1950 – 1959 MID-LIFE CHALLENGES

As the fifties unfolded, Bing was still a top recording artist although the hits were less frequent. Novelty songs and then rock ‘n roll pushed the ballad singers into the background. Also Bing had not been helped by the death of his recording ‘guru’, Jack Kapp, in 1949 as this had resulted in a certain loss of structure and focus in his recording activities. In films Bing was playing older men and his radio audience, despite still being fairly significant, was steadily declining. He continued to avoid personal appearances and live shows. Bing’s voice could no longer hit the higher notes but the deep tones remained mellow and pleasant. Bing was, however, said to be losing confidence in his voice. Health problems troubled him with first an operation to remove his appendix and then two separate operations for kidney problems, laying him low for a while. His wife Dixie Lee died in 1952 and this badly affected Bing both emotionally and financially. A huge tax bill had to be paid following Dixie’s death and then Bing also faced a legal battle following a car crash. His sons started to hit the headlines with various problems and it was not surprising that for a while Bing seemed to be adopting a lower profile, although he continued to make films.

Bing had given two very good dramatic performances, first in Little Boy Lost and then The Country Girl for which he was again nominated unsuccessfully for an Academy Award. His film White Christmas was to be a long running success and the 1956 film High Society was to become a classic of its kind. Somewhat reluctantly, Bing had started making television appearances, which were usually filmed in advance. In 1954, his radio show had reduced in status from a major weekly programme to a daily fifteen minute show, but after the success of High Society and hit records such as ‘True Love’ and ‘Around the World’, Bing was tempted to become more heavily involved in television. The big break through came in 1957 with the live, award-winning ‘Edsel Show’. Afterwards, Bing settled into a routine of making at least two TV specials each year.

After the death of Dixie Lee, Bing had gone through a lonely spell before being linked with a number of actresses including Grace Kelly, Inger Stevens, Mona Freeman and Kathryn Grant. After a most unusual on-off romance, Bing married Kathryn Grant in 1957. First a son and then, at long last, a daughter were born. Bing admitted that he had found real happiness again. The ‘old’ Bing seemed to re-emerge and entertaining long-playing albums of the time such as ‘Bing With a Beat’ and ‘Fancy Meeting You Here’ appeared to capture this.

Bing had safely negotiated some major mid-life challenges.

In 1950, $100 was worth $525 in 1990 terms.

Go to 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959

1950

Minute Maid set up a new divisional office in Los Angeles and Bing is named as President of the division.

Jan 3 (6:00 to 9:00 p.m.) Bing records two songs in Hollywood with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra.

Jan 4/11/18/25 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Al Jolson, Peggy Lee, Groucho Marx, Gary Crosby and Louis Armstrong.

Jan 9 The Golf Writers Association votes Bing the year’s outstanding contributor to golf, awarding him the Richardson Trophy.

Jan 11 Variety says that Bing is in the process of taping six of his radio shows in San Francisco.

Jan 13-15 The Bing Crosby Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach. Bing partners Cam Puget in the pro-am section but they withdraw from the final round as they are poorly placed. The professional competition finishes in a tie between Sam Snead, Dave Douglas, Smiley Quick and Jack Burke Jr. There is not a play-off. The proceeds of the event are divided equally between the Sister Kenny Foundation and the Monterey Peninsula Community Chest.

Jan 18 The Chesterfield Show broadcast today was taped in San Francisco as are many of the subsequent shows.

Jan 26 In Hollywood, Bing records a Chesterfield show with the Andrews Sisters and the Firehouse Five Plus Two which airs on February 22.

Feb 1 Bing is thought to have taken part in the ‘Break the Bank’ radio show on NBC compered by Bert Parks.

Feb 1 Variety states that Bing refused to attend the opening of the new Chesterfield factory in Durham, North Carolina on January 26 which was featured on a special extended edition of the radio show The Supper Club starring Perry Como, Bob Hope and Arthur Godfrey.

Feb 1/8/15/22 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Bob Hope, Peggy Lee, Fred Allen, Al Jolson, the Firehouse Five Plus Two and the Andrews Sisters.

Feb 2 Records a Chesterfield show with Al Jolson in San Francisco which is broadcast on February 15.

Bing has to return to Paramount for some final scenes in Mr. Music but has to have a tooth extracted first.

Feb 14 Recording session with Bob Haggart in Hollywood. Neither song is released.

Feb 15 (9:30 to 11:30 a.m.) Records with the Andrews Sisters.

Feb 28 Press reports state that Bing is investing in a Palm Springs golf course which Charles Farrell and Ben Hogan are going to build.

Mar 1/8/15/22/29 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Bob Crosby, Gary Cooper, Gary Crosby, Ethel Merman, the Firehouse Five Plus Two, the Andrews Sisters and William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy).

Mar 5 Another ‘Guest Star - Bing Crosby’ show (#154) is broadcast.

Mar 13 Bing has an operation to remove his appendix in Santa Monica. Just prior to this, he had been working out with the Pittsburgh Pirates at a training session in San Bernardino.

Mar 21 The Bob Hope Show with Bing as guest is broadcast on NBC. Doris Day and the Les Brown Orchestra are in support.

Mar 22 Bing wins the award for top vocalist given by the Academy of Radio and Television Best Arts and Sciences.

Mar 23 Bing records a Chesterfield show with the Andrews Sisters and the Firehouse Five Plus Two which airs on March 29.

Mar 24 (2:30 to 5:00 p.m.) Records with Andrews Sisters in Hollywood.

Mar 25 Tapes a Chesterfield show with Mildred Bailey and the Firehouse Five Plus Two which is broadcast on April 12.

Attends his bon voyage party in Hollywood, which Dixie avoids, before leaving for the East Coast and subsequently, Europe.

Mar 29 Attends the Convention of the National Association of Tobacco Distributors in Chicago and records his Chesterfield show (broadcast April 5) with guests Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey.

Mar 31 Bing is interviewed on the New York-based Nancy Craig early afternoon radio programme on station WJZ (an ABC station) from the home of Raymond Guest, Front Royal, Virginia.

Apr 1 Spends the day in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia, celebrating ‘Bing Crosby Day.’ Helps endow their baseball stadium and the premiere of the film Riding High takes place there. Writes out a personal cheque for $3,595 to bring the gross receipts of the day to $15,000.

Apr 2 Bing arrives in New York.

Apr 5/12/19/26 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Arthur Godfrey, Perry Como, the Firehouse Five Plus Two, Mildred Bailey, Carole Richards and Beatrice Lillie.

Apr 8/11/12 Records in New York, including songs from Mr. Music.

Apr 9 Bing takes part in The Triumphant Hour, a radio show transmitted on Mutual, together with Ann Blyth, Mona Freeman, Jimmy Durante and many others.

Apr 10 Records a Chesterfield show in New York with Al Jolson which airs May 3. During his eleven day stay in New York, he tapes five Chesterfield shows in all and also twenty of the 15-minute shows for Minute Maid.

Apr 10 Attends New York premiere of Riding High with Bill Morrow.

Apr 13 Has guest spot on Perry Como’s radio show ‘The Supper Club’ for NBC. Douglas Fairbanks Jr and the Fontaine Sisters are also on the show.

Apr 14 Leaves New York shortly after midnight on the liner ‘Queen Elizabeth’ for France with Bill Morrow, George Coleman, John Mullin and Morrow’s secretary. Prior to departure, Bing is quoted as saying that his wife, Dixie, was a “little mad” because he had left her at home.

Apr 15 Bing, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour star in a radio programme on CBS ‘Welcome Back Baseball’ with Pittsburgh Pirates baseball player Ralph Kiner. The programme had been recorded at an earlier date in Hollywood, not long after Bing’s appendix operation. The show is sponsored by Wheaties.

Apr 19 The ‘Queen Elizabeth’ docks at Cherbourg, France. Bing has an extended visit to Paris, staying first at the Ritz and then at the Hotel Lancaster before renting a flat. He and Bill Morrow go to Brussels in Belgium during their time in Europe and stay at the Plaza Hotel. Bing is also understood to have visited Rome.

Apr 20 A radio programme called the ‘Catholic Charities Show’ is broadcast in New York featuring Bing, Bob Hope, Ann Blyth, Fred Allen and Jimmy Durante.

Apr 22 A radio programme featuring Bing and Radie Harris is broadcast over station KHJ in Los Angeles at5:30 p.m.

Apr 22 Bing walks along the Champs Elysees in Paris and decides to stretch out on the grass with a newspaper under his head. Three gendarmes are said to disturb him and they only let Bing go when he purports to be an American poilceman on holiday and shows them a medal from the Professional Golfers Association which they take to be a police badge. The police commissioner for the district is sceptical about the story and suggests that the gendarmes must have been impostors.

Apr 25 Bing golfs at St. Cloud, near Paris.

Apr 26 Today’s Chesterfield show had been taped in New York as have the next four shows.

May 3/10/17/24 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Ella Fitzgerald, Al Jolson, Mary Martin and Fred Allen.

May 7 Bing at Longchamps Race Course, Paris with a young singer called Marilyn Gerson and the Count and Countess of Segonzac. That evening Bing is seen at Maxim’s dancing with Ghislaine de Baysson.

May 8 Attorney John O’Melveny and Bing’s brother Larry admit that Bing’s marriage is “strained.” Bing still in Paris.

May 9 Bing denies that there are any problems with the marriage and Dixie, still in Los Angeles, confirms this.

May 12 The Security-First National Bank of Los Angeles file suit against Bing Crosby Productions Inc. and others asking for foreclosure to satisfy an unpaid loan on the film Abie’s Irish Rose. The original production loan was $370,000 and the unpaid balance is $150,615.

May 13 Press reports state that Bing has been backstage at the Folies Bergeres to tape some radio shows. He is said to have made 21 recordings so far in places such as golf courses and race tracks.

May 20 Bing arrives in Dover, England from Paris. Goes on to St. Andrews in Scotland.

May 21 Plays golf in the afternoon on the Eden course at St. Andrews with two French entrants for the British Amateur Golf championship, before meeting Jim Wilson, local golfer, at St. Andrews at 7:00 p.m. when photographs are taken. A crowd of 2,000 followed him during his round of golf.

May 22 Plays in the British Amateur Open Golf Tournament at St. Andrews in front of huge crowds. He is eliminated in the first round 3 and 2 by Scotsman Jim Wilson and returns to London staying at the Dorchester.

May 24 Gives an “extempore performance” at the Dorchester at the Daily Mail National Film Awards supper party. Bing had just walked into the hotel and was invited into the party by Lady Rothermere. Bing sings ‘Music, Music, Music’ and another song before an audience including Jean Simmons and Richard Todd.

May 24 The final Chesterfield show of the season is transmitted. The guests are Perry Como, Arthur Godfrey and Bob Hope.

Jun 9 Boards ‘Queen Elizabeth’ liner at Cherbourg for return trip to USA. Sings ‘Play a Simple Melody’ with Irving Berlin en route at a cocktail party with the captain.

Jun 14 The ‘Queen Elizabeth’ arrives at the West 50^th Street dock in New York at 8:00 a.m. Whilst in New York, Bing goes to the New York Giants - Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game with Groucho Marx but it is rained out.

Jun 20 Returns to Holmby Hills.

Jun 21 Records more songs from Mr. Music in Hollywood.

Jun 23 (9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) Records ‘Sam’s Song’ and ‘Play a Simple Melody’ with Gary Crosby. The first becomes Bing’s 21^st gold record and both become the first ever double-sided gold record. After the recording session, Bing drives his sons to the ranch at Elko.

Jun 26 USA goes to the defence of South Korea and the Korean War begins.

Jul 17 (2:30 p.m.) Bing describes Chantilly Race Track, Paris on a radio programme on station KNX in Los Angeles. The broadcast is said to come from Bing’s ranch at Elko but it is possible that Bing taped these impressions whilst in Paris.

Jul 22 (2:30 p.m.) Another broadcast by Bing on KNX is said to have come from Elko.

Jul 25 Becomes a member of the Western Shoshone-Paiute tribe at Owyhee, near Elko. His Indian name is ‘Sond-Hoo-Vi-A-Gund’ (the man of many songs).

Aug 6 Press coverage of the Idaho primary campaign suggests that Bing is supporting the Republican candidate Mr. Welker. During a recent visit to Boise for an exhibition golf match, Bing is said to have handed out literature for his pheasant hunting companion saying “a vote for Welker and there’ll be a pheasant in every pot.”

Bing and his four sons at Hayden Lake, Idaho.

Aug 13 Plays on softball team with his sons in a benefit match for the Gonzaga building fund held at Ferris Field, Spokane.

Aug 20 A radio programme ‘The Miracle of America’ is transmitted on CBS and Bing and son Gary make a contribution as do Jack Benny, Bob Crosby, Dinah Shore and many others.

Aug 24 (2:30 p.m.) This programme from station KNX features Bing and Lindsay Crosby talking about magpies.

Sep 5 (10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) Back in Hollywood, Bing records ‘Harbor Lights’ and other songs with Lyn Murray and his orchestra. Then Bing and his four sons record ‘A Crosby Christmas’.

Sep 6/21 More recording dates in Hollywood.

Sep 7 (9:00 a.m. till noon) Records with Axel Stordahl. Afterwards records several songs with the Andrews Sisters between 2:00 and 5:30 p.m.

Sep 8 (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) Records ‘Silver Bells’ and two other Christmas songs.

Sep 20 Records Chesterfield Show in Hollywood with Bob Hope and Judy Garland which is scheduled to be broadcast on October 4.

Sep 20 (9:00 pm.) Bing makes a contribution to the National Kids Day Foundation radio programme.

Lindsay Crosby enrols as a freshman at Bellarmine Academy where his brothers are already in situ.

Sep 25 Tapes another Chesterfield show with Hope and Garland in San Francisco. This is broadcast on October 18.

Sep 29 Opens Sunset Community Centre in Vancouver.

Oct 3 Bob Hope’s radio show is broadcast on NBC and Bing guests with Dinah Shore.

Oct 4 The California Highway Patrol stop Bing’s car as he returns from the north to tell him that his father has suffered a heart attack at his Toluca Lake home. Bing hurries to his father’s side and father dies at 2:30 p.m. He was 79 and had been suffering from arterial sclerosis. His health had been failing for a year. Bing asks CBS not to broadcast his radio programme that night and the show which had been scheduled with guest stars Bob Hope and Judy Garland is postponed until the following week. CBS fill in with an audience participation programme called ‘A Dollar a Minute’.

Oct 6 A Rosary is held at the Oswald Funeral Home, North Hollywood for Bing’s late father.

Oct 7 Harry Lowe Crosby is buried at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.

Oct 10 Another guest appearance by Bing on the Bob Hope radio show on NBC is broadcast. Dinah Shore is again the other guest star.

Oct 11 The first Chesterfield show of the new season is aired and the audience share for the season is only 10.0 reflecting the impact of TV. The shows are broadcast each week on Wednesday nights until June 27, 1951.

Oct 18/25 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Judy Garland, Bob Hope and Claudette Colbert.

Oct 23 Al Jolson dies in a San Francisco hotel while waiting to appear on Bing’s Chesterfield Show. Many of the Chesterfield shows are now recorded in San Francisco instead of Hollywood.

Nov 1/8/15/22/29 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Dorothy Kirsten, Dick Powell, Toni Arden, Bob Crosby, Paul Douglas, The Firehouse Five Plus Two and Ella Fitzgerald.

Dec 2 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Judy Garland which airs on December 6.

Dec 5 Thought to have appeared on the radio programme ‘The Lonesome Gal’ over station WOR.

Dec 6/13/20/27 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. All of the shows have been recorded in Hollywood.

Bing acts as honorary chairman of the ‘Tide of Toys’ programme for European children.

Dec 9 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Peggy Lee and Hopalong Cassidy which airs on December 13.

Dec 13 Records two songs in Hollywood with Ken Darby and his Orchestra.

Dec 14 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Dinah Shore, Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden which airs on December 27.

Dec 14 - Feb 1951 Films Here Comes The Groom with Franchot Tone, Jane Wyman and Alexis Smith. The film is directed by Frank Capra who comes in $61,000 over budget with total expenditure of $2.117M

Dec 19 Whilst in Hollywood, Bing is interviewed by Martin Block in New York by telephone. The interview is used in a ‘Salute to Bing’ tribute on station WNEW on December 20 which comes from the Paramount Theatre, New York where Mr. Music is having its New York premiere.

Dec 20 The Chesterfield Show broadcast includes Dixie Lee (for the first and only time) and the four Crosby boys.

Dec 23 Bing guests on Louella Parsons’ transcribed ABC radio show and sings ‘Silent Night’. Hopalong Cassidy also appears.

Dec 24 Records a Chesterfield show with Fred Astaire which airs on January 3, 1951.

Dec 26 Guests on the Bob Hope radio show on NBC.

Dec 30 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden and Toni Arden which airs on January 17, 1951.

Bing comes third in the USA movie box office stars poll. John Wayne is first.

1951

Jan 1 Attends Rose Bowl game between Michigan and California at Pasadena

Jan 3/10/17/24/31 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Fred Astaire, Bob Crosby, Bob Hope, Jack Teagarden, Toni Arden, Louis Armstrong, James Stewart and The Firehouse Five Plus Two. The first four shows have been taped in Hollywood.

Jan 7 Records with Tommy Dorsey in Hollywood.

Jan 7 Interviewed on radio station KMPC ‘Salute to Bing Crosby’ which is transmitted over the Liberty Broadcasting System.

Jan 8 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Bob Hope and Bob Crosby which airs on January 10.

Jan 9 Is honoured in ‘A Salute to Bing Crosby’, a transcribed CBS tribute to his 20 years (as a single) in show-business.

Jan 12-14 Phil Harris and professional E. J. (Dutch) Harrison win the Pro-Am best-ball section at the Bing Crosby Golf Tournament. The professional winner is Byron Nelson.

Jan 13 Bing tapes his Chesterfield show at Fort Ord (north-east of Monterey) before an audience of Army personnel at the US Army Infantry Training Centre. The venue is close to Pebble Beach and Bing’s annual golf tournament. Bing’s guests are Bob Hope and Toni Arden. The show is transmitted on January 31.

Jan 18 Stars in Screen Guild Players radio version of The Birth of the Blues with Dinah Shore and Phil Harris on ABC.

Jan 20 Bing records a Chesterfield show with James Stewart and Toni Arden which airs on January 24.

Jan 23 The Bob Hope radio show is transmitted and Bing guests with Jimmy Demaret and Connie Moore.

Jan 27 Tapes another Chesterfield show with Judy Garland which is broadcast on February 7.

Feb 1 (9:00 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.) Records two tracks with the Andrews Sisters and Vic Schoen and his Orchestra in Hollywood.

Feb 2/5/7/8/9 Recording dates in Hollywood.

Feb 6 (6:00 to 7:20 p.m.) Records two tracks with the Andrews Sisters and Vic Schoen and his Orchestra in Hollywood.

Feb 7/14/21/28 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Judy Garland, Dorothy Kirsten, Peggy Lee, Tallulah Bankhead, the Andrews Sisters and Nat ‘King’ Cole.

Feb 10 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Tallulah Bankhead and Peggy Lee which airs on February 21.

Feb 12 Has surgery at St. Johns in Santa Monica for a kidney ailment.

Feb 21 Leaves hospital.

Feb 27 Makes filmed contribution to TV show ‘American Red Cross Fund Campaign’ which is also broadcast on radio at the same time. No doubt the filming had been done before Bing’s recent hospitalisation.

Mar 5 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Judy Garland which airs on March 7.

Mar 7/14/21/28 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Judy Garland, Jack Pepper, Les Paul and Mary Ford.

Mar 12 Dixie flies to New York en route for a three month tour of Europe with Dr. and Mrs George Hummer plus Georgina Hardwicke.

Apr 4/11 Chesterfield shows broadcast were originally taped at Palm Springs, probably to tie in with Bing’s convalescence following his operation in February. The guests are Dinah Shore, William Boyd, Marilyn Maxwell and Louis Armstrong.

Apr 9 (10:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.) Records four songs from ‘The King And I’ in Hollywood.

Apr 11 General MacArthur is dismissed from all of his posts by President Truman.

Apr 11 In Hollywood, Bing records a Chesterfield show with Gary Crosby which airs on April 18.

Apr 18/25 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast.

Apr 18 Records a Chesterfield show with Bert Wheeler and Walter O’Keefe. The show is broadcast on May 2.

Apr 19 Bing tapes a Chesterfield show in Hollywood with Louis Armstrong which is subsequently broadcast on April 25. Sings ‘Old Soldiers Never Die’ as tribute to General MacArthur. Records ‘Gone Fishin’ with Louis Armstrong for Decca after the radio taping.

Apr 21 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Fred Astaire and Teresa Brewer which airs on May 9.

May 2 Dixie celebrates Bing’s ‘fiftieth’ birthday in southern France while Bing is fishing in Idaho.

May 2/9/16/23/30 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Walter O’Keefe, Bert Wheeler, Fred Astaire, Teresa Brewer, Burl Ives, Jack Teagarden, Louis Armstrong, Charles Durand and Helen O’Connell.

May 5 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Helen O’Connell which airs on May 30.

May 11 Bing guests on the Hedda Hopper radio show.

May 28 Bing drives from Idaho to Vancouver in Canada and as he is unshaven and wearing a leather jacket with dungarees and boots, he is initially turned away at the Hotel Vancouver because of his clothes and appearance.

May 29 Visits Sunset Memorial Community Centre in Vancouver where he sings ‘Blue Skies’ to an audience of 1500 kids.

Jun 1 Dixie returns to Los Angeles. Bing still away.

Jun 6/13/20 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include George Jessel, Martha Tilton, Teresa Brewer, Bert Wheeler, Joe Venuti and Tommy Dorsey.

Jun 8 Recording date in Hollywood.

Bing and Dixie attend Gary’s graduation at Bellarmine Academy, Santa Clara. Bing gives Gary a car and later says that it is the biggest mistake he has made.

Jun 13 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Tommy Dorsey, Joe Venuti and Teresa Brewer which airs on June 20.

Jun 16 Tapes a Chesterfield show with Ken Murray and Burl Ives. The show is broadcast on June 27.

Bing Crosby Enterprises Electronics Division opens a laboratory to develop a video tape recorder. It is under the control of John T. Mullin.

Jun 20 (9:00 to 11:45 a.m.) In Hollywood, Bing records ‘In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening’ with Jane Wyman plus other songs from Here Comes The Groom.

Jun 27 Final Chesterfield show of the season is broadcast.

Jun 30 At Elko, Bing takes part in Elko Blue-Serge Day and is presented with special tuxedo made by Levi Strauss so that he is not turned away by a hotel again.

Jul 1 In radio programme ‘Freedom Under God’.

Jul 29 Bing is in Elko for the world premiere there of Here Comes the Groom on July 30.

Jul 31 On radio programme ‘The Elko Show’. The various events in Elko over the three day period raise $10,000 for the hospital building fund.

Aug 1 With two associates (George L. Coleman and Kenyon Brown), Bing purchases FM radio station KSNI in Salinas, California for conversion into a TV broadcasting outlet.

