God I miss that voice. Throughout his career, Crosby often credited Bailey for getting him his first important job in the entertainment business. She confided to me that she desperately wanted to marry Bing Crosby. According to Betty Caulfield, Spellman told Crosby: "Bing, you are Father O'Malley and under no circumstances can Father O'Malley get a divorce." Keyword. When they appeared solo, Crosby and Hope frequently made note of the other in a comically insulting fashion. Amateur championships, was a five-time club champion at Lakeside Golf Club in Hollywood, and once made a hole-in-one on the 16th hole at Cypress Point. [122] His first performance after the accident was his last American concert, on August 16, 1977, the day Elvis Presley died, at the Concord Pavilion in Concord, California. Bill Cosby, 84, and his wife Camille Cosby, 77, have had five children during their 58-year marriage. Tired of Dixie's drinking, he even asked her for a divorce in January 1941. Crosby credited Kapp for choosing hit songs, working with many other musicians, and most important, diversifying his repertoire into several styles and genres. In 1950, Crosby became the third person to win the William D. Richardson award, which is given to a non-professional golfer "who has consistently made an outstanding contribution to golf". The Crosby Estate - SFGATE Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman (1947) is based on Lee's life. His appearances, records, and radio work substantially increased his impact. The Andrews Sisters Story". Bing Crosby was an American icon -- a movie star admired by men and adored by women, a symbol of casual sophistication and wit. Crosby has a number of grandchildren. Stanley, Bob, Let's Do It: The Birth of Pop Music, Pegasus Books, 2022, pg 220, Grudens, 2002, p. 236. Bing Crosby Once Worked At this Historic Washington Theater Shortly before Gary's book was actually published, Lindsay said, "I'm glad [Gary] did it. The two Crosby families gave him countless grandchildren, including another Bing Crosby who was bestowed with his grandfather's name but never fell to the perils of addiction. Amateur Championship", "Bing Crosby:Day by Day by Malcolm Macfarlane", "Call Me Lucky, autobiography by Bing Crosby", "Gary Giddins, Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams; The Early Years, 1903-1940", "The Bay Area Connection / Crosby and his family kept a low but friendly profile while living in Hillsborough", "Bing Crosby's Onetime Bay Area Home Hits the Market for $13.75 Million", "The Sad Ballad of Bing and His Boys Child Abuse, Kids & Family Life, Bing Crosby", Son of Crooner Apparently Kills Self, Just Learned He Was Broke, "Steven Crosby interviewed for "Bing: Going My Way"(2003)", "Lindsay Crosby Suicide Laid to End of Inheritance Income", "Bing Crosby, 73, Dies in Madrid At Golf Course", "From the Archives: Bing Crosby Dies at 73 on Golf Course", "Memorial Rites Held for city favorite, Bing Crosby", "RIAA Searchable Database Crosby, Bing", Bing Crosby Sings with Al Jolson, Bob Hope, Dick Haymes and the Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby Sings with Judy Garland, Mary Martin, Johnny Mercer, Bing Crosby Sings with Lionel Hampton, Eddie Heywood, Louis Jordan, Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Bing Crosby Sings Songs by George Gershwin, Selections from the Paramount Picture "Just for You", A Christmas Sing with Bing Around the World, Songs I Wish I Had Sung the First Time Around, Bing Crosby's Treasury The Songs I Love, Bing Crosby and The Columbus Boychoir Sing Family Christmas Favorites, Bing Crosby's Treasury - The Songs I Love (1968 version), Songs Bing Crosby recorded multiple times, National Board of Review Award for Best Actor, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bing_Crosby&oldid=1141959407, Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, Cecil B. DeMille Award Golden Globe winners, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners, United Service Organizations entertainers, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from September 2013, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from February 2022, TCMDb name template using non-numeric ID from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "From Monday On" (1928), with Harry Barris and recorded with the, "What Price Lyrics?" Did Bing Crosby's Twins Suffer from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome? - Peoplemag Crosby admired Louis Armstrong for his musical ability, and the trumpet maestro was a formative influence on Crosby's singing style. ISBN 978-0316886451; Grudens . White Christmas (1954) - Video Dailymotion Onetime Estate of Crooner Bing Crosby on the Market for $13.75M Bing Crosby was born on May 2, 1903, in Tacoma, Washington to Harry Lowe Crosby and Catherine Helen Kate.He was the fourth child of seven by his parents. Bing Crosby Had Seven Children with His Two Wives - News and Gossip Relying on a retroactive amendment to the California Civil