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Bing Crosby filmography

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Poster for Sing, Bing, Sing (1933)

This is a filmography for the American singer and actor Bing Crosby.[1][2][3][4]

Films

Year Title Role Notes
1930 King of Jazz Vocalist Member of "The Rhythm Boys"
1930 Reaching for the Moon Bing Short guest appearance to sing one song
1931 Confessions of a Co-Ed Vocalist Member of The Rhythm Boys
1931 I Surrender Dear Himself Two-reeler; plays himself; directed by Mack Sennett
1931 One More Chance Bing Bangs Two-reeler; directed by Mack Sennett
1932 Dream House Bing Fawcett Two-reeler; produced by Mack Sennett
1932 Billboard Girl Himself Two-reeler; produced by Mack Sennett
1932 The Big Broadcast Himself His first starring role in a full length film.
1933 Blue of the Night Himself / Jack Smith Two-reeler; produced by Mack Sennett
1933 Sing, Bing, Sing Himself Two-reeler; produced by Mack Sennett
1933 College Humor Professor Frederick Danvers
1933 Too Much Harmony Eddie Bronson
1933 Please Himself / Howard Jones Two-reeler; produced and directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom
1933 Going Hollywood Bill Williams
1934 Just an Echo Himself Two-reeler; produced and directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom
1934 We're Not Dressing Stephen Jones
1934 She Loves Me Not Paul Lawton
1934 Here Is My Heart J. (Jasper) Paul Jones
1935 Mississippi Tom Grayson
1935 Two for Tonight Gilbert Gordon
1935 The Big Broadcast of 1936 Himself cameo
1936 Anything Goes Billy Crocker
1936 Rhythm on the Range Jeff Larabee
1936 Pennies from Heaven Larry Poole
1937 Waikiki Wedding Tony Marvin
1937 Double or Nothing 'Lefty' Boylan
1938 Doctor Rhythm Dr. Bill Remsen
1938 Sing You Sinners Joe Beebe
1939 Paris Honeymoon 'Lucky' Lawton
1939 East Side of Heaven Denny Martin
1939 The Star Maker Larry Earl
1940 Road to Singapore Joshua 'Josh' Mallon V
1940 If I Had My Way Buzz Blackwell
1940 Rhythm on the River Bob Sommers
1941 Road to Zanzibar Chuck Reardon
1941 Birth of the Blues Jeff Lambert
1942 My Favorite Blonde Man outside union hall Uncredited cameo appearance
1942 Road to Morocco Jeff Peters
1942 Holiday Inn Jim Hardy
1942 Star Spangled Rhythm himself
1943 They Got Me Covered Music box Voice only, uncredited
1943 Dixie Daniel Decatur Emmett
1944 Going My Way Father Chuck O'Malley Academy Award for Best Actor
1944 The Princess and the Pirate Commoner on King's ship Uncredited cameo appearance
1944 Here Come the Waves Johnny Cabot
1945 Out of This World Singing voice for Eddie Bracken
1945 The Bells of St. Mary's Father Chuck O'Malley Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor
1945 Duffy's Tavern Himself
1946 Road to Utopia Duke Johnson/Junior Hooton
1946 Blue Skies Johnny Adams
1947 My Favorite Brunette Harry Uncredited cameo appearance
1947 Welcome Stranger Dr. James 'Jim' Pearson
1947 Variety Girl Himself One of several featured performers in musical sequences
1947 Road to Rio Scat Sweeney
1948 The Emperor Waltz Virgil Smith
1949 A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Hank Martin
1949 Top o' the Morning Joe Mulqueen
1949 The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad Narrator, Ichabod, Brom Bones "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
1950 Riding High Dan Brooks
1950 Mr. Music Paul Merrick
1951 Here Comes the Groom Peter 'Pete' Garvey Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1951 Angels in the Outfield Himself Uncredited cameo appearance
1952 The Greatest Show on Earth Uncredited cameo appearance
1952 Son of Paleface Uncredited cameo appearance
1952 Just for You Jordan Blake
1952 Road to Bali George Cochran
1953 Scared Stiff Uncredited cameo appearance
1953 Little Boy Lost Bill Wainwright
1954 White Christmas Bob Wallace
1954 The Country Girl Frank Elgin National Board of Review Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor
1956 Anything Goes Bill Benson
1956 High Society C. K. Dexter-Haven
1957 The Joker Is Wild Uncredited vocal performance singing "June in January"
1957 Man on Fire Earl Carleton
1959 Alias Jesse James Uncredited cameo appearance
1959 Say One for Me Father Conroy
1960 Let's Make Love Himself Uncredited cameo appearance
1960 High Time Harvey Howard
1960 Pepe Himself Uncredited cameo appearance
1962 The Road to Hong Kong Harry Turner
1964 Robin and the 7 Hoods Allen A. Dale With Frank Sinatra
1966 Stagecoach Doc Josiah Boone
1972 Cancel My Reservation Uncredited cameo performance
1974 That's Entertainment! Himself as featured presenter