Sep Films a brief guest appearance in Angels in the Outfield, a baseball film featuring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh which is shot at the Pittsburgh Pirates ballpark. Bing’s spot comes from a golf course

Gary Crosby goes to Stanford University

Sep 20 Here Comes the Groom has its New York premiere at Astor Theatre.

Sep 24 Bing takes part in Lux Radio Theatre programme “Movietime USA” on CBS and presents extract from Here Comes the Groom with Jane Wyman.

Sep 29 Takes Dixie to the Cocoanut Grove for their 21^st wedding anniversary.

Oct 1/4/19 Records in Hollywood.

Bing and Bob Hope film a cameo in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show on Earth

Oct 2 Bing guests on Bob Hope’s radio show with Jane Russell.

Oct 3 First Chesterfield show of the season is broadcast. The show had been taped at the U. S. Naval Air Station at Alameda and Bing’s guests are Jane Wyman and Hoagy Carmichael. The shows continue on Wednesday nights until June 25, 1952.

Oct 3 Forms Bing’s Things Inc. to sell a score of items ranging from toys to clothing.

Oct 10/17/24/31 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Jane Wyman, Martha Tilton, Bob Hope, Paul Douglas, Anna Maria Alberghetti and Dinah Shore.

Oct 19 Guests on the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis radio show on NBC.

Nov 7/14/21/28 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Anna Maria Alberghetti, James Stewart, Bert Wheeler, Alexis Smith, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

Nov 28 Bing records a Chesterfield show with James Stewart which airs on December 5.

Nov 29 Dixie makes her last will. It was reported that she was losing weight at the time and that her abdomen was distended.

Dec 5/12/19/26 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast.

Dec 5 Tapes a Chesterfield show for broadcast on December 12. The guests are Alexis Smith and Bert Wheeler.

Dec 12 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour which airs on December 26.

Dec 16 Tapes a Chesterfield show with Trudy Erwin and Lindsay Crosby which is broadcast on December 19.

Dec 19 Records two songs in Hollywood.

Dec 19 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Monica Lewis and Hopalong Cassidy which airs on January 2, 1952.

Dec Plays Santa Claus at Hollywood Women’s Press Club party.

Takes Gary’s car away from him because of his son’s poor grades at Stanford.

Dec 23 Appears on The Joyful Hour radio programme on Mutual with Ann Blyth, Pat O’Brien, Jimmy Durante and Licia Albanese.

Dec 25 Guests on Bob Hope radio show on NBC with Jack Kirkwood, Benny Rubin and Frank Sinatra.

Bing is fifth in the USA movie box office stars poll for 1951. John Wayne is again at No. 1.

1952

Jan 1 Guests on Bob Hope radio show on NBC.

Jan 2/9/16/23/30 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Monica Lewis, William Boyd, Bob Hope, Helen O’Connell, Paul Douglas, Patti Page and Bob Burns.

Jan 10 The Greatest Show on Earth is released.

Jan 11-13 Plays in the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach. The weather is so bad on the Monterey Peninsula Country Club course that the second day’s round has to be called off, restricting the tournament to 36 holes. The professional winner is Jimmy Demaret and he and Bob Hope finish in third place in the Pro-Am section.

Jan 11 After playing his round during the morning at nearby Cypress Point, Bing tapes his Chesterfield show at Fort Ord in the afternoon and evening. The guests are Bob Hope and Monica Lewis. The show is broadcast on January 16.

Jan 15 The Bob Hope radio show is broadcast and Bing guests with Jimmy Demaret and Jerry Colonna.

Jan 27 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Bob Burns and Patti Page which airs on January 30.

Jan 30 Tapes a Chesterfield show for transmission on February 6. The guest is Fred Astaire.

Feb 2 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall which airs on February 13.

Feb 6/13/20/27 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast

Feb - Apr Films Just for You with Jane Wyman, Natalie Wood and Ethel Barrymore.

Bing films a cameo in The Fifth Freedom, an advertising film made by Chesterfield Cigarettes.

Feb 14/19 Recording in Hollywood including songs from Just For You.

Feb 17 Guest host on the Walter Winchell Time radio programme on ABC in Winchell’s absence due to ill health. Bing manages to plug his Chesterfield show. The show has been recorded in advance.

Feb 20 Bing records a Chesterfield show with the Mills Brothers and Patti Page which airs later that day. He also records a Chesterfield show for transmission on March 5 with Bob and Kathy Crosby. Increasingly, takes from earlier shows are being re-used.

Feb 21 (8:10 to 11:45 a.m.) Records two tracks with the Andrews Sisters in Hollywood.

Feb 27 Tapes two Chesterfield shows in Hollywood for transmission on February 27 and March 12.

Mar 1 Bing Crosby Enterprises introduces ‘Bing Crosby Ice Cream’.

Mar 5/12/19/26 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Bob Crosby, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, James Stewart, Marilyn Maxwell and Anna Maria Alberghetti.

Mar 6 Bing records a Chesterfield show in Palm Springs at the Plaza Theatre with James Stewart and Fran Warren which airs on March 19.

Mar 11 Bing makes a guest appearance on Bob Hope’s radio show which has been recorded in Palm Springs. Other guests are Marilyn Maxwell and Charles Farrell. Bing sings ‘Anytime’.

Mar 20 At the Academy Awards ceremony at the RKO Pantages Theatre, the song ‘In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening’ from Here Comes the Groom wins an Oscar.

Mar 23 Bing records in New York with Grady Martin and his Slew Foot Five.

Whilst in New York, goes to El Morocco night club with Jackie Gleason and sings many songs with the band.

Apr Signs to make Little Boy Lost.

Apr 2/9/16/23/30 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include the Bell Sisters, Gary Crosby, Kay Starr, Bob Hope, Helen O’Connell, and Donald O’Connor.

Apr 9 The Chesterfield show broadcast today was originally taped in the open air at the Polo Grounds, Palm Springs.

Apr 9 Back in Hollywood, Bing records a Chesterfield show with Helen O’Connell and the Bell Sisters which airs on April 16.

Apr 10 Bing testifies as a government witness at the mail fraud trial in San Francisco of Henry Von Morpurgo who is charged with diverting $93,000 from the Sister Kenny Foundation for his own use. Bing’s name has been used without his authority in a number of telegrams designed to raise funds in Northern California.

Apr 14 Bing and Dixie sign a promissory note for $655,000 to Citizens National Trust and Savings Bank.

Apr 16 Bing appears on radio station KFI’s anniversary special.

Apr 20 Bing records a Chesterfield show in Hollywood with Kay Starr and the Bell Sisters which airs on April 23.

May - Jul Films Road to Bali with Hope and Lamour.

May 2 Dixie gives a surprise birthday party for Bing at their home with 175 guests and he is visibly moved on his arrival home from the studio that evening.

May 7/14/21/28 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast. Guests include Marlene Dietrich, Teresa Brewer, David Niven and Judy Garland.

May 7 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Marlene Dietrich which airs later that day.

May 8 Records more songs from Just for You in Hollywood.

May 11 Tapes a Chesterfield show with David Niven and Teresa Brewer which is broadcast on May 14.

May 16 (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) Records with Peggy Lee in Hollywood.

May 18 Tapes three Chesterfield shows with Judy Garland which are broadcast on May 21, May 28 and June 4.

May 26 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Rosemary Clooney which airs on June 11.

Jun 2 Tapes a Chesterfield show with Peggy Lee which is broadcast on June 18.

Jun 4/11/18/25 Bing’s Chesterfield shows are broadcast.

Dennis and Philip Crosby graduate from Bellarmine.

Jun 15 Bing records a Chesterfield show with Peggy Lee which airs on June 25.

Jun 17/20/23/24 Records in Hollywood including songs from Road To Bali.

Jun 18 Dixie has exploratory surgery, with the pathologist subsequently finding terminal ovarian cancer.

Jun 21 (8:00 p.m. - 10:30 a.m. on June 22) Bing joins Bob Hope to host a 14 hour telethon on TV to help finance the American Olympic team. This is Bing’s first live TV appearance and the show comes from the El Capitan in Hollywood.

Jun 25 The final Wednesday Chesterfield radio programme is transmitted. The General Electric Company is to be Bing’s sponsor in the Autumn.

Jun 25 Dixie goes home from hospital.

Jul Filming of Road to Bali is completed.

Aug Dixie flies to Hayden Lake, Idaho (near Spokane) in a specially chartered plane. Bing joins her there. Pete Martin visits Bing during his stay at Hayden Lake and work commences on Bing’s life story which is to be published in the Saturday Evening Post. Bing ultimately receives $75,000 for the autobiography, Call Me Lucky.

Aug 31 Bing is scheduled to go to Paris for Little Boy Lost but delays his departure until September 12 because of Dixie’s illness.

Sep Dennis and Philip Crosby enter Washington State College at Pullman.

Sep 3 Bing records his first two General Electric shows with Jane Wyman, Helen O’Connell and the Bell Sisters which air on CBS on October 9 and 16.

Sep 5 (8:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.) In Hollywood, Bing records with the Andrews Sisters for the last time.

Sep 6 Bing tapes a General Electric show with Connee Boswell. They sing ‘That’s a Plenty’. The show is eventually broadcast on November 27. Bing also records a GE show with James Stewart for transmission on October 23.

Sep 11 Arrives in New York.

Sep 12 Bing is on the liner ‘Liberte’ which sails for Europe at noon from the dock at West 48^th Street.

Sep 18 The ‘Liberte’ arrives at Plymouth, England. Bing has been working on his life story with Pete Martin during the voyage.

Sep 19 Golfs with Bob Hope, Charles Graves and Bob Foster at Temple Golf Club as practice for a match on September 21.

Sep 20 Appears on ‘In Town Tonight’ BBC radio programme with Bob Hope. They sing a parody of ‘Road to Morocco’ promoting their golf match due the following day.

Sep 21 Golfs at Temple Golf Club, Maidenhead with Hope, Ted Ray and Donald Peers to raise money for the National Playing Fields Association. Huge crowds mean that the match has to be cut short. That night, he makes an unbilled guest appearance in ‘Sunday with the Stars’, a Variety Club benefit at the Stoll Theatre, London. Bing, Bob Hope and Jack Buchanan put on a song and dance routine.

Sep 22 Flies to Paris to film Little Boy Lost with Nicole Maurey, Claude Dauphin and Christian Fourcade. Location work is filmed at Montfort-L’Amaury.

Sep 25 In Paris staying at the Ritz. Later receives a letter stating that Dixie is dying.

Oct 8 Just for You has New York premiere at Capitol Theatre.

Oct 9 Bing’s new transcribed radio programme for General Electric commences, still on CBS but now on Thursdays. The shows continue until July 2, 1953 and the audience share for the season is 6.5. Bing is said to be paid $16,000 per week (which also has to cover the cost of staff and guests). Guests in the opening show are Jane Wyman and Joe Venuti.

Oct 16/23 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include the Bell Sisters and Helen O’Connell.

Oct 19 Bing is featured in ‘Guest Star’ a transcribed radio show (#291).

Oct 25 Returns to Dixie awaiting him at the Los Angeles Union Station.

Oct 27 Dixie received into Roman Catholic Church.

Oct 28 Dixie goes into a coma.

Oct 30 Judy Garland takes Bing’s place as host on the General Electric show.

Nov 1 Dixie Lee Crosby dies at 9:50 a.m. More than 12,000 messages of condolence are received over the following days.

Nov 3 Dixie is interred in the Crosby plot at Holy Cross Cemetery after a service at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. There are 600 mourners at the service and the funeral sermon is delivered by Dr. Frank Corkery, President of Gonzaga University. The funeral is upset by the media. Bing’s mother subsequently moves in to take over at the home in Holmby Hills.

Nov 5 Dwight D Eisenhower is elected President defeating the Democrat Adlai Stevenson.

Nov 6 James Stewart is host on the General Electric show in the absence of Bing.

Nov 9 Bing records two General Electric shows with Dinah Shore which air on November 13 and 20.

Nov 10 (9:30 - 9:45 a.m.) Bob Hope’s new morning radio show premieres on NBC. Bing is thought to have made a brief appearance.

Nov 13 Bing’s General Electric show includes him again.

With his autobiography ‘Call Me Lucky’ at the publisher, Bing writes a chapter that eulogises Dixie.

Nov 17 Tapes additional material for the General Electric show due for transmission on November 27.

Nov 19 Road to Bali is released.

Nov 20/27 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Dinah Shore, Joe Venuti and Connee Boswell.

Nov 23 Bing records two General Electric shows with Rosemary Clooney which air on December 4 and 11.

Nov 25 Dixie’s will is filed and in it she leaves one fifth of her estate to Bing plus her share in their houses at Pebble Beach, Holmby Hills and at Hayden Lake, Idaho. One tenth of her estate is left to her parents and one tenth to Bing’s mother. Her four sons are left the remaining three fifths and all of this goes into Trust funds.

Nov 30 Bing records three General Electric shows, two with Ella Fitzgerald, which air on December 18 and 25, 1952 and on January 1, 1953.

Dec 4/11/18/25 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Rosemary Clooney, Christian Fourcade, Joe Venuti, Ella Fitzgerald and Gary Crosby.

Dec Bing visits sons Philip and Dennis on their animal husbandry course at Washington State College, Pullman.

Dec 15 Records two tracks with Fred Waring. Waring had earlier recorded his part in New York and Bing over-dubs his vocals.

Dec 27 It is announced by Larry Crosby that a co-operative non-profit organisation to aid cancer research is being formed and is to be known as the Dixie Lee Crosby Memorial Foundation.

Bing is fourth in the USA movie box office stars poll for 1952. Martin and Lewis are top.

1953

Jan 1/8/15/22/29 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Venuti, Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope and Kay Starr.

Jan 3 Bing records a General Electric show with Rosemary Clooney which airs on January 8.

Jan 4 Bing makes a guest appearance on the Colgate Comedy Hour TV show on NBC with Bob Hope, Marilyn Maxwell and Don Cherry.

Jan 9-11 Attends but does not play at his 13^th (or 12^th as it is incorrectly described) annual golf tournament which is won by Lloyd Mangrum. The Clambake dinner on the Sunday night features Rosemary Clooney, Phil Harris, Bob Hope and the Les Brown band together with a few solos by Bing.

Jan 10 Tapes a General Electric show at Fort Ord, again to tie in with the Pro-Am. The guests are Bob Hope and Rosemary Clooney and the show is broadcast on January 15.

Jan 14 Guest appearance on Bob Hope radio show is broadcast on NBC. Terry Moore also guests.

Jan 14 Bing records a General Electric show with Rosemary Clooney which airs on January 22.

Jan 24 Bing records two General Electric shows with Kay Starr and Joe Venuti which air on January 29 and February 5.

Jan 29 The General Electric shows come from Palm Springs for the next 14 weeks, except once from Hollywood.

Jan 29 New York premiere of Road to Bali at Astor Theatre.

Jan 31 Bing records two General Electric shows in Palm Springs with first Jack Benny and then Joanne Gilbert which air on February 12 and 19.

Feb 7 Tapes two General Electric shows in Palm Springs with first Peggy Lee and then Jimmy Boyd which are broadcast on February 26 and March 5 respectively.

Feb Films interior scenes at Paramount to complete Little Boy Lost.

Feb 5/12/19/26 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Kay Starr, Jack Benny, Joanne Gilbert, Peggy Lee and regular Joe Venuti.

Feb 9/10 Recording sessions in Hollywood.

Feb 14 First of eight parts of his autobiography Call Me Lucky is serialised in Saturday Evening Post

Feb 14 Bing makes a short spoken contribution to the ‘Amos ‘N Andy’ radio show which celebrates their 25^th. anniversary.

Feb 15 Guests on Jack Benny radio show on CBS with regulars Bob Crosby and Rochester. The serialisation of his autobiography in the Saturday Evening Post is heavily promoted.

Feb 17 Bing speaks for the Metropolitan Opera in a 15 minute programme aired on radio station WJZ in New York.

Records General Electric radio shows in Palm Springs.

Feb 25 Makes guest appearance on ‘I Married Joan’ TV show on NBC.

Mar 12 Records three songs from Little Boy Lost in Hollywood.

Mar 5/12/19/26 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Jimmy Boyd, James Stewart, Dinah Shore, Rosemary Clooney and Joe Venuti.

Mar 14 In Hollywood, Bing records two General Electric shows with first the Bell Sisters and then with Jimmy Boyd which air on April 30 and May 14 respectively.

Mar Takes Lindsay out of school early to accompany him to Paris and they stop off in Chicago on their way to New York. They play 11 holes of golf at Chicago’s Beverly Hills Country Club with the professional, Charlie Penna.

In New York, Bing and Lindsay go to see the revival of Porgy and Bess.

Mar 19 At the first televised Academy Awards celebration, Bing’s song ‘Zing a Little Zong’ from Just For You is beaten by ‘High Noon’ for the Oscar for 1952.

Mar 21 Bing, Bill Morrow and Lindsay Crosby sail from the West 50^th Street dock, New York at 11:00 a.m. on the Cunard liner ‘Queen Elizabeth’ bound for France.

Mar 26 The ‘Queen Elizabeth’ arrives in Cherbourg and during their time in France, Bing and Lindsay stay at the Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles.

Apr Bing and Lindsay go to Rome for an audience with the Pope. Whilst in Italy, Bing plays golf with Clark Gable.

Apr 2/9/16/23/30 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Rosemary Clooney, George Kainapau and his Island Serenaders, the Bell Sisters and Joe Venuti.

May 2 Bing celebrates his birthday with Gary Cooper and Errol Flynn.

Bing and Lindsay in St.-Jean-de-Luz and then Biarritz where they stay with French comedienne Gabrielle Dorziat. They go on into Spain visiting Madrid, Seville, Granada, Barcelona and Valencia. En route they attend bullfights. They also visit Cannes and Nice in the south of France.

May 7/14/21/28 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include George Kainapau, Jimmy Boyd, Lindsay Crosby and Joe Venuti.

May 14 Bing records a contribution in Paris to the BBC radio programme ‘Star Spangled Salute’ subsequently broadcast on June 4^th. He sings ‘Dear Hearts and Gentle People’ accompanied by John Scott Trotter on the piano.

May 16 Records ‘Le Bing’ album with Paul Durand in Paris. All of the eight songs are sung in French.

May 21 The General Electric show purports to come from Paris for the next seven weeks but probably the bulk of the shows were recorded in Palm Springs with additional linking dialogue being taped in Paris.

June Bing’s autobiography Call Me Lucky is published

Jun 2 The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Bing and Lindsay have seats booked to watch the procession but it is not known whether they were there.

Jun 4/11/18/25 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests are Lindsay Crosby and Joe Venuti.

Jun 5 Wins his opening match 4 and 3 in the second round of the French Amateur Golf Championship at Chantilly, having had a bye in the first round.

Jun 6 Is eliminated from the Championship in the third round by Leonard Crawley, a former English Walker Cup player 7 and 5.

Jun 7 Flies into London with Lindsay and stays at the Savoy. Golfs at Addington Golf Club and cards a 74. Attends private party with American polo players.

Jun 9 Bing and Lindsay golf at Sunningdale. In the evening, Bing gives a dinner for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis before going on to the Players Theatre in Charing Cross.

Bing golfs with Gregory Peck whilst in London.

Jun/Jul Bing and Lindsay return home.

Jul 2 Final General Electric show of the season is broadcast. The guests are again Joe Venuti and Lindsay Crosby.

Jul 23 Begins selling his 65 racehorses at Hollywood Park to help raise what is said to be nearly $1 million for taxes on Dixie’s estate. Fifty eight are sold but raise only $85,000 which has to be split equally with Lindsay Howard. Puts his Pebble Beach house on the market for $200,000 and also his Holmby Hills home is up for sale in order to raise cash to meet the tax bill.

Jul 24 Further sale of racehorses at the stables at Suburban Moor Park.

Jul 27 Armistice is signed to end the Korean War.

Aug 22 Kathryn Grandstaff (later ‘Grant’) is put under contract by Paramount.

Sep - Nov Bing films White Christmas with Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera Ellen and Dean Jagger.

Sep 15 Bing records two General Electric shows with Gary Crosby which air on CBS on September 27 and October 4.

Sep 20 Tapes two General Electric shows with Rosemary Clooney which air on October 11 and 18.

Sep 21 Little Boy Lost has New York premiere at the Rivoli.

Sep 25 Narrates ‘This Game of Baseball’, a 60 minute recorded programme broadcast on CBS Radio.

Sep 27 The General Electric show returns on Sunday nights for this season. ‘Where the Blue of the Night’ is replaced as a theme song by an untitled orchestral piece written by Victor Young. The shows continue until May 30, 1954 and the audience share is 6.0 for the season.

Kathryn Grant interviews Bing for her column in a Texas newspaper.

Oct 4 Bing records two General Electric shows with Gary Crosby which air on November 1 and 8.

Oct 4/11/18/25 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted.

Oct 11 Returning from an evening out with Mona Freeman during which they attended Claudette Colbert’s party, Bing has an automobile accident at 5:00 a.m. at the junction of Wilshire and Sepulveda Boulevards in Hollywood in his Mercedes Benz sports car and has a “severely wrenched back”. He is taken to his home by a passing motorist and has to miss several days of filming.

Oct 18 Tapes a General Electric show for transmission on October 25. The guest is Jane Morgan.

Oct 23 Is sued by Frank Verdugo and the occupants of the other car in the accident on October 11 for $1 million. Bing is accused of “driving his car at a wanton, reckless rate of speed in violation of traffic controls and while under the influence of intoxicating liquors.”

Oct 26 Representatives of the State Highway Patrol say that Bing “showed no signs of being drunk and that there was no indication that Mr. Crosby was driving recklessly” when involved in the accident on October 11.

Nov 1/8/15/22/29 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted.

Nov 8 Bing records two General Electric shows with Peggy Lee which air on November 15 and 29.

Nov 15 Tapes two General Electric shows, the first with Rosemary Clooney and the second with Ella Fitzgerald, which are broadcast on December 6 and 13 respectively.

Nov 16 Bing meets Dame Flora McLeod (Chief of Clan McLeod) on the set of White Christmas.

Nov 22 Records another General Electric show with Ella Fitzgerald which is transmitted on December 27.

Dec 6/13/20/27 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted.

Dec Films his first television special for CBS-TV.

Dec 13 Affidavits are lodged by Bing and Mrs. Bob Hope regarding their efforts to disassociate themselves from the National Kids Foundation. The Foundation sent out requests for donations over the names of Bing and Mrs. Bob Hope and raised $2.9 million in 1952 but spent only 10% of this on children.

Dec 30 Recording session with Donald O’Connor in Hollywood.

Dec 31 Bing dates Mona Freeman.

In the USA movie box office stars poll for 1953, Bing comes in at No. 5. His friend Gary Cooper is No. 1.

1954

Jan 3 ‘The Bing Crosby Show,’ a 30-minute television special, airs on CBS-TV. The show had been filmed in advance and the guests are Jack Benny and Sheree North.

Jan 3 Bing records four General Electric shows which air on January 17, 24, 31 and on February 7. Much use is made of material from earlier shows.

Jan 3/10/17/24/31 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Connie Russell, Gary Crosby and Helen O’Connell.

Jan 15-17 The Bing Crosby Pro-Am Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach. Bing is televised presenting E. J. (Dutch) Harrison with the cup. The event raises $50,000 for charity. Mona Freeman attends with Bing.

