Bing Crosby

Artist Image: Bing Crosby
Attribution
Image Credit: CBS Radio ( front back), Public domain

Biography

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation. A multimedia star, from 1934 to 1954 Bing Crosby was a leader in record sales, radio ratings and motion picture grosses. His early career coincided with technical recording innovations; this allowed him to develop a laid-back, intimate singing style that influenced many of the popular male singers who followed him, including Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin. Yank magazine recognized Crosby as the person who had done the most for American G.I. morale during World War II and, during his peak years, around 1948, polls declared him the "most admired man alive," ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII. Also in 1948, the Music Digest estimated that Crosby recordings filled more than half of the 80,000 weekly hours allocated to recorded radio music. Crosby exerted an important influence on the development of the postwar recording industry. He worked for NBC at the time and wanted to record his shows; however, most broadcast networks did not allow recording. This was primarily because the quality of recording at the time was not as good as live broadcast sound quality. While in Europe performing during the war, Crosby had witnessed tape recording, on which The Crosby Research Foundation would come to have many patents. The company also developed equipment and recording techniques such as the Laugh Track which are still in use today. In 1947, he invested $50,000 in the Ampex company, which built North America's first commercial reel-to-reel tape recorder. He left NBC to work for ABC because NBC was not interested in recording at the time. This proved beneficial because ABC accepted him and his new ideas. Crosby then became the first performer to pre-record his radio shows and master his commercial recordings onto magnetic tape. He gave one of the first Ampex Model 200 recorders to his friend, musician Les Paul, which led directly to Paul's invention of multitrack recording. Along with Frank Sinatra, Crosby was one of the principal backers behind the famous United Western Recorders recording studio complex in Los Angeles. During the "Golden Age of Radio," performers often had to recreate their live shows a second time for the west coast time zone. Through the medium of recording, Crosby constructed his radio programs with the same directorial tools and craftsmanship (editing, retaking, rehearsal, time shifting) being used in motion picture production. This became the industry standard. Crosby won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Father Chuck O'Malley in the 1944 motion picture Going My Way, and was nominated for his reprise of the role in The Bells of St. Mary's the next year, becoming the first of four actors to be nominated twice for playing the same character. In 1963, Crosby received the first Grammy Global Achievement Award. Crosby is one of the 22 people to have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (a star for Motion Pictures, Radio, and Audio Recording). In 1983, six years after Crosby's death, son Gary Crosby published his autobiography, Going My Own Way, which revealed the effect of his alcoholism and difficult childhood as a result of his mother's alcoholism and his father's alleged emotional and physical abuse. Some, especially his brother Phillip, claimed the abuse did not take place and that Gary's tellings were instead exaggerated accounts of corporal punishment. Despite the opposing viewpoints, the book damaged for some Bing Crosby's image as an ideal, low-keyed father.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1926
Number of Albums 45
Record Label
Website bingcrosby.com
Wikipedia Bing Crosby on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What was Crosby's nickname when he was in elementary school?

Bing

...the most successful entertainer of his day. Crosby acquired the nickname Bing when in elementary school, either from a prank on a teacher or from a lo...
What comic strip did Crosbie love?

The Bingville Bugle

...ther from a prank on a teacher or from a love for the comic strip The Bingville Bugle . He came from a musical family and began to sing and to play the...
Where was Gonzaga University located?

Spokane, Washington

...and to play the drums while studying law at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington . After a period spent singing with the Paul Whiteman orchestra i...
What radio station did he get his own program on in 1932?

CBS

...of Jazz (1931). Crosby became a star after getting his own program on the CBS radio station in New York City in 1932. He began appearing in more films...
By the late 1930s, how many copies of his records were sold?

millions

...ppearing in more films, and by the late 1930s his records were selling millions of copies. His songwriting activities included partauthorship of A Gho...
What was the theme song for his radio theme song?

Where the Blue of the Night

...activities included partauthorship of A Ghost of a Chance and Where the Blue of the Night (his radio theme song). During this time, Crosby became a ba...
What movie did he reprise?

