Bing Crosby
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.
Known For
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
Top of the Pops
1964
Top of the Pops
1964
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
Golden Globe Awards
1944
The Red Skelton Show
1951
The South Bank Show
1978
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
Filmography
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self · 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self (archive footage) · 1961
Top of the Pops
as Self (archive footage) · 1964
Top of the Pops
as Self - Jim Hardy (archive footage) · 1964
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self · 1962
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Winner · 1944
The Red Skelton Show
as Self · 1951
The South Bank Show
· 1978
The Carol Burnett Show
as Self · 1967
The Carol Burnett Show
as Self - Guest / Various Characters · 1967
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
as George Warren · 1963
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self · 1948
Dinah!
as Self · 1974
The Bob Hope Show
as Self · 1950
The Jack Benny Program
as Bing Crosby · 1950
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
as Self (uncredited) · 1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
as Self · 1968
Parkinson
as Self - Guest / Performer (archive footage) · 2004
The Phil Silvers Show
as Bing Crosby · 1955
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
as Self · 1969
V.I.P. Schaukel
as Self · 1971
The Bell Telephone Hour
as Self · 1959
Legends
as Self (archive footage) · 2006
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
as Narrator (segment "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow") · 1949
The Danny Thomas Hour
as Charlie Castle · 1967
The Pearl Bailey Show
as Self · 1971
The Bing Crosby Show
as Bing Collins · 1964
High Society
as C. K. Dexter-Haven · 1956
Let's Make Love
as Bing Crosby (uncredited) · 1960
White Christmas
as Bob Wallace · 1954
The Greatest Show on Earth
as Spectator (uncredited) · 1952
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self - C.K Dexter-Haven (archive footage) · 2022
Alias Jesse James
as Bing (uncredited) · 1959
Angels in the Outfield
as Bing Crosby (uncredited) · 1951
The Bells of St. Mary's
as Father O'Malley · 1945
Stagecoach
as Doc Josiah Boone · 1966
Frank Sinatra Show
as Self · 1957
Robin and the 7 Hoods
as Allen A. Dale · 1964
Holiday Inn
as Jim Hardy · 1942
The Country Girl
as Frank Elgin · 1954
Hollywood on Parade No. B-4
as Self · 1934
Going My Way
as Father Chuck O'Malley · 1944
The Princess and the Pirate
as Margaret's Sweetheart (uncredited) · 1944
'Twas the Night - A Holiday Celebration
as Self · 2004
King of Jazz
as Trio Singer (as The Rhythm Boys) · 1930
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage) (uncredited) · 1994
Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.1
as Narrator / Ichabod Crane / Brom Bones (voice) (archive footage) · 2003
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage) · 1968
Scared Stiff
as Skeleton (uncredited) · 1953
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage) · 1976
Blue Skies
as Johnny Adams · 1946
That's Entertainment!
as Self - Host / Narrator · 1974
Road to Morocco
as Jeff Peters · 1942
My Favorite Brunette
as Harry (uncredited) · 1947
Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
as Self · 1977
Showbiz Goes to War
as Self (archive footage) · 1982
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
as Hank Martin · 1949
Here Comes the Groom
as Peter 'Pete' Garvey · 1951
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
as Narrator · 1949
Howard
as Jeff Peters (archive footage) · 2018
Road to Bali
as George Cochran · 1952
The Road to Hong Kong
as Harry Turner · 1962
Dean Martin: King of Cool
as Self (archive footage) · 2021
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
as (archive footage) · 1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage) · 1975
Son of Paleface
as Driver (uncredited) · 1952
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 1968
This Is Bob Hope...