Jan 24 First date with Kathryn Grant. They go to Chasen’s for dinner.

Jan 27 Bing records a General Electric shows with Ella Fitzgerald which airs on February 14.

Jan 29 Records ‘Young at Heart’ and ‘Oh Baby Mine’ in Hollywood using tracks previously recorded by Guy Lombardo in New York.

Feb 7/14/21/28 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Helen O’Connell, Ella Fitzgerald and the Four Aces.

Feb 12 Kathryn comes to Bing’s house at Holmby Hills and meets Bing’s son Lindsay.

Feb 17 Bing records two General Electric shows with the Four Aces which air on February 21 and 28.

Feb 23 Talk in press of Bing having to enter hospital for a ‘serious operation’.

Feb 28 Tapes two General Electric shows which air on March 7 and 14.

Mar 7/14/21/28 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Jana Mason, Peggy King and Frank Sinatra.

Mar - Apr Films The Country Girl with Grace Kelly and William Holden. Before filming begins, the main stars assemble in a church hall in Palm Springs for a weekend to rehearse.

Mar 14 Bing records two General Electric shows with Frank Sinatra which air on March 21 and 28.

Mar 21 Bing guests on the Jack Benny TV show on CBS with George Burns. The show has been filmed in advance.

Mar 21 Tapes two General Electric shows with Gary and Lindsay Crosby which air on April 4 and 11.

Films his second TV show which is transmitted on April 25.

Mar 28 Bing records two General Electric shows with first Rosemary Clooney and then Toni Arden which air on April 18 and 25 respectively.

Mar 31 Records four songs in Hollywood with John Scott Trotter.

Apr 4/11/18/25 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted.

Apr 4 Bing records two General Electric shows with first Rosemary Clooney and then with Gary and Lindsay Crosby which air on May 2 and 9.

Apr 7 Tapes two General Electric shows with first Toni Arden and then Rosemary Clooney which are broadcast on May 16 and 23.

Apr 9 Has to vacate his bungalow at the studios as his Paramount contract expires.

Apr 10 Records songs from White Christmas with Danny Kaye.

Apr 12 Bill Haley records ‘Rock Around The Clock.’

Apr 14 Bing records a General Electric Show with Gary and Lindsay Crosby which is transmitted on May 30.

Apr 21 Decca begins assembling a special five-disc ‘Musical Autobiography’ of Bing’s songs; Bing re-records many with Buddy Cole and comments on each song. The recordings are done at Legion Hall, Palm Springs.

Apr 22 Kathryn goes to Palm Springs to spend the weekend with Bing at his house with Bill Morrow and his girlfriend. They attend the Circus Ball together.

Apr 24 Further recordings for the Musical Autobiography set.

Apr 25 A filmed programme ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ is transmitted on CBS. The guests are Joanne Gilbert and the Wiere Brothers. It is Bing’s second TV special and he announces that it is probably his last.

Apr 28 Records ‘Oh, Tell Me Why’ as a multi-track recording in Hollywood.

May 2/9/16/23 Bing’s General Electric radio shows are transmitted. The guests include Rosemary Clooney, Gary and Lindsay Crosby plus Toni Arden.

May 2 Celebrates his birthday at Kathryn’s cottage.

May 3 Records further songs for the Musical Autobiography.

May 4 Records two more songs from White Christmas.

May 18 At Elko. Kathryn arrives on May 19 with her ‘Aunt’ Mary and ‘Uncle’ Guil.

May 24 Gary Crosby has a motor accident near San Jose and a Mexican labourer is killed. Gary is treated for a lacerated nose and an injured knee. Bing is sued for $65,000 as Gary is a minor.

May 30 The final General Electric radio show for the season is broadcast. The guests are Gary and Lindsay Crosby.

Jun 4 Back in Hollywood, Bing takes Kathryn to a luau with Phil Harris and Alice Faye.

Jun 5 Bing visits Kathryn at her cottage and she cooks dinner for him.

Jun 6 Although Bing’s radio show is advertised to take place, his son Gary’s radio programme replaces Bing’s for the summer before Gary begins his third year at Stanford.

Jun 16/19 Bing records final songs for Musical Autobiography set.

Jun 21 Recording in Hollywood with Les Brown.

Jun 25 Gary takes his Trust Fund of $220,000 on attaining the age of 21.

Bing has a check-up in hospital for his old kidney ailment.

Aug - Sep 21 Bing at his Hayden Lake home with his sons.

Decides not to return to his weekly radio series as he has lost confidence in his voice and his enthusiasm for show business has diminished.

Sep 19 Video recorder developed by Bing Crosby Enterprises Inc. receives orders.

Sep 22 Bing arrives at his Pebble Beach home for a two week stay.

Sep 23 Bing records two songs with Alfred Newman and his Orchestra.

Oct 14 White Christmas is released with previews of The Country Girl. White Christmas becomes the top film of 1954 in the USA at the box office.

Oct 16 Bing takes Kathryn Grant to a football game and comes close to proposing.

Oct 17 Appears on ‘Toast of the Town’ TV show on CBS hosted by Ed Sullivan with Irving Berlin and Liberace. This was a filmed contribution.

Oct 30 Kathryn Grant and Marilyn Banks visit Bing for the weekend at his Palm Springs home.

Oct 31 Proposes to Kathryn Grant at Palm Springs and then does not see her for two months.

Nov 4 Records ‘Peace Prayer of St. Francis’ and ‘Blessing of St. Francis’.

Nov 5 Gives deposition re $1 million damages claim against him for October, 1953 car accident.

Nov 8 Details of Dixie’s estate are released and show that her own assets and her share of the community property accumulated during her marriage to Bing total $1,332,571. After debts, taxes and expenses the net figure is $550,616. Obligations of the estate are said to be $507,000 presumably including $410,000 owed to Citizens National Trust and Savings Bank, being the balance due on the promissory note signed on April 14, 1952.

Nov 21 The Thanksgiving Hour, a radio programme broadcast over the Mutual Network, features a story called ‘Miss Clara’ and Bing takes part together with Ethel Barrymore, Pat O’Brien and Perry Como.

Nov 21 The weekly CBS radio show, The Hallmark Hall of Fame, broadcasts a memorial tribute to Lionel Barrymore and Bing is understood to have made a contribution.

Nov 22 (9:15 - 9:30 p.m.) ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ airs on CBS radio. This is a daily weekday 15 minute show (preceding the Amos ‘N Andy show) which continues until December 31, 1956. The audience rating is 3.1 for 1954-55. The format has Bing talking about every day matters interspersed with songs by him.

Nov 25 The sale of the Kelly-Snyder pool (containing 42 oil wells including property owned by Bing and Bob Hope) in Scurry County, West Texas by W A Moncrief for almost $21 million is announced. Bing and Bob are said to receive $3.6 million each from this.

Dec 3 Bing is interviewed by Edward R. Murrow on the ‘Person to Person’ show on CBS-TV. Bing is at home in Holmby Hills whilst Murrow is in the New York studio.

Dec 9 The trial of the $1,051,400 motor accident damage suit (in respect of Bing’s October, 1953 car accident) begins in Los Angeles with the selection of the jury. A settlement is, however, reached out of court for $100,000.

Dec 15 Benefit world premiere of The Country Girl at Criterion Theatre, New York.

Dec 21 Bing attends premiere of The Country Girl in Los Angeles. The show is for the benefit of the Olympic Fund.

Dec 23 Records songs from The Country Girl in Hollywood.

The American National Board of Review of Motion Pictures votes Bing the Actor of the Year.

Kathryn phones from New York; Bing suggests a wedding for February 7 in Carmel.

Bing makes his final appearance in the annual USA movie box office poll being placed at number eight. John Wayne has the top position.

1955

Jan 2 Dennis Crosby is arrested as a drunken passenger in a motor vehicle.

Jan 3 A Municipal Judge dismisses the charges against Dennis “because the boy has never been in trouble before.”

Jan 5 Dennis is inducted into Army and leaves for Fort Ord, California. His twin Philip is still at Washington State College and receives an educational deferment from the draft. Bing is at Pebble Beach.

Gary drops out of Stanford.

Jan 10 Bing has kidney stone attack whilst at Pebble Beach.

Jan 14-16 Bing Crosby Pro-Am Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach. Cary Middlecoff is the winner after the entire three days have been played in rain, lashed by a cold wind. Bing shows up briefly at the Clambake “full of penicillin and various miacins.”

Jan 17 Bing goes into St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.

Jan 18 Has surgery for a kidney stone. Kathryn visits him each day during his stay in hospital.

Feb 10 Leaves St. John’s Hospital. The proposed wedding date is put back until May.

Feb 14 Bing and Kathryn dine together at Bing’s Holmby Hills home.

Mar Goes to Palm Springs to convalesce.

Mar 8 Appears on the Red Skelton CBS-TV show and is presented with the Look Magazine Best Actor Award for 1954 for his role in The Country Girl.

Mar 11 Records two songs in Hollywood.

Mar 16 At ranch in Elko.

Mar 25 Back in Palm Springs again.

Mar 29 A radio appeal by Bing on behalf of former boxers is broadcast.

Mar 30 Escorts Kathryn to the Academy Awards dinner at the Pantages Theatre. Makes brief appearance on stage to joke with Hope and to present the Music Awards Oscar. The proceedings are shown on NBC-TV. Bing is nominated for the Oscar as Best Actor for The Country Girl but loses out to Marlon Brando. Bing’s song ‘Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep’ has been nominated as best song but the Oscar goes to ‘Three Coins in the Fountain’. Bing and Kathryn go on to the party at Romanoff’s.

Apr - Jun Films Anything Goes with Donald O’Connor, Zizi Jeanmaire, Mitzi Gaynor and Phil Harris.

Apr 9 Records ‘Ya Gotta Give The People Hoke’ for Anything Goes soundtrack.

Apr 13 Appears on radio show ‘American Cancer Society All Star Revue’ with Sinatra and others.

May 2 Celebrates his birthday at Palm Springs with his co-star from Anything Goes, Jeanmaire.

May 13 The second wedding date with Kathryn comes and goes without contact from Bing. On May 14, he telephones Kathryn and a further wedding date of September 10 is arranged.

May 23 Records ‘A Second-Hand Turban’ for Anything Goes soundtrack.

May 24 Bing makes a brief appearance (and does not sing) on the Bob Hope TV show. The programme shows clips from Road films.

May 27 Gary Crosby makes his stage debut when he opens with Louis Armstrong at the Chicago Theatre, Chicago.

Jun 1 Bing sings ‘Blow Gabriel Blow’ for Anything Goes soundtrack.

Jun 3 Kathryn refuses to go to dinner with Bing, having had no contact for two weeks.

Jun Bing films two shorts: Bing Presents Oreste and Hollywood Fathers.

Jun 10 Bing calls on Kathryn and they arrange to go to San Francisco for the US Open together.

Jun 16-19 In San Francisco at Olympic Country Club for US Open. Bing and Kathryn both stay at the Palace Hotel. Bing goes on to Church Falls to do a benefit for a hospital.

Bing Crosby Enterprises gives a live demonstration of a video recording of a colour television show.

Jun 30 James Dean killed in car crash.

July Bing’s new house at Hayden Lake, near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (just across the State line from Spokane) nears completion. It has been designed by Harold Grieve (who has worked on six houses for him previously).

Jul 1 Records two songs in Hollywood.

Jul 13 Dennis and Philip Crosby take their Trust Funds amounting to $200,000 each on attaining the age of 21.

Aug 11 Bing plays golf at Hayden Lake Country Club, Idaho.

Aug 12 Philip Crosby suffers three fractured vertebrae in car accident at Raymond, Washington State whilst in Army. Bing flies there from Spokane.

Visits Spokane where he is presented with a Hillyard Boosters jacket.

Sep 3 Bing meets Kathryn’s plane at Spokane and they go to Hayden Lake.

Sep 8 Kathryn flies home, cancelling the third wedding attempt due for September 10. Bing states that there were impediments.

Sep 27 Bing at Pebble Beach.

Oct 5 Bing is fishing near Rising River, Northern California before returning to Pebble Beach.

Oct 15 Kathryn goes to see Bing at Pebble Beach. Bing reportedly seeks forgiveness for affair with another woman (a regal blonde!). It has been alleged in various books that Bing was romantically involved with Grace Kelly.

Oct 31 Bing does pre-recording for High Tor television film.

Nov 5 Bing hosts an opening party for ‘Bing Crosby’s Blue Skies Trailer Village’ in Palm Springs. Bing is a stockholder with Jack Benny, George Burns, Phil Harris and many more stars.

Nov 7-18 Bing films High Tor with Julie Andrews and Nancy Olsen for television. High Tor is the first feature length film made for TV and Bing is reported to have been paid $375,000 for his work. The entire programme is said to have cost $450,000.

Nov 23 Recording with Buddy Cole for the daily radio show.

Nov 25 Bing entertains the Notre Dame football team in Hollywood, but his plans to show them the film ‘Guys and Dolls’ are changed because of adverse comments by Roman Catholics about the film. Paramount shows them The Court Jester starring Danny Kaye instead.

Dec 17 Sings ‘I Love You Truly’ at Bill Morrow’s wedding in Palm Springs.

Dec 24 Hosts a radio special ‘A Christmas Sing with Bing’ which is later released by Decca as an LP album. Kathryn is in Texas.

Dec 27 Bing records “John Barleycorn” and “When You’re In Love” from High Tor with Joseph J. Lilley & his Orchestra. He also adds linking commentary to the other prerecorded songs from the sound track of the television film in Los Angeles for an LP release.

Dec 31 Exclusive Decca recording contract expires - it had run since 1934.

Dec 31 Bing becomes co-owner of radio Station KFEQ, St. Joseph, Missouri with Kemper Brown.

Dec 31 At a New Year’s party at the home of David O. Selznick, Bing offers to marry Kathryn and they fix a new date of March 17.

1956

Forms Bing Crosby Phonocards to issue good quality cardboard records. Brother Everett is executive vice president.

Jan Elvis Presley’s recording of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ enters the charts.

Jan 4 The Minute Maid Corporation is the first new stock to be floated on the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 and Bing buys the first 100 shares for a total of $1,900 and then donates them to Gonzaga University for its library appeal. Bing is described in press publicity as President of the Bing Crosby - Minute Maid Corporation which acts as distributor of Minute Maid products on the west coast.

Jan 6 Bing donates a further $100,000 towards the Crosby Memorial Library at Gonzaga University.

Jan 6/17/18 Records songs for the High Society soundtrack.

Jan 13-15 Partnered by Ben Hogan, Bing competes for the last time in the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach. Again the weather is dreadful with driving rain and atrocious playing conditions. Cary Middlecoff wins for the second year in succession.

Jan 23 - Mar 6 Bing films High Society for MGM with Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. Bing is said to receive $200,000 and 25% of the profits for his services.

Feb 9 Drunken driving charge against Philip Crosby for accident on February 7 dismissed in Tacoma. His car struck a pedestrian but a blood test showed he was sober.

Feb 22 Bing and Grace Kelly record ‘True Love.’ The song becomes Bing’s 22^nd gold record.

Feb 23 Records ‘All Through the Night’ and ‘You’re the Top’ in Hollywood.

Mar 10 High Tor is televised on CBS and receives poor reviews.

Mar 10 Bing undergoes eye surgery to remove a small growth in the sclera (the firm white fibrous membrane that forms the outer covering of the eyeball).

Mar 17 Proposed wedding date comes and goes as Bing convalesces after eye surgery.

Mar 21 Paramount releases Anything Goes, Bing’s last film for them.

Apr 17/18 Bing makes LP album ‘Songs I Wish I Had Sung’ in Hollywood for Decca with Jack Pleis and his Orchestra.

Apr 26 Takes part in pro-am at ‘Tournament of Champions’ golf meeting at the Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas with Desi Arnaz and Phil Harris. Is linked romantically with Pat Sheehan during his visit. Also goes to see Elvis Presley perform whilst in Las Vegas.

May 14 Gary Crosby is inducted into the Army and goes to Fort Ord for basic training before going to Germany later in the year.

May 14-16 Bing at Pebble Beach.

Jun 11/12 Records ‘Bing Sings While Bregman Swings’ LP album with Buddy Bregman in Hollywood for Verve Records.

Jul 9 It is announced that Bing will receive an Apollo award from the Music Recording Industry. Presentations are to be made during the Diamond Jubilee Trade show at the Coliseum in New York between September 7-16.

Jul Bing and Lindsay go to Elko for a few weeks.

Jul 15 Bing promotes High Society on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’. This was a ten minute filmed contribution.

Jul 17 A syndicate (including Bing) pays $5.5 million for the Detroit Tigers baseball team and Briggs Stadium. Bing has only about a fifteenth share but because of his interest in the Pittsburgh Pirates he is told that he must sell one interest or the other before the start of the 1957 season. He keeps his Pirates stock.

Aug 9 High Society has New York premiere at Radio City Music Hall.

Bing and friends charter a cruiser for salmon fishing off the coasts of Canada and Alaska. Bing then returns to his Hayden Lake home.

Aug 31 An agreement is signed which transfers the electronics division of Bing Crosby Enterprises to the 3M Company.

Sep 9 Elvis Presley appears on the Ed Sullivan TV show and causes a furore.

Sep 10 Another proposed wedding date. Bing learns that Gary has gone AWOL from the Army. Bing tracks him down by phone and persuades him to return to duty.

Sep 12 Bing breaks ground for new library at Gonzaga. His doubts about the marriage plus too many reporters in Spokane lead Bing and Kathryn to go to Rising River in Northern California where they stay at the fishing club.

Sep 16 Bing, Phil Harris and Alice Faye do a benefit for Mayers’ Memorial Hospital in the Intermountain Fairgrounds at McArthur, Northern California. Bing and Kathryn go on to Pebble Beach where Bing films a part in a TV tribute to Cole Porter. Kathryn then returns to Hollywood.

Oct 3 (9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) Records for Decca in Hollywood with Buddy Cole including ‘Around the World.’

Oct 6 ‘You’re the Top,’ the televised tribute to Cole Porter is transmitted by CBS-TV and includes Bing’s filmed contribution.

Nov 6 Takes part in special Election Day telecast encouraging people to vote in the Presidential elections. President Eisenhower is re-elected.

Nov 11 (8:00 - 9:00 p.m.) Appears live on the Ed Sullivan TV show in New York and sings ‘True Love’. Other guest stars are Kate Smith, Phil Silvers, Louis Armstrong and Julie Andrews. Is romantically linked with Mary Ellen Terry during his visit to New York.

Nov 11 Victor Young dies.

Nov 12 Films short appearance for Phil Silvers Bilko TV Show which airs 22 January, 1957.

Whilst in New York, sees Judy Garland at the RKO Palace and is brought up from the audience to sing on stage with her.

Nov 26 Tommy Dorsey dies.

Nov/Dec Bing and Phil Harris tour the Antilles, Cuba, and the south of the USA from New Orleans to Aiken, South Carolina.

Dec 24 The second ‘Christmas Sing With Bing’ is aired on radio. Rosemary Clooney joins Bing. Maurice Chevalier and Sarah Churchill contribute from Paris and London respectively.

Dec 31 Final transmission of Bing’s daily radio show on CBS.

1957

Jan-Feb Films Man on Fire for MGM with Inger Stevens and E. G. Marshall. Is later alleged to have had a ‘stormy affair’ with his co-star Inger Stevens.

Jan 11-13 Does not attend the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach. The professional winner is Jay Herbert. Bing is working on Man on Fire and is rumoured not to be feeling well because of kidney stone attacks.

Jan 13 Kathryn refuses to go to dinner with him.

Jan 22 Filmed guest spot in ‘Sgt. Bilko presents Bing Crosby’ episode of the popular Phil Silvers TV programme is shown. Bing recites ‘The Wreck of the Hesperus’.

Bing joins other investors to buy station KCOP-TV in Los Angeles for $4 million and becomes chairman of the board. Also he is involved in the purchase of stations KFOX AM and FM Radio in Long Beach.

Tapes Calling All Hearts radio programme with Bob Hope. The programme is broadcast on radio stations during February to raise money for the Heart Fund. Bing and Bob’s dialogue is used to link some of their records.

Sells his Palm Springs property on El Alameda through realtor Mary Rose Pool (his sister) and then builds a new home in Palm Desert, 18 miles from Palm Springs. Altogether four houses are built on Bing’s land and the others are taken by Bill Morrow, Jimmy Van Heusen and Pete Petito.

Feb 9 Bing in Palm Springs playing golf.

Interviewed by Pete Martin at his home in Palm Springs for the Saturday Evening Post. Published as ‘I Call On Bing Crosby’ on May 11.

Feb 19/20 Makes ‘Bing With a Beat’ LP with Bob Scobey for RCA Victor in Hollywood. The sessions start at 11:00 a.m. each day and continue for four hours.

Mar Records four children’s stories for Golden Records, Simon and Schuster’s recording subsidiary.

Bing goes to Florida.

Mar 18 Bing practises at Seminole Golf Club, Juno Beach before going to Connie Mack Field to see the Pittsburgh Pirates lose 4-3 to Kansas City during the afternoon.

Mar 19 Starting at 11.52 a.m., Bing plays with Ben Hogan in the first day of the Latham Reed Amateur-Pro tournament at Seminole Golf Club. A crowd of 3000 (including the Duke of Windsor) follows Bing around the course. Bing’s handicap is shown as six.

Mar 20 The second day of the Latham Reed golf tournament. Bing and Hogan achieve a best ball score of 131 but are not placed.

Mar 27 The Academy Awards ceremony takes place at the Pantages in Los Angeles. Bing’s song ‘True Love’ has been nominated as Best Song but loses out to ‘Que Sera, Sera’. A filmed sequence of Bing singing ‘True Love’ is shown.

Apr 4-7 Bing attends the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta, Georgia. Goes on to play golf in a tournament at Aiken, South Carolina.

Apr 18-21 Bing plays in the pro-am at the Tournament of Champions at the Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas on April 18 and then acts as a commentator for the TV coverage of the professional competition, which is won by Gene Littler for the third consecutive year. Whilst in Las Vegas, Bing visits the Tropicana with his son Dennis to see Eddie Fisher perform.

May Bing Crosby Phonocards links up with Simon and Schuster and gains rights to use the latter’s record libraries.

Jun 12 Jimmy Dorsey dies.

Jun 16 Scenes featuring Bing from Man on Fire are previewed on the Ed Sullivan Show. Inger Stevens appears live to promote the film.

Jun 23 Bing writes to the U.S. Senate stating that much radio music is “so much trash” and blames pressure by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), the rival of ASCAP.

Jul 24 Obtains Kathryn’s unlisted number by pretending he needs her deposition in a law suit. Bing and Kathryn speak on the phone and then she departs for Spain to film The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad.

Aug 1 Bing is given the keys of Seattle. He stays at the Washington Hotel.

Aug 2 Dines out with Phil Harris at a restaurant in Seattle.

Aug 3 Takes part in the grand parade at the Seafarers Carnival in Seattle. Later leaves Vancouver on yacht for fishing trip with George Rosenberg, Phil Harris and Buster Collier.

Aug 22 Man on Fire has New York premiere. Bing and Phil Harris are back in Seattle where they see the Patterson Vs Rademacher fight.

Buys more land near Elko and now owns 5,000 acres.

