Bing Crosby
back| Full Name | Harry Lillis Crosby Jr. |
| Stage Name | Bing Crosby |
| Born | May 3, 1903 |
| Birthplace | Tacoma, Washington, USA |
| Died | October 14, 1977 |
| Buried | Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, USA |
| Married to | Dixie Lee (m. 1930–1952; her death) - Kathryn Grant (m. 1957–1977; until his death) |
| Children | With Dixie Lee: Gary, Dennis, Phillip, Lindsay Crosby - With Kathryn Grant: Harry Crosby, Mary Crosby, Nathaniel Crosby |
| Notable films | Going My Way (1944) - Holiday Inn (1942) - White Christmas (1954) - Road to Morocco (1942) - Blue Skies (1946) |
Bing Crosby
The Old Groaner
Bing Crosby (1903–1977) was an American singer, actor, and entertainer whose smooth voice and relaxed style made him a 20th-century icon. Born in Tacoma, Washington, he rose to fame with Paul Whiteman's orchestra before launching a solo career that revolutionized popular singing through intimate microphone techniques.
Crosby became a dominant star across radio, film, and music, winning an Oscar for Going My Way (1944) and recording timeless hits like "White Christmas." He starred in beloved films such as Holiday Inn, The Bells of St. Mary’s, and the Road to... series with Bob Hope. A passionate golfer and family man, his life blended public success with private challenges. Crosby influenced generations of performers and remains a symbol of warmth and American optimism. He died in 1977 after a round of golf, leaving behind one of entertainment’s most enduring legacies.
Related
Bing Crosby (1903 – 1977)
Biography and Film Career
Harry Lillis Crosby Jr., better known to the world as Bing Crosby, was born on May 3, 1903, in Tacoma, Washington. He was the fourth of seven children born to Harry Lowe Crosby, a bookkeeper, and Catherine Helen "Kate" Harrigan, a devout Catholic of Irish descent. The family moved to Spokane, Washington when Bing was about three years old, where he spent most of his childhood.
Bing's nickname came early: "Bing" evolved from his fondness for a comic strip called The Bingville Bugle. As a boy, he developed a strong love for music, frequently attending vaudeville shows and learning to play the drums and ukulele. He originally planned to become a lawyer and enrolled at Gonzaga University, but after three years, he dropped out to pursue a musical career.
Path Toward Success
Bing’s first big break came when he joined a local group called the Musicaladers. Later, he teamed up with fellow singer Al Rinker, and the two moved to Los Angeles. There, they joined the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, the most famous dance band of the 1920s. It was during his time with Whiteman that Bing first gained national attention.
In the early 1930s, Crosby went solo, beginning a recording career that would define American popular music for decades. His smooth, relaxed baritone voice, enhanced by the new electronic microphone technology, created a style called "crooning," and he became the first true multimedia star: dominating records, radio, and eventually movies.
Crosby’s influence grew as he transitioned to Hollywood. He made dozens of films, but true stardom came with the “Road to…” comedy series with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, beginning with Road to Singapore (1940). His performance in Going My Way (1944) as the warm-hearted Father Chuck O'Malley won him an Academy Award for Best Actor and further cemented his image as the affable, easygoing everyman.
Perhaps Crosby’s most enduring contribution to popular culture was his recording of "White Christmas" in 1942. Written by Irving Berlin, it became the best-selling single of all time and a lasting symbol of holiday nostalgia.
Personal Life and Marriages
Bing Crosby’s personal life was complex and, at times, troubled. In 1930, he married actress and singer Dixie Lee. Their marriage was strained by Dixie's alcoholism and Bing's busy career. Together, they had four sons: Gary, Dennis, Phillip, and Lindsay. After years of health struggles, Dixie died of ovarian cancer in 1952.
In 1957, Bing remarried, this time to Kathryn Grant, a young actress 30 years his junior. Their marriage was reportedly happier and more stable. Together, they had three children: Harry, Mary, and Nathaniel Crosby. Mary would later become an actress in her own right, known for roles including a famous stint on Dallas.
