Bing Crosby
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
The Carol Burnett Show
Self
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest / Various Characters
Anything Goes
Bill Benson
The Princess and the Pirate
Margaret's Sweetheart (uncredited)
The Jack Benny Program
Bing Crosby
The Big Broadcast
Bing Hornsby
Scared Stiff
Skeleton (uncredited)
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
Self (archive footage)
Stagecoach
Doc Josiah Boone
Just for You
Jordan Blake
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Narrator (segment "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow")
Road to Singapore
Joshua 'Josh' Mallon V
Riding High
Dan Brooks
High Time
Harvey Howard
The Country Girl
Frank Elgin
The Bells of St. Mary's
Father Chuck O'Malley
Grace Kelly: The American Princess
Self (archive footage)
Going Hollywood
Bill 'Billy' Williams
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
They Got Me Covered
Music Box (voice)
Say One for Me
Father Conroy
Pennies from Heaven
Larry Poole
King of Jazz
Trio Singer (as The Rhythm Boys)
High Society
C. K. Dexter-Haven
Two for Tonight
Gilbert Gordon
Welcome Stranger
Dr. James 'Jim' Pearson
Dean Martin: King of Cool
Self (archive footage)
Mississippi
Tom Grayson
I Can't Give You Anything But Love: The Jimmy McHugh Story
Self (archive footage)
The Road to Hong Kong
Harry Turner
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
The Grand Olympics
Himself
Alias Jesse James
Bing (uncredited)
Anything Goes
Billy Crocker
Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.1
Narrator / Ichabod Crane / Brom Bones (voice) (archive footage)
Road to Morocco
Jeff Peters
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Self (archive footage)
White Christmas
Bob Wallace
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self - C.K Dexter-Haven (archive footage)
Dixie
Daniel Decatur Emmett
The Greatest Show on Earth
Spectator (uncredited)
Road to Utopia
Duke Johnson
Going My Way
Father Chuck O'Malley
Duffy's Tavern
Bing Crosby
Here Is My Heart
J. Paul Jones
Shanks for the Memory
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Self (archive footage)
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
Legends
Self (archive footage)
Show-Business at War
Self
Twiggy
(archival footage)
Variety Girl
Bing Crosby
We're Not Dressing
Stephen Jones
Off Limits
Bing Crosby (archive footage) (uncredited)
She Loves Me Not
Paul Lawton
Blue Skies
Johnny Adams
Birth of the Blues
Jeff Lambert
Let's Make Love
Bing Crosby (uncredited)
Goldilocks
Self / Papa Bear (voice)
Out of This World
Herbie Fenton (singing voice)
Showbiz Goes to War
(archive footage)
East Side of Heaven
Denny Martin
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Allen A. Dale
Here Comes the Groom
Peter 'Pete' Garvey
Road to Rio
Scat Sweeney
Angels in the Outfield
Bing Crosby (uncredited)
Star Spangled Rhythm
Bing Crosby
My Favorite Blonde
Man Outside Union Hall (uncredited)
The Road to Victory
Bing Crosby (uncredited)
Pepe
Bing Crosby
Little Boy Lost
Bill Wainright
Too Much Harmony
Eddie Bronson
Disney's Halloween Treat
(archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
You Can Change The World
Self
My Favorite Brunette
Harry (uncredited)
Road to Zanzibar
Chuck Reardon
Cancel My Reservation
Himself (uncredited)
Dr. Cook's Garden
Leonard Cook
Paris Honeymoon
'Lucky' Lawton
Dream House
Bing Fawcett (Plumber)
The Shining Future
Self
The Bing Crosby Show
Bing Collins
The Bing Crosby Show
Self
The Great Radio Comedians
Self
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Hank Martin
The Big Broadcast of 1936
Bing
Hollywood on Parade
Self
The Sound of Laughter
Bob (Singer in Grocery Store)
Sing, You Sinners
Joe Beebe
The Hollywood Clowns
(archive footage)
Billboard Girl
Bing
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bing Crosby Color Christmas Show
Self (host)
That's Entertainment!