Sep 2 The daily Ford Road Shows commence on radio. They are of five minutes duration and Bing sings one or two songs in each. The shows continue until August 31, 1958.

Sep 19 Disposes of his interest in radio Station KFEQ, St. Joseph, Missouri.

Sep 22 Bing flies in to San Francisco International Airport and then plays golf at Meadow Club Golf Course, Fairfax, Marin County, California in a benefit for the American Field Service Exchange Programme.

Oct 2 Kathryn Grant, who returned from Spain on September 22, receives a letter from Bing and replies saying that she will not see him.

Oct 8 Kathryn receives another letter from Bing seeking a meeting. She does not reply.

Oct 13 (5:00 - 6:00 p.m.) Bing hosts ‘The Edsel Show’, a live TV programme on CBS with Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Rosemary Clooney. Bing arranges for the programme to be ‘produced’ by Gonzaga University so that the profits can go to them in a tax efficient way. The programme wins the Look magazine TV Award for ‘Best Musical Show’.

Oct 18 Films Frank Sinatra Christmas television show which is directed by Sinatra and is transmitted on ABC on December 20.

Oct 22 After writing to Kathryn several times without reply, Bing writes again, offering to “marry you—any time, any place you wish.”

Oct 23 Following negotiations by telephone through Kathryn’s aunt, Mary Banks, it is agreed that Bing and Kathryn will meet in Las Vegas. Bing and Leo Lynn book into The Sands whilst Kathryn and her aunt go to the Desert Inn.

Oct 24 Bing and Kathryn meet in the car park at The Sands and then they wed in Las Vegas at St. Anne’s Church. After a wedding breakfast at The Sands, they fly to Palm Springs before driving to Bing’s new home at Palm Desert.

Oct 27 Kathryn returns to Los Angeles to see Margot Fonteyn in ‘Swan Lake’ and she then goes alone to Bing’s home at 594 South Mapleton Drive, Holmby Hills; Bing stays in Palm Springs as he has a golf game.

Oct 31 / Nov 1 Bing and Kathryn are fishing in Northern California.

Nov 2 Bing and Kathryn at Hayden Lake, Idaho home where they go duck hunting.

Nov 3 They go to Spokane for the dedication of the $700,000 Bing Crosby Memorial Library at Gonzaga.

Nov 7 Bing and Kathryn have a wedding reception in Kathryn’s home town of West Columbia, Texas. There are said to be 800 people in attendance.

Nov 8 Bing and Kathryn’s father go duck-hunting.

Dec Bing and Kathryn attend Hollywood premiere of The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Dec 20 Guests on Sinatra’s Christmas television show (filmed in October).

Bing and Kathryn hold a big party at the Holmby Hills house.

Dec 24 ‘A Christmas Sing with Bing’ airs on radio. Gary Crosby contributes a brief message.

Dec 27 (9:00 a.m. to 12 noon) Records ‘Gigi’ and another track for Decca in Hollywood.

1958

Jan 9-12 The 18^th. Crosby Pro-Am. The tournament is televised for the first time on CBS and expands to 72 holes. The purse is increased from $15,000 to $50,000. Billy Casper is the professional winner. On the final day, Bing fronts a live show from 5:30 p.m. on TV and introduces the song ‘Straight Down the Middle’. Phil Harris, Buddy Lester and the Buddy Cole orchestra also take part. A retired Army Lieutenant attempts to rob the tournament office at gunpoint on the Sunday night.

Feb 4 Bing installed as the Mayor of Palm Desert at the Shadow Mountain Club.

Feb 5 Kathryn announces that she is pregnant.

Bing becomes god-father to Gabriel Vicente Ferrer, the son of Rosemary Clooney and Jose Ferrer.

Feb 24 Records two tracks with Bob Hope, including ‘Nothing in Common’.

Mar 2 Makes a surprise guest appearance on the Bob Hope TV show on NBC-TV and sings ‘Nothing in Common’ with Hope. Other guests are Anita Ekberg, Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner.

Bing and Bob Hope tape a radio programme Bing, Hope and Charity to raise money for the 1958 Bishop’s Relief Fund Appeal which is due to take place between March 9^th and 16^th. Bing and Bob’s dialogue is used to link records.

Mar Gary is discharged from the Army.

Bing is present when Lindsay signs his first record contract for RCA-Victor.

Bing and Kathryn go to Las Vegas to see brother Bob’s daughter, Kathy, make an appearance at the Tropicana night club.

Bing and Kathryn go on to Elko for a few days.

Mar 25 Bing is at Reno where he watches the Robinson - Basilio fight on a giant TV screen.

Mar 27 Bing and Kathryn spend a few days in San Francisco and visit Ken’s in Chinatown as well as seeing the Mary Kay Trio perform.

Bing and Kathryn in Pebble Beach for a few days.

Apr 3 Records songs with Buddy Cole (for radio use) at Palm Springs.

Apr 13 Gives show with Rosemary Clooney and Phil Harris at the Chi Chi Starlite Room in Palm Springs to raise funds for Sacred Heart Church in Palm Desert.

April At Elko. The FBI files indicate that Bing invited Moe Dalitz, a dentist, and a few business associates to a deer hunt at the ranch. Dalitz is said to be a Jewish member of the Mafia.

Apr 21 Salinas, California - Melvin Blair (42), a retired Army Lieutenant is sentenced to between five and twenty years in prison for trying to rob the Bing Crosby Golf Tournament of more than $40,000 the previous January.

May 4 Dennis Crosby marries Pat Sheehan, a Las Vegas showgirl who had been linked with Bing in 1956.

May 5 Dennis is involved in a paternity suit which is not settled until 1961.

Jun 1-8 Bing fishing off British Columbia on Yacht Campana with Phil Harris, Jimmy Van Heusen, Bill Morrow and Buster Collier.

Jun Signs a five-year contract with ABC to star in ten TV shows and to produce another ten for $2 million.

Jun 14 A criminal (who had been arrested for robbery) admits that he and an accomplice had planned to kidnap Kathryn Crosby for a $100,000 ransom three months previously but changed their minds when Kathryn announced that she was pregnant.

Jun 24 Bing at Ernie’s in San Francisco.

Bing and Kathryn buy a rare Regency cradle rocker in an antique shop on Sutter Street in San Francisco.

Jul 28 / Aug 7/11 Records ‘Fancy Meeting You Here’ LP with Rosemary Clooney and the Billy May Orchestra at Radio Recorders, Hollywood. The album is released by RCA Victor Records.

Aug 8 Drives Kathryn to Queen of Angels Hospital, where she gives birth to Harry L Crosby III at 11:32 a.m., two months early.

Aug 31 The final Ford Road Show is transmitted.

Sep 11 Lindsay Crosby is arrested after failing to pass a sobriety test after his car hits a parked vehicle.

Sep 25 Philip Crosby marries Sandra Drummond in the same church in Las Vegas where Bing and Kathryn were married in 1957.

Sep 30 Bing has a walk-on appearance on the Eddie Fisher TV show as he and Dean Martin gatecrash the Jerry Lewis guest spot.

Oct 1 (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.) Hosts ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ live on ABC TV. The guests are Dean Martin and Patti Page and the show receives a Trendex rating of 26.2

Oct 6 The Crosby brothers appear on the Sgt. Bilko TV show.

Oct 16 Lindsay is fined $263 for the drunken driving case on September 11.

Bing films a guest spot in Bob Hope’s film Alias Jesse James.

Nov Kathryn hits a stationary vehicle whilst driving her Thunderbird after her heel got caught.

Nov 18 It is announced that Bing has sold his Elko, Nevada ranch for more than $1 million.

Nov 22 (6:00 - 7:00 p.m.) Appears on ‘The Dean Martin Show’ on NBC-TV singing ‘Gigi’ amongst other songs. Phil Harris and The Treniers are the other guests.

Nov 25 It is disclosed that Bing has agreed to buy the 1350 acre Rising River Ranch, in north eastern Shasta County, Northern California. One of his favourite trout fishing streams flows through it.

Dec 22 Bing’s son Dennis and his wife Pat have a son, Dennis Michael.

Dec 24 Another ‘Christmas Sing With Bing’ airs on radio. The show has been sponsored by the Insurance Company of North America. Kathryn Crosby takes part for the first time.

Dec 31 Bing and Kathryn attend the Tex Feldman party at Romanoff’s.

1959

Jan - Feb Films Say One for Me, for 20^th Century-Fox. Debbie Reynolds, Ray Walston and Robert Wagner are also featured.

Jan 15 Bing dines in the kitchen at Gallatin’s in Monterey to get away from the crowd.

Jan 15-18 At the Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. Art Wall is the professional winner. The tournament raises $105,000 for charity. ABC takes over from CBS to provide the television coverage. Kathryn learns she is pregnant again.

Feb 4 Hits fourth hole-in-one (and his first in a tournament) at the Phoenix Open Pro-Am at Arizona Country Club.

Mar 1 Bing is featured in a transcribed 15 minute radio programme Stars for Defense and sings three songs accompanied by Buddy Cole as well as providing linking dialogue. The programme includes a talk by an official of the Federal Civil Defense Administration about what to do in the case of nuclear attack.

Mar 2 (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.) Hosts ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ live on ABC-TV with guest Jo Stafford who duets with Bing on many of the songs from the ‘Fancy Meeting You Here’ album. The show on ABC rates 28.4 against NBC at 18.3 and CBS at 14.8.

Mar 6 Records songs for soundtrack album of Say One for Me for Columbia Records but most remain unissued.

Mar 19 Makes brief guest appearance on Dean Martin TV show transmitted on NBC today.

Mar 20 Alias Jesse James is released.

Mar 25 Again records songs from Say One For Me.

Mar 30 Writes letter to Joe Hyams of the Associated Press saying he failed his boys “by giving them too much work and discipline, too much money, and too little time and attention.” Bing’s comments receive prominent press coverage.

Apr 9 Attends Church of Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills to see Gary Cooper admitted into Roman Catholic Church.

Bing in Baja California del Sur, Mexico with Bill Morrow.

May Forms Project Records. Simon Rady is President with Bing acting as chairman.

May 6 Philip Crosby’s wife has a baby girl, who is named Dixie Lee.

May 7-16 Bing and Kathryn in Las Cruces, Baja, Mexico. Bing goes back to Palm Desert whilst Kathryn returns to Los Angeles.

May 30 Say One for Me is released.

Jun 4 British singer Michael Holliday visits Bing at Santa Barbara Golf Course.

Jun 4 Bing buys Portland TV station KPTV in conjunction with the Nafi Corporation.

Jun 5 Bing is at his Holmby Hills home where he is visited by a British fan.

Jun 9 Bing’s sons form an act and open as ‘The Crosby Boys’ at the Sky Room in Tucson, Arizona.

Jun 12 Bing in ‘Swallows’ golf tournament at Cypress Point.

Jun 20 Does benefit for youth recreation facilities at El Centro in Southern California.

Jun 30 A Judge confirms that Lindsay should be allowed to receive $227,662 from the Trust Fund set up by his parents following an examination of the final accounting for his guardianship which ended when he became 21 in January.

Jul 4 Bing at Rising River ranch. Leads the fourth of July parade in Burney.

Rides as the Grand Marshal at the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada.

Jul 20/21/23/24 Makes ‘How The West Was Won’ album at United Recorders, Hollywood for his own company, Project Records. It is released by RCA Victor Records.

Jul 30 In Seattle to act as Grand Marshall in the Seafarers Parade with Phil Harris on August 1.

Aug 16 On fishing trip from Vancouver on Yacht Campana with Bill Morrow, Phil Harris and Buster Collier as part of vacation in Seattle and Alaska.

Aug 24 Bing returns home to Holmby Hills.

Sep 12 Bing and Kathryn dine at Romanoff’s.

Sep 14 Kathryn gives birth to Mary Frances, Bing’s first and only daughter, at Queen of Angels hospital. The baby weighs 6 lb. 15 oz.

Sep 15 Bing attends Dodgers Vs Braves baseball game.

Sep 20 Takes Mary Frances home.

Sep 20 Soviet First Secretary Nikita Krushchev lunches in Hollywood. Bing refuses an invitation to attend.

Sep 24 An article in the New York Times describes how Everett Crosby grows vines on the slopes of High Tor in Rockland County, Connecticut. Everett lives in the house formerly occupied by Elmer Van Orden who was immortalised in Maxwell Anderson’s play High Tor which was televised in 1956 with Bing in the starring role.

Sep 29 (5:00 - 6:00 p.m.) Bing hosts ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ with guests Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Peggy Lee on ABC-TV. The Trendex rating is 20.1 against 19 for the show in competition on CBS.

Oct 16 Mary Frances is christened at St. Paul the Apostle church in Westwood.

Oct 16 The Crosby Boys play at the Moulin Rouge in Hollywood and Bing and his sons reconcile after a frosty period.

Oct 19 (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.) Bing guests on the Frank Sinatra Timex Show with Dean Martin and Mitzi Gaynor on ABC-TV.

Oct 26 At Rising River ranch. Then goes with Phil Harris to Weiser, Idaho to shoot.

Nov 2-8 In Canada shooting with Phil Harris.

Nov 7 Bob Crosby is stabbed in the shoulder with a letter opener by his wife following a row. June Crosby says that Bob hit her and broke one of her ribs and that he has struck her with his fists many times before. Bob goes to Bing’s house.

Nov 8 Bing and Phil Harris fly into Spokane for a two hour visit en route from Calgary in Alberta, Canada to Ontario, Oregon.

Nov 11 Bing and Phil Harris return to the Rising River ranch to rejoin Kathryn and Alice Faye.

Nov 16 Bing still at Rising River ranch.

Dec 3 The Crosby Boys fight among themselves at the El Morocco Night Club in Montreal and Gary leaves the act. They walk out on the $12,500 contract with the night club but their manager Peter Petito says that the break “is only temporary.”

Bing sells his Pebble Beach home.

Dec 16/17 Records singalong album at United Recorders, Hollywood, which is released by Warner Brothers Records.

Dec 24 ‘A Christmas Sing with Bing’ airs on radio. The programme picks up Christmas music from around the world.

Bob Crosby and his wife reconcile.

Dec 26 Bing attends the Cocoanut Grove for Ken Murray’s opening.

Dec 31 Inger Stevens (Bing’s co-star from ‘Man on Fire’ with whom he was said to be romantically linked at the time) attempts suicide through an overdose. She survives.

1960 - 1974 THE ELDER STATESMAN

At the outset of the sixties, Bing appeared to lose weight, and he did not look at all well. In fact, he was probably in constant pain with kidney stone problems. Major surgery
was necessary in 1962 and in 1963, and even then the problems continued. As always, though, Bing maintained his usual public face and as the years passed his reputation as an elder
statesman of show business grew. His distinctive speaking voice was often in demand as was his ability as a raconteur. The occasional TV specials continued and drew good audiences. The frequency of Bing’s film work declined, although he enjoyed considerable commercial success with his last ‘Road’ film and some critical acclaim as the drunken doctor in the remake
of ‘Stagecoach’. Recordings became less frequent as well although he did manage to make records each year.

Bing gradually reduced his work schedule to about 90 days a year, which gave him plenty of time for his various sporting activities and for his family. He had always felt that he had not given enough time to the children of his first marriage, and he tried to make sure that he did not repeat that mistake with the three children of his second marriage. Whilst his public persona was perpetuated, in his private life it appeared that he had tired of being Bing Crosby and was quietly slipping back into being ordinary Harry Crosby. As a result, it was as hard to track his movements during this period as it was in his early years in Spokane. He travelled constantly and spent much time at his new home in Las Cruces in Baja California.

After several years of indifferent health, Bing amazed almost everyone in 1964 when he agreed to appear in a weekly situation comedy series on television. The series was not a success, but Bing then picked up a steady job as one of the regular compéres of the ‘Hollywood Palace’ which gave him very useful exposure. His televised Christmas shows frequently attracted record audiences, but it seemed that Bing was content to gradually fade into retirement. Then in 1974, he became very seriously ill and after a major operation, part of one lung was removed. There were doubts about him ever singing again, and it was probably with some trepidation that he returned to the recording studios to work with British producer Ken Barnes …

Equivalents of $100 in 1990 terms –

1960: $425
1970: $330

Go to 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974

1960

Jan The winners of the first annual election to the ‘Show Business Hall of Fame’ are Bing and Bob Hope.

Jan 10 Bing welcomes Perry Como as he arrives at Los Angeles Airport and drives him to his hotel.

Jan 11/12 Tapes ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ with Perry Como. The show is transmitted by ABC-TV on February 29 and the Trendex ratings go to an incredible 33.

Jan 21-24 The 19^th National Pro-Am Championship at Pebble Beach. The winner is Ken Venturi. Bing and his three younger sons from his first family entertain at the Clambake after the tournament.

Jan 22 Is named as chairman of the board of the First National Bank of Holbrook, Arizona.

Jan 28 Records four songs for RCA Victor Records in Los Angeles.

Feb - Jun Films High Time for Bing Crosby Productions with Fabian, Tuesday Weld and Nicole Maurey. Initial location filming takes place at The College of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Completion of the film is delayed due to an actors’ strike.

Feb 6 Lindsay Crosby marries Barbara Frederickson at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westwood and the reception is held at Bing’s Holmby Hills house.

Feb 7 Bing’s mother’s 90^th birthday party. Brother Ted, who has apparently been the ‘black sheep’ of the family, attends.

Feb 20-22 At Squaw Valley with Buster and Stevie Collier for the Winter Olympics. Gives interview for Radio Moscow about athletics.

Feb 27 Bing at home at Holmby Hills with most of his sons and their wives. Then he and Kathryn go to Palm Springs for two days.

Feb 29 Bing’s and Rosemary Clooney’s 20-minute daily radio show premieres on CBS at 11:40 a.m. It continues until November 2, 1962.

Nicole Maurey comes to the Holmby Hills house for dinner with Bing and Kathryn.

Mar 7 The Screen Actors Guild strike starts. Ronald Reagan is the President of the Guild.

Mar 8 Bing receives the Cecil B. DeMille Golden Globe award from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for ‘outstanding contributions to the entertainment field throughout the world’.

Mar 16 Bing in New York and appears live on Perry Como’s ‘Kraft Music Hall’ show on NBC-TV.

Shoots college scenes for High Time at Wake Forest College, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Kathryn and Harry go with Bing to Florida, where they stay at Perry Como’s house in Jupiter.

Mar 20 Bing golfs at the Seminole Club at Juno Beach with George Coleman.

Mar 21 Bing and Ben Hogan golf at Tequesta.

Mar 22 Teeing off at 12.21 p.m., Bing and Gardner Dickinson with a best ball score of 63 are joint winners with two other teams of the Latham Reed Amateur-Pro Tournament at the Seminole Golf Club. Because the competing professionals had been delayed at St. Petersburg, the tournament is restricted to one day instead of the usual two. Afterwards, Bing sings for his golfing friends at the Celebrity Room.

Mar 24 Bing makes a guest appearance on the CBS-TV programme honouring Paul Whiteman’s 50^th anniversary in show business and also his 70^th birthday. Bing’s spot was probably recorded during his visit to New York to appear on the Perry Como show.

Mar 28-30 In Jamaica with Kathryn and Harry, staying at Round Hill near Montego Bay. They meet William Paley and Lillian Hellman.

Apr 7-10 Takes Kathryn to the Master’s Golf Tournament at Augusta, Georgia. Arnold Palmer wins.

Bing is in Aiken, South Carolina and goes into St. Mary’s Church to ask if he can sing with the choir. He is not recognised and the nun in charge refuses permission.

Learns he has bursitis in both shoulders (inflammation of the small fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between joints).

The three Crosby Brothers (excluding Gary) make an LP for Project Records.

Apr 15 ‘Patterns of Life’ a radio programme narrated by Yul Brynner, which seeks to raise funds for refugees is broadcast and Bing makes a spoken contribution.

Apr 19 Bing back at studios making High Time.

Apr 19 The three Crosby Brothers open at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas. Phil Harris is on the bill.

Jun 9 The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce presents Bing with a platinum record of ‘White Christmas’ which bears a plaque indicating that he has sold more than 200 million records.

Jun 15 Bing completes High Time at the Twentieth Century-Fox studio and whilst there, also films a cameo in an hour for Let’s Make Love. He then drives across town to Columbia Studios to film a scene with Cantinflas in Pepe, thus finishing three films on one day.

Jun 16 Bing goes to Mexico alone.

Jun 22/23 Records ‘El Senor Bing’ album with Billy May and his Orchestra at United Recorders, Hollywood for release by MGM Records.

Jun 28/29 Records ‘Bing and Louis’ album with Louis Armstrong and Billy May and his Orchestra at United Recorders, Hollywood for release by MGM Records.

At Rising River ranch and then fishing in the country around Seattle.

Jul 3 Philip Crosby and his wife Sandra have a son who is named Brian Patrick.

Bing and Kathryn go to Calgary in Canada and ride in the parade. They go on to Banff Springs with Phil and Alice Harris before returning to Calgary.

Jul Gary Crosby opens as a single act at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.

Aug Bing flies to Las Vegas to see Gary’s act and he is called on-stage to duet ‘Play a Simple Melody’.

Aug Bing tapes a TV show with Rosemary Clooney and Johnny Mercer which is transmitted by ABC on October 5.

Aug 25 Records ‘The Second Time Around’ and ‘Incurably Romantic’ at United Recorders, Hollywood.

Aug 31 Goes with Kathryn to London. They stay at Claridges where Bing practices golf in a corridor. Finds he needs reading glasses. During his stay in London, Bing tapes dialogue linking some of his records for use in a 45 minute BBC radio programme which is broadcast on the Light Programme on December 26, 1960. ICC member Stan White meets Bing at Claridges in the late morning on September 1.

Sep 2 Goes to the Olympic Games in Rome; discovers the song ‘Domenica’ and writes English lyrics. Is interviewed for radio by Harry Thurillier.

Sep 3 A son, David, is born to Lindsay and his wife Barbara Frederickson in Queen of Angels Hospital.

Sep 6 Gary Crosby marries Barbara Stuart.

Sep 9 Bing has an audience with Pope John XXIII at the Vatican.

Sep 12 Visits Sienna; then Florence, and Venice September 16.

Sep 16 High Time is released by Twentieth Century-Fox.

Sep 20 Bing and Kathryn reach Treviso in Italy where Bing plays golf. They then go to Vienna in Austria for a week.

Sep 25 Pittsburgh Pirates win the Pennant in the National League and qualify for the World Series.

Sep 28 Bing wins the Invitational Golf Tournament at Mittersill, Austria.

Oct 5-13 Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series for the first time since 1927. Bing has to listen to the games on the radio whilst in Europe.

Oct 8 Bing and Kathryn stay a night in Salzburg.

Oct 9 They arrive at the Hilton Hotel, Berlin.

Oct 12 Bing and Kathryn go on to Paris staying at the Trianon Palace Hotel.

Oct 14 They arrive at the Savoy Hotel in London. Later, Bing is interviewed by Derek Hart for the BBC-TV programme ‘Tonight’ at Sunningdale Golf Course, Berkshire. The interview is transmitted on October 19.

Oct 15 Records four songs at Decca’s West Hampstead, London studios for the ‘Holiday In Europe’ album but they are not used. Michael Holliday watches. Bing is interviewed by Wilfrid Thomas before going on to play golf with impresario Val Parnell at Coombe Hill.

