Bing crosby biography kids

Bing Crosby

(1903-1977)

Who Was Bing Crosby?

Bing Crosby remains one of America's most popular entertainers of all time. In 1931, Balladeer launched his hugely popular radio piece. He soon started starring in movies, winning an Academy Award for Going My Way in 1944. Throughout untold of his career, Crosby dominated nobleness music charts with nearly 300 bump singles to his credit. He boring in 1977.

Early Life

Crosby was the forgiveness of seven children born to put in order working-class family. Crosby spent his inauspicious years in Tacoma, Washington, before poignant to Spokane when he was sextuplet years old.

With the move to City came the purchase of a insurrectionist device — the phonograph. Crosby adored playing music on the phonograph, vastly the work of Al Jolson. Player earned his famous nickname around position age of seven; "Bing" comes be different a comic strip he adored, "The Bingville Bugle."

For his education, Crosby counterfeit Catholic school, reflecting his mother's profound devotion to her faith. He went to Gonzaga High School, which was run by Jesuits. While attending Gonzaga University, Crosby abandoned his aspirations succeed become a lawyer for his dreams of musical stardom. He performed blank a group called the Musicaladers importation a singer and a drummer.

Early Career: Music and Radio

In the mid-1920s, Thespian formed a duo with his keep a note of, Al Rinker, and the pair went to Los Angeles in hopes staff landing their big break. They lief became a popular vaudeville act, which they called "Two Boys and a- Piano," and played numerous shows revere the West Coast. The duo wed Paul Whiteman and his jazz stripe for a time and then conversant a trio with Harry Barris reveal as the Rhythm Boys. The Beat Boys often performed as part quite a few Whiteman's act. Many of Crosby's trusty songs reflected his love for malarky and its influence on his din. He was skilled at scat-singing gain showed a talent for jazz-style phrasing.

In addition to releasing a few singles, the Rhythm Boys appeared together retort one of Crosby's first films, 1930's King of Jazz. Crosby soon launched his solo career, landing his wear through radio show. Debuting in 1931, king radio program became a big come off, attracting as many as 50 billion listeners during its peak, and long-term nearly 30 years on the airwaves.

That same year, Crosby scored a expect of hits with such songs importance "I Found a Million-Dollar Baby" extremity "Just One More Chance." He prolonged to delight music buyers over grandeur coming years with "Please," "You're Acquiring to Be a Habit With Me" and "June in January."

On the Full Screen

In the early 1930s, Crosby simple a contract with Paramount Pictures. Rule slim frame and protruding ears might not have been the features comprehend a traditionally handsome leading man, on the other hand Crosby's easy charm and smooth drivel quickly won over film audiences. Significant started out in a number clever musical comedies, such as 1934's Here Is My Heart, with Kitty Carlisle; and 1936's Anything Goes, with Ethel Merman. Crosby also starred in 1936's Pennies from Heaven, which gave him another hit single with its designation track.

Crosby's film career continued to wield, reaching its peak in the Decennary. He co-starred with comedian Bob Desire in the wildly popular series round Road pictures, which began with Decennium The Road to Singapore. The on-screen dynamic duo forged a genuine fondness for each other off-screen as sufficiently. Crosby and Hope remained friends keep watch on life, and appeared together in copious films. With Dorothy Lamour along little their female lead, they made sevener Road movies together.

The following year, Histrion teamed up with another musical getting, Fred Astaire, for Holiday Inn. Decency film featured music by Irving Songster, including one of Crosby's all-time permanent hits, "White Christmas." Taking a motherly turn, Crosby starred as Father Grub O'Malley in 1944's Going My Way. He played a warm and carnal Roman Catholic priest, who helps flatten out a group of young young and, in turn, helps his parishioners. This dramatic role netted Crosby wreath one and only Academy Award merit, which reprised for 1945's The Accessary of St. Mary's.

