Thursday, December 3, 2009

~ I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas ~ & GIVEAWAYS


Bing Crosby (Harry Lillis Crosby) was nicknamed "Bing" after a character named "Bingo" in a comic strip titled "Bingville Bugle." Other nicknames were ~ Der Bingle & the old groaner. Bing was only 5' 7" tall.

His large ears were pinned back during his early films, until partway through She Loves Me Not (1934).

From the 1940s to the 1960s he owned 15% of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. His cameo in Angels in the Outfield (1951) was as part-owner of the team.

"White Christmas" became the bestselling single for more than 50 years

During the Vietnam War, a secret code was to have been broadcast informing all US personnel that an immediate evacuation had been ordered. The code was the playing of Crosby's "White Christmas" twice on the Armed Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN), followed by the announcement "The temperature in Hanoi is 105 and rising.".

Bing Crosby was the fourth of seven children of Tacoma, Washington, brewery bookkeeper Harry Lowe Crosby and Kate Harrigan Crosby. He studied law at Gonzaga University in Spokane but was more interested in playing the drums and singing with a local band. Bing and the band's piano player, Al Rinker, left Spokane for Los Angeles in 1925. In the early 1930s Bing's brother Everett sent a record of Bing singing "I Surrender, Dear" to the president of CBS. His live performances from New York were carried over the national radio network for 20 consecutive weeks in 1932. His radio success led Paramount Pictures to include him in The Big Broadcast (1932), a film featuring radio favorites. His songs about not needing a bundle of money to make life happy was the right message for the decade of the Great Depression. His relaxed, low-key style carried over into the series of "Road" comedies he made with pal Bob Hope. He won the best actor Oscar for playing an easygoing priest in Going My Way (1944). He showed that he was indeed an actor as well as a performer when he played an alcoholic actor down on his luck opposite Grace Kelly in The Country Girl (1954). Playing golf was what he liked to do best. He died at age 74 playing golf at a course outside Madrid, Spain, after completing a tour of England that had included a sold-out engagement at the London Palladium.

He fathered 3 children by his first wife, 4 by his second.
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GIVEAWAYS ~ 6 Christmas giveaways gifts will be given away on Dec. 8th. Pop over to Dec. 2 blog post ~ blushingrosetoo.blogspot.com








17 comments:

  1. Hello sweetie...
    You are always so full of information. You are my walking encyclopedia. I love to come and see what you have to share each day. I did not know most of these things about Bing Crosby and I have always loved him in White Christmas. It is one of my favorites.

    I hope your day is going well. Mine is another hectic one. Just taking a quick break.

    I will talk to you soon. I love you sweetie. Much love and hugs...Sherry

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  2. I love Bing! I had a post a couple days ago featuring his radio show...you can listen to them online, did you know? His "White Christmas" will live forever!
    XOXO
    Joni

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  3. Hi there,
    Thanks for stopping by my blog. You have an interesting post today!
    Love learning things.
    Have a wonderful day!
    Rosemary

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  4. Great post!
    Blessings and prayers,
    andrea

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  5. Bing's voice is still the quintessential christmas voice. Love it.

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  6. Hello Marydon... they just don't make them like him any more... xoxo Julie Marie

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  7. Hello Marydon!
    I love the movie, Holiday Inn or White Christmas. It's a good movie with Bing that is sure to get us in a Holiday mood.

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  8. Hi Marydon,
    It's always fun to stop over and read your post. :0)
    I hope you and your family are enjoying a wonderful holiday season!
    Hugs, Gayle

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  9. This was the greatest post! I love Bing Crosby, and White Christmas is my favorite. Thanks for all the info on Bing. I sure learned alot!

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  10. i get out "white christmas" every year...even though a few of the males in our family groan. to me, it's the beginning of Christmas! thanks for all the info on Bing too.

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  11. We're using Bing's "I'll Be Home For Christmas" song in our puppet/children's program at church on Sunday.

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  12. I love him in White Christmas. Such a good movie.

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  13. I always loved that song! It was fun to read all this info on it too!

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  14. Didn't know any of this, just that I love his music!

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  15. I was born in Tacoma Wa and my parents still live there. I didn't remember that tidbit about Bing. He was a bit before my time but I love his Christmas music

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  16. I am curious about how you pin someones ears back!!!

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  17. This was fascinating for me to read. No one sings White Christmas like Bing. I was raised by this man's voice.
    Hugs,
    June

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