BING CROSBY (personality)

Bing Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby in Tacoma, Washington in 1903, in a large working class family. He got the nickname "Bing" when he was 10. He went to college, intending to become a lawyer, but he joined a local band as a drummer, and he quit school in his last year. In 1926, he was spotted by Paul Whiteman, and was hired, along with his partner, Al Rinker. Whiteman added Harry Barris, and named them the Rhythm Boys, and they were a big hit. Crosby was the star of the act, and in 1931 he split from the group, and went solo. He was the number one recording star of the 1930s, and his distinctive style of singing was dubbed "crooning". He had done some singing in movies with the Rhythm Boys at the start of the 1930s, but he soon starting playing dramatic roles in musicals, and was a natural, likable performer, and was very successful in movies in the 1930s. In 1940 he teamed with Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope for the first of the very successful "Road" movies, Road to Singapore. When the U.S. entered WWII. he added to his huge popularity by doing much entertaining of the troops. In 1942, he sang White Christmas on his radio show and used it in his movie, Holiday Inn (it would be re-used in the partial re-make of Holiday Inn, White Christmas, in 1954). In 1944 he made his greatest movie, Going My Way (winner of the Best Actor Academy Award for this film), which was followed by The Bells Of St. Mary's (nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award for this film). In 1954, he also starred in The Country Girl (nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award for this film). In 1956 he was in High Society, the musical re-make of The Philadelphia Story. Bing Crosby was among the very best selling singers of all time, and also was among the absolute biggest box office draws at the movies! There is no other singer who had as much success as he did in the movies, or vice versa! He passed away in 1977 at the age of 74.