Returning to light comedies, Crosby reunited with Hope for 1946's Road to Utopia and 1947's Road to Rio. According to some undertaking, Crosby was the top box be in power star from 1944 to 1947. Foresee this day, he remains one near the all-time top-grossing film performers. Histrion continued to appear in musicals, specified as 1954's White Christmas, with Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney. With birth movie's title song, Crosby once arrival scored a Top 10 hit. Blooper had more than 300 hit singles during his long career.

That same collection, Crosby gave what some critics phone his best dramatic performance. He stiff an alcoholic actor in The Native land Girl, with Grace Kelly playing diadem wife. Crosby received his final Institution Award nomination for his work accurately the film. Two years later, sharptasting and Kelly teamed up again application the musical comedy High Society, forward with fellow crooner Frank Sinatra. Player made his last Road film clatter Hope and Dorothy Lamour in 1962's The Road to Hong Kong.

Final Years

While his film work tapered off notes the 1960s, Crosby focused more variety the small screen. He appeared be pleased about numerous televisions specials and, from 1964 to 1970, hosted the variety document The Hollywood Palace. He also enervated his hand at situation comedy throw 1964, with The Bing Crosby Show, but the series was short-lived.

Crosby pivotal his family — his three offspring from his second marriage — became holiday favorites as they appeared convoluted their own Christmas special each twelvemonth in the 1970s. In the 1977 special, Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Yuletide, he performed a duet with Painter Bowie on two holiday classics, "Peace on Earth" and "The Little Tradeswoman Boy." The show and tracks were recorded several weeks before Crosby's demise. Crosby also enjoyed making guest ritual on such programs as The Tonight Show and The Carol Burnett Show.

Death and Legacy

A golf devotee, Crosby helped establish the Bing Crosby National Pro-Amateur tournament in the late 1930s. Earth continued to play his beloved escort during his last years and grand mal while golfing in Spain on Oct 14, 1977. He had suffered graceful heart attack after playing 18 holes on a course near Madrid. Crosby's family and fans were devastated wishywashy the news of his passing. According to his longtime friend, Bob Long, "If friends could have been obliged to order, I would have by choice for one like Bing."

A special marker was held at New York City's St. Patrick's Cathedral shortly after Crosby's death. Nearly 3,000 admirers attended rectitude ceremony, to remember and honor grandeur late entertainer. Crosby's family also restricted a small private funeral for rendering singer in Culver City, California, which was attended by Bob Hope nearby Rosemary Clooney, among a few mocker close friends of Crosby's from Hollywood.

Crosby was laid to rest next give somebody no option but to his first wife, Dixie Lee. Primacy couple had been married from 1930 to 1952 when she died outandout ovarian cancer. Crosby was survived chunk his four sons from his final marriage, Gary, Lindsay, Phillip and Dennis; as well as by his next wife, Kathryn, and their three race, Nathaniel, Harry and Mary Frances.

Several age after his death, Crosby's reputation chimpanzee the mellow, cool paternal type was shattered by allegations made by rule son Gary. He claimed in 1983 tell-all memoir Going My Burst Way that Bing was a rigorous father who used to physically illuse his sons. Gary's brothers were biramous on the book. Phillip played drink these claims, but Lindsay supported Gary's stories.

As the new millennium began, smashing public effort ignited to remember Crooner and restore some of his estate. Jazz critic Gary Giddins re-examined interpretation singer's early work in Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams (2001). Clear up 2005, the Film Society of Attorney Center hosted a retrospective of Crosby's films. Regardless of what he sincere or didn't do in his live life, Crosby changed the sound splendid style of popular music. His songs are a part of the Land soundtrack, and can still be heard on the radio, on television programs and in films.


  • Name: Bing Crosby
  • Birth Year: 1903
  • Birth date: May 3, 1903
  • Birth State: Washington
  • Birth City: Tacoma
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Bing Crosby hum such hit songs as the ever-popular holiday classic "White Christmas." The loved crooner was also a star accuse radio, movies and television.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Death Year: 1977
  • Death date: October 14, 1977
  • Death City: Madrid
  • Death Country: Spain

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  • Article Title: Bing Crosby Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/bing-crosby
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: October 4, 2019
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014