The Bells of St. Marys

...ring this time, Crosby became a bankable actor. He reprised the role in The Bells of St. Marys (1945), for which he received another Oscar nomination....
Who was born on May 3, 1903?

Harry Lillis Crosby

...to the world: recordings, motion pictures, and broadcasting. When Harry Lillis Crosby was born, on May 3, 1903, to a workingclass, Catholic IrishAnglo...
What year was Lillis Crosby born?

1903

...pictures, and broadcasting. When Harry Lillis Crosby was born, on May 3, 1903 , to a workingclass, Catholic IrishAnglo family with deep roots in the Am...
What instrument did he play?

drums

...e sports (he won many swimming medals), school plays, and musiche played drums (not very well), sang, and whistled. He left law school two months befo...
How long before he graduated from law school?

two months

... played drums (not very well), sang, and whistled. He left law school two months before graduating. Music lured him away. His father, who played mando...
Who led the family in song and bought a phonograph?

His father

...e left law school two months before graduating. Music lured him away. His father , who played mandolin, led the family in song and bought one of the fi...
Who performed in Spokane?

Al Jolson

... accountings of each act. He landed a backstage job when the legendary Al Jolson performed in Spokane, and studied his every gesture from the wings. A...
What was the name of the five piece dance band he played?

the Musicaladers

...rums in his fivepiece dance band. When the other fellows in the group, the Musicaladers , heard him sing, they didnt much care how he played the drums....
What is Crosby's first vocal group?

The Rhythm Boys

...ad numerous jazz affiliations including with his first vocal group, The Rhythm Boys , but is normally classified as a pop music figure. Be that as it m...
What is Bing Crosby's influence on?

American popular music

...uence and importance in terms of vocal ability and knowledge of American popular music are immense, but what made him a star more than anything else w...
What did Crosby do to songs to make them his own?

interpreting the lyrics and emphasizing words or phrases as he thought best

...ly read songs, making them his own by interpreting the lyrics and emphasizing words or phrases as he thought best . His influence and importance in ter...
What made him a star more than anything else?

his persona

...sic are immense, but what made him a star more than anything else was his persona whether it was an artificial creation or something utterly natural t...
How many children were in a poverty level family who loved to sing?

seven

...ation or something utterly natural to his own personality. The fourth of seven children in a povertylevel family who loved to sing, he was briefly sen...
When did Crosby see Al Jolson perform?

1917

... training. An early admirer of Al Jolson, Crosby saw his hero perform in 1917 . Crosby sang in a high school jazz band, and when he began attending nea...
What college did he attend?

Gonzaga College

...sang in a high school jazz band, and when he began attending nearby Gonzaga College (he had grown up practically in the middle of the campus), he orde...
In what year did the Musicaladers break up?

1925

... and practiced on the set. Though the Musicaladers broke up soon after his graduation in 1925 , Bing Crosby was ready to stick with the music business....
In 1948, American polls declared him the most admired man alive?

ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII

...erican polls declared him the most admired man alive, ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII . He is one of 33 people to have three stars on the Ho...
How many people have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

33

...mired man alive, ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII. He is one of 33 people to have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the categori...
Who brought the reeltoreel tape recorder to the U.S.?

John T. Mullin

...st quality reeltoreel tape recorder brought to the United States by John T. Mullin , he invested 50,000 in California electronics company Ampex to buil...
In what year did Crosby launch his radio show?

1931

...In 1931 , Crosby launched his hugely popular radio show. He soon started starring in films, winning an Academy Award for Going My Way in 1944. Througho...
What year did he win an Academy Award for Going My Way?

1944

... started starring in films, winning an Academy Award for Going My Way in 1944 . Throughout much of his career, Crosby dominated the music charts with n...
Where did Crosby spend his early years before moving to Spokane?

Tacoma, Washington

...en born to a workingclass family. Crosby spent his early years in Tacoma, Washington , before moving to Spokane when he was six years old. With the mov...
What was the name of the revolutionary device purchased with the move?

phonograph

...h the move to Spokane came the purchase of a revolutionary device the phonograph . Crosby loved playing music on the phonograph, especially the work of...
In what school did he attend?

