When was Bing Crosby born and where was he born?
Harry Lillis Crosby Jr. was born on the 3rd of May 1903 in Tacoma, Washington. He was raised in Spokane, Eastern Washington State, after his family moved there three years later.
Questions about Bing Crosby
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Bing Crosby change the way singers used microphones?
Bing Crosby discovered that the microphone was an instrument in itself and developed an intimate, conversational style that allowed him to whisper secrets to millions of listeners. This technique influenced every male singer who followed, from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley, and turned the crooner into a dominant force in the 20th century.
What was the biggest hit song of Bing Crosby's career and how many copies did it sell?
The biggest hit song of Bing Crosby's career was his recording of Irving Berlin's White Christmas, which he introduced on a Christmas Day radio broadcast in 1941. His recording of White Christmas has sold over 50 million copies worldwide and remains the bestselling single of all time.
How many films did Bing Crosby make and what awards did he win?
Bing Crosby made over 70 feature films and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Going My Way in 1944. He was nominated for its sequel, The Bells of St. Mary's in 1945, becoming the first of six actors to be nominated twice for playing the same character.
What role did Bing Crosby play in the development of magnetic tape recording?
Bing Crosby invested $50,000 in the California electronics company Ampex to build copies of a German broadcast quality reel-to-reel tape recorder. He became the first performer to prerecord his radio shows and master his commercial recordings onto magnetic tape, a practice that became the industry standard.