Bing Crosby
Born
May 3, 1903
Died
October 14, 1977 (74 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Tacoma, Washington, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian and actor. The first multimedia star, Crosby was a leader in record sales, radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1931 to 1954. His early career coincided with recording innovations that allowed him to develop an intimate singing style that influenced many male singers who followed him, including Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Dick Haymes, and Dean Martin. Yank magazine said that he was "the person who had done the most for the morale of overseas servicemen" during World War II. In 1948, American polls declared him the "most admired man alive", ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII. Also in 1948, Music Digest estimated that his recordings filled more than half of the 80,000 weekly hours allocated to recorded radio music.
Crosby won an Oscar 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 opposite Ingrid Bergman the next year, becoming the first of six actors to be nominated twice for playing the same character. In 1963, Crosby received the first Grammy Global Achievement Award. He is one of 33 people to have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the categories of motion pictures, radio, and audio recording. He was also known for his collaborations with longtime friend Bob Hope, starring in the Road to... films from 1940 to 1962.
Crosby influenced the development of the postwar recording industry. After seeing a demonstration of a German broadcast quality reel-to-reel tape recorder brought to America by John T. Mullin, he invested $50,000 in a California electronics company called Ampex to build copies. He then convinced ABC to allow him to tape his shows. He became the first performer to pre-record his radio shows and master his commercial recordings onto magnetic tape. Through the medium of recording, he constructed his radio programs with the same directorial tools and craftsmanship (editing, retaking, rehearsal, time shifting) used in motion picture production, a practice that became an industry standard. In addition to his work with early audio tape recording, he helped to finance the development of videotape, bought television stations, bred racehorses, and co-owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team.
Known For
Twiggy
(archival footage)
2025
I Can't Give You Anything But Love: The Jimmy McHugh Story
Self (archive footage)
2024
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2023
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self - C.K Dexter-Haven (archive footage)
2022
Grace Kelly – Hollywoods tragische Prinzessin
Self (archive footage)
2022
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
2022
Dean Martin: King of Cool
Self (archive footage)
2021
My Music: A Classic Christmas
Self (archive footage)
2019
Howard
Jeff Peters (archive footage)
2018
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
2017
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Self (archive footage)
2014
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self (archive footage)
2014
Bing Crosby: The Television Specials Volume 2 – The Christmas Specials
Self
2010
The Best of Johnny Carson
2010
Tim Conway: Timeless Comedy
Self
2007
Legends
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2006
"All -Singing All-Dancing" Before And After
Archive Footage
2006
Grace Kelly: Destiny of a Princess
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2006
Legendary Christmas Entertainers
Self
2005
'Twas the Night - A Holiday Celebration
Self
2004
Bing Crosby: Legends in Concert
Self
2004
Cole Porter in Hollywood: True Love
Self (Archive Footage)
2003
Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer
Self (archive footage)
2003
Hollywood Ghosts & Gravesites
(archive footage)
2003
Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.1
Narrator / Ichabod Crane / Brom Bones (voice) (archive footage)
2003
Edith Head: The Paramount Years
(archive footage)
2002
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
2001
'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney
Bob Wallace (archive footage) (uncredited)
2000
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
Self (archive footage)
2000
Television: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
1999
Classic Commercials: Volume 3
1998
A Bing Crosby Christmas
Self - Host (archive footage)
1998
Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas
Bob Wallace (archive footage)
1997
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994
Shanks for the Memory
1994
Songs That Won the War
Himself (Archive)
1994
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
Self - Vocalist (archive footage)
1992
A Classic Christmas From The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1992
The Magic of Bing Crosby
Self (archive footage)
1991
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
Self (archive footage)
1990
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self (archive footage)
1988
Grace Kelly: The American Princess
Self (archive footage)
1987
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
Showbiz Goes to War
(archive footage)
1982
Disney's Halloween Treat
(archive footage)
1982
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
1982
The Hollywood Clowns
(archive footage)
1979
Bing Crosby: The Christmas Years
Himself (archival footage)
1978
Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
Self
1977
Halloween Hall o' Fame
Narrator/Brom Bones
1977
Bing Crosby: Live In Mysen, Norway
Himself
1977
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
1976
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
1976
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
Self
1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
That's Entertainment!