Code, Dixie's trust brought suit again, in 2010, alleging that Crosby's right of publicity was community property, and that Dixie's trust was entitled to a share of the revenue it produced. It is said that his nickname Bing was derived from "Bingo from Bingville" which a neighborhood kid had taken to calling him. A copy of the recording from the radio program is owned by the estate of Bing Crosby and was loaned to CBS Sunday Morning for their December 25, 2011, program. "[57], Critic Henry Pleasants wrote in 1985: [While] the octave B flat to B flat in Bing's voice at that time [1930s] is, to my ears, one of the loveliest I have heard in forty-five years of listening to baritones, both classical and popular, it dropped conspicuously in later years. He has achieved greater popularity, made more money, attracted vaster audiences than any other entertainer in history. And what a voice. [104], After Crosby's death, his eldest son, Gary, wrote a highly critical memoir, Going My Own Way (1983), depicting his father as cruel, cold, remote, and physically and psychologically abusive. I can't pinpoint it. Bing's grandchildren even perform their grandpa's world-famous song White Christmas every year in tribute to the master crooner. There have been disputes between Crosby's two families beginning in the late 1990s. His biggest best seller is "White Christmas" 2,000,000 impressions of which have been sold in the U.S. and 250,000 in Great Britain. The 6.5mm ferric-oxide-coated tape could record 20 minutes per reel of high-quality sound. They traveled to Los Angeles, where Bailey introduced them to her show business contacts. [7] Yank magazine said that he was "the person who had done the most for the morale of overseas servicemen" during World War II. The comments made by FBI investigators in the memos discredited the claims made in the letters. "[45] "In all, 60,000,000 Crosby discs have been marketed since he made his first record in 1931. [85] The Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack is named in his honor. [59] In 1960 Crosby was honored as "First Citizen of Record Industry" based on having sold 200 million discs. In 2006, Crosby's niece through his sister Mary Rose, Carolyn Schneider, published the laudatory book Me and Uncle Bing. The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Bing Crosby - Grunge.com Crosby had separate charting singles every year between 1931 and 1954; the annual re-release of "White Christmas" extended that streak to 1957. [91], Crosby was married twice. Bing Crosby Was A Christmas Icon, But His Son Recently Revealed His Nathaniel Crosby: My dad Bing Crosby was no monster Precisely what the future holds for Crosby neither his family nor his friends can conjecture. 4. He signed a contract with Jack Kapp's new record company, Decca, in late 1934. Throughout that time, the versatile talent could be found on the golf course, in the studio, or acting, joking, singing, and dancing alongside other entertainers like Fred Astaire, Bob Hope, and Rosemary Clooney. The house sits on the campus of his alma mater, Gonzaga University, as a museum housing over 200 artifacts from his life and career, including . Bing Crosby's former estate hits the market for $13.75 million - CNBC In 1929, the Rhythm Boys appeared in the film King of Jazz with Whiteman, but Crosby's growing dissatisfaction with Whiteman led to the Rhythm Boys leaving his organization. Exact. "Road to Spokane: Bing Crosby's Family History" is a free event taking place at Gonzaga University's Wolff Auditorium from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. After a long run in New York, he went back to Hollywood to film The Big Broadcast. Crosby was also an avid golfer. Bing Crosby Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements p. 24. Both Dennis and Lindsay died due to suicide. [125][126] At the ninth hole, construction workers building a house nearby recognized him, and when asked for a song, Crosby sang "Strangers in the Night". The document reveals that during that time Crosby was indeed taking Joan Caulfield out to dinner, visited theaters and opera houses with her and that Caulfield and a person in her company entered the Waldorf Hotel where Crosby was staying. Bing married twice. Above, Crosby appears in Los Angeles on September . In the summer of 1966, he spent a week as the guest of Lord Egremont, staying in Cockermouth and fishing on the River Derwent. The singer was married to Jan Dance for 36 years and shared a son with her, Django Crosby, 27. The Hindu nodded and smiled back. bing! He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 1978. [89] In 1978, he and Bob Hope were voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship. Lindsay Crosby, the youngest son of Bing Crosby from the famed crooner's first marriage, shot himself to death in a Las Virgenes apartment after learning that the inheritance he relied on to. All results for bing crosby. He learned how to pronounce German from written scripts and read propaganda