History Music / BingCrosby

* DeadpanSnarker: In real life and in many of his movies.
** According to legend, Crosby was clipping his hedges in his usual ratty garb when a rich woman drove up and [[MistakenForServant mistook him for hired help]], asking him how much he was paid. He smiled and said, "The missus lets me sleep with her."
*** This line is actually from an old vaudeville routine (and has been attributed to everyone from [[Creator/MarxBrothers Groucho Marx]] to Lee Trevino to Thurgood Marshall); however, Crosby is all the more likely to have used it, exactly for that reason.

* TheStoner: Bing was a quite avid smoker of marijuana. Reportedly he started smoking it early in his career, and continued to do so until 1974, where he had a lung operation. His son, Gary, has speculated it might be the cause of his [[EruditeStoner laid-back and easygoing]] acting style in his films.

Crosby pioneered pre-recorded radio shows, and was an astute businessman. His investment in the Ampex Corporation spurred the development of videotape and he also invested in a little company called Minute Maid. At one time he was a part owner of baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates. And in the '60s he started his own television production company, which had hit series with ''Ben Casey'' and ''Series/HogansHeroes''.

* TheCameo: In the '40s Crosby became so associated with Creator/BobHope that he made cameos in Hope's films ''Film/MyFavoriteBrunette'' and ''Film/ThePrincessAndThePirate''.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Crosby was a favorite target for parody by cartoon artists, particularly in the Warner Bros. ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Merrie Melodies]]'' shorts. Animated expies of him appear, for instance, in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIa0AG17tyg Bingo Crosbyana]]" (1936), "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZqdUhQru20 Hollywood Steps Out]]" (1941), "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlWV56TfkqI Catch as Cats Can]]" (1947), and "What's Up, Doc?" (1949), and many years later he was transmogrified into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aKA6q1WSq8 Hugh]] on ''WesternAnimation/TazMania''.

* StepUpToTheMicrophone: At the time when Crosby was starting out, convention was that bands didn’t employ ''singers'', who weren’t entirely considered proper musicians; an instrumentalist would just step up when a voice was needed. But Crosby, who had no particular instrumental skills, was hired by bandleader Paul Whiteman specifically for his voice. So he was required to pose with a violin, with rubber strings so he couldn’t make inconvenient noises. [[note]] Later in his career, he did play guitar to a fair to good amateur standard. [[/note]]

Crosby started his career in the late 1920s as one of The Rhythm Boys, a vocal trio that accompanied bandleader Paul Whiteman's orchestra. He broke out as a solo singer in the early 1930s, recording several hits for the Brunswick label before starting a long association with Creator/DeccaRecords in 1934. His rise to fame coincided with advances in recording techniques, and he became known for tailoring his singing style to the microphone, allowing for a more personal and intimate way of singing; this in turn made his records enormously popular and influenced many other singers in America and around the world, more or less setting the template for the pre-rock pop "crooner".

In 1942 he recorded what would become perhaps his most famous legacy: the Music/IrvingBerlin standard "White Christmas", which stayed at #1 on the charts for over 11 weeks when it was first released, and has remained a perennial Christmas favorite in the United States ever since. In fact, Crosby recorded a great many ChristmasSongs through the years, which is primarily how the younger generations are familiar with him. His album ''Music/MerryChristmas'' (1945), a CoverAlbum full of Christmas-themed songs, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and is the second-best-selling Christmas album of all time, behind Music/ElvisPresley's ''Elvis' Christmas Album'' (1957). Other than "White Christmas," Crosby's best-known holiday songs are probably "Do You Hear What I Hear?", released in 1963, and "Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy," an unlikely duet with British rock star Music/DavidBowie that was recorded for a posthumously-aired television special in 1977; the latter was subsequently released as a single in 1982, whereupon it became a huge international hit.

In 1942 he recorded what would become perhaps his most famous legacy: the Music/IrvingBerlin standard "White Christmas", which stayed at #1 on the charts for over 11 weeks when it was first released, and has remained a perennial Christmas favorite in the United States ever since. In fact, Crosby recorded a great many ChristmasSongs through the years, which is primarily how the younger generation is familiar with him. His album ''Music/MerryChristmas'' (1945), a CoverAlbum full of Christmas-themed songs, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and is the second-best-selling Christmas album of all time, behind Music/ElvisPresley's ''Elvis' Christmas Album'' (1957). Other than "White Christmas," Crosby's best-known holiday songs are probably "Do You Hear What I Hear?", released in 1963, and "Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy," an unlikely duet with British rock star Music/DavidBowie that was recorded for a posthumously-aired television special in 1977; the latter was subsequently released as a single in 1982, whereupon it became a huge international hit.

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose trademark warm bass-baritone voice made him the best-selling recording artist of the 20th century, having sold over one billion records, tapes, compact discs, and digital downloads the world over. Suffice it to say, this means that very few people have agreed with his self-deprecatory assessment of his own singing skills.