Self - Host / Narrator
1974
Bing Crosby's Sun Valley Christmas Show
1973
Cancel My Reservation
Himself (uncredited)
1972
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Self (archive footage)
1972
Bing Crosby and the Sounds of Christmas
Himself
1971
The Great Radio Comedians
Self
1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self · (1 episode)
1971
The Pearl Bailey Show
Self · (1 episode)
1971
Dr. Cook's Garden
Leonard Cook
1971
Bing Crosby: Cooling It
Self
1970
Goldilocks
Self / Papa Bear (voice)
1970
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Mark Twain
1970
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1968
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
1968
The Carol Burnett Show
Self · (1 episode)
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest / Various Characters · (1 episode)
1967
Christmas with Crosby & Kate
Himself
1966
Stagecoach
Doc Josiah Boone
1966
Cinerama's Russian Adventure
Narrator (voice)
1966
Bing Crosby Color Christmas Show
Self (host)
1965
Bob Hope Christmas Show
Self
1965
The Bing Crosby Show
Bing Collins · (28 episodes)
1964
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Allen A. Dale
1964
The Sound of Laughter
Bob (Singer in Grocery Store)
1963
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
George Warren · (1 episode)
1963
The Bing Crosby Show
Himself
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (2 episodes)
1962
The Road to Hong Kong
Harry Turner
1962
The Bing Crosby Show
Self
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (1 episode)
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1961
Big Night Out: The Peggy Lee Show
1961
The Grand Olympics
Himself
1961
Pepe
Bing Crosby
1960
High Time
Harvey Howard
1960
Let's Make Love
Bing Crosby (uncredited)
1960
Lifetime of Comedy
(archive footage)
1960
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show
Self
1959
Say One for Me
Father Conroy
1959
Alias Jesse James
Bing (uncredited)
1959
The All-Star Christmas Show
1958
Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank
Self
1957
Frank Sinatra Show
Self · (1 episode)
1957
The Edsel Show
Self
1957
Man on Fire
Earl Carleton
1957
High Society
C. K. Dexter-Haven
1956
Anything Goes
Bill Benson
1956
High Tor
Van Van Dorn
1956
Showdown at Ulcer Gulch
Influential Man
1956
The Country Girl
Frank Elgin
1954
White Christmas
Bob Wallace
1954
The Bing Crosby Show
Self
1954
Little Boy Lost
Bill Wainright
1953
Scared Stiff
Skeleton (uncredited)
1953
Road to Bali
George Cochran
1953
Off Limits
Bing Crosby (archive footage) (uncredited)
1952
Just for You
Jordan Blake
1952
Son of Paleface
Driver (uncredited)
1952
The Greatest Show on Earth
Spectator (uncredited)
1952
Angels in the Outfield
Bing Crosby (uncredited)
1951
Here Comes the Groom
Peter 'Pete' Garvey
1951
Mr. Music
Paul Merrick
1950
The Jack Benny Program
Bing Crosby · (1 episode)
1950
Screen Actors
Self (uncredited)
1950
Riding High
Dan Brooks
1950
The Bob Hope Show
Self · (1 episode)
1950
You Can Change The World
Self
1950
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Narrator
1949
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Narrator (segment "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow")
1949
Top o' the Morning
Joe Mulqueen
1949
Jolson Sings Again
Himself (voice) (uncredited)
1949
Down Memory Lane
(archive footage)
1949
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Hank Martin
1949
The Emperor Waltz
Virgil Smith
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (3 episodes)
1948
Road to Rio
Scat Sweeney
1947
Variety Girl
Bing Crosby
1947
Road to Hollywood
Himself
1947
Welcome Stranger
Dr. James 'Jim' Pearson
1947
My Favorite Brunette
Harry (uncredited)
1947
Blue Skies
Johnny Adams
1946
Road to Utopia
Duke Johnson
1946
The Bells of St. Mary's
Father Chuck O'Malley
1945
We've Got Another Bond to Buy
1945
Hollywood Victory Caravan
Bing Crosby
1945
Duffy's Tavern
Bing Crosby
1945
Out of This World
Herbie Fenton (singing voice)
1945
Road to Home
Self
1945
The All-Star Bond Rally
Self
1945
Here Come the Waves
Johnny Cabot
1944
The Princess and the Pirate
Margaret's Sweetheart (uncredited)
1944
The Road to Victory
Bing Crosby (uncredited)
1944
The Shining Future
Self
1944
Going My Way
Father Chuck O'Malley
1944
Dixie
Daniel Decatur Emmett
1943
Show-Business at War
Self
1943
They Got Me Covered
Music Box (voice)
1943
Road to Morocco
Jeff Peters
1942
My Favorite Blonde
Man Outside Union Hall (uncredited)
1942
Star Spangled Rhythm
Bing Crosby
1942
Holiday Inn
Jim Hardy
1942
Birth of the Blues
Jeff Lambert
1941
Road to Zanzibar
Chuck Reardon
1941
Rhythm on the River
Bob Sommers
1940
Swing with Bing
Himself
1940
If I Had My Way
Buzz Blackwell
1940
Road to Singapore
Joshua 'Josh' Mallon V
1940
The Star Maker
Larry Earl
1939
East Side of Heaven
Denny Martin
1939
Paris Honeymoon
'Lucky' Lawton
1939
Sing, You Sinners
Joe Beebe
1938
Hollywood Handicap
Himself
1938
Doctor Rhythm
Dr. Bill Remsen
1938
Double or Nothing
'Lefty' Boylan
1937
Waikiki Wedding
Tony Marvin
1937
Pennies from Heaven
Larry Poole
1936
Rhythm on the Range
Jeff Larabee
1936
Anything Goes
Billy Crocker
1936
The Big Broadcast of 1936
Bing
1935
Two for Tonight
Gilbert Gordon
1935
Mississippi
Tom Grayson
1935
Here Is My Heart
J. Paul Jones
1934
Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove
Self
1934
She Loves Me Not
Paul Lawton
1934
We're Not Dressing
Stephen Jones
1934
Hollywood on Parade No. B-4
Self
1934
Going Hollywood
Bill 'Billy' Williams
1933
Please
Howard Jones
1933
Too Much Harmony
Eddie Bronson
1933
College Humor
Professor Frederick Danvers
1933
Sing, Bing, Sing
Bing
1933
The Big Broadcast
Bing Hornsby
1932
Hollywood on Parade No. A-2
Self
1932
Hollywood on Parade
Self
1932
Hollywood on Parade No. A-4
Self (uncredited)
1932
Billboard Girl
Bing
1932
Dream House
Bing Fawcett (Plumber)
1932
One More Chance
Bing Bangs
1931
Blue of the Night
Bing Crosby / Jack Smith
1931
I Surrender Dear
Bing Crosby
1931
Confessions of a Co-Ed
Bing
1931
Reaching for the Moon
Bing
1930
The March of Time
Self
1930
Two Plus Fours
Bing
1930
King of Jazz
Trio Singer (as The Rhythm Boys)
1930