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[Apollo 1] Ed White Memorial Fund Astrodome Benefit: Bob Hope Typed Letter Signed to Armstrong Regarding this Show, Dated Apri...
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Letter Signed to Armstrong Regarding this Show, Dated Apri...](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'/%3E)
Description
Star-studded Apollo 1 Astrodome benefit
[Apollo 1] Ed White Memorial Fund Astrodome Benefit: Bob Hope
Typed Letter Signed to Armstrong Regarding this Show, Dated April
1, 1970, Directly From The Armstrong Family Collection™,
Certified and Encapsulated by Collectibles Authentication
Guaranty. A two-page letter, 7.25" x 10.5", on his personal
letterhead. It reads, in full:"Thanks very much for your letter and, also, thanks very much for that check for the Eisenhower Medical Center. I told the Wheels where to send the other half - to the Ohio Historical Society for the Wapakoneta Museum - and I know that everybody will be very grateful.
"I was kind of disturbed when you told me about the Ed White Benefit being just a local charity for the Youth Center in that one area. The fact that it's a denominational effort kind of bugs me a little. I was rather surprised by that but I suppose they know what they're doing down there. I had a closed circuit conference call with Stafford and Cooper and all the Press in Houston and they gave no indication that it was limited so I hope they do make some kind of an adjustment.
"As of now it looks like it's going to be a big show. We have a lot of people and I don't think we should have any trouble filling that Astrodome and realizing a nice piece of loot for this charity. Naturally, I was interested originally because of the connection with the Astronauts and of course who deserves a memorial more than these fellows.
"I'm glad you enjoyed your mini TV set - everybody seemed to get a kick out of it. This was your first trip but people who have made the trip for the last sixteen years are tired of receiving those cuff links, belt buckles and the usual engraved goody. So somebody came up with this idea and I thought it was a pretty good one. Anyway, now you have no excuse for not watching my show because you can carry this in your car.
"When you get out this way please give me a ring and come on over and have lunch with me or something. I know you travel a lot so come and visit me. Give my best to your Lady. I hope you all are enjoying great health."
Signed at close: "Bob". Great content regarding an extremely successful fundraising event for a very worthy cause. Flattened mailing folds, otherwise excellent. Sealed in individually numbered archival holders. This lot will include Statements of Provenance signed by Neil Armstrong's sons, Rick and Mark.
Below is a transcript of a period newspaper article describing the above-mentioned benefit:
Stars Shine For White's Benefit
HOUSTON (UPI) - Raquel Welch couldn't make it. But 46,875 others did. They paid from $3 to $100 a seat. They saw a new singing quartet-Bob Hope, Gregory Peck, Cary Grant and David Janssen. They saw Glen Campbell. They saw Robert Goulet. They saw Dorothy Lamour, Bobby Sherman, Nancy Ames, and Trini Lopez. And they saw Joey Heatherton. Lots and lots of Joey Heatherton. It was the Bob Hope Extra Special- a benefit by Hope and his hand-picked company of stars to raise money for the Ed White Memorial Fund. The goal was to raise $350,000 for the fund and it was a success. The memorial fund was White's idea. He wanted to build a youth center in Seabrook, Tex., for the children of that area. White and two other astronauts died in a flaming Apollo spacecraft on, the Cape Kennedy launchpad. The fund drive continued and it was made a memorial to White, his two Apollo partners, and the five other American astronauts who have died since the start of the space program. Miss Welch, one of the main drawing cards on Saturday night's program, was not able to appear because she had to fly to Europe for surgery. But Hope and Co. still put on a 4½ hour show that had the Astrodome on its ears. Hope, Grant and Peck received standing ovations when they walked onto the stage. The three, along with David Janssen sang "We Love All Those Wonderful Guys (astronauts)." Peck even got to sing a duet with Hope. Grant and Janssen each did a comedy routine with Hope. Goulet sang "The Impossible Dream" to Apollo 14 commander Alan Shepard. Campbell sang "Galveston." And then there was Miss Heatherton who sang and danced in a see-through, burgundy chiffon gown worn over a flesh colored body stocking. Miss Welch barely was missed. (Brownsville Herald, page three. Monday, May 18, 1970. Brownsville, Texas.)
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