Oct 17 Bing goes to Hurst Park races.

Oct 20 At the Savoy Hotel, Bing is presented with an engraved silver cigarette case in gratitude for his large donation to a West Indian association which is forming a rehabilitation centre in London.

Oct 21 Bing flies back to USA. He goes on to Palm Springs and then the Rising River ranch.

Oct 24 Kathryn commences duties as a probationer student nurse at Queen of Angels Hospital, Los Angeles.

Nov 5 Mack Sennett dies.

Nov 9 John F Kennedy is elected President of the USA.

Nov 16 Death of Clark Gable.

Dec 13 Records ‘A Christmas Sing with Bing’ for radio.

Dec 19 Bing meets Gary (at Chasen’s Restaurant) for the first time since Gary’s marriage.

Dec 20/23/27/28 Records singalong tracks at United Recorders, Hollywood for release by Warner Brothers Records.

Dec 24 ‘A Christmas Sing with Bing’ radio programme is transmitted. The international format is dropped this time and Bing is joined by Rosemary Clooney, José Ferrer and Kathryn Crosby.

Dec 31 Dennis Crosby and wife become parents of second child, James Anthony.

1961

Jan Bing and Kathryn at Palm Desert.

Jan 4 Following a jury trial, Dennis Crosby is ordered to pay $100 per week for support of three-year-old daughter born out of wedlock to Mrs. Marilyn Miller Scott. He also has to pay legal fees of $7,500 for Mrs. Scott. The child grows up to be an actress named Denise Crosby who appears in Star Trek - The Next Generation.

Jan 19-22 At the Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, which is won by Bob Rosburg.

Jan 25 Takes part in the Lucky International Golf Tournament at Harding Park, San Francisco in pouring rain, partnered by Doug Sanders.

Feb 3 Bing and Kathryn return to their Palm Desert home.

Feb 4 Bing plays in the Palm Springs Golf Classic.

Feb 8 Flies into Reno with family en route to vacation at Squaw Valley.

Feb Records ABC-TV show with Maurice Chevalier which is shown on March 20.

Mar 5 Delbert E. Grandstaff (Kathryn’s father) is one of 71 people who pay their $50 filing fee in Texas in order to run for the U.S. Senate.

Bing Crosby Enterprises gets its ‘Ben Casey’ series accepted for the 1961-62 TV season.

Bing goes to Palm Beach, Florida whilst Kathryn helps her father campaign for the Senate in Texas.

Mar 26 Starting at 1.30 p.m., Bing plays in a benefit golf match in front of 1000 fans with Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and Jimmy Demaret at the Seminole Club at Juno Beach. The match is to raise funds to help golfing star Ed (Porky) Oliver defray expenses in his battle with cancer.

Mar 27/28 Bing and Ben Hogan compete in the Latham Reed Amateur-Pro Tournament at the Seminole Golf Club. Their best ball score of 138 leaves them unplaced. Bing’s handicap is now five.

Bing goes to Nassau in the Bahamas for a golf tournament for charity. He travels on to Fort Myers in Florida, the spring training ground for the Pittsburgh Pirates before returning to Palm Beach.

Mar 17 Legal dispute involving contractual small print regarding Carol Lawrence’s appearance on Bing Crosby TV Show due to be transmitted by ABC on March 20 is resolved. It is mentioned that the show cost $450,000.

Mar 31 Bing golfs at the Palm Beach Country Club with President Kennedy, his father Joseph Kennedy, and Chris Dunphy (Chairman of the Greens Committee at the Seminole Golf Club).

Apr 4 Delbert Grandstaff is unsuccessful in his bid to become a Senator.

Apr 12 The Russians put a man into Space.

Apr 17 Bing attends Academy Awards presentation at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and sees his song ‘The Second Time Around’ lose out to ‘Never On Sunday’ for the Oscar for best film song of 1960.

Apr Goes to Baja Sur, on Mexico’s California peninsula, and buys a house in La Paz for an orphanage which is called Colina de la Cruz.

May 5 Alan Shepard becomes the first American in Space.

May 8/9 Records ‘Holiday in Europe’ album at Radio Recorders, Hollywood using orchestral tracks recorded in London. The LP is released by Decca Records.

Records interview with Tony Thomas which is broadcast on May 14.

May 10 onwards. Bing goes back to La Paz, Mexico with Kathryn and cruises down the coast on his forty-five foot cruiser ‘The Kingfisher’. Kathryn returns to Los Angeles (and discovers she is pregnant again) whilst Bing stays on.

May 13 Gary Cooper dies.

Jun 2 Bing returns to Los Angeles and tells Kathryn that he has decided to build a home (eventually known as Casa Crosby) at Las Cruces on Baja Sur. He then goes down with the ‘flu’ and has to retire to bed.

Gary Crosby’s wife takes an overdose, and when she recovers from this, she threatens suicide again and has to be taken off to hospital in a strait jacket.

Jul Bing pays for treatment for son Gary’s alcoholism, and Gary stops drinking.

At Rising River ranch in North California.

Sees the three younger Crosby brothers perform at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas.

Jul 17 Leaves for filming in England; sends for Kathryn and Harry and they join him on August 3. They live at Cranbourne Court in Winkfield, Berkshire with Bob and Dolores Hope, plus their children.

Jul 31 Records guest spot on a Peggy Lee TV spectacular with Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen which is shown on ITV on August 26.

Aug 2 Bing and Bob Hope begin filming The Road to Hong Kong with Joan Collins and Robert Morley at Shepperton Studios in England. Dorothy Lamour has a cameo spot only. During the filming, Bing arranges for many fans to visit the set and to meet him.

Aug 3 Bing and Bob Hope are interviewed by Kenneth Alsop for the BBC TV programme ‘Tonight’.

Aug 4 Bing and Bob Hope are interviewed by Antony Bilbow for the BBC radio programme ‘In Town Today’ which is broadcast on August 9.

Aug 5 Goes to Epsom to see the racing. Returns to London in time to take part in a 15 minute rehearsal for ‘The Rosemary Clooney Show’ in which Bing then makes an unbilled (and unpaid) live appearance on the British ATV network and sings ‘Fancy Meeting You Here’.

Aug 11 Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin film their guest spots in The Road to Hong Kong with Bing.

Aug 25-27 Bing and Kathryn in Nice, France. Bing meets a Shell Petrol executive on the plane and Bing agrees to do a TV commercial for the company.

Aug 27 Golfs with Joseph Kennedy, and then Bing and Kathryn have drinks with David Niven and Gregory Peck plus respective wives. Bing takes Kathryn to Casa Madrid but they are turned away as they do not have a reservation. They later dine at a little inn called La Ferme instead.

Sep 8 Back in England, Bing goes to Sandown Park race meeting for Variety Club Children’s Charities.

Sep 10 Walks on at Palladium during Bob Hope’s act on ‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium’ TV show.

Sep 16/17 Visits Ireland for first time and on the 16^th goes to Leopardstown races in the afternoon after nine holes of golf at Baltray in the morning. Golfs at Woodbrook on September 17 at 2:30 p.m. with Grant Stockdale (the US Ambassador), Harry Bradshaw and Christy Greene to raise funds for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Is interviewed on Radio Erin during his visit.

Sep 18 Dorothy Lamour arrives in England to film her part in The Road to Hong Kong.

Sep 23 Bing goes to Ascot races.

Oct 4 Kathryn flies home to await the arrival of their third child.

Bing presents British entertainer Lonnie Donegan with two gold records.

Oct 14 An interview with Bing about golf by Eamonn Andrews is broadcast on the BBC radio programme ‘Sports Report’.

Oct 19 Bing and Bob Hope film a promo for The Road to Hong Kong for the BBC TV programme ‘Picture Parade’ which is eventually transmitted on April 3, 1962. Bing is feeling ill but sings ‘Team Work’ with Hope.

Oct 29 Kathryn gives birth at 10:57 p.m. at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles to Nathaniel Patrick while Bing is in England. The baby weighs nine pounds two ounces and is named after Bing’s great-grandfather.

Nov 3 Filming of The Road to Hong Kong completed.

Nov 8 (1:50 - 2:20 p.m.) Records ‘Bing Sings Shell’ jingle at Cine and Tele Sound Studios, Bayswater, London. The advert is shown for the first time on March 25, 1962. In the evening, Bing and Bob Hope make personal appearances at the premiere of Hope’s film Bachelor in Paradise at the Ritz Cinema, Leicester Square.

Nov 12 Bing records his Christmas TV show with Dave King, Marion Ryan, Terry Thomas, Shirley Bassey and Bob Hope at Wembley Studios, London which airs in the USA on ABC-TV on December 11.

Nov 16 Bing arrives back in Los Angeles from England.

Nov 21 Goes to Rising River ranch.

Dec 22 Has an attack of kidney stones in the grand ballroom at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, and is hospitalised overnight before returning to Los Angeles the next day, where he remains under a physician’s care.

Dec 24 Radio show ‘A Christmas Sing with Bing’ is broadcast. Kathryn Crosby, Jo Stafford and Edgar Bergen take part.

1962

Jan 1 Bing enters St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.

Jan 3 Bing is released from hospital for two hours to attend Nathaniel’s christening.

Jan 5 Has surgery to remove four stones from his left kidney. He is on the operating table for two hours 20 minutes. The surgeon is Dr. Frederick Schlumberger who performed earlier kidney stone operations on Bing in 1951 and 1955.

Jan 16 Leaves St. John’s Hospital.

Jan 18-22 Bing Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. Snow on the Saturday night transforms the course and the final round has to be postponed from January 21 to the next day. Doug Ford wins after a sudden-death play-off and the final round is televised on ABC. Bing does not attend as he is still recuperating after his operation.

Sells his Hayden Lake home.

Feb 1 Bing goes to Palm Springs.

Lindsay Crosby’s wife (who is eight months pregnant) attempts suicide and loses the baby she was expecting. Lindsay suffers feelings of guilt which subsequently necessitate lengthy psychological treatment.

Feb 14 Gary Crosby makes his New York debut as a single act and includes a fifteen minute tribute to his father.

Feb 16 Bing in Las Cruces, Mexico. Whilst there, he goes to Mexico City, Taxco and Acapulco shopping for Mexican colonial furniture for his new home at Las Cruces in Baja Sur which is nearing completion.

Feb 27 Makes short guest appearance in a sketch on the Bob Hope TV show with Jack Paar and Steve Allen.

Mar 24 President Kennedy stays at Bing’s Palm Desert home for the weekend, and it is possible that Kennedy has an assignation with Marilyn Monroe whilst there.

Mar 27 Gary Crosby and Bing get together and make an announcement that the rumours that they are not speaking are untrue.

Apr 1 The Road to Hong Kong is released in Britain through United Artists.

Tapes TV Special ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ for ABC with Bob Hope, Edie Adams, the Smothers Brothers and Gary Crosby. The show is transmitted on May 14.

Apr 30 Records singalong album at United Recorders, Hollywood for Warner Brothers Records.

May 9 Bing is back at Las Cruces, Mexico “fishing with a vengeance.”

May 26 Harry Jr falls out of car in Las Cruces whilst Rosemary Clooney is visiting. Bing and Kathryn fly him to La Paz for treatment on his arm and eye and, after an overnight stay, Kathryn and Rosemary fly him on to Santa Monica for further attention.

May 26 The Road to Hong Kong is released in the USA.

Jun 4 Bing returns from Las Cruces. He golfs on June 5 before returning to Las Cruces on June 6 in his Aero Commander plane, following a disagreement with Kathryn.

Jun 21 Returns from Las Cruces and records singalong tracks this day and June 22. The album has never been released.

Jun 24 Appears on Ed Sullivan 14^th anniversary TV Show with Hope.

Jun 28 Takes Kathryn (and her mother) and the children to Kauai, Hawaii, where they stay at the Coco Palms Hotel. They meet John Wayne and his wife.

Jul 1 Lindsay suffers a breakdown in Juarez where he and his brothers, Dennis and Philip, are appearing in a night club with their singing act. Lindsay is flown back to Los Angeles and is committed to St. John’s Hospital. This is his second breakdown in six months.

Jul 19 Bing and Kathryn return to Los Angeles.

Jul 29 Bing goes alone to Biarritz, France; Kathryn, Mary Frances, Harry, and Kathryn’s mother fly there August 9.

Aug 5 Marilyn Monroe is found dead.

Aug 25 Bing and his party go to the cabana at Eden Roc and then to Barcelona in Spain for the bullfights. The next destination is Monaco, where they visit Princess Grace and Prince Rainier. Kathryn and her mother then return to the USA whilst Bing calls on Jack Warner on the French Riviera to discuss a part in a possible film version of the Morris West book ‘The Devil’s Advocate’. The film does not get made.

Sep On the Cote D’Azur, Bing befriends 14 year old Pascal Russo whose family had been killed in a car accident. Bing takes the boy caddying round the golf course.

Bing plays in the Italian Amateur Golf Championship.

Oct 1 Bing returns to Los Angeles to find a major fashion show, organised by Kathryn and featuring the Jean Louis spring collection, underway at his home.

Oct A 15 LP set ‘Bing’s Hollywood’ is issued by Decca Records.

Oct 5 Records ‘I Wish You a Merry Christmas’ album at Radio Recorders, Hollywood for release by Warner Brothers Records. Bing sings to musical accompaniment which had been recorded in July.

Tapes a four minute spot for the Ed Sullivan TV show accompanied by Buddy Cole.

Oct 14 Enters St. John’s Hospital suffering severe pain from kidney stones.

Oct 17 Goes to Rising River ranch.

Oct 24 A Bob Hope TV show is transmitted on NBC on which Bing guests with Juliet Prowse and Lucille Ball. Les Brown provides the musical support.

Oct 27 Bing and Kathryn are shooting at Weiser, Idaho, and then they go on to Kona Farms in the Sacramento Valley for shooting with Trader Vic and Helen Bergeron.

Nov 2 The daily Bing and Rosemary Clooney radio show ends.

Nov 9 Lindsay’s wife, Barbara Frederickson, seeks a divorce for ‘extreme cruelty’. She says that her husband has assets of more than $1 million.

Nov Bing tapes a Christmas TV special ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ with Mary Martin which is shown on December 24. This is the first programme ABC broadcasts in colour.

Bing golfs in the Hawaiian Open and goes on a fishing trip with Phil Harris in Hawaii.

Dec Records ‘The Dinah Shore Show’ which is shown on TV on February 17, 1963.

Dec 13 Harry Barris dies. Bing is not well enough to attend the funeral because of kidney stone problems.

Dec 24 The annual ‘A Christmas Sing with Bing’ radio programme is broadcast. Johnny Mercer takes part.

1963

Jan Alan Fisher commences work as butler to the Crosbys.

Jan 17-20 The Bing Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. The tournament is won by Billy Casper. Maurine Barris, daughter of Harry, entertains with Harry James at the clambake.

Jan 29 Bing goes to St. John’s Hospital and at 6:30 p.m. has emergency surgery on his right kidney.

Buys a 60-foot fishing boat called True Love.

Mar 22 Kathryn joins Bing at Las Cruces, Mexico. They initiate a regular annual routine of cleaning the tiny Mexican church.

Apr Crosby Enterprises sells Project Records to Columbia Records.

May 29 Bing guests on Bob Hope TV show.

Jun Everett Crosby has his left leg amputated because of poor circulation complicated by diabetes.

Jul 9 Philip Crosby is divorced by his wife Sandra for ‘extreme cruelty’.

Jul 19 Frank Sinatra announces that Bing has signed to make recordings for his company, Reprise Records. It is Bing’s first major recording agreement since his contract with Decca ended.

Jul 29/Aug 8 Bing records four songs for the Reprise ‘Repertory Theatre’ in Los Angeles.

Aug 21 Records part of ‘Return to Paradise Islands’ album with Nelson Riddle for Reprise Records.

Aug 24 In Minnesota promoting ‘Beat Bing Contest’ (a golfing challenge) and then goes to Rising River ranch.

Goes to Warren, Ohio to see Kathryn in a play ‘Sunday in New York’ and they go on to Piqua, Ohio for a short break.

Arranges to sell the Holmby Hills house for $250,000 and to buy a 25 room property in Hillsborough, San Francisco.

Sep 25 Details of a new long playing record ‘Three Billion Millionaires’ are announced at the United Nations. A complete musical has been written for the LP and many stars including Bing, Jack Benny, Carol Burnett, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland and Danny Kaye have taken part. Bing sings ‘Tower of Babel’ on the record and he is thought to have recorded this in August. The funds raised by the LP are for the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Sep 28-29 President Kennedy again spends a weekend at Bing’s Palm Desert house.

Sep 29 Tapes ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ with Caterina Valente, Andre Previn and Buddy Ebsen which is shown by CBS-TV on November 7.

Fall Bing’s mother suffers a severe stroke.

Oct 21 Records two songs including ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’ for Capitol Records in Los Angeles.

Oct 27 Tapes part of his TV special which is shown on February 15, 1964 on ABC-TV.

Oct 29/31 Records a dozen songs for ‘The Great Country Hits’ album with Bill Justis and his Orchestra which is issued by Capitol Records.

Oct 31 Stages Halloween Party at his Holmby Hills home which is attended by Rosemary Clooney and family plus Edie Adams and daughter.

Nov 11 Plays in Frank Sinatra Invitational Golf Tournament at Canyon Country Club, Palm Springs.

Nov 15 Kathryn Crosby appears with Bob Hope in a TV comedy ‘The House Next Door’. Bing makes a surprise appearance at the end.

Nov 17 Lindsay Crosby is arrested in Palm Springs for suspected drunken driving after hitting a parked car and a traffic sign. He is later released on bail of $288.

Nov 18 - Dec Bing films Robin and the Seven Hoods with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and Peter Falk. He is paid $100,000 for his work.

Nov 22 President Kennedy assassinated. Lyndon B. Johnson assumes the Presidency.

Nov 24 Bing tapes his part in Bob Hope’s Christmas Special, and because of Bob’s eye problems, he acts as co-host with Jack Benny as well as singing ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’. The show is televised by NBC on December 13.

Nov 29 Performs ‘Don’t Be a Do Badder’ at Warner Brothers studio, with Kathryn and the children watching.

Dec 9 Completes ‘Return to Paradise Islands’ album with Nelson Riddle.

Dec 19 Kathryn graduates from nursing school.

Dec 23 Bing and Kathryn dine with Sammy Davis Jr. and wife at Sammy’s home.

Dec 23 A special NBC-TV programme ‘The One and Only Bing’ is shown.

Dec 24 Kathryn and her mother prepare dinner for the staff of the Crosby household and their guests for the first time. This tradition continues until 1969.

Dec 24 A TV showing of ‘The Promise’ with narration by Bing takes place. In the programme, Father Peyton’s Family Theatre Group re-enact events leading to the birth of Christ.

Dec 28 Bing records the ‘Hollywood Palace’ TV show which is shown on January 4, 1964. The guests include Mickey Rooney, Nancy Wilson and Gary Crosby.

Bing and Kathryn go to Kona Farms to join Alice Faye, Phil Harris, June Haver and Fred MacMurray in Trader Vic Bergeron’s California retreat.

1964

Jan 2 Everett Crosby has his remaining leg amputated in Mount Sinai Hospital. He remains in hospital for some months.

Jan 3 Lindsay Crosby is fined $250 in Palm Springs for reckless driving.

Jan 4 ‘The Hollywood Palace’ TV show premieres on ABC and Bing is the host. This is the first of his 32 appearances on the show which runs to 1970.

Jan 5 Moves to the 25-room house in Hillsborough, near Burlingame, San Francisco.

Jan 6 Bing’s mother dies in Santa Monica, nearly age 91 and is buried on January 9 at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Jan 9-13 Bing and Kathryn in Palm Springs. They return to Hillsborough on 13^th.

Jan 16-19 Bing watches Tony Lema win the Crosby Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach. The weather is again poor with rain, sleet, wind and fog.

Feb 3 Completes taping of ‘The Bing Crosby Show’ which is shown on February 15 by ABC-TV. The guests are Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bob Hope and Rosemary Clooney.

Feb 4 Records with Frank Sinatra in Los Angeles for Reprise Records.

Feb 8 The Beatles fly into New York to appear on the Ed Sullivan show. Their latest record is at No. 1.

Feb 10 Bing donates $150,000 to Gonzaga for the new Society of Jesus Faculty residence.

Feb 25 Songwriter Johnny Burke dies in his sleep aged 55.

Mar Bing is appointed to the Board of Regents of the Jesuit University of Santa Clara, California.

Mar 3 Announces that he will appear in a weekly situation comedy TV series in the Fall for ABC with Beverly Garland as his co-star. Bing makes a point of saying that he will not accept any sponsorship from cigarette companies. It is also noted that he has turned down large sums of money to appear in Las Vegas as he does not want to be linked with gambling.

Bing records a tribute to the late Michael Holliday which is played at a memorial concert in London on April 19.

At RCA Victor’s Music Center of the World in Hollywood, Bing and Frank Sinatra record ‘The Bathtub Scene’ a short sketch for use on the soundtrack accompanying Sid and Marty Krofft’s ‘Les Poupees de Paris’. This is a puppet show which premieres on April 22 in a specially built 675 seat theatre in the Lake Amusement Area at the New York World’s Fair at Flushing Meadow.

Easter At Las Cruces, Mexico. The Crosbys again thoroughly clean and refurbish the local church. Producer Steve Gethers visits Bing to discuss the forthcoming ‘Bing Crosby Show’ series. During their stay in Mexico the Crosbys visit Santiago, Pueblo and also Mexico City where they meet Merle Oberon.

Apr 10 Bing records songs from Robin and the Seven Hoods in Los Angeles.

May 4 Attends San Francisco Giants baseball game against Houston Colts with Harry.

Jun 19 Records Christmas songs with Sinatra and Fred Waring in Los Angeles for Reprise Records.

Jun 20 Tapes a Spanish-speaking panel show called ‘Los Expertos Contestan’ for Latin American release.

Jul/Aug Is unable to play golf because of bursitis.

Jul 3 Dennis Crosby is divorced by Pat Sheehan for being ‘a bad father, a habitual drinker and a neglectful husband.’ There are two children from the marriage.

Jul 11 Bing and Kathryn go to the wedding of Chatty Collier and Hugh Cook. Bing sings part of ‘I Love You Truly’ as the wedding cake is cut.

Jul 12 Bing and Kathryn attend a ball given by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Scripps at the Scripps home in Hillsborough.

Aug 3 Films ‘Genius at Work’ episode of forthcoming sitcom series. Continues filming episodes throughout August.

Aug 5 Robin and the Seven Hoods is released by Warner-Pathe.

Aug 7 US steps up action against North Vietnam.

Aug 15 Bing records part of ‘That Travellin’ Two Beat’ album with Rosemary Clooney and Billy May and his Orchestra for Capitol Records in Los Angeles.

Aug 21 Philip Crosby weds Mary Joyce Gabbard, an air stewardess, in Las Vegas.

Aug 25 Films ‘The Gifted Child’, another programme in the sitcom series.

Bing sees Kathryn in a play at Holyoke, Massachusetts and they both go on to visit Everett Crosby at Canaan, Connecticut, en route to New York for four days shopping.