Box office ranking

Crosby was frequently voted among the leading box office stars in a poll of exhibitors. See Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll

  • 1933 - 14th (US)
  • 1934 - 7th (US)
  • 1935 - 12th (US)
  • 1936 - 22nd (US)
  • 1937 - 4th (US)
  • 1938 - 13th (US)
  • 1939 - 11th (US)
  • 1940 - 7th (US)
  • 1943 - 4th (US)
  • 1944 - 1st (US)
  • 1945 - 1st (US)
  • 1946 - 1st (US)
  • 1947 - 1st (US)
  • 1948 - 1st (US)
  • 1949 - 2nd (US)
  • 1950 - 3rd (US)
  • 1951 - 5th (US)
  • 1952 - 4th (US)
  • 1953 - 5th (US)
  • 1954 - 8th (US)
  • 1955 - 13th (US)
  • 1956 - 20th (US)

Top-ten films of their year

USA

UK

  • Holiday Inn (No. 5) (1942)
  • Going My Way (No. 4) (1944)
  • The Bells of St. Mary's (No. 2) (1946)
  • Blue Skies (placed in top ten) (1947)
  • Road to Bali (No. 2) (1953)
  • White Christmas (No. 2) (1955)
  • High Society (No. 1) (1957)
  • The Road to Hong Kong (placed in top ten) (1962)

The source of the information is Variety for the USA results and Kinematograph Weekly for the UK.[5]

Other short subjects

  • Two Plus Fours (1930)
  • Hollywood on Parade (1932)
  • Hollywood on Parade No. 11 (1933)
  • Hollywood on Parade No. A-9 (1933)
  • Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove (1934)
  • Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 5 (1937)
  • Hollywood Handicap (1938)
  • Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 4 (1938)
  • Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 9 (1939)
  • Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Recreations (1940)
  • Swing with Bing (1940)
  • Angels of Mercy (1941)
  • Meet the Stars #6: Stars at Play (1941)
  • Show Business at War (1943)
  • Don't Hook Now (1943)
  • Road to Victory (1944)
  • The All-Star Bond Rally (1945)
  • Hollywood Victory Caravan (1945)
  • Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Celebrations (1945)
  • Screen Snapshots: Famous Fathers and Sons (1946)
  • Screen Snapshots: Hollywood's Happy Homes (1949)
  • Alberta Vacation (1950)
  • You Can Change the World (1951)
  • Crusade for Prayer (1952)
  • Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Mothers and Fathers (1955)
  • Showdown at Ulcer Gulch (1956) (voice)
  • Bing Presents Oreste (1956)
  • The Heart of Show Business (1957)
  • Just One More Time (1974)

Television

Main article: Bing Crosby TV appearances listing

Songs nominated for Academy Award

From 1934, when the first Oscar was awarded for "Best Song", until 1960, Bing Crosby introduced more nominated songs than any other singer. His fourteen nominations produced four Oscar winners, a record that has never been matched.[6]

