Popular crooner and durable boxoffice star of the 1930s, 40s and 50s who amassed one of the entertainment world's largest fortunes. Crosby made his screen debut as a band singer in "King of Jazz" (1930), but his most successful films were the "Road" movies with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour.
Crosby's effortless baritone, caramel-mellow singing style, and his easy-going, self-mocking charm helped him endure while other, flashier talents faded around him. His escapist material both in song (with mostly a "Sunny Side of the Street/Pennies From Heaven" upbeat philosophy) and in reassuring, sentimental films--"Holiday Inn" (1942), "Going My Way" (1944), "The Bells of St. Mary's" (1945), "White Christmas" (1954) and "High Society" (1956)--helped audiences forget the Depression, WWII and its aftermath and account for his enormous popularity. Although he refused to play screen heavies, in the 1950s Crosby proved his skill as dramatic actor with his complex performance as a washed-up alcoholic singer in "The Country Girl" (1954); he played another alcoholic, this time a doctor, in the 1966 remake of "Stagecoach".
Crosby co-authored an autobiography, "Call Me Lucky" in 1952, but his son Gary's scathing portrait of his father in "Going My Own Way" (1983) revealed a stern, unloving disciplinarian contrary to Crosby's easy-going public image.
- Also Credited As:
Harry Lillis Crosby
- Born:
May 3, 1903 in Tacoma, Washington, USA
- Died:
October 14, 1977.
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Job Titles:
Actor, Singer, Comedian, Drummer, Producer, Businessman
Family
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Brother: Bob Crosby. born on August 23, 1913; youngest brother of six siblings
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Brother: Everett Crosby.
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Daughter: Mary Frances Crosby. born in 1959; mother, Kathryn Grant; best remembered for playing the woman who shot J.R. Ewing in the long-running primetime TV soap, Dallas
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Father: Harry Lowe Crosby. worked at local brewery
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Mother: Kate Crosby.
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Son: Dennis Crosby. born in 1935; twin of Phillip; mother Dixie Lee; died of self-inflicted gunshot wound to head May 6, 1991; had joined his brothers in nightclub act during the late 1950s and early 60 and later worked in production capacity for Bing Crosby Productions Inc.
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Son: Gary Crosby. born in 1934; wrote autobiography Going My Own Way (1983), which included a less-than-flattering portrait of his father; mother Dixie Lee; died of lung cancer on August 24, 1995
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Son: Harry Crosby. born in 1958; mother, Kathryn Grant
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Son: Lindsay Crosby. born in 1938; died on December 12, 1989 of self-induced gun shot; mother Dixie Lee
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Son: Nathaniel Crosby. born in 1961; mother, Kathryn Grant
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Son: Phillip Crosby. born in 1935; twin of Dennis; mother Dixie Lee
Significant Others
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Companion: Grace Kelly. had relationship during filming of The Country Girl
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Companion: Inger Stevens. had relationship c. 1955-56
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Companion: Joan Caulfield. co-starred together in Blue Skies (1946) and Variety Girl and Welcome Stranger (both 1947)
Education
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Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, law
Milestones
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1925 Formed Two Boys and a Piano with piano player Al Rinker and left Spokane for Los Angeles
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1927 Hired with Rinker as a singing act for Paul Whiteman s band; later joined by Harry Barris and act called The Rhythm Boys
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1930 Film debut in King of Jazz , spotlighting the Paul Whiteman Orchestra; Crosby appeared as one of the Rhythm Boys
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1931 Made radio debut with Gus Arnheim s orchestra at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub
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1931 Signed to CBS radio contract by William S. Paley when Paley heard record of Crosby singing, I Surrender, Dear
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1932 Appeared in film which made him a star, The Big Broadcast
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1940 Appeared in first of seven Road comedies opposite Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, The Road to Singapore
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1944 Enjoyed two of the biggest hits of his film career in the role of a priest, Father Chuck O Malley, Going My Way and its sequel, The Bells of St. Mary s
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1952 Last Road film for a decade, Road to Bali
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1962 Reunited with Bob Hope and (in a cameo) Dorothy Lamour for a seventh Road picture, Road to Hong Kong
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1966 Last feature film, Stagecoach
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1968 Offered role of TV sleuth Columbo but turned it down
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1977 Collapsed and died of heart attack on golf course after a round of golf outside of Madrid
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Played romantic/comic/singing lead in several shorts produced by Mack Sennett in the early 1930s