broadcasts intended for German forces. Harry Barris wrote several of Crosby's hits, including "At Your Command", "I Surrender Dear", and "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams". Farben magnetic tape that Mullin had found at a radio station at Bad Nauheim near Frankfurt while working for the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Mary Crosby asserts that Bing had deep regret for not being as present of a father for his first four children's life. [51] In the framework of the novelty-singing style of the Rhythm Boys, he bent notes and added off-tune phrasing, an approach that was rooted in jazz. The series of 26-minute shows was filmed at Hal Roach Studios rather than performed live on the air. We could also take out the songs that didn't sound good. Bing Crosby net worth: Bing Crosby was an American singer and actor who had a net worth equal to $50 million inflation adjusted dollars. Crosby has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Television production was mostly live television in its early years, but Crosby wanted the same ability to record that he had achieved in radio. Bing Crosby Had Seven Children with His Two Wives He attended Gonzaga for three years but did not earn a degree. It gave us a chance to first try a recording of the songs in the afternoon without an audience, then another one in front of a studio audience. 1. He matured as a performer and was in demand as a solo singer.[40]. [125] On October 14, at the La Moraleja Golf Course near Madrid, Crosby played 18 holes of golf. Belmont, California: Wadsworth. When the electric power failed during his performance, he continued singing without amplification. A landmark piece of Peninsula property is on the sales block with the listing of Bing Crosby's family home in Hillsborough for $13.75 million. In 2007, he was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame and in 2008 the Western Music Hall of Fame. In the wake of a solid decade of headlining mainly smash hit musical comedy films in the 1930s, Crosby starred with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour in six of the seven Road to musical comedies between 1940 and 1962 (Lamour was replaced with Joan Collins in The Road to Hong Kong and limited to a lengthy cameo), cementing Crosby and Hope as an on-and-off duo, despite never declaring themselves a "team" in the sense that Laurel and Hardy or Martin and Lewis (Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis) were teams. Bing Crosby Enterprises gave the world's first demonstration of videotape recording in Los Angeles on November 11, 1951. We should note for our audience that Bing Crosby's four sons in his. They got enormous laughs, which just went on and on. Last Name. A couple of weeks later he had a show that wasn't very funny, and he insisted that we put in the salvaged laughs. As American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered revealed, the twin Crosby brothers "were victims of fetal alcohol syndrome." Dennis died in 1991 at the age of 56. Bob Hope memorably devoted one of his monthly NBC specials to his long intermittent partnership with Crosby titled "On the Road With Bing". Bing Crosby's Family Sells Rights to Music Catalog in Effort - Newsweek Sometimes, if Crosby was having fun with a song and not really working at it, we had to make it up out of two or three parts. [39], Success with Whiteman was followed by disaster when they reached New York. "My son, Nicholas, and daughter, Thea, sing and play White Christmas on the piano for everyone," says Harry, who lives in New York. BING CROSBY THEATER - 65 Photos & 20 Reviews - Yelp Her birth name is Mary Frances Crosby and she is currently 61 years old. Bing's paternal grandfather was Nathaniel Crosby (the son of Nathaniel Crosby and Mary Lincoln). [2] He made over 70 feature films and recorded more than 1,600 songs. [86] From 1946 until his death, he owned a 25% share of the Pittsburgh Pirates. [14] He was also known for his collaborations with his friend Bob Hope, starring in the Road to films from 1940 to 1962. Harry Crosby was 19 when his father, Bing, died in 1977. . "[45][46], The biggest hit song of Crosby's career was his recording of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", which he introduced on a Christmas Day radio broadcast in 1941. All four of his sons from his marriage to Dixie Lee became heavy drinkers. Exact. Timeline: Bing Crosby's Life and Career - American Masters Bing Crosby's daughter reveals truth behind brother's damning book Gary's first wife of 19 years, Barbara Cosentino, of whom Gary wrote in his book, "I could confide in her about Mom and Dad and my childhood",[114] and with whom Gary stayed friendly after the divorce, stated: I do not know if what's in the book is true but he never said anything to me about whippings. Murdo MacKenzie of Bing Crosby Enterprises had seen a demonstration of the German Magnetophon in June 1947the same device that Jack Mullin had brought back from Radio Frankfurt with 