Year Title Film Result
1934 "Love in Bloom" She Loves Me Not Nominated
1936 "Pennies from Heaven" Pennies from Heaven Nominated
1937 "Sweet Leilani" Waikiki Wedding Won
1940 "Only Forever" Rhythm on the River Nominated
1942 "White Christmas" Holiday Inn Won
1944 "Swinging on a Star" Going My Way Won
1945 "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" Here Come the Waves Nominated
1945 "Aren't You Glad You're You" The Bells of St. Mary's Nominated
1946 "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" Blue Skies Nominated
1951 "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" Here Comes the Groom Won
1952 "Zing a Little Zong" Just for You Nominated
1954 "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)" White Christmas Nominated
1956 "True Love" High Society Nominated
1960 "The Second Time Around" High Time Nominated

Soundtrack appearances

  • Richard Hamilton (1969) – This is an Arts Council of Great Britain sponsored twenty five minute short. It is devoted to the works of artist Richard Hamilton. The only song heard in the short is "White Christmas". Bing Crosby's Decca recording is used to illustrate Hamilton's painting I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. The painting is of Bing in negative and the effects of color reversal create a snow scene effect to the Crosby features.
  • Paper Moon (1973) – Peter Bogdanovich's film relies solely on commercial recordings and radio programs to provide background music for this film which is set in the U.S.A. in the 1930s. Crosby's recording of "Just One More Chance" is featured.
  • Brother, Can You Spare a Dime (1975) – David Puttnam was involved in this 109 minute compilation of 1930s film footage. As well as singing the title song we hear Bing's recording of "Where the Blue of the Night (Meets the Gold of the Day)." The film's closing credits wrongly title the latter song "When the Blue...".
  • The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) – In this Crosby can be heard singing "True Love". At the film's end, Candy Clark, playing David Bowie's girlfriend, goes to Bowie's apartment in a Father Christmas outfit. As the two move around the apartment, part of the Capitol recording of "True Love" is heard on the soundtrack.
  • Tracks (1977) – Director Henry Jaglom makes use of two of Crosby's American Decca recordings: "These Foolish Things" and "(There'll Be a) Hot Time in the Town of Berlin", the latter performed with The Andrews Sisters.
  • F.I.S.T. (1978) – In the early part of the film the U.S. Decca recording of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" by Crosby and the Andrews Sisters is heard on the soundtrack. The song is playing on the radio in a scene where a Chicago businessman is visited during the Christmas holiday by union representatives.
  • The Brink's Job (1978) – In an early scene set in Boston, the American Decca recording of "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters is heard. This serves to indicate the era without resorting to a caption or explanatory dialogue. At the end of the film the same recording is heard as the gang of robbers depicted in the film ascend the courthouse steps for a trial prior to imprisonment.
  • Pennies From Heaven (1981) – This version uses recordings from the 1930s to advance the story-line. The film's setting is the thirties with the actors miming to 78s from that decade. Crosby's contribution is "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?".
  • Frances (1982) – Bing Crosby is heard singing "Love Is So Terrific" as background music in this screen biography of Crosby's one time leading lady Frances Farmer. This song is taken from the Philco Radio Time broadcast of March 31, 1948.
  • Some Kind of Hero (1982) – Towards the end of the main character's imprisonment, the public address system broadcasts the Bing and Carol Richards Decca recording of "Silver Bells".
  • A Christmas Story (1983) – Crosby's Decca 78s are used to give a seasonal early 1940's atmosphere to the film by the playing of "Jingle Bells", "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town".
  • Racing with the Moon (1984) – Popular songs of the era are played on the soundtrack including Crosby's Decca recording of "Moonlight Becomes You".
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) – Crosby's recording of "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" is heard on the soundtrack of this American horror film about a teenager suffering from nightmares.
  • One Magic Christmas (1985) – Bing's Decca recording of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" adds poignancy to a scene where the characters have a heart to heart talk in their kitchen.
  • Tough Guys (1986) – Crosby sings "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" on the soundtrack. It is Crosby's 1977 recording made for a Concord CD, although Burt Lancaster is shown placing a 78 on the record turntable.