Sep 13 Hosts ‘ABC’s Wide World of Entertainment’ on ABC-TV with Mickey Rooney, David Jannsen and many other guests.

Sep 14 ‘The Bing Crosby Show,’ a half-hour situation comedy, premieres on ABC-TV; it lasts one season until April, 1965.

Sep 21/28 Further editions of The Bing Crosby Show are aired on ABC-TV. The guests include Gary Crosby and Ulla Jacobson.

Sep 23 Films an episode called ‘Conform, Conform, Whoever You Are’ for ‘The Bing Crosby Show’, his weekly sitcom.

Oct 1 The Crosbys find and soon arrange to buy a 14-room Tudor-style mansion at 1200 Jackling Drive on the other side of Hillsborough from their present house.

Oct 5/12/19/26 Further editions of The Bing Crosby Show are aired on ABC-TV. The guests include The Wellingtons and Macdonald Carey.

Oct 6 (7:00 - 8:00 p.m.) Bing makes a live guest appearance on the Bell Telephone Hour TV show which comes from NBC’s Burbank studios. He is accompanied by Buddy Cole. Other guests include Burl Ives and the McGuire Sisters.

Nov 3 Lyndon B Johnson is elected President.

Nov 4 At Rising River ranch for most of month.

Nov 5 Buddy Cole dies from a heart attack, aged 47.

Nov 9/16/23/30 Further editions of The Bing Crosby Show are aired on ABC-TV. The guests include Gary Crosby and Thomas Gomez.

Dec 2 Bing completes his work for ‘That Travellin’ Two Beat’ album.

Dec 7/14/21 The Bing Crosby Show airs on ABC-TV. The guests include David Wayne.

Dec Works on sitcom episode with Kathryn. Both then appear on Bob Hope TV show which is transmitted on December 15

Dec 16 Working on ABC-TV sitcom series.

1965

Jan 2 Bing and Kathryn at Merle Oberon’s dinner dance.

Jan Bing and Kathryn entertain General Eisenhower at their home.

Jan 11/18/25 Further editions of The Bing Crosby Show are aired on ABC-TV. The guests include The Standells.

Jan 16 Hosts another Hollywood Palace Show with guests Beverly Garland and George Burns.

Jan 21-24 Attends the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Golf Championship at Pebble Beach where Bruce Crampton is the professional winner.

Feb 1/8/15/22 The Bing Crosby Show airs on ABC-TV. The guests include Kathryn Crosby, George Gobel, Frankie Avalon and Vikki Carr.

Feb 4 Taping final episodes of ABC-TV sitcom series.

Feb 11 American planes bomb North Vietnam for the first time.

Mar 1/8/22/29 The Bing Crosby Show is shown on ABC-TV. The guests include Joan Fontaine, Dennis Day, Phil Harris and Mel Torme.

Mar 8 Simon Rady, Bing’s record producer at first Project Records and then at Capitol Records, dies from cancer at the age of 53.

Mar 10 Bing hosts ‘The Grand Award of Sports’ live at 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on ABC-TV from the New York World’s Fair. Kathryn is a guest.

Young Harry Crosby and Kathryn have tonsillectomies in Los Angeles. Bing is in Las Cruces.

Apr 5/12 Further editions of The Bing Crosby Show are aired on ABC-TV.

Apr 19 Final episode of The Bing Crosby Show sitcom is transmitted on ABC-TV. The guest star is Ruth Roman.

Jun 13 Bing arrives home in Los Angeles from Las Cruces.

Flies to Ireland.

Jun 26 In Ireland, Bing sees the horse Meadow Court (in which he has a one-third stake) win the Irish Derby at The Curragh, Dublin. The jockey is Lester Piggott. After the race, Bing sings briefly to the large crowd.

Jun 27 Bing is interviewed by Ronald Allison for BBC Television. Later he appears live on the Eamonn Andrews TV show in London with Spike Milligan, Cilla Black, Patrick Campbell and Harry H. Corbett.

Jun 28 Bing goes to Wimbledon to see the Centre Court matches. He does not have a ticket and has to buy one from a tout. Inside he is given one by Colonel Teddy Tinling, the dress designer.

Jun 29 At Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.

Jun 30 Again at Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships where he is interviewed by BBC Television.

Jul 6 Begins filming Stagecoach for Twentieth Century-Fox his last major film, with Ann-Margret, Alex Cord, Van Heflin, Robert Cummings and Red Buttons.

Jul 17 Bing’s horse, Meadow Court, wins the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Jul 20 On location for Stagecoach, filming near Boulder, Colorado.

Jul 24 In Chicago to see Pittsburgh Pirates play the Chicago Cubs before returning to Colorado.

Aug 3 Back in Chicago for a few days due to flooding on location in Colorado. Sees Kathryn perform in ‘Arms and the Man’ at the Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago.

Aug 9 Returns to Hillsborough as filming is delayed.

Aug 20 On location at Malibu Canyon for Stagecoach.

Aug 30 Back in Hollywood.

Sep 2 Completes his part in the filming of Stagecoach.

Sep 7 Bing and Kathryn are unable to go to England to watch Meadow Court run in the St. Leger at Doncaster, for Bing has more kidney stones. A cystoscopy provides relief.

Sep 8 Meadow Court, ridden by Lester Piggott, finishes second in the St. Leger.

Sep 13 Bing tapes a ‘Hollywood Palace’ show for ABC-TV and has another kidney stone attack. Another cystoscopy fails; Bing rests for two weeks.

Sep 18 Hollywood Palace show starring Bing and Caterina Valente is shown.

Sep 25 Hollywood Palace show starring Bing and Louis Armstrong is shown.

Sep 28 Records ‘The White World of Winter’ for Reprise Records.

Oct 1 Goes with Kathryn to France to watch Meadow Court run in Le Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on October 3; the horse comes in seventh .

Oct 3 Bing and Kathryn go to Madrid in Spain for several days and then on to Burgos and the Landa Palace for shooting.

Bing and Kathryn go to Ireland for several days visiting Dublin and also seeing the sun go down on Galway Bay.

Oct Bing in Canada for pheasant shooting and also visits Woodbine Race Track, Toronto, for the Canadian Championship. Whilst in Canada, is interviewed by Fletcher Markle for a TV show ‘A Profile of Bing Crosby’ which is shown on January 6, 1966.

Nov 17 Bing contributes to a special tribute to Frank Sinatra transmitted by CBS-TV.

Nov 20 Hollywood Palace TV show is broadcast with Bing as host and Bob Hope as guest.

Nov 30/Dec 2 Bing records 16 songs for Longines Symphonette Society at Coast Recorders, San Francisco, using pre-recorded tracks prepared by Nelson Riddle, Pete King and also British orchestra leader Geoff Love.

Dec 15 Guests on Bob Hope TV show on NBC with Jack Benny, Janet Leigh and Nancy Wilson

The Crosbys move into their new house on Jackling Drive, Hillsborough.

Dec 21 Kathryn Crosby appears as ‘Peter Pan’ at the Hyatt Theatre, Burlingame over the Christmas period. Mary Frances makes a brief appearance in the final scene.

Dec 25 A Hollywood Palace TV show starring Bing is shown. Young Harry L. Crosby III (aged 7) makes his first appearance.

1966

Jan 1 Bing stars in Hollywood Palace show on ABC-TV. Principal guests are Danny Thomas plus Sonny and Cher.

Jan 6 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce seek to buy Northern California National Bank (based in San Mateo), of which Bing is Chairman and major shareholder, for $2.75 million cash. The proposal is approved on July 21.

Jan 20-23 Attends the Bing Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. The winner is Don Massengale. The tournament is billed as celebrating its 25^th. anniversary although it is actually the 26^th. Bing and Ray Bolger host a television special called The Road to Pebble Beach.

Bing goes on to Las Cruces, Mexico.

Feb 6 Bing appears on ‘The American Sportsman’ TV programme which is shown today. He is featured marlin fishing in Mexico.

Feb 19 Gary Crosby guests with Rosemary Clooney, Edgar Bergen and Henny Youngman on the recorded Hollywood Palace show hosted by Bing.

Bing in Florida for golf.

Mar 3 Attends the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park, Miami. The race becomes controversial as it is run on a non-betting basis.

Mar 6 Arrives in Toronto, Canada (from Florida) and tapes radio version of Easter Seal Show which is broadcast April 3. The show is in aid of Canada’s handicapped children.

Mar 7 Tapes TV version of Easter Seal Show at Queen Elizabeth Theatre which is shown on March 27.

Mar 26 Hollywood Palace show hosted by Bing and featuring Nanette Fabray Jackie Mason, David Frost and Tammy Grimes airs on ABC-TV.

At Rising River Ranch

Apr 20 Bing is featured in the taped TV programme ‘The Road to Lebanon’ on NBC with Danny Thomas, Sheldon Leonard and Claudine Auger.

May 1 Acts as one of the hosts on CBS TV programme ‘The Magic of Broadcasting.’ The programme has been recorded earlier.

May 9 Has his only recording session of 1966 and sings ‘Far from Home’ and ‘How Green Was My Valley’ for Reprise Records.

May 21 Another Hollywood Palace show hosted by Bing is shown in which he is joined by Johnny Mercer.

Jun 6 Interviewed by James Daly on Channel 9 Kaleidoscope.

Jun 9 Guests on TV Programme ‘Across the Seven Seas’ about air travel to lower California.

Jun 15 Stagecoach is released by Twentieth Century-Fox.

Jun 19 Leaves San Francisco for Honolulu.

Jul Bing accepts a position on the Gladys Turk Foundation, supported by the estate of the late composer Roy Turk, to help selected musicians to receive Foundation aid.

Jul 6 Philip Crosby is divorced again, after less than two years of marriage to Mary Joyce Gabbard. The couple have a daughter and Mary is expecting her second child.

Jul 13 Brother Everett dies of throat cancer, age 70, in Salisbury, Connecticut and is buried on July 18 in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Jul Bing tapes an appearance on Andy Williams TV show which is shown on October 30.

Aug 10 Presides as Grand Marshall of the Hollywood Palace Parade to celebrate the third anniversary of the show.

Records two Hollywood Palace shows (one with Dorothy Lamour, the other with Sid Caesar).

Able to play golf again following previous bursitis problems thanks to new ‘miracle’ drug.

Aug 28 Bing and Kathryn arrive at Manchester Airport, England and visit the mother of Alan Fisher (their butler) at Heald Green, Manchester. They go on to Cockermouth in Cumbria.

Aug 30 Still at Cockermouth, Bing fishes for salmon (without success) for ‘The American Sportsman’ for ABC-TV. Staying at the Trout Hotel, Bing and Kathryn are visited by many members of the International Crosby Circle throughout the week.

Sep 2 After three days without catching a fish, Bing catches three salmon, one of which weighed over eight pounds.

Sep 5 Bing and Kathryn leave Cockermouth.

Sep 6/7/8 At Doncaster in South Yorkshire where they attend the races including the St. Leger.

Visit Stratford-on-Avon and Oxford as they drive down to West Sussex.

Sep 9-11 Bing and Kathryn stay at Lord Egremont’s home, Petworth House, West Sussex for the weekend. Bing golfs at the West Sussex course.

Sep 12 Bing goes to Goodwood races.

Sep 14 Stays with Stafford Howard at Greystoke Castle, near Penrith in Cumbria, and finishes ‘American Sportsman’ programme at Cockermouth before leaving on September 16 for Ireland.

Sep 17 First Hollywood Palace show of the season is shown and Bing is the host. George Burns and Sid Caesar are also on the bill.

Sep 20 Records five songs for the soundtrack for the TV show ‘A Little Bit of Irish’ in Dublin, Ireland. The programme is transmitted in the U.S. on March 14, 1967.

Sep 21 Bing at Howth Castle, near Dublin all day taping ‘A Little Bit of Irish’ programme.

Sep 22 Starting at 8:00 a.m. in O’Connell Street, Bing continues taping his Irish TV programme in Dublin. He goes on to the Abbey Theatre and then plays golf in the afternoon. He is collected from the golf course at 6:00 p.m. by George O’Reilly (the producer of the TV show) for the return to Dublin.

Sep 25 Golfs at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Partridge shooting in Spain.

Returns home via Vancouver where Bing plays in a pro-am golf match.

Nov 5 Bing tapes a Hollywood Palace show with Ella Fitzgerald which is subsequently shown on February 18, 1967.

Nov 16 Guests on ‘The Bob Hope Comedy Special’ on NBC-TV with Jackie Gleason, Bach-Yen (Miss Vietnam) and Les Brown and his Band of Renown.

Nov 26 Hollywood Palace show with Bing and Dorothy Lamour airs.

Nov 27 Bing is with Charlie Jones, Bob Fisher and Hal Seley hunting black brant. Flies from Las Cruces, Mexico to Soledad on the east Baja California peninsula.

Dec 24 Hollywood Palace show transmitted today features Bing and his family for the first time.

Dec 25 Bing speaks direct from his home to ‘The Late, Late Show’ in Ireland.

Dec 31 Another Hollywood Palace show hosted by Bing is shown. The Mills Brothers are the principal guests.

1967

Sells his boat ‘True Love’ to actor George Peppard.

Jan 14 Bing stars in the Hollywood Palace show with Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope which is shown today. He receives $12,500 for each show in the series.

Jan 19-22 At the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Golf Championship at Pebble Beach. The Spyglass Hill course replaces the Monterey Peninsula Country Club. Jack Nicklaus is the professional winner. ABC televise the event in colour for the first time although a storm washes out play on the Saturday.

Golfs at Palm Springs.

Jan 29 ‘American Sportsman’ programme featuring the fishing at Cockermouth is aired.

Feb 7 At home in Hillsborough for photographs for LA-Z-Y Boy furniture.

Feb 18 Stars in Hollywood Palace show with Ella Fitzgerald, Alice Faye and Phil Harris which airs today.

Mar 24 Lindsay Crosby has divorce suit filed against him by his second wife, Janet, alleging ‘grievous mental cruelty’.

Apr 1 Hollywood Palace show hosted by Bing with Louis Armstrong as the main guest star is shown.

Apr Bing and family in Baja California, Mexico.

Apr 13 Guests on ‘The Dean Martin Show’ on NBC with Polly Bergen, Don Cherry and Rowan & Martin.

May 8 LaVerne, eldest of the Andrews Sisters, dies in Hollywood after a long illness at the age of 51.

May 13 Another Hollywood Palace show with Bing as host is shown. Guests are Frances Langford and Don Ameche.

Jun 4 Bing flies into London. Makes ‘walk-on’ appearance on Eamonn Andrews TV show to surprise Bob Hope.

Jun 5 Plays golf at Moor Park (near Rickmansworth, Herts.) with Eamonn Andrews and Bob Hope.

Jun 6-8 Bing at the races at Epsom. On June 7, he is interviewed on BBC TV in the ‘Derby Grandstand’ programme. His horse ‘Dominion Day’ finishes eleventh out of 22 in the Derby.

Jun 9 Bing flies to Spain.

Jun 20-22 At Ascot for three days having flown back from a week in Spain.

Jun 29 Visits Ireland to see his horse ‘Dominion Day’ run in the Irish Sweeps Derby on the coming Saturday. When the horse is scratched, Bing plays golf at Killarney on July 1^st instead of going to the race.

Jul 11 Philip Crosby marries for a third time to Georgi Edwards (age 23), a former Las Vegas showgirl, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Jul 17 Bing is interviewed by James Day on a 30 minute TV show ‘Conversations 1967-68’ which is transmitted today.

Aug Bing sells his share of the San Francisco Seals Hockey team.

Bing and Phil Harris in Africa where they film an American Sportsman programme about sand grouse in the Northern Highlands (near the rim of the Serengeti plain) in Tanzania.

Bing in Ireland with Phil Harris having come from Africa.

Aug 23 Bing is at York races for the Ebor Handicap.

Sep Bing and Kathryn visit EXPO ‘67 in Montreal with the three children, staying three days.

Sep Lindsay Crosby is divorced.

Sep 5 Bing hosts Jimmy Durante and Milton Berle as the first Hollywood Palace show of the season is shown.

Sep 22 Cox Broadcasting Corporation agrees to buy Bing Crosby Productions for $2 million in shares. Bing is the principal shareholder. Basil Grillo remains as President of the company.

Sep 24 Bing takes part in the first Celebrity Golf Classic at Willow Park Golf Course in Castro Valley, California.

Oct 9 TV show ‘The Demon Under the Bed’ starring Bing and his daughter Mary Frances plus Joan Collins is transmitted on NBC.

Oct 19 Dean Martin TV show featuring Bing, Lena Horne and Dom De Luise is shown on NBC.

Oct 23 Bing and Kathryn attend Republican Dinner at Millbrae, California to support Shirley Temple Black.

Oct 25 Bing has guest spot on ‘The Joey Bishop Show’ with Kathryn Crosby and Dorothy Lamour.

Fall Tapes ‘The Jackie Gleason Show’ in Miami with Alan King and Liberace. The show is transmitted by CBS on November 25.

Oct 31 Has his only recording session for 1967 and sings ‘Step to the Rear’ and three other songs for Reprise Records. Only two songs are issued.

Oct 31 Hollywood Palace show transmitted today has Bing as the host and Victor Borge and Roger Miller as guests.

Nov Kathryn Crosby’s book ‘Bing and Other Things’ is published.

Nov 21 Bing on Merv Griffin TV show.

Nov 21 ‘One Night Stands’ TV documentary is shown. Bing is the narrator.

Nov 29 Interviewed on ‘Today’ NBC television show by Hugh Downs about Bob Hope.

Dec 19 Bing stars with his family in the Christmas edition of the Hollywood Palace which is shown today.

Dec 29 Paul Whiteman dies from a heart attack. He was 77.

1968

Bing is asked by Minute Maid to return as a product spokesman. He agrees to be a voice-over announcer for the company’s television adverts for its orange juice whilst Kathryn and the children are shown on screen.

Jan 11-14 At the Bing Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach which is won by Johnny Pott. For a change, the weather is gorgeous and over 25,000 spectators attend on the Saturday.

Jan 13 Hollywood Palace show transmitted with Bing hosting Peggy Lee and others.

Jan 28 ‘The American Sportsman’ show with Bing and Phil Harris hunting sand grouse in Tanzania is transmitted.

Feb 9/12 Records ‘Thoroughly Modern Bing’ album with Bugs Bower and his Orchestra for Pickwick in Long Island City, New York.

Feb 10 Tapes contribution to Ed Sullivan’s tribute to Irving Berlin on his 80^th birthday, which is shown on CBS-TV on May 5. Later takes part in rehearsal for ‘The Night of the Century’ (a benefit for the USO).

Feb 11 ‘The Night of the Century’ takes place at New Madison Square Garden with Bing singing a medley with Bob Hope and several solos. He receives a standing ovation. Excerpts are shown on the Bob Hope Show the following night.

Feb 12 Leaves New York for North Carolina for hunting with Kathryn.

Mar 1 Tapes a Hollywood Palace show with Sid Caesar which is shown on April 20.

Mar 9 Is awarded the DeSmet medal at Gonzaga and presents Gonzaga with the nation’s first Microfilm Research Centre. Sees brother Ted whilst in Spokane.

Mar 17 A 28 minute film ‘Bing Crosby’s Washington State’ is shown on TV. Bing narrates.

Mar 26/27/28 Records further songs for Longines at Coast Recorders, San Francisco which subsequently form part of the second ‘Bing Crosby’s Treasury - The Songs I Love’ set.

Mar 31 Alan Fisher and his wife, Norma, briefly leave the Crosbys, bored by the lack of entertaining. They are replaced by Norma’s brother, William Summers, and his wife Valerie.

Apr 4 Martin Luther King is assassinated in Memphis.

Apr 20 The Hollywood Palace show with Sid Caesar airs.

May Bing narrates a programme about Louis Armstrong for the Armed Forces Radio Service.

May 2 Bing is in Mexico to celebrate his birthday.

Jun 5 Robert Kennedy is assassinated in the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles (former home of the Cocoanut Grove).

Jul 22 Bing has a few days vacation at Long Island (at Locust Valley) before leaving on July 25 for Switzerland.

Aug On safari in the Tarrat Metropolitan Area, Kenya for two weeks with Kathryn, Vic Bergeron (Trader Vic) and Helen, plus Lawrence and Leonara Wood. The safari is led by Terry Mathews of Mathews Safaris. Bing subsequently records a private 10” LP to commemorate the holiday for the participants.

Aug 14 Plays golf at Nairobi, Kenya at end of safari.

Aug 16 Arrives in London and stays at the Connaught for six days.

Aug 17 Goes to see ‘Canterbury Tales’ at the Phoenix with Kathryn.

Aug 21 Leaves London for two days in Portugal.

Fall Back in California, Bing records Hollywood Palace shows and then a special with Hope at Paramount which is shown on October 23.

Tapes TV special at Marine World, at Vallejo near San Francisco which is shown on February 15, 1969. Michael Eisner, who eventually goes on to become the head of the Disney organisation, helps with the production.

Sep 28 Bing hosts the first Hollywood Palace show of the season on ABC-TV. Guests include Bobby Goldsboro, Sid Caesar and Jeannie C. Riley. The show has been recorded.

Oct 23 ‘The Bing Crosby Special’ is shown on NBC with guest stars Diana Ross and the Supremes, Bob Hope and Jose Feliciano.

Oct 30 Bing takes part in the pro-am at the Lucky International Golf Tournament at Harding Park, San Francisco.

Nov 6 Richard M. Nixon is elected President of the USA.

Nov 21/25 Records ‘Hey Jude’ LP with Jimmy Bowen and his Orchestra at United Recorders Studio, Hollywood. The sessions start at 9 a.m. each day and the album is issued by Amos Records.

Dec 21 Bing hosts the Christmas edition of the Hollywood Palace show with his family and Glen Campbell featuring.

Dec 22 Thought to have made a guest appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show shown today.

Christmas At Rising River ranch for 10 days where they are snowed in for a while.

Dec 31 Bing and family arrive back at their Hillsborough home.

1969

Jan 1 Bing and Kathryn welcome Father Robert Murphy to their home.

Jan 4 Another Hollywood Palace show with Bing as host is transmitted. Tiny Tim, Bobbie Gentry and Judy Carne are the principal guests. Bing and Bob Hope are presented with the first Annual Show Business Hall of Fame awards during the show.

Jan 11 Bing and Kathryn attend wedding of Bob Hope’s daughter, Linda, at St. Charles Church, North Hollywood.

Jan 23-26 The 28^th Crosby Pro-Am Golf Tournament. Bing watches George Archer win after the first day is washed out by heavy rain. The ABC contract to televise the tournament expires at the end of the event and NBC take over.

Feb 14 Bing is ‘roasted’ by George Jessel in the TV show ‘Here Come The Stars.’

Feb 15 TV special ‘Feelin’ Groovy at Marine World’ is shown.

Feb 17 Bing goes to New York to receive the Gold Tee Award for 1968 from the Golf Writers of America at the Americana Hotel. The award is for raising millions of dollars from his annual golf tournament for charities that provide educational opportunities for young people.

Feb 17 Guests on ‘The Bob Hope Special’ on NBC-TV with George Burns, Martha Raye and Diana Ross & the Supremes.

Feb 18 Tapes a Hollywood Palace show with Victor Borge, Frank Sinatra Jr. and Gary Crosby which is shown on March 1.