Gonzaga High School

...cation, Crosby attended Catholic school, reflecting his mother's deep devotion to her faith. He went to Gonzaga High School , which was run by Jesuits....
What was Crosby's religion?

Catholic

...rip he adored, The Bingville Bugle. For his education, Crosby attended Catholic school, reflecting his mother's deep devotion to her faith. He went to...
Who ran Gonzaga High School?

Jesuits

...cation, Crosby attended Catholic school, reflecting his mother's deep devotion to her faith. He went to Gonzaga High School, which was run by Jesuits ....
How many films did Crosby make in which he was top billed?

55

...cluding such stars as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Dean Martin. He made 55 films in which he was top billed and appeared in a total of 79 motion pic...
How many motion pictures did he appear in?

79

...n. He made 55 films in which he was top billed and appeared in a total of 79 motion pictures. Crosby also exerted an important influence on the develo...
How much money did Crosby invest in the Ampex company in 1947?

50,000

...the development of the postwar recording industry. In 1947, he invested 50,000 in the Ampex company, which developed the world's first commercial reel...
What company developed the world's first commercial reeltoreel tape recorder?

Ampex

...nt of the postwar recording industry. In 1947, he invested 50,000 in the Ampex company, which developed the world's first commercial reeltoreel tape r...
In what year was he the first one to record his commercials?

1947

...rtant influence on the development of the postwar recording industry. In 1947 , he invested 50,000 in the Ampex company, which developed the world's fi...
What year was Swinging on a Star: The War Years 1940 1946?

1946

...ny others. A new biography called Swinging on a Star: The War Years 1940 1946 , out now, focuses on Crosby's life and career in the 1940s when the croo...
Who wrote Swinging on a Star: The War Years 1940 1946?

Gary Giddins

... crooner's star shone the brightest. Written by jazz and film critic Gary Giddins , the book is the second in a multivolume project chronicling Harry L...
What is the name of the book that chronicles Harry Lillis Bing Crosby's life and career in the 1940's?

Swinging on a Star: The War Years 1940 1946

..., Dean Martin and many others. A new biography called Swinging on a Star: The War Years 1940 1946 , out now, focuses on Crosby's life and career in the...
What was the name of Bing's father?

Harry Lowe Crosby

...he fourth of seven children of Catherine Helen Kate (Harrigan) and Harry Lowe Crosby , a brewery bookkeeper. Crosby studied law at Gonzaga University i...
What university was Bing interested in attending?

Gonzaga University

...nd Harry Lowe Crosby, a brewery bookkeeper. Crosby studied law at Gonzaga University in Spokane but was more interested in playing the drums and singi...
Who sent a record of Bing singing I Surrender, Dear to the president of CBS?

Everett

...left Spokane for Los Angeles in 1925. In the early 1930s Bing's brother Everett sent a record of Bing singing I Surrender, Dear to the president of CB...
How many consecutive weeks did Bing sing live on the national radio network in 1932?

20

...rformances from New York were carried over the national radio network for 20 consecutive weeks in 1932. His radio success led Paramount Pictures to in...
In what year was The Big Broadcast made?

1932

...adio success led Paramount Pictures to include him in The Big Broadcast ( 1932 ), a film featuring radio favorites. His songs about not needing a bundle...
What was the name of the film that featured radio favorites?

The Big Broadcast

...n 1932. His radio success led Paramount Pictures to include him in The Big Broadcast (1932), a film featuring radio favorites. His songs about not nee...
In what decade did he sing about not needing a bundle of money to make life happy?

Great Depression

...ney to make life happy was the right message for the decade of the Great Depression . His relaxed, lowkey style carried over into the series of Road co...
What was the name of the movie in which he played an alcoholic actor?

The Country Girl

...that he was indeed an actor as well as a performer when he played an alcoholic actor down on his luck opposite Grace Kelly in The Country Girl (1954)....