Self - Host / Narrator
Top o' the Morning
Joe Mulqueen
Confessions of a Co-Ed
Bing
College Humor
Professor Frederick Danvers
Mr. Music
Paul Merrick
Road to Hollywood
Himself
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Here Come the Waves
Johnny Cabot
Waikiki Wedding
Tony Marvin
The Star Maker
Larry Earl
Grace Kelly – Hollywoods tragische Prinzessin
Self (archive footage)
The Bing Crosby Show
Self
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
Doctor Rhythm
Dr. Bill Remsen
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
The Best of Johnny Carson
Self (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Victory Caravan
Bing Crosby
Songs That Won the War
Himself (Archive)
Rhythm on the River
Bob Sommers
Jolson Sings Again
Himself (voice) (uncredited)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank
Self
'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney
Bob Wallace (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood on Parade No. A-4
Self (uncredited)
Please
Howard Jones
Double or Nothing
'Lefty' Boylan
Sing, Bing, Sing
Bing
Screen Actors
Self (uncredited)
Holiday Inn
Jim Hardy
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self (archive footage)
Cole Porter in Hollywood: True Love
Self (Archive Footage)
Rhythm on the Range
Jeff Larabee
Grace Kelly: Destiny of a Princess
Self - Actor (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
Man on Fire
Earl Carleton
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
If I Had My Way
Buzz Blackwell
Down Memory Lane
(archive footage)
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Mark Twain
The All-Star Bond Rally
Self
Tim Conway: Timeless Comedy
Self
The Edsel Show
Self
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Narrator
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
Road to Home
Self
Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas
Bob Wallace (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
Big Night Out: The Peggy Lee Show
Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer
Self (archive footage)
A Classic Christmas from The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
Reaching for the Moon
Bing
Hollywood on Parade No. A-2
Self
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
Self (archive footage)
Showdown at Ulcer Gulch
Influential Man
Swing with Bing
Himself
Legendary Christmas Entertainers
Self
The Pearl Bailey Show
Self
Blue of the Night
Bing Crosby / Jack Smith
Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
Self
Christmas with Crosby & Kate
Himself
Frank Sinatra Show
Self
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
Self
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show
Self
I Surrender Dear
Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby: The Television Specials Volume 2 – The Christmas Specials
Self
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
Self - Vocalist (archive footage)
Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove
Self
Howard
Jeff Peters (archive footage)
Lifetime of Comedy
(archive footage)
Two Plus Fours
Bing
Son of Paleface
Driver (uncredited)
Road to Bali
George Cochran
The Magic of Bing Crosby
Self (archive footage)
Cinerama's Russian Adventure
Narrator (voice)
The Emperor Waltz
Virgil Smith
Michael Bublé: Home For The Holidays
Self (archive footage)
High Tor
Van Van Dorn
My Music: A Classic Christmas
Self (archive footage)
Bing Crosby: The Christmas Years
Himself (archival footage)
Halloween Hall o' Fame
Narrator/Brom Bones
Classic Commercials: Volume 3
Bob Hope Christmas Show
Self
Bing Crosby: Cooling It
Self
Classic Comedy Teams
Self (archive footage)
The All-Star Christmas Show
Self
Bing Crosby: Live In Mysen, Norway
Himself
The Bing Crosby Show
Himself
Edith Head: The Paramount Years
(archive footage)
"All -Singing All-Dancing" Before And After
Archive Footage
The March of Time
Self
Bing Crosby and the Sounds of Christmas
Himself
Bing Crosby's Sun Valley Christmas Show
'Twas the Night - A Holiday Celebration
Self
Hollywood on Parade No. B-4
Self
Hollywood Ghosts & Gravesites
(archive footage)
A Bing Crosby Christmas
Self - Host (archive footage)
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Handicap
Himself
One More Chance
Bing Bangs
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
We've Got Another Bond to Buy
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Self (archive footage)
Don't Hook Now
Self
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
George Warren
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
The Bob Hope Show
Self
Bing Crosby: Legends in Concert
Self
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self