Mar 5 Takes part in Family Theatre radio production ‘The Losers’.

Mar 9 ‘American Sportsman’ programme with Bing and Gaylord Perry hunting quail in North Carolina is shown.

Mar 19 Bing tapes a Hollywood Palace show which is shown on April 5. Son Philip appears together with the Four Tops, Shelley Berman and Sally Ann Howes.

Mar 28 General Dwight D. Eisenhower, former President of the USA, dies.

Apr 2 In Family Theatre radio production ‘Foreign Exchange’.

Apr 25 Bing and Kathryn donate $1 million to the Immaculate Heart College (a Roman Catholic Girls School) for the construction of a science building on the school’s planned new campus in Claremont, California.

Apr Bing has not been able to play golf for many months because of the return of his bursitis problems.

Sells his Sunset Boulevard office building.

May 2 Bing at his home in Las Cruces for his birthday.

May 19 At Las Cruces in Mexico, then goes to Rising River ranch.

Jun 16 Joins Kathryn, Mary Frances, and Nathaniel for the NBC TV show Goldilocks. Location work is filmed at Cold Water Canyon. Records four songs for soundtrack album issued by Walt Disney Productions.

Interviewed at his Hillsborough home by Norman Banks of Australian radio station 3AW. The interview is broadcast as ‘At Home with Bing Crosby’.

Jun 22 Judy Garland dies in London at the age of 47.

July Bing goes to Iceland to make ‘American Sportsman’ programme about Atlantic salmon on Luxor River. Stays at Loftleidir Hotel in Reykjavik. The programme is transmitted on February 8, 1970.

Jul 21 Neil Armstrong becomes the first man on the Moon.

Jul 24 Bing arrives in London where he joins Kathryn. They stay at the Connaught before flying off to Athens in Greece on July 27, where they visit the Acropolis. They go on to Kenya on a two week safari. This is Bing’s third safari.

Sep 5 Mitchell Ayres (aged 58) who has been Bing’s musical director on the Hollywood Palace shows is struck by a car in Las Vegas and killed.

Sep 14 Bing arrives in Miami.

Sep 15-19 Tapes guest appearance on Jackie Gleason TV show ‘The Honeymooners in Hollywood’ with Gleason and Art Carney in Miami.

Sep 28 Tapes part of a Hollywood Palace show in Hollywood in the morning and Dean Martin guest exchange tapes in the afternoon.

Sep 29/30 Completes taping of opening Hollywood Palace show of the season with Engelbert Humperdinck, Bobbie Gentry, Gwen Verdon and Dick Shawn.

Oct Lindsay Crosby, now married to his third wife, Susan, has son Lindsay Jr.

Philip Crosby is divorced from his third wife, Georgi.

Oct 4 ‘The Honeymooners in Hollywood’, with Bing as guest star, is shown on CBS.

Oct 11 Opening Hollywood Palace Show airs on ABC-TV.

Oct 14-17 Bing tapes Carol Burnett Show with Ella Fitzgerald and Rowan & Martin which is shown on CBS-TV on November 10.

Nov 6 Dean Martin Show featuring Bing and Eva Gabor airs on NBC.

Nov 22-28 At the NBC studios in Burbank, Bing tapes a TV special called ‘Bing and Carol - Together Again for the First Time’ with Carol Burnett, Juliet Prowse and Roy Clark which is shown on NBC on December 17. The show is sponsored by 3M. On November 26, author Philp Evans interviews Bing at the studios regarding Bix Beiderbecke.

Mid Dec. Tapes Hollywood Palace anniversary show with Mary Costa, Sergio Franchi plus the Nick Perito Orchestra.

Dec 18 Thought to have made unbilled guest appearance on Bob Hope TV show. The main guests are Andy Williams and Anthony Newley

Bing is given the Peabody Award for services to television.

1970

Jan 3 Hollywood Palace anniversary show airs.

Jan 22-25 Bing is at the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach which is won by Bert Yancy. Bing and Curt Gowdy act as commentators on NBC-TV and the telecast attains the highest audience rating of any golf tournament to date.

Jan 27 In Grand Ballroom of Waldorf-Astoria in New York, Bing takes part in a benefit with Bob Hope, Johnny Cash, Ray Bolger and Raquel Welch for the Eisenhower Medical Centre which is being built at Palm Desert. He and Hope sing a medley. Extracts are shown on Bob Hope’s TV programme on February 16.

Feb Bing joins David M. Sacks to form Electrovision Productions Inc. which produces multi media sight and sound experiences of various cities.

Feb 7 Hosts the final show of ‘The Hollywood Palace’ series. This programme consists of edited highlights of earlier shows with the Bing segments being the only new material

Feb 8 ‘American Sportsman’ programme with Bing fishing for salmon in Iceland is shown.

Feb 26/27 Guests in ‘The Movie Game’ TV show.

Mar 31 Goldilocks, a TV show combining animation with filmed scenes involving Bing and his family, airs on NBC.

Apr 12 The final ‘American Sportsman’ programme of the current series is shown and features Bing and others talking about conservation.

Apr 13 A Bing Crosby Special ‘Cooling It’ is shown on NBC. The guests are Dean Martin, Flip Wilson and Bernadette Peters.

Apr - May Bing and family on vacation at Las Cruces.

Apr 30 Inger Stevens (Bing’s co-star in ‘Man on Fire’ with whom he was allegedly romantically linked in the 1950s) dies from a barbiturate overdose.

Jun 1 ‘San Francisco Experience’, the first film in the new Electrovision technique opens in San Francisco. It has an introduction by Bing.

Jul 30 - Aug Bing and his son, Harry Jr., leave for an African Safari vacation. They return home via Rome.

Sep Films Dr. Cook’s Garden (a Paramount production for TV) with Frank Converse. Location shots are filmed at Woodstock, Vermont.

Sep 8 Bing’s three young children are involved in a car crash at Redding, North California. The vehicle in which they were travelling was being driven by their grandfather, Delbert Grandstaff. Their grandmother, Mrs. D.E. Grandstaff is badly hurt in the crash and dies from her injuries on September 13.

Sep 15 Decca Records awards Bing a platinum record of ‘Silent Night’ on a plaque that notes Bing’s sales of more than 300,650,000 records.

Nov 16 Bing sings four Christmas songs with an orchestra conducted by Les Brown at Mercury Sound Studio West on Mission Street, San Francisco in his only recording date of 1970. The tracks are issued by Daybreak Records.

Nov Tapes ‘Flip Wilson Show’ which airs January 7.

Nov 29 The John Wayne TV Special ‘Swing Out, Sweet Land’ is shown on NBC and Bing has a guest spot. The special is the most expensive single show ever produced for TV and it costs the sponsor, Budweiser, over $2 million. It achieves a 39.3 rating and is number one in the ratings for the week. It is estimated that 77 million people watch it.

Dec 16 Bing’s Christmas TV show airs on NBC. Guests include Melba Moore and Jack Wild.

Dec 24/25 At Hillsborough house with family and relatives. There are 45 guests at the Christmas Eve party for staff and friends. His older sons visit on Christmas Day.

1971

Jan 7 Guests on ‘Flip Wilson Show’ on NBC-TV and is presented with the platinum disc for record sales of over 300 million.

Jan 14-17 At the Bing Crosby Pro-Am tournament at Pebble Beach. The TV coverage on January 17 (which follows the Super Bowl) is seen by 11.5 million people and is ranked by Nielsen as not only the top ranking golf tournament of 1971, but also of all time. The winner is Tom Shaw.

Jan 19 Dr. Cook’s Garden is aired on ABC-TV.

Jan 20 Bing is the guest of honour at a dinner held by Committee for Atlantic Salmon Emergency at Waldorf Astoria, New York.

Jan 23 Bing guests on the premiere of ‘The Pearl Bailey Show’ with Louis Armstrong and Andy Williams on ABC-TV.

Feb 5 Bill Morrow, Bing’s writer and friend, dies of lung cancer at the age of 63. He had undergone surgery 14 months previously.

Feb 10 Bing appears on the David Frost Show in New York with Louis Armstrong.

Feb 15 Bob Hope TV special featuring Bing, Petula Clark and Jo Anne Worley is shown on NBC.

Mar 12 Bing joins four others (including Bob Hope) to offer $10 million in ransom money for American prisoners of war in Vietnam. The matter does not proceed.

Mar 18 ‘The Arte Johnson Show’ featuring Bing is transmitted on NBC-TV.

Mar 19 Bing in Nairobi, Kenya on a photographic safari.

Mar 28 ‘American Sportsman’ programme with Bing talking about the history of wildlife is shown.

Apr 8 Bing is in Mexico.

Jun 14 Frank Sinatra gives his last performance prior to his announced retirement.

Jun 21 Bing is interviewed on CBS-TV Morning News by Belva Davis of KPIX/SF.

Jun 22 Bing is visited at his Hillsborough home by Fathers Dussault and Twohy from Gonzaga in connection with proposed charitable donations.

Has a fishing holiday in Seven Islands, northern Quebec where he catches a 17-pound salmon.

Jul 1 In Montreal for opening of Electrovision movie ‘The Hawaiian Experience’. Stays at the Chateau Champlain.

Jul 6 Louis Armstrong dies.

Aug 5 Arrives at Prestwick Airport in Scotland en route to Gleneagles for a week’s golf. He has not played for two years until the last month or so.

Aug 9 Plays at St. Andrews with Jim Wilson, his partner there in 1950.

Aug 12 In London staying at Staffords Hotel. He is interviewed for the BBC’s ‘Today’ TV programme whilst sheltering from the rain in Oxford Street. The main purpose of his visit is to promote Electrovision. Subsequently travels home via Munich (where he again promotes Electrovision and also arranges tickets for the 1972 Olympic Games) and Pittsburgh.

Sep 7/8 Sings six Christmas songs (with Les Brown conducting the Orchestra) for Daybreak Records as his only recordings of 1971. Goes on to his Rising River ranch in Northern California.

Oct 7 Dean Martin Show featuring Bing and Rip Taylor airs on NBC-TV.

Oct Tapes annual Christmas show with Robert Goulet and Mary Costa.

Oct 9-17 Pittsburgh Pirates win World Series.

Dec 5 Bing guests in ‘Monsanto Presents Mancini’ TV show.

Dec 14 Annual Christmas TV show is aired on NBC. It receives a 31% rating by Nielsen.

Stars in the annual show at Laguna Honda Hospital again.

Christmas At home in Hillsborough near San Francisco.

1972

Bing joins Kathryn and the children in the Minute Maid orange juice adverts which continue until his death.

Jan 3 Guests on the Merv Griffin TV show on CBS with Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour and David Butler.

Jan 9 ‘American Sportsman’ programme features Bing and Phil Harris hunting White Wing in Mexico.

Jan 12 Bing is appointed as the national campaign chairman of the 1972 fund raising drives of the Arthritis Foundation. Bing is said to have had arthritis himself for several years.

Jan 13-16 At the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach which is won by Jack Nicklaus. Goes on to hunt quail in Texas.

Feb 22 Bing at Las Cruces, Mexico.

Feb 27 ‘Bing Crosby and Friends’ special is shown on NBC-TV with Bob Hope, Pearl Bailey and Carol Burnett as the guests.

Late Feb. Tapes Flip Wilson show which is shown on NBC-TV on March 16.

Feb/Mar Films a cameo role in Bob Hope’s film Cancel My Reservation.

Mar 14/15/16 Records ‘Bing ‘N’ Basie’ LP singing to pre-recorded tracks at Coast Recorders Studio, Bush Street, San Francisco for Daybreak Records.

Mar 15 A Carol Burnett show with Bing as guest is transmitted on CBS-TV.

Mar 22 The ‘This is Your Life’ TV show in the UK features ‘flying doctor’ Micky Wood. Bing sends a tribute which has been filmed outside his Hillsborough home.

Mar 26 Bing narrates ‘American Sportsman’ programme about the Guide Dogs for the Blind school in San Rafael. John Scott Trotter is on the school’s board.

Apr - May Bing and family at Las Cruces. They now have a 38ft. Chris craft, the ‘Dorado’ which has replaced his former boat ‘True Love’.

Apr 22/23 Bing’s Oscar which was on display at Gonzaga is stolen and a statuette of Mickey Mouse is put in its place by the thief.

May 2 Bing’s Oscar is returned by a student who had taken it for a prank.

Jul 31 (3:15 - 4:40 p.m.) Having arrived that day, Bing then meets several ICC members in London at Staffords Hotel. He declines to be photographed without his toupee. Bing stays at the hotel until August 2.

Goes on to Nairobi, Kenya for a safari, where Mary Frances shoots a 12 foot killer crocodile on the Tana River in Coast Province. They then go to the Seychelles and then Rome, Italy. BBC producer Richard Drewett meets Bing in Rome and arranges for him to appear in a ‘Parkinson’ TV show.

Aug 27 - Sep 10 Attends Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany.

Sep 5 Arab guerrillas storm Israeli compound at Olympic Games. Nine hostages are killed.

Sep 11 Arrives at Heathrow and goes to Scotland for golf.

Sep 14 Golfs at Carnoustie, and during his stay in Scotland also golfs at Dornoch. Is interviewed by Renton Laidlaw for BBC Scotland about the trophy he has given for senior golfers.

Sep 15 Golfs at St. Andrews in the Bing Crosby Trophy for Senior Golfers before presenting the silver rose bowl. He is partnered by Jim Wilson again.

Sep 16 Golfs at St. Andrews again.

Sep 17 Arrives back in London.

Sep 18 Tapes ‘Parkinson’ show for BBC TV in London which is shown on December 23.

Sep 24 Bing golfs at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club in a charity event for the National Society for Cancer Relief with Gary Player, Tony Jacklin, Bruce Forsyth and many other stars.

Oct 15 Cancel My Reservation is released.

Nov 7 Republican Richard Nixon is re-elected President.

Nov 18 Bing appears on Lee Trevino TV show.

Dec 10 Annual TV special called ‘Christmas with the Bing Crosbys’ is shown on NBC. Guests include Sally Struthers and David Hartman.

Dec 14 Stars in the annual show at Laguna Honda Hospital for the disabled and chronically ill.

Dec 28 Records two songs in San Francisco for Old St. Mary’s Church, which are issued on a limited edition LP to raise funds for the church.

Dec 31 Roberto Clemente killed in a plane crash. Clemente was a star Pittsburgh Pirates player.

1973

Jan 25-28 Bing attends the Bing Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach which is won again by Jack Nicklaus.

Feb Records his 1973 Christmas show at Sun Valley, Idaho with guests Michael Landon, Connie Stevens and John Byner.

Feb 4 ‘American Sportsman’ programme about Bing and Phil Harris shooting pheasant in Iowa is shown.

Bing contributes a tribute to the Roberto Clemente Memorial Album.

Mar Frank Sinatra refuses to contribute to the 14-part series on Bing’s life which is being prepared by BBC Radio, as he is bitter about earlier treatment of him by the BBC.

Apr 8 BBC Radio commences transmissions of a major 14-week series on Bing’s life.

May Bing is at Las Cruces for his birthday.

Jun 8 Bing records ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon’ and another song at MGM Studios with the Billy Byers Orchestra for Daybreak Records, having been encouraged by the success of the BBC radio series.

Jun Goes to Alaska for fishing for ‘American Sportsman’ TV programme.

Jun 25 In New York for several days to announce ‘The New York Experience’ movie. Goes to the theatre several times during his stay and sees ‘Seesaw’, ‘Pippin’ and ‘A Little Night Music’.

Aug Goes to Guadalajara, Mexico to make arrangements for the Bing Crosby Open Golf International Classic golf tournament. Buys house at Bosques De San Isidro.

Mary Frances enrols at a school in Mexico having been given permission to do so by Kathryn. Bing is unhappy with the decision and relations between him and Mary Frances become strained with Bing refusing to answer her letters.

Sep 24 Attends Ducks Unlimited event.

Oct 10 At Lingfield Races (near East Grinstead), Sussex, England.

Oct 12 Leaves Connaught Hotel, London.

Nov 18 Frank Sinatra begins his comeback after his ‘retirement’.

Nov 25 Bob and Dolores Hope visit Bing and his family at their Hillsborough home for a Thanksgiving Dinner.

Dec 9 ‘Bing Crosby’s Sun Valley Christmas Show’ is shown on NBC-TV and attains the record audience of 49,270,000.

Bing films a spot as one of the hosts for M-G-M’s compilation That’s Entertainment which is released in 1974.

Dec 13 Takes part in the annual Laguna Honda Hospital show again.

Dec 19 Ted Crosby dies in Spokane, apparently of a heart attack, at the age of 73.

Dec 25 Dixie’s father dies, but Bing is ill and unable to attend the funeral.

Dec 31 Kathryn drives Bing to Burlingame’s Peninsula Hospital, where doctors initially treat him for pleurisy and investigate a lung abscess and lesion.

1974

Jan 3-6 The Bing Crosby Pro-Am takes place and the winner is Johnny Miller. The event is shortened by rain and Miller is declared the winner after 54 holes. A herd of deer damages the fifth green as well. Bing misses the tournament as he is still in hospital.

Jan 13 After two weeks of tests, Bing undergoes three and a half hours of surgery. Two-fifths of his left lung and an abscess the size of a small orange are removed. The tumour is a rare fungus called nocardia. He is left with a 35 inch scar on his back. It is revealed that Bing would have died within five days if the operation had not been undertaken. Whilst in hospital, Bing telephones Mary Frances and a reconciliation takes place when she returns from Mexico to see her father in hospital.

Jan 18 Bing comes out of intensive care. About 1000 letters a day are flooding into the hospital.

Jan 27 Goes home to recuperate and gives up smoking completely. His recovery has been delayed as he has suffered a cracked rib in a fall at the hospital.

Feb 10 ‘American Sportsman’ features Bing talking about the lifestyle of the cheetah.

Feb 24 Bing and Phil Harris are on ‘American Sportsman’ programme shown today shooting grouse in Southern Alberta.

Mar 15-17 The first Bing Crosby International Classic under the Ladies Professional Golf Association takes place at San Isidro Country Club, Guadalajara. The winner is Jane Blalock.

Apr 5 Bing leaves San Francisco for Easter vacation in Baja California.

May 26 Bing’s sister, Catherine Mullin, dies.

Jul Gord Atkinson, a noted Canadian broadcaster, visits Bing at his home and tapes recollections for a forthcoming radio series called ‘The Crosby Years’.

Jul 25 Bing is thought to have guested on the Merv Griffin TV show.

Aug 7 It is reported that Bing has written to the PGA seeking permission for women to take part in the 1975 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am Tournament. The PGA quickly says that it is not permissible under their rules.

Aug 8 President Nixon resigns and is succeeded by Gerald Ford.

Aug 10/11 Bing records a TV show for CBS at the Palace Theatre, Hollywood with Bob Hope and Pearl Bailey. The show airs on October 9.

Aug 21/22 Thought to have taken part in Mills Bros. Charity Show Telethon.

Aug 26 Golfs at San Isidro, near Guadalajara, Mexico.

Sep 9 British record producer Ken Barnes visits Bing at his Hillsborough home to discuss a recording project.

Sep 12 Bing visits Expo ‘74 World’s Fair at Spokane. Launches Gonzaga’s Second Century Endowment Fund campaign.

Sep In Mexico.

Oct 2 Has recently returned from Mexico.

Ken Barnes and Pete Moore visit Bing at his home to firm up the keys and routines for the planned recording session.

Gord Atkinson again visits Bing at his home in connection with ‘The Crosby Years’ radio programme.

Oct 17 In his only recording date of 1974, starting at 10:30 a.m. at Johnny Mercer’s own ‘Heritage’ recording studio at Oak Street in Burbank, Bing sings two songs with Mercer for United Artists Records under Ken Barnes’ direction.

Oct 25 Bing is interviewed with Phil Harris on Kathryn’s morning TV talk show in San Francisco.

Nov 18 Bing Crosby Enterprises signs a contract with Raymond Rohauer in Hollywood for a compilation film of Bing’s early films with a linking commentary by Bing.

Nov Bing films a commercial with his family for Minute Maid at Visalia, near Fresno, California.

Nov 25 A surprise 41^st birthday party is held for Kathryn at the Hillsborough house. Bing sings at the party.

Nov Tapes his Christmas show with Mac Davis and Karen Valentine.

Dec 15 ‘Christmas with the Bing Crosbys’ airs on NBC and is very popular, rating third of the week with a 31% audience share.

Dec 16 Takes part in the annual show at Laguna Honda Hospital for the disabled and chronically ill.

1975 – 1977 THE FINAL CHAPTER

Bing had been tempted back into the recording studios by producer Ken Barnes and quickly made three albums with him in London. He also made two LPs which he financed himself and during an extended stay in the UK in the summer of 1975, he made many appearances on radio and television shows. His appetite for show business seemed to have returned and then he decided to give a series of concerts to celebrate his 50 years as an entertainer. Starting in California, and then coming across to the London Palladium for a two-week stint, his performances were a revelation to many and Bing was clearly enjoying himself. In unusually high temperatures, he was on stage at the Palladium for most of the two and a half hours show and he finished with a 35 minute medley of his old hits with the audience joining in enthusiastically.

Bing returned to New York for another two weeks of appearances. Then in March 1977 near tragedy struck when he fell off the stage at the end of a concert in Pasadena. Bing ruptured a disc at the base of his spine and his recovery was slow. However, to everyone’s surprise he agreed to continue with another tour of the UK in August and despite being in pain with his back, the somewhat frail Bing again gave some memorable performances. He then flew to Spain for a few days golf…

Go to 1976

Go to 1977

1975

Jan 16/21 Records ‘A Southern Memoir’ album at T.T.G. Studios in Los Angeles with Paul Smith Orchestra.

Jan 22-26 Bing attends the 34^th Bing Crosby National Pro-Am and returns to his role as a commentator in the TV coverage. Gene Littler is the winner. The tournament sets an all-time gate receipt record of nearly $600,000. Bing and Kathryn drop in at the house occupied by Francis Brown and Winona Love for drinks on the Friday night. On the Saturday night, Bing and Ray Herzog (CEO of 3M) host the annual cocktail party in the Del Monte Lodge library.

Jan 28 In Las Vegas to see Paul Smith, Bing has a walk-on appearance on the Merv Griffin show.

Feb 11 Rejects, like Bob Hope, the terms of the PGA, which wants some of the television revenue from private tournaments. Expresses hope that 1976 tournament will be able to go ahead.

Feb 12 Brother Larry, age 80, dies from cancer at Century City Hospital in Los Angeles and Bing attends his funeral at St. Victor’s Church, West Hollywood on February 15.

Feb 18 Bing arrives in London to record two albums for United Artists which are to be produced by Ken Barnes. He stays at Claridges.

Feb 19/20/22/24/25/26 Recording sessions at Chappells, London with the Pete Moore Orchestra. After the recording session on February 26, Bing meets members of the ICC in the listening room at Chappells Studio.

Feb 22 Appears on ‘Grandstand’ a live BBC-TV sports programme.

Feb 23 Bing presents rosettes at the indoors horse show held at the Priory School of Equitation in Frensham, Surrey.

Feb 27 Interviewed on Pete Murray’s Open House BBC Radio Two programme in London. Later appears on BBC-TV programme ‘Pebble Mill at One’.