Bing was known for his love of golf — it wasn’t just a hobby but a genuine passion. He was a near-scratch golfer, hosted the famous Bing Crosby Pro-Am Tournament (known today as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am), and often joked that he would rather win a golf tournament than an Oscar. He also had a lifelong interest in horse racing and owned several racehorses.
Despite his genial public image, Bing’s family life has been scrutinized in later years, with some of his children alleging that he was a strict and sometimes harsh father, particularly after Dixie's death when he was raising them largely on his own.
Later Years and Death
In his later years, Crosby’s health became a concern. He survived a serious lung infection in the early 1970s and underwent major surgery to remove a lung tumor in 1974. Nevertheless, he continued working, recording albums, and performing concerts.
On October 14, 1977, after completing 18 holes of golf at the La Moraleja Golf Club near Madrid, Spain, Crosby collapsed and died of a massive heart attack. His last words, fitting for a man who loved golf almost as much as music, were reported to be, "That was a great game of golf, fellas."
He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California, and left behind a vast cultural legacy: more than 1,600 recorded songs, over 70 feature films, countless radio broadcasts, and a timeless voice that shaped modern pop music.
Legacy
Bing Crosby remains one of the most influential figures in American entertainment history. His innovations in vocal technique, microphone use, and multimedia stardom paved the way for generations of singers and performers. He was among the first inductees into the Grammy Hall of Fame and continues to be celebrated for his warm voice, his enormous body of work, and the indelible comfort he brought to audiences — particularly at Christmastime.
Height and Body Features:
• Height:
5 feet 7 inches (about 170 cm)
(Some sources vary slightly, listing him between 5'6.5" and 5'8", but 5'7" is most commonly cited.)
• Weight:
Around 160–170 pounds (approximately 72–77 kg) during his prime.
(Later in life, especially in the 1960s–70s, he gained a little weight.)
• Build:
Medium build — lean and athletic in his youth, slightly stockier with age.
• Hair Color:
Naturally light brown, often appearing darker in black-and-white films.
(In later years, his hair turned gray.)
• Eye Color:
Blue
Distinctive Features:
Laid-back smile — often a slight, knowing grin.
Relaxed posture — rarely stiff; he carried himself casually, often with hands in pockets.
Soft, expressive eyes that conveyed both humor and warmth.
Smooth, baritone voice — arguably his most defining "feature" overall.
Style:
Usually seen in casual suits, turtlenecks, or golf attire off-screen.
On-screen, his wardrobe ranged from clerical robes (Going My Way) to tuxedos, Western gear, and easygoing everyday wear.
Bing Crosby in "High Society":
Bing Crosby’s Acting Style: A Natural Ease
Bing Crosby's acting style was marked by an effortless naturalism that set him apart from many of his contemporaries.
While Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s was often dominated by theatrical, larger-than-life performances, Crosby brought something fresh: a casual, understated presence that felt immediately relatable and genuinely human.
He wasn’t an actor who “performed” at the audience; instead, he seemed to exist within the story, delivering lines with the same easy charm he used off-screen.
His characters — whether a priest, a singer, a cowboy, or an adventurer — rarely seemed artificial. There was an authenticity to his tone, body language, and even his humor, which often felt improvisational even when carefully scripted.
________________________________________
Key Features of His Style
• Relaxed, conversational delivery:
Crosby spoke on screen the way people spoke in real life: not declaiming, but conversing. His voice — smooth from his singing — carried over into his acting, giving dialogue a musical, flowing quality.
• Understatement and subtlety:
He used small gestures — a sideways glance, a shrug, a wry smile — rather than grand theatrical flourishes. His emotional expressions were typically quiet but deeply felt, drawing audiences into the moment rather than overwhelming them.
• Comic timing and dry wit:
Crosby had an innate sense of timing, especially in comedic settings. His deadpan reactions, knowing asides, and ability to play the "straight man" to Bob Hope’s antics in the Road films became legendary. He could deliver a joke with a mere lift of an eyebrow.
• Warmth and approachability:
Even when playing flawed or world-weary characters (The Country Girl, Little Boy Lost), Crosby carried an undercurrent of warmth that made audiences root for him. He came across as trustworthy, someone you'd want as a friend or confidant.