* Larry Poole, ''Pennies From Heaven'' (1936) -- He sings the title song, a big hit.
* Tony Marvin, ''Waikiki Wedding'' (1937) -- He sings "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChuzuFEtT8Y Sweet Leilani]]," which won the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward that year for Best Song

He also maintained a successful secondary career as an actor, appearing in almost 80 different films over six decades; in the '40s, he was surpassed as a box-office draw by only Creator/ClarkGable and Creator/JohnWayne. Crosby's best-known movies include the ''Film/RoadTo'' series (in which he teamed with Creator/BobHope), ''Film/GoingMyWay'' (which earned him the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor), ''Film/HighSociety'' (which co-starred Creator/GraceKelly and Music/FrankSinatra), and of course ''Film/WhiteChristmas''.

He also maintained a successful secondary career as an actor, appearing in almost 80 different films over six decades; in the '40s, he was surpassed as a box-office draw by only Creator/ClarkGable and Creator/JohnWayne. Crosby's best-known movies include the ''Film/RoadTo'' series (in which he teamed with Creator/BobHope), ''Film/GoingMyWay'' (which earned him the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor), and of course ''Film/WhiteChristmas''.

He also maintained a successful secondary career as an actor, appearing in almost 80 different films over six decades; in the 1940s, he was surpassed as a box-office draw by only Creator/ClarkGable and Creator/JohnWayne. His most famous movies include the ''Film/RoadTo'' series (in which he teamed with Creator/BobHope), ''Film/GoingMyWay'' (which earned him the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor), and of course ''Film/WhiteChristmas''.

Crosby appeared in almost 80 different films over six decades; in the 1940s, he was surpassed as a box-office draw only by Creator/ClarkGable and Creator/JohnWayne. His most famous films include the ''Film/RoadTo'' series (in which he teamed with Creator/BobHope), ''Film/GoingMyWay'' (which earned him the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor), and of course ''Film/WhiteChristmas''.

-->-- Crosby's epitaph, written by himself.

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose trademark warm bass-baritone voice made him the best-selling recording artist of the 20th century, having sold over one billion records, tapes, compact discs, and digital downloads the world over. Suffice it to say, that means very few people agreed with his self-assessment of his singing skills.

* Dr. Josiah Boone, ''Film/{{Stagecoach}}'' (1966) -- A remarkable performance in the role originally played by Creator/ThomasMitchell in the [[Film/{{Stagecoach}} 1939 John Ford Western]]. Bing was painted in character by Creator/NormanRockwell.

Crosby appeared in almost 80 different films over six decades; in the 1940s, he was surpassed as a box-office draw only by Creator/ClarkGable and Creator/JohnWayne. His most famous films include the ''Film/RoadTo'' series (in which he teamed with Creator/BobHope), ''Film/GoingMyWay'' (which earned him the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor), and of course, ''Film/WhiteChristmas''.

In 1942 he recorded what would become perhaps his most famous legacy: the Music/IrvingBerlin song "White Christmas", which stayed at #1 on the charts for over 11 weeks when it was first released, and has remained a perennial Christmas favorite in the United States ever since. In fact, Crosby recorded a great many ChristmasSongs through the years, which is primarily how the younger generation is familiar with him. His album ''Music/MerryChristmas'' (1945), a CoverAlbum full of Christmas-themed songs, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and is the second-best-selling Christmas album of all time, behind Music/ElvisPresley's ''Elvis' Christmas Album'' (1957). Other than "White Christmas," Crosby's best-known holiday songs are probably "Do You Hear What I Hear?", released in 1963, and "Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy," an unlikely duet with British rock star Music/DavidBowie that was recorded for a posthumously-aired television special in 1977; the latter was subsequently released as a single in 1982, whereupon it became a huge international hit.

Crosby started his career in the late 1920s as one of The Rhythm Boys, a vocal trio that accompanied bandleader Paul Whiteman's orchestra. He broke out as a solo singer in the early 1930s, recording several hits for the Brunswick label before starting a long association with Creator/DeccaRecords in 1934. His rise to fame coincided with advances in recording techniques, and he became known for tailoring his singing style to the microphone, allowing for a more personal and intimate way of singing; this in turn made his records enormously popular and influenced many other singers in America and around the world.

In 1942 he recorded what would become perhaps his most famous legacy: the Music/IrvingBerlin song "White Christmas", which stayed at #1 on the charts for over 11 weeks when it was first released, and has remained a perennial Christmas favorite in the United States ever since. In fact, Crosby recorded a great many ChristmasSongs over the years, which is primarily how the younger generation is familiar with him. His album ''Music/MerryChristmas'' (1945), a CoverAlbum full of Christmas-themed songs, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and is the second-best-selling Christmas album of all time, behind Music/ElvisPresley's ''Elvis' Christmas Album'' (1957). Other than "White Christmas," Crosby's best-known holiday songs are probably "Do You Hear What I Hear?", released in 1963, and "Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy," an unlikely duet with British rock star Music/DavidBowie recorded for a posthumously-aired television special in 1977; the latter was subsequently released as a single in 1982, whereupon it became a huge international hit.