as Self (archive footage) · 2017
Waikiki Wedding
as Tony Marvin · 1937
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
as Self (archive footage) · 1972
Double or Nothing
as 'Lefty' Boylan · 1937
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
as Self (archive footage) · 1995
Here Is My Heart
as J. Paul Jones · 1934
Hollywood on Parade No. A-4
as Self (uncredited) · 1932
Goldilocks
as Self / Papa Bear (voice) · 1970
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
as Self (archive footage) · 1990
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
as Self (archive footage) · 2001
Rat Pack
as Self (archive footage) · 2022
Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank
as Self · 1957
Top o' the Morning
as Joe Mulqueen · 1949
Hollywood on Parade No. A-2
as Self · 1932
Out of This World
as Herbie Fenton (singing voice) (uncredited) · 1945
You Can Change The World
as Self · 1950
Reaching for the Moon
as Bing · 1930
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Self (archive footage) · 1999
Edith Head: The Paramount Years
as Self (archive footage) · 2002
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel
as Self (archive footage) · 2001
The All-Star Bond Rally
as Self · 1945
Welcome Stranger
as Dr. James 'Jim' Pearson · 1947
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 2023
Confessions of a Co-Ed
as Bing · 1931
Twiggy
as (archival footage) · 2025
They Got Me Covered
as Music Box (voice) · 1943
Say One for Me
as Father Conroy · 1959
Here Come the Waves
as Johnny Cabot · 1944
I Can't Give You Anything But Love: The Jimmy McHugh Story
as Self (archive footage) · 2024
Road to Singapore
as Josh Mallon · 1940
Grace Kelly: The American Princess
as Self (archive footage) · 1987
Disney's Halloween Treat
as (archive footage) · 1982
East Side of Heaven
as Denny Martin · 1939
Halloween Hall o' Fame
as Narrator/Brom Bones · 1977
Grace Kelly – Hollywoods tragische Prinzessin
as Self (archive footage) · 2022
She Loves Me Not
as Paul Lawton · 1934
We're Not Dressing
as Stephen Jones · 1934
Road to Utopia
as Duke Johnson · 1946
Dixie
as Daniel Decatur Emmett · 1943
Pepe
as Bing Crosby · 1960
Star Spangled Rhythm
as Bing Crosby · 1942
Bing Crosby: The Christmas Years
as Himself (archival footage) · 1978
It's Showtime
as Self (archive footage) · 1976
Road to Rio
as Scat Sweeney · 1947
Birth of the Blues
as Jeff Lambert · 1941
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 1988
If I Had My Way
as Buzz Blackwell · 1940
Mr. Music
as Paul Merrick · 1950
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage) · 1984
Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove
as Self · 1934
Rhythm on the Range
as Jeff Larabee · 1936
Cancel My Reservation
as Himself (uncredited) · 1972
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
as Self (archive footage) · 2000
High Time
as Harvey Howard · 1960
The Bing Crosby Show
as Self · 1961
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
as Self (archive footage) · 2014
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
as Self (archive footage) · 1985
Man on Fire
as Earl Carleton · 1957
Bing Crosby: The Television Specials Volume 2 – The Christmas Specials
as Self (archive footage) · 2010
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
as Self (archive footage) · 2001
College Humor
as Professor Frederick Danvers · 1933
The Emperor Waltz
as Virgil Smith · 1948
Michael Bublé: Home For The Holidays
as Self (archive footage) · 2012
My Favorite Blonde
as Man Outside Union Hall (uncredited) · 1942
Show-Business at War
as Self · 1943
The Great Radio Comedians
as Self · 1971
Anything Goes
as Bill Benson · 1956
Road to Zanzibar
as Chuck · 1941
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
as Self (archive footage) · 1982
Billboard Girl
as Bing · 1932
Grace Kelly: Destiny of a Princess
as Self - Actor (archive footage) · 2006
The Road to Victory
as Bing Crosby (uncredited) · 1944
Off Limits
as Bing Crosby (archive footage) (uncredited) · 1952
Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas
as Bob Wallace (archive footage) · 1997
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
as Self · 1975
The Big Broadcast of 1936
as Bing · 1935
Down Memory Lane
as Bing Crosby · 1949
Pennies from Heaven
as Larry Poole · 1936
Sing, Bing, Sing
as Bing · 1933
Classic Commercials: Volume 3
· 1998
The All-Star Christmas Show
as Self · 1958
Rhythm on the River
as Bob Sommers · 1940
Bing Crosby: Cooling It
as Self · 1970
'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney
as Bob Wallace (archive footage) (uncredited) · 2000
A Bing Crosby Christmas
as Self - Host (archive footage) · 1998
"All -Singing All-Dancing" Before And After
as Self - (archive footage) · 2006
Variety Girl
as Bing Crosby · 1947
America Applauds: An Evening for Richard Rodgers
· 1951
Bing Crosby and the Sounds of Christmas
as Himself · 1971
Showdown at Ulcer Gulch
as Influential Man · 1956
The March of Time
as Self · 1930
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show
as Self · 1959
The Best of Johnny Carson
as Self (archive footage) · 2010
The Sound of Laughter
as Bob (Singer in Grocery Store) · 1963
Just for You
as Jordan Blake · 1952
Riding High
as Dan Brooks · 1950
Bob Hope Christmas Show
as Self · 1965
My Music: A Classic Christmas
as Self (archive footage) · 2019
Road to Hollywood
as Himself · 1947
Duffy's Tavern
as Bing Crosby · 1945
Lifetime of Comedy
as (archive footage) · 1960
Shanks for the Memory
· 1994
Dr. Cook's Garden
as Leonard Cook · 1971
Tim Conway: Timeless Comedy
as Self (archive footage) · 2007
Anything Goes
as Billy Crocker · 1936
Hollywood on Parade
as Self · 1932
The Shining Future
as Self · 1944
The Hollywood Clowns
as (archive footage) · 1979
Bing Crosby: Live In Mysen, Norway
as Himself · 1977
Swing Out, Sweet Land
as Mark Twain · 1970
Big Night Out: The Peggy Lee Show
· 1961
Songs That Won the War
as Himself (Archive) · 1994
Little Boy Lost
as Bill Wainright · 1953
The Magic of Bing Crosby
as Self (archive footage) · 1991
A Classic Christmas from The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self · 1992
Hollywood Handicap
as Himself · 1938
Hollywood Victory Caravan
as Bing Crosby · 1945
Classic Comedy Teams
as Self (archive footage) · 1986
Mississippi
as Tom Grayson · 1935
Bing Crosby's Sun Valley Christmas Show
· 1973
Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer
as Self (archive footage) · 2003
The Bing Crosby Show
as Self · 1954
The Big Broadcast
as Bing Hornsby · 1932
Blue of the Night
as Bing Crosby / Jack Smith · 1931
Going Hollywood
as Bill 'Billy' Williams · 1933
Christmas with Crosby & Kate
as Himself · 1966
Bing Crosby Color Christmas Show
as Self (host) · 1965
Cole Porter in Hollywood: True Love
as Self (Archive Footage) · 2003
The Bing Crosby Show
as Himself · 1962
Cinerama's Russian Adventure
as Narrator (voice) · 1966
Hooray for Hollywood
as Self (archive footage) · 1976
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
as Self - Vocalist (archive footage) · 1992
Bing Crosby: Legends in Concert
as Self · 2004
Two for Tonight
as Gilbert Gordon · 1935
Paris Honeymoon
as 'Lucky' Lawton · 1939
Sing, You Sinners
as Joe Beebe · 1938
Don't Hook Now
as Self · 1943
Two Plus Fours
as Bing · 1930
Jolson Sings Again
as Himself (voice) (uncredited) · 1949
High Tor
as Van Van Dorn · 1956
The Edsel Show
as Self · 1957
I Surrender Dear
as Bing Crosby · 1931
Dream House
as Bing Fawcett (Plumber) · 1932
Showbiz Ballyhoo
as Self (archive footage) · 1982
Swing with Bing
as Himself · 1940
The Grand Olympics
as Himself · 1961
The Star Maker
as Larry Earl · 1939
Screen Actors
as Self (uncredited) · 1950
Doctor Rhythm
as Dr. Bill Remsen · 1938
Hollywood Ghosts & Gravesites
as Self (archive footage) · 2003
Too Much Harmony
as Eddie Bronson · 1933
Please
as Howard Jones · 1933
Road to Home
as Self · 1945
Legendary Christmas Entertainers
as Self · 2005
We've Got Another Bond to Buy
· 1945
One More Chance
as Bing Bangs · 1931