Bob Hope strongly supported his acting colleague Ronald Reagan’s entry into politics. In October 1981, with the president in attendance, Hope joked about the recent purchase of expensive White House china by First Lady Nancy Reagan (b. 1921). “Reagan worked hard as a sportscaster, an actor, a governor, and now President,” Hope began. “He worked his way up, and all because Nancy had this certain dish pattern she wanted.” Ten days later, Reagan wrote a friendly letter in response. As commander-in-chief, Reagan thanked the eighty-four-year-old comedian for bringing a USO Christmas show to entertain armed forces personnel on duty in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War.