the English crew and visiting celebrities seem to have a "jolly good time" too. Spontaneous laughter and applause break out after many of the slap-happy scenes.

"We have a lot of fun with the English crew," a relaxing Crosby stated. "We do a lot of needling back and forth."

Assistant director Bluey Hill's favorite bait is the plea, "Will the two American tourists please get on the set."

Or he taunts before a scene, "The British are ready."

Crosby comes back with a smooth, "The Americans are here."

Before another scene, Hill boomed, "This is going to be a good one, guv'nor — all British, not a Yank in sight."

The daily 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. tea breaks inspired English-born Hope to post a sign on the set defining Britain as "an island surrounded by tea."

"I've drunk so much tea over here," he added, "that I slosh when I walk."

Bob and Bing let the quips fall where they may during the shooting. Panama allows the boys be as free as possible with the script in order to take advantage of their "tremendous imaginations."

But Dorothy Lamour, making a guest appearance for old sarong's sake, kidded, "This trip wasn't necessary; I've seen it all before."

How about this, Dotty?

Hope is cuddling Miss Collins on the planet "Plutonious," to which they've been shanghaied without any possibility of returning to earth.

"Isn't this heavenly," Joan coos.

"Then," asks Hope with a nod toward Crosby, Sinatra and Martin, "what're they doing here?"

Shooting on the film is expected to be completed early in November. The United Artists release of the picture with songs by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, is scheduled for next Easter.