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Here is a show I tried to never miss. Bing Crosby was a legend from the late 30’s until his death in 1977. Only Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley rivaled him as a singing star. Bing had a tremendous sense of humor. His closest friend was Bob Hope.
Bing’s reputation was nearly destroyed by his kids and books they wrote about him. But I knew his oldest son, Gary, and his twin sons Dennis and Phillip. Gary was extremely moody. It is known that Bing spanked all three of them and his youngest son too, but spankings were not considered abuse in those days. And if anyone needed strong discipline it would be all three of these boys. I went to Bellarmine Catholic high school my freshman year and all three boys were students there. During that year Dennis and Lindsay were expelled from Bellarmine for sneaking out of their dorm windows to party. They had done that many times before.
Bing’s first wife Dixie was an alcoholic long before she married Bing and that never changed. Gary brought a friend of mine to his home and introduced him to his mother. The next morning she demanded to know who he was.
It is always the most fun to shoot at a moving target and since Bing Crosby was famous as a great singer and a strong actor, Bing was the target of their condemnation because the boys knew that was how to sell their books. Bing undoubtedly was not the best father a boy could have, but he was also not the devil the boys painted him to be.
The twins both committed suicide at different stages of their lives. Gary died of lung cancer. As for Bing, he died on a golf course at the age of 73 after playing 18 holes. His last words were “That was a great game, guys”.
Dixie died from the disease related to her alcoholism long before Bing died. Then came Bing’s much happier years with children from his second wife Kathy Grant. Those children and Kathy are with Bing on this fun-filled musical Christmas show. –Ray
A Bing Crosby Christmas show
A Bing Crosby Christmas show