• Musical integration:
In most of his films, musical numbers were not tacked on but woven seamlessly into his character. He could slide from dialogue into song without losing believability, a skill very few actors of any era mastered so naturally.
• Growth into serious drama:
While early in his career he leaned heavily on musical comedy, by the 1950s, Crosby had grown comfortable portraying serious emotional conflict. In Going My Way and The Country Girl, he demonstrated a depth of vulnerability — regret, humility, quiet suffering — conveyed with minimal fuss. His dramatic technique never became showy; he retained that light, conversational touch even in heavy scenes, making the emotions feel lived-in rather than acted.
________________________________________
Comparison to Peers
Compared to contemporaries like Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly, who were dancers first, or Humphrey Bogart, who embodied a harder cynicism, Crosby occupied a gentler middle ground.
He was both star and everyman — a symbol of American optimism without losing complexity.
He didn’t command the screen by force; he invited you in quietly, often making it look deceptively easy.
________________________________________
Overall
Bing Crosby’s acting style was a natural extension of his own personality: cool, calm, humorous, genuine, and deeply likable.
He helped pioneer a new kind of screen acting — informal, musical, intimate — that would later be seen in the performances of actors like James Stewart and Paul Newman, who similarly emphasized truthfulness over theatricality.
Above all, Crosby made audiences feel comfortable.
Watching him act was like sitting beside a friend, sharing songs and stories over an easy afternoon — and that invisible, effortless quality remains the most remarkable aspect of his screen legacy.
Bing Crosby’s Memorable Quotes
On Singing and Music:
• "I think popular music in this country is one of the few things in the twentieth century that has made giant strides in reverse." (Commenting humorously on the changing music scene in his later years.)
• "My singing, if you want to call it that, is simply an extension of talking." (A classic insight into his easy, conversational singing style.)
• "I don't sing anywhere as good as I used to, and I know it. But I'm still better than most." (Said late in his career, showing both self-awareness and a bit of sly humor.)
On Life and Success:
• "Preparation for tomorrow is hard work today." (A simple but powerful philosophy about diligence.)
• "There is nothing in the world I wouldn't do for [Bob Hope], and there is nothing he wouldn't do for me... and that's the way we go through life — doing nothing for each other." (A playful jab at his lifelong friend and "Road to..." co-star Bob Hope.)
• "Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won't make it 'white'." (Reflecting his deeper thoughts about the meaning of Christmas beyond the famous song.)
On Acting and His Career:
• "I want to be remembered as a guy who tried — tried to be part of his times, tried to help people communicate, tried to find some good in people — and tried to be happy along the way."
• "You have to know exactly what you're doing on a picture, and that takes training and practice. You just don't walk in there and start being a movie actor." (Humility about the effort behind his seemingly effortless performances.)
Humorous Self-Reflection:
• "Honestly, I think I've stretched a talent which is so thin it's almost transparent over a career that has lasted more than fifty years." (Self-deprecating humor that endeared him to audiences even more.)
What Others Said About Bing Crosby
Bob Hope (comedian and lifelong friend):
• "He was the voice of America. Smooth, steady, reassuring. When Bing sang, you believed everything was going to be all right."
(Hope often said Crosby was not only his best comedy partner but also his calming anchor during turbulent times.)
Frank Sinatra (singer and actor):
• "Bing Crosby was my idol. He was the first hip white person born in the United States."
(Sinatra acknowledged that Crosby paved the way for his own style of relaxed singing — crooning intimately rather than performing grandly.)
Louis Armstrong (jazz legend):
• "Bing was a natural. Everything he did, he did easy, and that's what made him so great."
(Armstrong and Crosby had a warm friendship and mutual admiration, and they appeared together memorably in High Society.)
Rosemary Clooney (singer and co-star in White Christmas):
• "Bing treated me like an equal from the very beginning. He was kind, funny, and incredibly supportive. Singing with him was like riding a smooth wave."
(Clooney often credited Crosby for helping ease her into major stardom.)
Gary Crosby (his eldest son):
• "He was two men — the one the world saw, and the one we saw at home. He was a great entertainer. That’s how I want to remember him."
(A complicated but ultimately admiring reflection from his son.)
