Bing Crosby, the ‘Squarest Guy in Hollywood’

The greatest megastar of his era, known as the” Voice of America,” was Bing Crosby, who was born on this day ( May 3rd, 1903 ). He was likewise a kind and sincere philanthropist who donated money to charities and was always ready to lend a colleague a helping hand. &nbsp,

Crosby’s kindness, compassion, and empathy have too frequently been forgotten or denied due to allegations made against him by his son, Gary, who later admitted ( as Gary’s siblings had always asserted ) that the allegations were false because his father was a loving, not a bad, father. However, Crosby’s children were just the ones who had fond memories of him. Numerous organizations, coworkers, students, friends, and American soldiers all had their lives changed thanks to the Oscar-winning singer and actor who Americans voted the “most admired person alive” in 1948. &nbsp,

I wrote about Bing’s diligent tours to satisfy troops during World War II last year as well as his thoughtful, personal letters to numerous men and their families. Ok, you can read about his nationalist deeds. Additionally, Binding spent a lot of time visiting men who were injured during the war, as well as toddlers and other civilians who were in critical condition. His Van unintentionally crossed enemy lines during one of his visits! For his efforts to maintain confidence and support the troops, Bin was also given a particular GI Oscar. However, not just the general public had a reason to congratulate and bless him.

Bing Crosby in World War II: A Star’s Heartfelt Letters to Soldiers and People

Some of Bing’s philanthropic efforts are described on BingCrosby .com:

One of the earliest known efforts was a contribution to the Scottsboro Boys, nine young black people who were accused of raping two bright Alabama people, for their protection. His increased television exposure made it simple for him to raise money for various reasons, including the Red Cross, the United Appeal ( then the United Way ), Sister Kenny’s Polio Fund, the March of Dimes, and youth initiatives like Campfire Ladies, Campfire Girls, Boys Clubs, and 4-H Leagues.

He even recorded a number of public service announcements for radio and television, including those for the United States Olympic Team, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Toys for Tots, the Christophers, the Family Rosary Crusade, and the Shriners Hospital, which ranged from conservation ( Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Save the Atlantic Salmon Campaign, U.S. Forest Service ) to causes of social significance ( including the Shriners Hospital ).

In light of Crosby’s help for the Scottsboro Boys being mentioned above, I would like to point out that Bing, who may have had some prejudice in his early years as an Irish Catholic, was actually a champion for civil rights and used his popularity to encourage dark players. For instance, podcaster Nate Wilcox wrote,” [Bing ] got Louis Armstrong the first ever equal billing given a Black performer in Hollywood. He frequently featured Black musicians on his television shows as his artistic classmates and equals, never in demeaning ways. Bing purposefully defied oppressors by insisting that Robeson address him by his first title and vice versa when Paul Robeson guested on his show.

Read furthermore:   James Baskett: Actor Making History and” Ultimate Remus.”

Bing, a devout Catholic who made an effort to protect his faith, used the profits from his earliest Christmas tapes, including” Silent Night,” which is still one of the top five most-listened-to Christmas recordings ever, for benevolent purposes. He also contributed untold amounts of money to help those friends and family members who were going through hard times.

Bing, a devoted golfer, started a charity golf event in 1937 that still exists today. In addition to common charity drives and numerous college loan programs, including to Bing’s individual alma mater, Gonzaga, and previously dark Howard University, biographer Gary Giddens claims that Bing provided more mysterious assistance and frequently didn’t need his charity to be made public. For starters, Bing maintained a””

take care of” list with the names of people he wanted to support, particularly by helping them find work.

Judy Garland, a well-known star on the “take treatment of” list that Bing helped reinvigorate into the show business after the brilliant but worried Judy attempted suicide and was fired by MGM. Judy was featured on Bing’s wildly favorite radio program. &nbsp,

Rosemary Clooney was another star who became a close friend of both Bing and his second wife Kathryn, and Bing not only assisted her career and shared vacations with her, but was there to support her after her difficult divorce. “My fondest memory is just being able to further the friendship, deepen the friendship I had with Bing,” Rosemary said when speaking of filming the movie “White Christmas,” the title song of which, as sung by Bing, is still the number one-selling single of all time. “That’s the thing that came out of the picture that I was left with for the rest of Bing’s life. That was very important to me.” 

In a 1938 article, Sharon A. Pease described Crosby as the” Squarest Guy in Hollywood,” a man who” will always go the distance for any good reason or for anyone who has made friends with him.” Pease shared a tale about how Bing helped piano Joe Sullivan promote a musical to raise funds for him while he was in the hospital. Additionally, Pease humorously pointed out that whenever” the bird” was about to emerge at” a Hollywood home,” the future father was most likely to receive an offer to host star on Crosby’s system. &nbsp,

So enjoy a film or song from the” Voice of America,” the” squarest guy in Hollywood,” and one of those rare megastars that friends, coworkers, and victims of tragedy could always rely on for a kind word and a helping hand.

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