Tuesday, October 14, 2014

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: BING CROSBY'S FUNERAL


On October 14, 1977, the world lost its greatest singing legends when Bing Crosby died. Bing was a private man, and he wanted his funeral private as well. When the funeral of his first wife, Dixie Lee Crosby, got mobbed by reporters in 1952, Bing never wanted to have that public nuisance again.

On October 18, 1977 was the private funeral mass for Bing. The early hour (6 a.m. Los Angeles time) eliminated what Crosby did not want -- a clamorous Hollywood funeral. There were no fans on the quiet side street.

The mourners included a few of Crosby's companions from show business -- Bob Hope and his wife, Mrs. Dolores Hope; Rosemary Clooney, who sang with Bing in his final concerts, and her son by Jose Ferrer, Miguel; Phil Harris, comedian and his wife Alice Faye, and Bob Crosby, Bing's singer-brother.

The rest were Crosby's business associates, fishing companions and personal friends, including his secretary, Ms. Nancy Briggs; Richard Bergen, his attorney; Basil Grillo, producer; Buster Collier, former actor, and Alan Fisher, his butler. Crosby's sister, Mrs. Mary Rose Pool, and Mrs. Crosby's sister, Mrs. Frances Meyer, also were present.

Crosby's six sons, including Gary, Dennis, Phillip, and Lindsay, acted as pallbearers. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery near the graves of Crosby's parents and first wife, Mrs. Dixie Lee Crosby, who died of cancer in 1952. The grave is on a hillside overlooking the graves of other family members, about 150 yards inside the cemetery's entrance...


5 comments:

  1. A penny for Bob Hope's thoughts when this picture was taken.

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  2. Men who mistreat there first batch of kids by the first wife should learn from Bing Crosby mistake..all the hard work he did..he is now remembered as a ASSHOLE....make sure you treat all your kids the same..after all they came from you...so sad...pathetic.

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    1. I have read many interviews with ALL of Bing's kids & his wife, Kathryn. They all said a publisher got a hold of one of Bing's older sons to write a book about Bing. The son said only nice things.The publisher said the book won't sell unless you say mean things. Greedily the son, later admittedly, made up nasty things about Bing. The whole family was upset about the book. The older brothers shunned him. Years later he had dinner with his half-sister, Mary Frances & apologized.

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