Bing Crosby - MovieActors.com

Bing Crosby was born on May 2, 1903 in Tacoma, Washington. Bing Crosby passed away on October 14, 1977 in Madrid, Spain from a heart attack.

Bing Crosby's birth name was Harry Lillis Crosby and he has gone by the nickname's Der Bingle, and The Old Groaner.

Crosby was given the nickname "Bing" after a character named "Bingo" in a comic strip titled "Bingville Bugle."

Bing Crosby was the fourth of seven children of a Tacoma, Washington family.

Crosby was married first to Fox starlet Dixie Lee from 1930 until her death in 1952.

Bing Crosby was mostly interested in playing the drums and singing with a local band. The band's piano player, Al Rinker, and Crosby 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 CBS.

Crosby's live performances from New York were carried over the national radio network for 20 consecutive weeks in 1932.

Bing's radio success led Paramount Pictures to include him in Big Broadcast of 1932, The (1932), a film featuring radio favorites.

Crosby signed with Paramount in 1932 Crosby joined forces with Al Rinker and Harry Barris to form a vocal trio. "The Rhythm Boys" became a featured specialty with the Paul Whiteman band, with whom they made their film debut in the 1930 Technicolor revue THE KING OF JAZZ.

Then in 1940 Bing was teamed with comedian and off-camera buddy Bob Hope in THE ROAD TO SINGAPORE.

Crosby won the best actor Oscar for playing in GOING MY WAY (1944).

Crosby died at age 74 playing golf at a course outside Madrid -- after completing a tour of England that had included a sold-out engagement at the London Palladium.

Crosby published his autobiography, "Call Me Lucky," in 1953.

Bing's eldest son Gary Crosby was vocal in criticizing his cold/strict ways as a father. He wrote a sensationalist tell-all biography entitled "Going My Own Way" which was touted as a "Daddy Dearest" about Bing Crosby's large ears were pinned back during his early films, until partway through SHE LOVES ME NOT (1934).

From the 1940s to the 1960s,Crosby owned 15 percent of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team.

Bing had a cameo in ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD (1951) was as part- owner of the team Crosby was a balding actor that hated having to wear a toupee during filming and specifically looked for scripts that had outdoor scenes where he could wear a hat or bed scenes in which he could wear a nightcap.

Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" became the bestselling single for more than 50 years until overtaken in 1997 by "Candle in the Wind", Elton John's tribute to the late Princess Diana.

Bing Crosby was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1998.

Bing was first performer to receive Oscar nominations for the same role in two different films: as Father Chuck O'Malley in GOING MY WAY (1944) and again in THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S (1945).

From 1944 to 1948, Crosby was five times the #1 top money-making star at the box office in Quigley Publications annual poll of movie exhibitors, a record later equalled by Burt Reynolds and then surpassed by Tom Cruise, who has been #1 six times. Clint Eastwood also has been #1 five times.

Crosby was the 20th century's first multi-media entertainer: a star on radio, in movies and in chart-topping recordings. He had 38 No. 1 singles, which surpassed even Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

During the Vietnam War, a secret code was to have been broadcast informing all US personnel that an immediate evacuation had been ordered. The code was the playing of Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" twice on the Armed Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN), followed by the announcement "The temperature in Hanoi is 105 and rising."

Bing Crosby bought his first thoroughbred in 1935 and helped to create the famed Del Mar racetrack in California.

Opened the Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California in 1937 and collected tickets at the turnstile on opening day. Before the start of every day of racing his song "Where the Turf Meets the Surf" is played. This song was written for Del Mar and never sold commercially.

Crosby was the Star of NBC Radio's "Kraft Music Hall" (1935-1946).Star of ABC Radio's "Philco Radio Time" (1946-1949). Star of CBS Radio's "The Bing Crosby Show" (1954-1956).

Crosby also starred on CBS Radio's "The Bing Crosby Chesterfield Show" (1949-1952). When Chesterfield left, General Electric took over as sponsor for 1953 and 1954.

Bing Crosby's other notable credits include...