Leonard Feather (jazz critic and historian):
• "Without Crosby’s influence, popular singing as we know it today might never have evolved. He taught singers to think of the microphone as an instrument of intimacy, not volume."
(Acknowledging Crosby’s crucial technical influence on modern vocal performance.)
Fred Astaire (actor and dancer):
• "Bing could act, sing, and he made it all look as easy as breathing. But underneath that ease was a lot of careful thought and preparation."
(Astaire, himself a perfectionist, appreciated Crosby’s skillful casualness.)
Al Jolson (famous singer before Crosby’s time):
• "You ain’t heard nothin’ until you’ve heard Bing."
(Jolson, who was once the biggest star in America, gave Crosby his personal stamp of approval.)
Major Film Awards
Academy Awards (Oscars):
• Won:
• Best Actor – Going My Way (1944)
(He portrayed Father Chuck O'Malley, a performance that combined warmth, humor, and humanity.)
• Nominated:
• Best Actor – The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) (sequel to Going My Way)
• Best Actor – The Country Girl (1954) (for a dramatic role as an alcoholic former singer)
• Best Actor – Going My Way reprise – The Bells of St. Mary’s made Crosby the first actor ever nominated for playing the same character in two different films.
________________________________________
Music Awards
Grammy Awards:
• While Crosby died before the Grammy Hall of Fame awards became common, his recordings were honored later:
• Grammy Hall of Fame Inductions:
(Awards established to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance.) • "White Christmas" (1942) – inducted in 1974
• "Swinging on a Star" (1944)
• "Don't Fence Me In" (1944, with the Andrews Sisters)
• "Pennies from Heaven" (1936)
• "Silent Night" (1942)
• "I've Got a Pocketful of Dreams" (1938)
Special Musical Recognitions:
• First multimedia superstar – He dominated radio, recordings, and film simultaneously, an unprecedented achievement at the time.
• First to receive a Gold Record – Awarded for "White Christmas" in 1942 (over 50 million copies sold worldwide).
• Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award – Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1962, honorary in spirit — the actual official award was instituted later.)
________________________________________
Radio and Television Honors
• Peabody Award (1948) – For outstanding contributions to radio entertainment.
• Crosby’s Philco Radio Time and later The Bing Crosby Show were models for integrating music, comedy, and storytelling on radio.
• Emmy Award Nomination – Later in life for TV specials, though he never won a competitive Emmy.
• Television Hall of Fame Inductee – Inducted for his pioneering contributions to early television entertainment.
________________________________________
Other Major Honors
Hollywood Walk of Fame:
• Three Stars
• For Motion Pictures (Movies)
• For Radio
• For Recording (Music)
Each star recognizes his towering influence in its respective medium.
Presidential Medal of Freedom (posthumous, 1980):
• Awarded by President Jimmy Carter.
• Honored for "setting the standard by which all popular singers would be judged."
Kennedy Center Honors (1979):
• Posthumously recognized for lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts.
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame:
• Inducted for his influential contributions to early television broadcasting.
________________________________________
Commercial and Cultural Achievements
• Best-selling single of all time:
"White Christmas" holds the world record for most physical copies of a single sold.
• Number-One Box Office Star:
o Topped the annual box office poll five times between 1944 and 1948 — more than almost any other male star of that era.
• Over 400 hit singles:
o At one point, Crosby had more number-one hits than any other artist (a record later surpassed by Elvis Presley and The Beatles).
• Influence on Recording Technology:
o Crosby was a financial backer of the Ampex Corporation, helping to develop and popularize magnetic tape recording for radio, music, and film.
________________________________________
Posthumous Recognitions
• U.S. Postal Service Commemorative Stamp (1994):
o Featured as part of the "Legends of American Music" series.
• American Film Institute (AFI) Recognition:
o AFI's "100 Years…100 Songs" included "White Christmas" as one of the top movie songs of all time.
• Bing Crosby Archives and Research Centers:
o Institutions at Gonzaga University (his alma mater) and elsewhere have been established to preserve his legacy.
Bing Crosby Movies
1930s
1930
• King of Jazz
Crosby’s first film appearance as part of Paul Whiteman’s Rhythm Boys. A musical revue showcasing jazz performances and extravagant numbers.
