Crosby, Bing

(1903-1977)

   One of the most successful singers and film stars in history, Bing Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby in Tacoma, Washington. He was educated at Gongaza High School in Spokane, Washington, and attended Gongaza University from 1921 to 1925. With his singing partner Al Rinker, Crosby joined the Paul Whiteman band in 1926 in Chicago. They were joined by Harry Barris to form the Rhythm Boys, but Crosby soon went solo and had a hit with “Ol’ Man River” in 1928. With regular radio broadcasts and best-selling records, Crosby achieved one hit after another in the 1930s with his relaxed “crooning” style. Between 1935 and 1946 he starred on Kraft Music Hall and was a top-rated radio performer through the 1960s. Crosby also began to appear in films in the 1930s with Reaching for the Moon and King of Jazz in 1930, being the first of 20 or more movie appearances in that decade alone. Crosby appeared in more than 70 films during his career. In 1940, he began his famous film partnership with comedian Bob Hope in the first of the Road series, The Road to Singapore. The last was The Road to Hong Kong in 1962. He was enormously popular during World War II both for his broadcasts to troops in Europe and also for his appearance in the movie Holiday Inn in 1942 and the hit record, “White Christmas,” which sold more than 40 million copies. It was one of several Crosby songs to win an Academy Award, and he won an award for acting in Going My Way in 1944. He achieved another big success with Bells of St. Mary’s in 1945 and in High Society in 1956. In addition to his film roles, he also starred in television shows throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including the Bing Crosby Show in 1954 and again in 1964-1965.

   See also Cinema.