  • Radio Days (1987) – Woody Allen's affectionate tribute to the golden days of American radio crams loads of music from the 1930s and 1940s onto the nostalgia provoking soundtrack. Bing Crosby's contribution is part of the Decca recording of "Pistol Packin' Mama" sung with the Andrews Sisters.
  • Someone to Love (1987) – Director Henry Jaglom selected Bing's Decca recording of "Long Ago (and Far Away)" to help capture the mood of one of the film's introspective moments.
  • Lady in White (1988) – Bing sings "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" as the film's main character, young Frankie, played by Lukas Haas, descends the stairs and sees the ghost of a murdered girl. The song has a significant part to play in the film's plot. As the end credits roll the Crosby vocal is reprised, followed by the lyrics being picked up by a childish voice intended to be that of the murdered girl.
  • Christmas in Tattertown (1988) – This thirty minute cartoon was first shown on television in the U.S.A. in 1988. The plot concerns a doll called Muffet who hates Christmas and the sentiment surrounding the season of goodwill. She is supported in her beliefs by a spider and a fly. When Debbie, the doll's owner, plays Crosby's recording of "White Christmas" both spider and fly are reduced to tears.
  • When Harry Met Sally (1989) – Crosby sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" as the story moves towards a happy conclusion.
  • National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) – The Hawaiian song "Mele Kalikimaka", sung by Crosby and the Andrews Sisters is used to illustrate a dream sequence. A further nod to the Crosby influence on Christmas comes at Griswold's darkest hour when the family guests pack to leave the disaster stricken house. Chevy Chase bars their way, grits his teeth and says, "Nobody leaves. This is going to be the happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny Kaye."
  • The Road Home (1989) – Crosby's 1943 recording of "San Fernando Valley" is incongruously included on the soundtrack where recordings by the likes of Happy Mondays, Raheem, The Pogues and The Cure predominate.
  • Avalon (1990) – Bing's soundtrack contribution is "Silver Bells" which he duets with Carol Richards.
  • Henry & June (1990) – Director Philip Kaufman decided to use French and American recordings of the period alongside an orchestral score of 1930s classical compositions. One of his contemporary selections was Crosby's recording of "I Found a Million Dollar Baby".
  • Hudson Hawk (1991) This American comedy thriller was the first major financial disaster of the 1990s as far as Hollywood was concerned. Bing's recording of "Swinging on a Star" plays a major part in the plot. Bruce Willis as the Hudson Hawk of the title plans to steal a Leonardo da Vinci from a New York auction house. He estimates the heist will take the length of time it takes to sing "Swinging on a Star".
  • Oscar (1991) – In a scene in the first reel, Sylvester Stallone's daughter (Ornella Muti) is showing her rebellious side. She is in retreat in her bedroom smoking and listening to Crosby's 1932 recording of "Sweet Georgia Brown".
  • November Days (1991) – Parts of Bing's May 1942 recording of "Song of Freedom" are used throughout the film. Anti-Semitism is an issue explored in the film and Crosby's vocal gives added poignancy in a sequence when a Neo-Nazi is interviewed.
  • Grumpy Old Men (1993) – This Warner Bros. film includes Crosby's Warner Bros. released recording of "Winter Wonderland".
  • Trapped in Paradise (1994) – There is a scene in the town's bank where customers are conducting business whilst Bing Crosby's 1963 recording of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is playing over the public address system.
  • The Troubles We've Seen (1994) – Crosby is heard singing "White Christmas" to film footage of sledding in the Bosnian mountains.
  • Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995) – The American Decca recording of "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" by Bing and the Andrews Sisters accompanies a scene after Andy Garcia, the film's leading man, is the subject of a vicious beating.
  • Mother Night (1996) – The Crosby Decca recording of "White Christmas" is played unedited over the credit titles at the film's beginning. Then, forty minutes into the action, there is a sequence set in New York in 1960. "White Christmas" is heard on the soundtrack. A display of Decca 78s is shown as the Nick Nolte character explains he has 26 copies of the Crosby disc which he obtained via the U.S. Armed Forces.
  • L.A. Confidential (1997) – About twenty minutes into the film there is a scene in a liquor store. Crosby and the Andrews Sisters are heard singing "Mele Kalikimaka" when Kim Basinger and a cop visit the store.
