Crosby, Bing [ Lillis, Harry] (
b Tacoma, 1904;
d La Moraleja golf course, Madrid, 1977). Amer. singer and actor. Drummer in school bands and in jazz groups in Spokane. One of Rhythm Boys who sang with Paul Whiteman Orch. 1926–30 and appeared in film
The King of Jazz (1930). Successful radio career as solo singer from 1931, with ‘
signature-tune’
Where the blue of the night. Made many other films, incl.
Holiday Inn (1942), in which he sang Irving Berlin's ‘White Christmas’, and those in which he had a comedy partnership with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. For his part as priest in
Going My Way (1944) he won a Motion Picture Academy Award. Influenced by Al Jolson and developed a very personal intimate style of crooning.