50 reels of tape, at the end of the war. Bing Crosby was married twice. The advantage was editing. In Crosby's performances, the presence of jazz phrasing, jazz rhythm and jazz improvisation varied depending on the piece of music, but those were elements that Crosby frequently used. Harry: 2. His first marriage was to a shy 20-year-old actress, Wilma Wyatt, whose stage name was "Dixie Lee." Her father and friends generally opposed the marriage to Bing, age 27, on the grounds that he was an irresponsible playboy. It topped the charts again in 1945 and a third time in January 1947. He led his radio show for Woodbury Soap for two seasons while his live appearances dwindled. However, Crosby had already sold his Elko ranch a year earlier, in 1958, and it is doubtful how much he was really involved in that meeting. THE BING CROSBY NEWS ARCHIVE: HARRY CROSBY, HIS FATHER, AND - Blogger Either in December 1945 or January 1946 Crosby approached Cardinal Francis Spellman with his difficulties with dealing with his wife's alcoholism and his love for Caulfield and his plan to file for divorce. For one thing, he enjoys hearing himself sing, and if ever a day should dawn when the public wearies of him, he will complacently go right on singingto himself. Fisher, J. Mary Crosby is an American actress who is well known for her character Kristin Shepard in the television series 'Dallas'. THE CROSBY CURSE - The Washington Post 'He got the first licking, and we got the second.'"[113]. Built in 1930, the English country manor sits in the upscale enclave of Hillsborough, CA, about 20 miles . [3][4][5], His early career coincided with recording innovations that allowed him to develop an intimate singing style that influenced many male singers who followed, such as Frank Sinatra,[6] Perry Como, Dean Martin, Dick Haymes, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon. Gary said to me before I read it, "It's not the same book I wrote."[112]. Bing Crosby's Net Worth At The Time Of His Death May Surprise You bing! 1. Crosby had a keen interest in sports. They had a lively style that was popular with college students. I needed something to lift my spirits. Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor. If he muffed a song then, the audience loved itthought it was very funnybut we would have to take out the show version and put in one of the rehearsal takes. Bing Crosby Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic Cohn gave in; Armstrong's musical scenes and comic dialogue extended his influence to the silver screen, creating more opportunities for him and other African Americans to appear in future films. In his 1950 film Mr. Music, he is seen singing into an Ampex tape recorder that reproduced his voice better than anything else. Although he was passionate about the team, he was too nervous to watch the deciding Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, choosing to go to Paris with Kathryn and listen to its radio broadcast. The Crosby Family Tree Explained - Grunge.com Crosby and Al continued at the Clemmer Theatre for several months often with three other men Wee Georgie Crittenden, Frank McBride and Lloyd Grinnell and they were billed The Clemmer Trio or The Clemmer Entertainers depending who performed.[38]. The public wouldn't stand for 'canned' radio, the networks argued. I came back to see the man playing one of those old Vitrolas, like those of RCA with the horn speaker. Bing archives. Armstrong appreciated Crosby's progressive attitudes on race, and often expressed gratitude for the role in later years.[44]. Other than that, he fathered five kids - James Raymond, Erika Keller Crosby, and Donovan Crosby.. Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreamsthe Early Years, 1903-1940. Bing Crosby | The Crosby Family Today: Web Exclusive | American Masters Dixie Lee - Wikipedia Actress Patricia Neal (who herself at the time was having an affair with the married Gary Cooper) wrote in her 1988 autobiography As I Am about a trip on a cruise ship to England with actress Joan Caulfield in 1948: She [Joan Caulfield] was a lovely girl and we had some good talks. Bing Crosby's youngest son Nathaniel has penned a book about his famous dad. The June 18, 1945, issue of Life magazine stated, "America's number one star, Bing Crosby, has won more fans, made more money than any entertainer in history. MADRID, Spain, Oct. 14Bing Crosby, whose crooning voice and relaxed humor entertained millions around the world for half a century, died of a heart attack today after a round of golf outside. Documentary Recalls The Talented, Difficult Life Of Bing Crosby [82] In 1960, NAFI purchased KCOP from Crosby's group. Despite being a Catholic, Crosby was seriously considering divorce in order to marry Caulfield. At the end of the 20th century, TV Guide listed the Crosby-Bowie duet one of the 25 most memorable musical moments of 20th-century television. In 1913, his father built a house at 508 E. Sharp Avenue. At age three, the family moved to Spokane. In 