| Birth: | May 3, 1903
Tacoma
Pierce County
Washington, USA | | Death: | Oct. 14, 1977
Alcobendas
Madrid, Spain | 
Actor, Singer. He is best remembered for his many "Road" movies with costar Bob Hope, for such classic movies as "Going My Way" (1944), "White Christmas" (1954), and for such songs as "White Christmas" (1942). Born in Tacoma, Washington, while studying law at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, he became interested in playing drums and singing with a local band. Teaming with the band's piano player, he went to Los Angeles in 1925, where they made a small living playing theaters and nightclubs, and making his film debut with "The King of Jazz" (1930). When one of his songs became successful on the radio in 1931, it brought him to the attention of Hollywood. Paramount Pictures included him in the movie, "The Big Broadcast of 1932" (1932), and his relaxed, low key style hit just the right note with the audience, making him a star. More films followed with varying acclaim, but in 1940, he was teamed with his friend, Bob Hope, in "The Road to Singapore" and the combination of jokes, songs, romance, burlesque and exotic locations (it was actually filmed in Hollywood, not in Singapore), made the pair a hit, and additional "Road" movies followed, include "Road to Zanzibar" (1941), "Morocco" (1942), "Utopia" (1945), "Rio" (1947), "Bali" (1952), and "Hong Kong" (1962). In the film "Holiday Inn" (1942), he sang Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" and it went on to become one of the biggest selling records for the next 50 years. In 1944, he played 'Father O'Malley' in the sentimental comedy-drama "Going My Way" (1944) and won an Oscar for Best Actor. He got a second nomination for Best Actor Oscar for the sequel, "The Bells of St. Mary" (1945), when he reprised the role of 'Father O'Malley'. Later films suffered highs and lows, but two films stand out: "The Country Girl" (1954) in which he played an alcoholic singer, earning him another Oscar nomination, and "White Christmas" (1954), which was a box-office sellout. In this period, he also moved on to television, with numerous appearances on Hollywood Palace (1964 to 1970) and his own sitcom "The Bing Crosby Show" (1964 to 1965). He also became a Producer, and his Bing Crosby Productions became a leader in the film and television industry. His autobiography, "Call Me Lucky" was published in 1953. He died of a heart attack on a golf course in Madrid, Spain, after completing a tour of England that had included a sold-out engagement at the London Palladium. His last words were reportedly, "That was a great game of golf, fellers." (bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson)
Family links:
Parents:
Harry Lowe Crosby (1870 - 1950)
Catherine Helen Harrigan Crosby (1873 - 1964)
Spouse:
Dixie Lee Crosby (1911 - 1952)*
Children:
Gary Evan Crosby (1933 - 1995)*
Phillip Crosby (1934 - 2004)*
Dennis Michael Crosby (1934 - 1991)*
Lindsay Crosby (1938 - 1989)*
Siblings:
Laurence Earl Crosby (1895 - 1975)*
Everett Nathaniel Crosby (1896 - 1966)*
Edward John Crosby (1900 - 1973)*
Bing Crosby (1903 - 1977)
Catherine Cordelia Crosby Mullin (1904 - 1974)*
Mary Rose Crosby Pool (1906 - 1990)*
George Robert Crosby (1913 - 1993)*
*Calculated relationship
| | | Burial:
Holy Cross Cemetery
Culver City
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Plot: Grotto, L-119, space 1
GPS (lat/lon): 33.99046, -118.38757 |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jan 01, 2001
Find A Grave Memorial# 244 |
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(4.8 after 835 votes)