  • The Locusts (1997) – The film's songs are almost all late 1950s recordings with the notable exception of Crosby's "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?". That song starts up as background music some thirteen minutes into the story.
  • The Myth of Fingerprints (1997) – A snatch of Crosby's recording of "Don't Be That Way" and a lengthy excerpt from "Adeste Fideles" are heard on the soundtrack. The latter song is used two-thirds through the story when actors Roy Scheider and Blythe Danner are preparing a turkey for the oven.
  • Enemy of the State (1998) – Bing's 1947 Decca recording of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" is played over the credits.
  • Forever Hollywood (1999) – This fifty minute compilation ends with Crosby singing "Going Hollywood" from the film of the same name.
  • Snow Falling on Cedars (2000) – Bing's Decca recording of "Would You" plays in the background of a flashback scene.
  • Bicentennial Man (2000) – In one scene, Robin Williams is seen repairing a phonograph. The 78 that is played is Crosby's "I Found a Million Dollar Baby".
  • Hollywood Ending (2001) – This Woody Allen film makes use of Bing's recording of "Going Hollywood".
  • Catch Me If You Can (2002) – Crosby and the Andrews Sisters are heard singing "Mele Kalikimaka".
  • Bad Santa (2003) – About twenty minutes before the end of the film, there is a scene which takes place on Christmas Eve. Prior to carrying out another robbery Billy Bob Thornton is assisting in dressing a Christmas tree and hanging Christmas stockings. The film's soundtrack plays Bing singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Almost all of the 1962 Warner Bros. recording is used.
  • Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) – Three-quarters of the way into the film there is footage of U.S. military stationed in Iraq. It is just before Christmas, presumably in the year 2002. Crosby and the Andrews Sisters can be heard singing "Here Comes Santa Claus" on two occasions during the sequence.
  • The Polar Express (2004) – Both "White Christmas" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" can be heard on the soundtrack.
  • The Aviator (2004) – Bing Crosby is heard twice on the film's soundtrack during the drama's first half. "Thanks" is played shortly after the sequence depicting the premiere of the film "Wings" and "Some of These Days" is featured when Howard Hughes, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, visits the home of Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett).
  • Run Fatboy Run (2007) – Crosby's recording of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" with accompaniment by Buddy Bregman can be heard over the pre-credit sequence of this British comedy.
  • Four Christmases (2008). – The first song heard in this seasonal comedy is "White Christmas" sung by Bing. It is heavily overdubbed and is referred to as "the Declan mix" when acknowledging that it is licensed from the current owners of Crosby's Decca catalog.
  • Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010) – The soundtrack features Crosby singing "The Best Things in Life Are Free". It is the first use in a film of a Ken Barnes session recording. Bing was in London to record the song in 1975.
  • The Music Never Stopped (2011) – Bing is heard singing the version of "Young at Heart" recorded for the GE show on the soundtrack.
  • Serena (2014) – Around two-thirds through the film the characters attend a business dinner and The Rhythm Boys recording of "There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth the Salt of My Tears" starts up. This February, 8, 1928 recording with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra is the earliest instance of the Crosby voice being used on screen.
  • Brooklyn (2015) – A brief snatch of "Zing a Little Zong" is played over Coney Island's public address system. This is the version featuring Crosby duetting with Rosemary Clooney and is taken from the Chesterfield broadcast of June 11, 1952. Jasmine Records are credited with making the recording available.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Bing Crosby". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved August 3, 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ "Bing Crosby". Allmovie. Retrieved August 3, 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "Bing Crosby". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 3, 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "Bing Crosby Filmography". The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Parkinson, Keith (December 1993). "Celluloid Crosby". BING magazine (#105): 9.
  6. ^ "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  7. ^ Parkinson, Keith. "The A-Z of Bing's Movies". BING Magazine. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
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