1932
• The Big Broadcast
Bing plays himself, helping save a failing radio station by gathering big stars for a live broadcast.
1933
• College Humor
Crosby plays a college professor who gets entangled in the lives and romances of his students.
• Too Much Harmony
A light-hearted backstage musical where a radio star falls for a chorus girl, with the usual mix of song and mild drama.
1934
• We're Not Dressing
A musical comedy where a yacht full of wealthy snobs crashes on an island, and Bing, playing a sailor, saves the day and the romance.
• She Loves Me Not
Bing plays a cab driver who helps a nightclub singer in trouble with the mob.
• Here is My Heart
Crosby stars as a wealthy American who poses as a waiter to win over a European princess.
1935
• Mississippi
In this Mark Twain-esque story, Bing plays a timid man who transforms into a brave, singing hero aboard a steamboat.
1936
• Anything Goes
Based on the Cole Porter musical, Crosby plays a singer on an ocean liner caught up in a case of mistaken identity and romance.
• Rhythm on the Range
A singing cowboy story where Crosby’s character tries to bring the charms of ranch life to an Eastern socialite.
1937
• Waikiki Wedding
A tropical musical romance where Crosby plays a publicity agent who concocts a fake romance to promote tourism to Hawaii.
• Double or Nothing
A group of people compete to inherit a millionaire’s fortune by proving they can successfully double $5,000 through honest means.
• Doctor Rhythm
A doctor turned policeman falls for a socialite in this blend of music, romance, and crime caper.
1938
• Sing You Sinners
A family drama where Bing plays the charming but irresponsible brother whose gambling nearly tears apart the family.
• Paris Honeymoon
Crosby plays a wealthy American cowboy who travels to Paris to get a divorce but finds romance instead.
1939
• East Side of Heaven
A singing telegram worker becomes the guardian of an abandoned baby, blending musical numbers with comic mishaps.
• The Star Maker
Based loosely on vaudeville impresario Gus Edwards, Crosby plays a songwriter who helps turn kids into stars.
1940s
1940
• Road to Singapore
The first of the famous “Road” movies. Two men (Bing Crosby and Bob Hope) flee from their troubles and end up entangled with a beautiful woman (Dorothy Lamour) on a tropical island. Comedy, adventure, and songs ensue.
• If I Had My Way
Crosby plays a construction worker who tries to help an orphaned girl find a new home while attempting to save an old vaudeville house.
• Rhythm on the River
A ghost songwriter (Crosby) secretly writes hits for a famous but talentless singer, but romance complicates their success.
1941
• Road to Zanzibar
Crosby and Hope reprise their roles as hapless adventurers, this time in Africa, getting caught up in diamond hunts, scams, and romances.
• Birth of the Blues
A fictionalized account of a white jazz band trying to succeed in early New Orleans; Crosby plays a clarinetist passionate about jazz.
1942
• Road to Morocco
Arguably the funniest of the "Road" series: two buddies are shipwrecked and sold into slavery but use wit (and music) to escape.
• Holiday Inn
Crosby and Fred Astaire star as entertainers running an inn that's only open on holidays. Features the debut of the iconic song "White Christmas."
1943
• Dixie
A musical biopic of songwriter Daniel Decatur Emmett, with Crosby portraying the composer of "Dixie" against a colorful Southern backdrop.
1944
• Going My Way
Crosby plays Father Chuck O'Malley, a warm and unconventional young priest who revitalizes a struggling parish. It won Best Picture, and Bing won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
• Road to Utopia
(Filmed in 1943 but released in 1946.)
Set during the Alaska Gold Rush, Bing and Bob pretend to be dangerous outlaws to steal a secret gold mine map.
1945
• The Bells of St. Mary’s
A sequel to Going My Way, with Crosby reprising Father O'Malley, now working to save a rundown Catholic school with a strong-willed nun (Ingrid Bergman).
1946
• Blue Skies
A musical revue starring Crosby and Fred Astaire, centered around the ups and downs of a nightclub owner's life and love affairs.
1947
• Welcome Stranger
Crosby plays a young doctor filling in for an older country doctor, leading to romance and small-town conflicts.