Crosby started his career in the late 1920s as one of The Rhythm Boys, a vocal trio that accompanied bandleader Paul Whiteman's orchestra. He broke out as a solo singer in the early 1930s, recording several hits for the Brunswick label before starting a long association with Creator/DeccaRecords in 1934. His rise to fame coincided with advances in recording techniques, and he became known for tailoring his singing style to the microphone, allowing for a more personal and intimate way of singing, which made his records enormously popular and influenced many other singers in America and around the world.

Crosby started his career in the late 1920s as one of The Rhythm Boys, a vocal trio that accompanied bandleader Paul Whiteman's orchestra. He broke out as a solo singer in the early 1930s, recording several hits for the Brunswick label before starting a long association with Creator/DeccaRecords in 1934. In 1942 he recorded what would become perhaps his most famous legacy: the Music/IrvingBerlin song "White Christmas", which stayed at #1 on the charts for over 11 weeks when it was first released, and has remained a perennial Christmas favorite in the United States ever since. In fact, Crosby recorded a great many ChristmasSongs over the years, which is primarily how the younger generation is familiar with him. His album ''Music/MerryChristmas'' (1945), a CoverAlbum full of Christmas-themed songs, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and is the second-best-selling Christmas album of all time, behind Music/ElvisPresley's ''Elvis' Christmas Album'' (1957). Other than "White Christmas," Crosby's best-known holiday songs are probably "Do You Hear What I Hear?", released in 1963, and "Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy," an unlikely duet with British rock star Music/DavidBowie recorded for a posthumously-aired television special in 1977; the latter was subsequently released as a single in 1982, whereupon it became a huge international hit.

Crosby started his career in the late 1920s as one of The Rhythm Boys, a vocal trio that accompanied bandleader Paul Whiteman's orchestra. He broke out as a solo singer in the early 1930s, recording several hits for the Brunswick label before starting a long association with Creator/DeccaRecords in 1934. In 1942 he recorded what would become perhaps his most famous legacy: the Music/IrvingBerlin song "White Christmas", which stayed at #1 on the charts for over 11 weeks when it was first released, and has remained a perennial Christmas favorite in the United States ever since. In fact, Crosby recorded a great many ChristmasSongs over the years, which is primarily how the younger generation is familiar with him. His album ''Music/MerryChristmas'' (1945), a CoverAlbum full of Christmas-themed songs, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and is the second-best-selling Christmas album of all time, behind Music/ElvisPresley's ''Elvis' Christmas Album'' (1957). Other than "White Christmas," Crosby's best-known holiday songs are probably "Do You Hear What I Hear?", released in 1963, and "Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy," an unlikely duet with British rock star Music/DavidBowie recorded for a posthumously-aired television special in 1977; the latter tune was also released as a single in 1982, whereupon it became a huge international hit.

*** This is an old vaudeville routine (and has been told of everyone from Groucho Marx to Lee Trevino to Thurgood Marshall); however, Crosby is all the more likely to have used it, exactly for that reason.

* StepUpToTheMicrophone: At the time when Crosby was starting out, convention was that bands didn’t employ ''singers'', who weren’t entirely considered proper musicians; an instrumentalist would just step up when a voice was needed. But Crosby, who had no particular instrumental skills, was hired by bandleader Paul Whiteman specifically for his voice. So he was required to pose with a violin, with rubber strings so he couldn’t make inconvenient noises. [[note]] He later in his career, played guitar to a fair to good amateur standard. [[/note]]

* VitriolicBestBuds: Supposedly with Bob Hope.

* StepUpToTheMicrophone: At the time when Crosby was starting out, convention was that bands didn’t employ ''singers'', who weren’t entirely considered proper musicians; an instrumentalist would just step up when a voice was needed. But Crosby, who had no particular instrumental skills, was hired by bandleader Paul Whiteman for his voice. So he was required to pose with a violin, with rubber strings so he couldn’t make inconvenient noises. [[note]] He later in his career, played guitar to a fair to good amateur standard. [[/note]]

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Crosby was a favorite target for parody by cartoon artists, particularly in the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' / ''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Merrie Melodies]]'' shorts. Animated expies of him appear, for instance, in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIa0AG17tyg Bingo Crosbyana]]" (1936), "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZqdUhQru20 Hollywood Steps Out]]" (1941), "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlWV56TfkqI Catch as Cats Can]]" (1947), and "What's Up, Doc?" (1949), and many years later he was transmogrified into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aKA6q1WSq8 Hugh]] on ''WesternAnimation/TazMania''.