Bing Crosby

Who Was Bing Crosby?

Bing Crosby stands as one of America’s most beloved entertainers, recognized for his substantial impact on music, film, and radio. In 1931, he launched a highly successful radio show that quickly captured the hearts of listeners nationwide. Crosby subsequently transitioned to film, achieving remarkable acclaim and winning an Academy Award for his performance in Going My Way in 1944. Over the course of his illustrious career, he dominated the music charts with nearly 300 hit singles to his name, solidifying his status as a cultural icon. Crosby passed away in 1977, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence entertainers today.

Early Life

Born into a working-class family, Crosby was the fourth of seven children. He spent his formative years in Tacoma, Washington, before relocating to Spokane at the age of six. This move introduced him to a transformative device—the phonograph—which ignited his passion for music. Inspired particularly by the performances of Al Jolson, Crosby developed a deep love for the art form. His famous nickname, “Bing,” originated around the age of seven from a comic strip he cherished, The Bingville Bugle.

Crosby’s educational journey began in Catholic school, a reflection of his mother’s strong religious devotion. He attended Gonzaga High School, run by Jesuit priests, before enrolling at Gonzaga University. However, he eventually set aside his ambitions of becoming a lawyer in pursuit of musical stardom, performing as a singer and drummer with a group known as the Musicaladers. This decision marked the beginning of his remarkable ascent in the entertainment industry.

Early Career: Music and Radio

In the mid-1920s, Bing Crosby teamed up with his friend Al Rinker and relocated to Los Angeles, aspiring to achieve their breakthrough in the entertainment industry. The duo quickly gained popularity as a vaudeville act named “Two Boys and a Piano,” performing extensively along the West Coast. They subsequently joined Paul Whiteman’s jazz band for a period before forming a trio with Harry Barris, known as the Rhythm Boys, who often appeared as part of Whiteman’s performances. Crosby’s early musical endeavors reflected his deep admiration for jazz, showcasing his proficiency in scat singing and jazz-style phrasing. In addition to releasing several singles, the Rhythm Boys featured in one of Crosby’s first films, King of Jazz (1930). Crosby soon embarked on a solo career, launching his own radio show in 1931. The program became immensely popular, attracting as many as 50 million listeners at its peak and remaining on air for nearly three decades.

During the same year, Crosby achieved significant commercial success with hits such as “I Found a Million-Dollar Baby” and “Just One More Chance.” He continued to captivate audiences with songs like “Please,” “You’re Getting to Be a Habit With Me,” and “June in January.”

On the Big Screen

In the early 1930s, Crosby signed a contract with Paramount Pictures. Although his slim physique and prominent ears deviated from the archetypal image of a leading man, his effortless charm and smooth delivery quickly won over audiences. Crosby initially starred in several musical comedies, including Here Is My Heart (1934) with Kitty Carlisle and Anything Goes (1936) with Ethel Merman. He also starred in Pennies from Heaven (1936), which produced another hit single with its title track.

Crosby’s film career flourished in the 1940s, particularly through his collaborations with comedian Bob Hope in the beloved Road series, beginning with The Road to Singapore (1940). The duo developed a genuine friendship off-screen, appearing together in numerous films. Alongside Dorothy Lamour as their leading lady, they made seven Road movies together.

In 1942, Crosby partnered with another musical icon, Fred Astaire, in Holiday Inn, featuring music by Irving Berlin, including the timeless classic “White Christmas.” Taking on a more dramatic role, he portrayed Father Chuck O’Malley in Going My Way (1944), a warm and worldly Roman Catholic priest who mentors a group of young boys. This role earned Crosby his only Academy Award win, which he reprised in The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945).

Returning to light-hearted comedies, Crosby reunited with Hope in Road to Utopia (1946) and Road to Rio (1947). Reports suggest that Crosby was the highest-grossing box office star from 1944 to 1947, solidifying his status as one of the all-time top-grossing film performers. He continued to star in musicals, such as White Christmas (1954) alongside Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney, with the film’s title song becoming another Top 10 hit. Over the course of his illustrious career, Crosby amassed more than 300 hit singles.

In 1954, Crosby delivered what critics consider one of his finest dramatic performances as an alcoholic actor in The Country Girl, alongside Grace Kelly. This role garnered him his final Academy Award nomination. Two years later, he reunited with Kelly for the musical comedy High Society, featuring fellow crooner Frank Sinatra. Crosby’s final Road film with Hope and Lamour was The Road to Hong Kong (1962).

Final Years

Although Crosby’s film career waned in the 1960s, he shifted his focus to television, appearing in numerous specials. From 1964 to 1970, he hosted the variety program The Hollywood Palace. He also ventured into situation comedy with The Bing Crosby Show (1964), although the series was short-lived.

Crosby and his family, including his three children from his second marriage, became beloved holiday figures, featuring in their own Christmas specials during the 1970s. In the 1977 special Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas, he performed a memorable duet with David Bowie on the holiday classics “Peace on Earth” and “The Little Drummer Boy.” The show and recordings were completed just weeks before Crosby’s passing. He also made guest appearances on notable programs such as The Tonight Show and The Carol Burnett Show.

Death and Legacy

An avid golfer, Crosby was instrumental in establishing the Bing Crosby National Pro-Amateur tournament in the late 1930s. He continued to enjoy the sport until his last days, passing away from a heart attack while golfing in Spain on October 14, 1977, after completing 18 holes near Madrid. His sudden death left his family and fans devastated. Bob Hope, a lifelong friend, remarked, “If friends could have been made to order, I would have asked for one like Bing.”

A special memorial service was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City shortly after his death, attended by nearly 3,000 admirers. Crosby’s family also held a private funeral in Culver City, California, with attendees including Bob Hope and Rosemary Clooney, among other close friends from Hollywood.

Crosby was laid to rest beside his first wife, Dixie Lee, with whom he had shared a marriage from 1930 until her death in 1952 due to ovarian cancer. He was survived by four sons from his first marriage—Gary, Lindsay, Phillip, and Dennis—as well as his second wife, Kathryn, and their three children—Nathaniel, Harry, and Mary Frances.

In the years following his death, Crosby’s reputation as a beloved paternal figure was challenged by allegations made by his son Gary in the 1983 memoir Going My Own Way, which depicted Bing as a cruel father who allegedly physically abused his sons. While Phillip downplayed these claims, Lindsay supported Gary’s accounts.

As the new millennium approached, efforts to commemorate Crosby and restore his legacy gained momentum. Jazz critic Gary Giddins revisited the singer’s early work in Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams (2001), and in 2005, the Film Society of Lincoln Center hosted a retrospective of Crosby’s films. Regardless of the complexities of his personal life, Crosby indelibly influenced the sound and style of popular music, with his songs remaining a cherished part of the American cultural landscape, still resonating through radio, television, and film today.