Harry Lillis 'Bing' Crosby
May 3rd, 1903 - October 14th, 1977
Bing Crosby was a popular singer and actor whose career spanned many generations. His biggest musical hit was his
recording of the Irving Berlin classic
White Christmas, which he first sang in 1942 and which became one
of the best-selling recordings of all time. He collected 21 other gold records, including
I'll Be Home For Christmas,,
Too-Ra-Lo-Ra-Loo-Ral, and
Swingin' On A Star. In 1962 he became the first
recipient of the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award". His popularity as a singer was matched only by his
success as an actor. He appeared in dozens of movies from the 1930s to the 1960s and received the Academy Award for
Best Actor in 1944
Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma, Washington and grew up with Al Rinker, the younger brother of singer Mildred Bailey.
Crosby and Rinker used Bailey's connections and joined Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys almost straight after graduating
from the University of Chicago. He came to national attention while with the popular Whiteman Orchestra, with whom he
made his film debut in King of Jazz (1930). From then on he was a top stage and radio performer and a top-selling
recording artist. His style of singing soon won him the title of Crooner of the Century".
Crosby also had regular radio shows from the 1930s - 1950s, starred in a network television sitcom in 1964, and made
numerous short films and television appearances.
Bing's desire to pre-record his radio shows was a significant factor in the development of, and radio industry's
adoption of magnetic tape recording. He was a keen golf amateur who appeared in many charity events. It was after
playing a round of 18 holes at La Moraleja Golf Club outside of Madrid in 1977 that he collapsed and died from a
massive heart attack at the age 74. Crosby had been married twice (his second wife, actress Kathryn Grant, was
considerably younger than him), and he effectively had two families, his children from the marriages being of
different generations. After his death, his eldest son from his first marriage, Gary, wrote a controversial memoir
Going My Own Way depicting him as an autocratic and abusive father. Two of his children, Lindsay and
Dennis, committed suicide.
Bing Crosby recorded a version of
Little Drummer Boy, with David Bowie a month before his death. It went
on to attain cult status and was well received in countries around the world.
There is some uncertainty about the year in which Bing Crosby was born. Most reference works give his year of birth as
1903, but his gravestone – on the instructions of his family – gives it as 1904.
Bing & Peggy Lee
Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.