1954, Joan Caulfield admitted to a relationship with a "top film star" who was a married man with children who at the end chose his wife and children over her. Crosby continued to finance the development of videotape. This house went up for sale by its current owners in 2021 for $13.75 million. The Back 9: Things you might not know about Bing Crosby, Spokane's [65], He received 23 gold and platinum records, according to the book Million Selling Records. This is lower than most opera basses care to venture, and they tend to sound as if they were in the cellar when they get there. The Fireside Theater (1950) sponsored by Procter & Gamble, was his first television production. Records which he made ten years ago are selling better than ever before. Bing had three children from his second marriage. But NBC and CBS refused to broadcast prerecorded radio programs. His contract with Paramount runs until 1954. Bing Crosby Productions, affiliated with Desilu Studios and later CBS Television Studios, produced a number of television series, including Crosby's own unsuccessful ABC sitcom The Bing Crosby Show in the 19641965 season (with co-stars Beverly Garland and Frank McHugh). His social life was frantic. [78], With Frank Sinatra, Crosby was one of the principal backers for the United Western Recorders studio complex in Los Angeles.[79]. To get better results, add more information such as Birth Info, . Was Bing Crosby a better father the second time around with your family than with his first four sons, do you think? He had investments in real estate, mines, oil wells, cattle ranches, race horses, music publishing, baseball teams, and television. I stopped and smiled in grateful acknowledgment. March 6, 2012 / 10:10 PM / AP. His first wife was actress and nightclub singer Dixie Lee, to whom he was married from 1930 until her death from ovarian cancer in 1952. Bing Crosby was one of the most beloved entertainers of the 20th Century with a successful career that spanned over six decades. Age, Biography and Wiki. We'd dub the one that came off best into the final transcription. The Clemmer Theatre, as the Bing Crosby Theater was originally called, opened in 1915. Without him, Jack Kapp wouldn't have had a chance in hell of making Decca work and the Great Depression would have wiped out phonograph records for good."[43]. [127] At the clubhouse and later in the ambulance, house physician Dr. Laiseca tried to revive him, but was unsuccessful. He was one of the first global cultural icons. She was born on September 14, 1959, in Los Angeles, California, USA.. ", This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 19:40. The trial court granted Dixie's trust's claim. [66] Crosby charted 23 Billboard hits from 47 recorded songs with the Andrews Sisters, whose Decca record sales were second only to Crosby's throughout the 1940s. Their first recording, in October 1926, was "I've Got the Girl" with Don Clark's Orchestra, but the Columbia-issued record was inadvertently recorded at a slow speed, which increased the singers' pitch when played at 78rpm. [125] According to Barrios, Crosby was in good spirits throughout the day, and was photographed several times during the round. [133], In 2006, the former Metropolitan Theater of Performing Arts ('The Met') in Spokane, Washington, was renamed to The Bing Crosby Theater.[134]. The "telefilms" were syndicated to individual television stations. Crosby threatened to leave the film and refused to discuss the matter. In 1928 he had his first number one hit, a jazz-influenced rendition of "Ol' Man River". He partnered with Ed Craney, who owned the CBS radio affiliate KXLY (AM) and built a television studio west of Crosby's alma mater, Gonzaga University. A number of Argentine-bred horses were purchased and shipped to race in the United States. On August 12, 1938, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club hosted a $25,000 winner-take-all match race won by Charles S. Howard's Seabiscuit over Binglin's horse Ligaroti. Developed by John T. Mullin and Wayne R. Johnson since 1950, the device aired what were described as "blurred and indistinct" images, using a modified Ampex 200 tape recorder and standard quarter-inch (6.3mm) audio tape moving at 360 inches (9.1m) per second.[80]. She received her Actor's Equity card, at the age of four, and made her first professional appearances, in the company of her siblings, in her father's popular Christmas-season TV specials of the 60s and 70s. Today they wouldn't seem very off-color, but things were different on radio then. His last TV appearance was a Christmas special, Merrie Olde Christmas, taped in London in September 1977 and aired weeks after his death. morale, ahead of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, General Dwight Eisenhower, and Bob Hope. [68], Crosby's popularity around the world was such that Dorothy Masuka, the best-selling African recording artist, stated that, "Only Bing Crosby the famous American crooner sold more records than me in Africa."