• Variety Girl
(Cameo Appearance)
An all-star Hollywood charity film where Crosby appears as himself.
1948
• The Emperor Waltz
Crosby plays a traveling American phonograph salesman in imperial Austria who falls in love with a countess. Directed by Billy Wilder.
• Road to Rio
The fifth Road movie — Bing and Bob stow away on a ship to Rio after witnessing a crime, getting tangled up in hypnotism and romance.
1949
• Top o’ the Morning
Bing is an American insurance investigator who travels to Ireland to recover a stolen leprechaun’s hat and ends up finding love.
• A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
A musical fantasy based on Mark Twain’s novel, where Bing’s modern man is transported back to the court of King Arthur, blending song and comedy with medieval adventures.
1950s
1950
• Riding High
A remake of Crosby’s earlier hit Broadway Bill, this film has him playing a horse trainer trying to win a big race while dealing with financial troubles. Includes live performances of several songs.
• Mr. Music
Crosby portrays a lazy, carefree songwriter who, under pressure to deliver new work, finds inspiration and love with a young fan.
1951
• Here Comes the Groom
A romantic musical comedy where Bing plays a foreign correspondent who must marry quickly to retain custody of two war orphans he adopted. Starred opposite Jane Wyman. Famous for the Oscar-winning song "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening."
1952
• Road to Bali
The only Road movie filmed in color! Crosby and Hope flee arranged marriages and get caught up in a treasure hunt on a South Seas island with Dorothy Lamour.
• Just for You
A widowed Broadway producer (Crosby) struggles to balance his career and his relationship with his teenage children. Features several memorable songs.
1953
• Little Boy Lost
A rare dramatic turn: Crosby plays a war correspondent searching for his son, lost in wartime France. A deeply emotional role that showed his dramatic acting skills.
1954
• White Christmas
Perhaps Crosby’s most beloved movie. Two WWII buddies (Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) to save a failing Vermont inn. Features lots of Irving Berlin songs, including a new version of "White Christmas."
1955
• The Country Girl
Another dramatic role that earned Crosby serious acclaim. He plays a washed-up, alcoholic singer trying to make a comeback with the help of his devoted wife (Grace Kelly). Crosby received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
1956
• Anything Goes
A remake of his 1936 film. Crosby stars alongside Donald O'Connor in a shipboard musical filled with Cole Porter tunes, romance, and misadventures.
• High Society
A sparkling musical remake of The Philadelphia Story, co-starring Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra. Crosby plays a charming, wisecracking ex-husband trying to win back his socialite former wife. Songs by Cole Porter.
1960s
1960
• High Time
A light-hearted comedy where Crosby plays a wealthy restaurant owner who decides to enroll in college at middle age. He charms classmates, learns lessons about youth, and finds love. One of his last full-fledged starring roles.
1962
• The Road to Hong Kong
The final official “Road” movie (and the only one without Dorothy Lamour in a lead role). Crosby and Bob Hope play aging conmen who get involved in a spy plot involving secret formulas, beautiful women, and rocket ships.
1964
• Robin and the 7 Hoods
An all-star Rat Pack musical/comedy set in 1920s Chicago. Crosby replaced Peter Lawford and starred alongside Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. He plays a good-hearted gangster in a tongue-in-cheek retelling of the Robin Hood legend.
1966
• Stagecoach (Remake — Supporting Role)
Crosby played the alcoholic doctor (originally played by Thomas Mitchell in the 1939 classic) in this color remake of the Western classic. His performance was praised as one of the movie’s highlights.
________________________________________
1970s
1970
• Cancel My Reservation (Cameo appearance)
A light cameo role in this Bob Hope comedy about a TV personality entangled in a murder mystery in Arizona.
1971
• Dr. Cook’s Garden (Television movie)
Though not a theatrical film, this TV movie is significant. Crosby played a small-town doctor who harbors a dark secret. It marked a rare sinister role for him and showcased his dramatic range in his final acting years.
1974
• That’s Entertainment! (Narrator, cameo in compilation film)
A compilation of classic MGM musical moments. Crosby served as one of the narrators but did not film new musical performances.