Feb 28 Bing goes to Decca House on the Albert Embankment in London for a private luncheon with Sir Edward Lewis, director Bill Townsley and executive Geoff Milne. Whilst there, he also films a segment for a forthcoming Thames TV programme.

Mar 21-23 At the Bing Crosby International Classic at Guadalajara.

Easter At Las Cruces, Mexico.

Apr 29 American troops withdraw from Vietnam. Bing’s recording of ‘White Christmas’ is played over the American Forces radio as a signal that the evacuation should begin.

Jun 23 Records first part of ‘Bingo Viejo’ album at United Recorders, Hollywood with Paul Smith Orchestra.

Jul 1 Arrives at Turnberry in Scotland.

Jul 3 Tapes a TV commercial for Tennents Lager.

Jul 4 Golfs with sons Nathaniel and Harry at Turnberry.

Jul 5 Teeing off at 1:30 p.m., Bing takes part in the Pineapple Pro-Am for Cancer Relief at Turnberry. He partners Ryder Cup golfer Bernard Gallacher.

Jul 6 Golfs at Dalmahoay, Edinburgh in a pro-am organised by Jimmy Tarbuck.

Golfs with his two youngest sons at various courses.

Jul 9-12 Bing attends the British Open Golf Championship at Carnoustie in Scotland. The winner is Tom Watson.

Jul 13 Bing checks into Claridges in London and refuses a request by Ken Barnes to rehearse with Fred Astaire on July 14 because he has too many appointments.

Jul 15 Thames TV transmit ‘The Day War Broke Out’ in which Bing and others give recollections of entertainment during WWII.

Jul 15-17 Bing records ‘A Couple of Song and Dance Men’ album with Fred Astaire at The Music Centre, Wembley.

Jul 17 Interviewed by Jack De Manio for BBC Radio programme ‘Jack De Manio Precisely’. (Broadcast July 23)

Jul 18 Interviewed by Michael Aspel on Capital Radio in the morning and then tapes another Parkinson TV show for BBC which is shown on August 30.

Jul 22 Appears on Terry Wogan’s morning BBC Radio Two show in London.

Jul 23 Tapes TV appearance on BBC programme ‘Top Of The Pops’ when he sings ‘That’s What Life Is All About’. The programme airs July 24.

Jul 24 At Bushey, Herts to narrate documentary about golf at Cygnet Films studio. Plays golf at Moor Park afterwards.

Jul 25 Lives in a rented house near Holland Park Avenue during his stay in London.

Jul 25 Interviewed by Llew Gardiner on ‘Today’ programme for Thames TV.

Jul 28 Is interviewed by Derek Jones for a BBC Radio 4 programme called Sounds Natural and Bing makes various bird calls and discusses other wildlife matters. The programme is broadcast on January 26, 1976.

Jul 27 Tapes guest appearance on Vera Lynn BBC-TV show in London. The show airs on September 24.

Jul 31 With his son Nathaniel at the German Open at Bremen.

Golfs at Rye.

Aug 4 (1:00 - 2:00 p.m.) At 3 Aubrey Rd., London W8, Bing records an interview for the BBC Radio 4 programme Wogan’s World. He is paid £75 and the program is broadcast on September 7 at 6:15 p.m.

Aug 5 Golfs at Sunningdale in a charity event and is interviewed on TV. Bing’s handicap is now nine.

Aug 7 Golfs in Hilversum, Holland in Pro-Am and is interviewed by Dutch TV.

In Yorkshire (near Ripon) for the grouse shooting. Harry Crosby is with him.

Tapes three appearances for Yorkshire Television programme ‘Stars on Sunday’. Receives a nominal fee of £250 which he passes on to the playing fields committee at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, North Yorkshire. He has already given £1000 to this cause.

Aug 13 It is announced that Bing, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour will make a film called The Road to Tomorrow. Records an appearance on the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs and interviewed by Roy Plomley, Bing selects the eight gramophone records he would take if abandoned on a desert island. The programme is broadcast on December 27, 1975.

Aug 14 Bing leaves for Paris for a few days.

Records ‘International Pro-Celebrity Golf’ TV programme on King’s Course, Gleneagles in Scotland with Val Doonican, Tom Weiskopf and Peter Oosterhuis. The programme is shown on January 27, 1976.

Aug 21 At Claridges in London.

Aug 25 Bing introduces recordings in a one hour BBC Radio 2 programme produced by Brian Willey.

Sep 3 In London for photo session at Decca House at 10:30 a.m. before going to Argo Studios with Decca record producer Geoff Milne, where Bing records the first part of the ‘Tom Sawyer’ album. Bing returns to his rented house at 4:30 p.m.

Sep 4 Mike Douglas afternoon TV show in the U.S. has Bing and Kathryn plus Mike Preminger and Sandra Harman as the guests, with David Brenner as co-host. The show had been taped before Bing’s departure for the UK.

Sep 5 Completes ‘Tom Sawyer’ album at Argo Studios between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Then tapes a ‘Disneytime’ programme for BBC TV which is shown on December 26. The filming is done in a private house in Chiswick.

Sep 15 Having returned to California, Bing records remainder of ‘Bingo Viejo’ album at United Recorders, Hollywood.

Sep 21 Sings three songs at benefit at Getty Museum in Malibu to raise funds for Hirsch Mental Health Center. Goes on to join the Mills Brothers Charity Show at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion celebrating the Mills Brothers 50^th. anniversary in show business.

Oct 5 Emcees Command Performance show at Treasure Island, San Francisco and sings two songs.

Tapes appearances on a tribute to Bob Hope, the Tonight show (with Don Rickles) and on the Dinah Shore show.

Oct 24 Takes part in TV tribute on NBC to Bob Hope’s 25 years on television.

Oct 29 John Scott Trotter dies aged 67.

Nov 12 Appears on Dinah Shore TV show on CBS with Phil Harris and Pat Boone.

Nov 20-22 Tapes his Christmas show with Fred Astaire, Joe Bushkin and the Young Americans which is transmitted on NBC-TV on December 3. Also records a radio show for BBC which is aired on Christmas Day in the UK.

Nov 25 Jack Harris, a radio personality whose voice resembles that of Bing, files a $2 million damage suit against Bing and his companies. Harris claims that the Crosby organisation is preventing him from gaining work.

Nov 28 Bing tapes an appearance on the Mike Douglas TV show.

Dec 22 Bing stars in the annual show at Laguna Honda Hospital.

Dec 31 Mel Tormé has lunch at Bing’s Hillsborough home. Bing, Mel and Harry Crosby have a music session during the afternoon. That night, Bing and his family attend Mel’s show at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

1976

Canadian broadcaster Gord Atkinson visits Bing’s Hillsborough home and presents him with a hand crafted wooden case containing ‘The Crosby Years’ radio series. Bing is rehearsing the song ‘At My Time of Life’ and gives a special performance for Gord and his wife.

Jan 19 Bing records four songs (including ‘At My Time of Life’) at United Western Studios, Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood with the Pete Moore Orchestra.

Jan 21 The clambake before the Golf Tournament. Bing sings for the first time in eight years and does a medley of 24 songs.

Jan 22-25 The Crosby National Pro-Am Golf Championship is won by Ben Crenshaw. Bing acts as one of the commentators for the TV coverage as usual.

Jan 26 In Las Vegas, Bing makes a walk-on guest appearance on the Merv Griffin TV show on CBS to surprise Rich Little who is impersonating him.

Jan 31 Bing and Kathryn plus their children present Bing Crosby and Friends as a benefit performance for the Houston Symphony Association at Houston, Texas.

Feb 20 American Indians protest plans by Bing and his business partners to refurbish a resort at Mineral Hot Springs, near San Diego, which was bought three months earlier for $2.4 million. The Indians claim that the changes would desecrate an ancient burial ground.

Mar Bing and Phil Harris form their own import company and launch their first product, Herradura Tequila, by recording a TV commercial.

Mar 5 Bing is interviewed on the ‘Tonight’ show on NBC-TV by Johnny Carson with Ray Bolger and Marvin Hamlisch.

Mar 17 Bing Crosby and Friends stage show (with guests Kathryn Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Rich Little, Nelson Riddle and Joe Bushkin) takes place at the Music Center in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The proceeds go to charity. Gary and Lindsay Crosby are in the audience.

Mar 18 Interviewed on ABC-TV News.

At Guadalajara, Mexico where he meets Derek Jewell of The Sunday Times. Jewell writes the programme notes for Bing’s forthcoming UK tour.

Mar 26 In conjunction with Liza Minelli, Bing hosts the 90-minute ‘Bell Telephone Jubilee’ on NBC-TV. Guests are Ben Vereen and Marvin Hamlisch.

Mar Charles Thompson’s authorised biography of Bing goes on sale in the United States.

Apr 5 Bing guests on The Rich Little Show on NBC-TV with Bill Cosby.

Apr 11 Arrives in Montreal and stays at the Bonaventure Hotel.

Apr 12 Tapes a Bob Hope Special at the Montreal Forum, which airs on NBC-TV on April 21.

Apr 16 In New York. Visits Aqueduct Race Track.

Apr 18 ‘American Sportsman’ TV programme features Bing and Phil Harris.

May 24 Bing is hospitalised overnight in Columbus, Ohio, after a piece of meat lodges in his throat. He is given a general anaesthetic but the food is removed without surgery. He withdraws from a golf match with Jack Nicklaus, Flip Wilson and Governor James A Rhodes.

Jun 2 Bing Crosby and Friends stage show at Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco. Flip Wilson replaces Rich Little as the comedian in the show.

Jun 15 Bing goes to London.

Jun 16 At Ascot races where he is turned away from the Royal Enclosure as he is inappropriately dressed. Is interviewed by BBC TV.

Jun 17 Again at Ascot and is interviewed by Derek Johnson for BBC Radio 2.

Jun 21 - Jul 4 Bing Crosby and Friends stage show at the London Palladium. Pete Moore and the Orchestra provide support, with Ted Rogers taking the comedian spot. The proceeds go to the National Society for Cancer Relief, the Playing Fields Association and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

Jun 24 Decca producer Geoff Milne visits Bing at his West End apartment to discuss songs for a forthcoming album.

Jun 25 Johnny Mercer dies.

Jun 27 Bing records a brief TV tribute to Johnny Mercer whilst at the Palladium.

Jun 29 Presented with a scroll for services to Britain by Lord Ponsonby, Chairman, Greater London Council at County Hall.

Jul 1 Bing and family plus Rosemary Clooney are guests of the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace. Prince Philip spends an hour talking to Bing at a drinks party in the 1844 room and the Queen unexpectedly joins the gathering as well.

At Elstree studios, Bing records his annual Christmas TV special (which airs on December 1) with Jackie Gleason and Bernadette Peters.

Jul 7 Photo session at ATV Studios at Elstree.

Jul 11 Golfs at Hermitage in Dublin with Christie O’Connor and performs in a hotel cabaret show that night. Stays at the Gresham.

Jul 12/13 Bing Crosby and Friends stage show at Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. Proceeds go to the Artane Boys School and to the Madonna House.

Jul 14 Arrives in Edinburgh.

Jul 15/16 Bing Crosby and Friends stage show at Usher Hall, Edinburgh. The proceeds go to the Ochtertyre Theatre Appeal Fund.

Jul 19 Bing at Churchill Hotel in London.

Jul 20 Records first part of ‘Feels Good - Feels Right’ album at Decca Studios in London, working from 10:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Jul 21 Continues recording the Decca album between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Jul 22 Further recording session at Decca Studios between 10:00 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.

Jul 27-31 The annual horse race meeting at Goodwood, near Chichester, West Sussex takes place. Bing attends at some time during the meeting.

Aug 2 Bing at Decca House at 3:00 p.m. to listen to acetates of his recent recording sessions before returning to Claridges.

Aug 3 Golfs in Pro-Am curtain raiser for Colgate European Women’s Championship at Sunningdale.

Aug 5 (evening) Visits Ashington, West Sussex and dines at Old Smithy restaurant, off the London Road as one of a party of guests of Capt. H. Ryan Price, the Findon racehorse trainer.

Aug 9 Bing and his two youngest sons leave Heathrow for Frankfurt, West Germany.

Aug 10 Bing and his sons golf in the American Express Pro-Am at Frankfurt Golf Club. Bing tees off at 10:00 a.m.

Aug 11 Flies in to stay at Godfrey Bostock’s house near Ripon, North Yorkshire.

Aug 12 After grouse shooting on Dallowgill Moor in a party led by Godfrey Bostock (he shoots six and a half brace), calls at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, to see the Highside Playing Fields he has helped with a donations totalling £1250. Briefly plays cricket there.

Aug 16-18 Bing accompanies his 14 year old son Nathaniel to Sunningdale for the British Boys’ Golf Championship. Nathaniel reaches the fourth round before he is knocked out.

Aug 17 Records four more songs at the Decca studios in London. Three of the songs are not issued until after Bing’s death.

Aug 22-27 Golfs at Gleneagles in Scotland with Sean Connery, Phil Harris and Jackie Stewart as they tape further ‘International Pro-Celebrity Golf” TV programmes which are shown on BBC-TV in January 1977.

Aug 26 Interviewed by a Scottish schoolgirl (Judy Allen) on video at Gleneagles.

Aug 30 Bing flies to Spain.

Sep 10 (8 pm. - 9 p.m.) Bing entertains at the Gala Archdiocesan Charities Ball at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Orleans in front of an audience of 1800 who have paid $100 each to attend.

Sep 19 Attends the Radio Awards evening at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, San Francisco where he is presented with the Armstrong Award for pioneering contributions to radio and for 50 years as an entertainer.

Sep 29 Whilst driving to his home at Las Cruces, Bing gets caught up in Hurricane Liza and has to turn back and stay in the El Presidente Hotel in La Paz. He is given a room on the seventh floor but has to evacuate this when rain smashes through the windows. Stays in the basement discotheque with the other guests until the morning of October 2. 433 die in La Paz and the surrounding area.

Oct 2 Flies from La Paz to Los Angeles in the CBS camera plane.

Oct 2 Bing, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour are honoured with the ‘Mr. Wonderful Award’ at the 21^st Annual Thalian Show, a benefit charity ball in Los Angeles. They announce that they will make the film The Road to Tomorrow.

Oct 10 Connee Boswell dies.

Oct 19/29/Nov 5 Bing records at Devonshire Sound Studios, Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood for United Artists. Most of the tracks appear on the ‘Beautiful Memories’ LP.

Oct 23 Tapes TV commercial for K-Tel Palladium LP set in San Francisco.

Nov 2 Democrat Jimmy Carter is elected President.

Nov 26 Brings Bing Crosby and Friends show to Aladdin Theatre in Las Vegas to raise funds for a church. Billy Byers leads the orchestra.

Dec 1 Bing’s annual Christmas show is televised on CBS and is fourth in the weekly ranking of prime TV shows.

Dec 3 Guests on Joe Franklin TV show in New York.

Dec 6 Appears on ‘Today’ and ‘Critics Circle’ TV programmes. Later gives a performance with his family and Rosemary Clooney at New York’s Avery Fisher Hall as a benefit for Fordham Prep School (a Jesuit institution).

Dec 7 Interviewed on Pat Collins TV programme.

Dec 7-19 Bing Crosby on Broadway stage show at the Uris Theatre. The proceeds are split equally between the Association for Aid to Retarded Children and the Manners School of Music (whose President is Rise Stevens, who starred with Bing in Going My Way).

Dec 9 The American Legion gives Bing their ‘Entertainer of the Year’ award.

Dec 10 Interviewed on three separate TV programmes (‘A.M. America’, Pat Collins Show and by Jack O’Brien).

Dec 15 Sings ‘White Christmas’ at City Hall Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, New York.

Dec 17 Interviewed on AM America.

Records interview for German TV which is shown there on Christmas Day.

Dec 21 Takes part in the annual Laguna Honda Hospital show in San Francisco.

1977

Jan 4 The California Legislature passes a resolution commending Bing.

Jan 20-23 Bing is at the 37^th Crosby National Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach. In very good weather, the professional winner is Tom Watson with a record breaking 273 for the four rounds. The crowd on Saturday of 28,000 is thought to be the biggest gallery in the history of golf. Gerald Ford is the first ex-president to play in the Crosby whilst Nancy Lopez and Marianne Bretton become the first women to play in the tournament since 1939. Because of drought conditions, the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club is substituted for the Spyglass course.

Feb 18-24 Bing Crosby and Friends show at Deauville Star Theater, Miami Beach.

Feb 26 Bing Crosby and Friends show at San Jose Center for Performing Arts in California.

Mar 3 After videotaping a three-hour performance, Bing falls 20 feet into the orchestra pit of the Ambassador Auditorium, Pasadena, California. Bing is taken to Pasadena’s Huntington Memorial Hospital, where it is found that there are no fractures but that he has ruptured a disc at the base of his spine.

Mar 20 ‘Bing!,’ a 90-minute television special, edited from his Pasadena performance, airs on CBS at 9:00 p.m. sponsored by Kraft. Guest stars include Pearl Bailey, Bette Midler, the Mills Brothers, Bob Hope, Rosemary Clooney and Paul Anka. There is no mention of Bing’s accident during the telecast.

Mar 23 Still in hospital, Bing is transferred by air ambulance to the Peninsula Hospital at Mill Brae near Hillsborough.

Apr 5 Is released from the hospital.

Apr 15 Records ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ for Concord Records, his last recording in the USA. The recording is done as tribute to the late Duke Ellington and is issued on a memorial album.

Apr 24 ‘American Sportsman’ TV programme about Tanzania is shown.

Apr 25 An ABC-TV show ‘Paul Anka - Music My Way’ includes Bing singing a snatch of ‘My Way’ as part of a procession of guest stars. No doubt recorded before his fall.

Apr 27 Gives telephone interview to radio station 5DN, Adelaide, Australia.

May 31 ‘Barbara Walters Special’ appears on ABC-TV, in which Bing is interviewed about his children at his Hillsborough home.

Jun 7 Bing writes to his childhood friend Jimmy Cottrell seeking “anecdotal material for a new book”.

Jun 27 Executes his last will in which he leaves a number of bequests and then executes a Declaration of Trust which, among other things, establishes an inter vivos trust for his benefit.

Jun 30 At Las Cruces, Mexico.

July In San Diego with Nathaniel. Bing visits Del Mar for the first time in 30 years.

Jul 26 The ‘London Experience’ Electrovision film opens in London.

Jul 28 Film expert Bob DeFlores visits Bing at his Hillsborough home and during the afternoon Bob shows Bing over two hours of rare movie clips.

Aug 15 Says he is “still a little limpy” from his accident but “I’d never retire completely.”

Aug 16 Performs in a new stage show at Concord, California, with his family. This is his ‘come-back’ after the Pasadena accident.

Aug 16 The death of Elvis Presley.

Aug 19 Groucho Marx dies.

Aug 23 Bing arrives in London.

Aug 25 Arrives at Oslo’s Fornebu Airport, Norway.

Aug 27 Gives an open air performance for the benefit of the Norwegian Red Cross at Momarkedet, near Mysen, commemorating 100 years of recorded sound. Harry Crosby and Joe Bushkin accompany Bing.

Sep 6-9 Tapes his final Christmas Show at Elstree, near London for CBS. Guests include David Bowie, Twiggy, Ron Moody and Stanley Baxter. The show airs on November 30 in the USA. Bing plays golf at Mill Hill whilst at Elstree.

Sep 12 Press conference at London Palladium to publicise tour.

Agrees to appear in Royal Variety Performance on November 12.

Sep 12-14 Records his last album ‘Seasons’ at CBS Studios, Whitfield Street, London for Polydor.

Sep 15 Appears on Pete Murray’s Open House BBC Radio Two programme in London.

Sep 21 Interviewed on BBC2 TV.

Sep 22 The British tour of Bing’s new stage show opens at the Guild Hall, Preston, England, with Bing’s voice “still strong.” Rosemary Clooney, Kathryn Crosby, Joe Bushkin and Ted Rogers are in support whilst Gordon Rose leads the orchestra. Stays overnight at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.

Sep 23 Thought to have played golf at Mere Golf Club, Knutsford and to have visited Belle Vue Zoo. At night, performs at Belle Vue, Manchester in front of over 2,000 people.

Sep 26 - Oct 8 Bing Crosby and Friends show at the London Palladium.

Oct 1 Bing speaks on the telephone with John Bassett of the International Crosby Circle regarding the arrangements for his annual message to the Circle.

Oct 4 Bing sings ‘Now You Has Jazz’ and ‘Sail Away from Norway’ at Olympic Studios, London as his last commercial recordings.

Oct 6 Records his last message to the International Crosby Circle in his London flat in the presence of ICC members John Bassett and Wally Oldfield.

Oct 8 Interviewed in his dressing room at the London Palladium for the American TV programme, “60 minutes” regarding a singer called Jack Harris who cannot obtain work because he sounds too much like Bing (see November 25, 1975).

Oct 9 Calls in at Railway Arms, South Ascot. Thought to have golfed at Swinley Forest G.C. near Ascot.

Oct 10 Bing’s stage show has its final performance at the Conference Centre in Brighton.

Oct 11 His London flat in Davies Street, Mayfair has been burglarised whilst he was in Brighton. After dealing with the police, Bing records eight songs for a radio programme at BBC Studios, Maida Vale with Alan Dell in the morning. These are his last recordings. In the afternoon there is a photo session for the ‘Seasons’ LP. Bing also meets Decca recording producer Geoff Milne to discuss sessions for a planned album of Noel Coward songs.

Oct 12 Kathryn and the two youngest children fly back to the USA. Harry stays on in London to study music and drama. Bing plays 11 holes at Cranbrook golf course in Kent (which he is apparently interested in buying) before returning to his flat, where he is interviewed by journalist Peter Green at 5:20 p.m.

Oct 13 Leaves London early and flies to Spain for golf and hunting. Lord Lew Grade announces the planned film production of Road to the Fountain of Youth with a July 1978 starting date.

Oct 14 Friday, 6:00 p.m. Bing falls unconscious from a massive heart attack after completing the 18^th hole at La Moraleja Golf Club, Madrid. He has been playing in a foursome with Spanish pro Manuel Pinero, Valentin Barrios and club president Cesar de Zulueta. Bing Crosby is dead on arrival at the Red Cross Hospital, Madrid.

Oct 16 Harry L. Crosby III and Alan Fisher fly to Spain to claim Bing’s body and return to Los Angeles that night. The body is returned to the Cunningham and O’Connor Funeral Home in Los Angeles. Several memorial services are held at locations around the world including Westminster Cathedral, London (where 2,000 people attend) and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York.

Oct 17 A private wake is held at a Los Angeles hotel. Bob Hope cannot be there as he is attending the funeral of his mother-in-law.

Oct 18 Tuesday, 6:00 a.m., a private funeral service is held for Bing at a tiny chapel adjacent to St. Paul’s The Apostle Church in Westwood. The ceremony is conducted by Father Ellwood Kieser. Mary Frances leads the 41 mourners in a reading of the 23^rd Psalm. Bing’s casket is lowered beside Dixie’s at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery. His simple gravestone perpetuates the incorrect date of his birth as it reads:

Beloved By All

Harry Lillis

Bing Crosby

1904 - 1977

*************

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