Cast

Bing Crosby

Acting

Cast

Bing Crosby

Known for

Acting

Born

1903-05-03

From

Tacoma, Washington, USA

Died

1977-10-14

Also known as Harry Lillis Crosby, Der Bingle, The Rhythm Boys

Biography

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.

Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby

Biography

High Society

Hollywood Victory Caravan

Waikiki Wedding

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

Let's Make Love

Robin and the 7 Hoods

Angels in the Outfield

The Movie Orgy

That's Entertainment!

Blue Skies

That's Entertainment! III

White Christmas

The Greatest Show on Earth

Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas

Welcome Stranger

Stagecoach

Dean Martin: King of Cool

Double or Nothing

It's Showtime

Mr. Music

Down Memory Lane

Bob Hope's World of Comedy

Sing, Bing, Sing

Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel

Billboard Girl

Alias Jesse James

Dixie

She Loves Me Not

America Applauds: An Evening for Richard Rodgers

Star Spangled Rhythm

The Bells of St. Mary's

Goldilocks

The Country Girl

Hooray for Hollywood

Road to Morocco

Holiday Inn

Cancel My Reservation

Show-Business at War

Lifetime of Comedy

Man on Fire

My Favorite Brunette

Bing Crosby: Rediscovered

Going My Way

That's Entertainment, Part II

Pennies from Heaven

Howard

Say One for Me

Edith Head: The Paramount Years

The Road to Hong Kong

The Princess and the Pirate

Scared Stiff

Twiggy

Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove

They Got Me Covered

Showbiz Goes to War

Off Limits

Halloween Hall o' Fame

This Is Bob Hope...

Two Plus Fours

The Hollywood Clowns

Variety Girl

You Can Change The World

The Best of Johnny Carson

Swing Out, Sweet Land

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Pepe

Rat Pack

Going Hollywood: The '30s

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

Riding High

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

Duffy's Tavern

Road to Singapore

King of Jazz

The All-Star Christmas Show

Here Comes the Groom

Road to Bali