BING CROSBY'S CAREER: SUCCESS FROM THE START

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 172, 7 August 1937, Page 10

BING CROSBY'S CAREER: SUCCESS FROM THE START

A few years ago & brilliant young feliow in Hollywood conceived what be. thought would be a novel form of a "motiion picture^ His idea was Jth$ blending of a good story, preferably a comedy> with light music. He had ti story written, hired a young dance* band singer, and made his picture. When it was completed, he took it toi a well-known studio executive, project* ed it on the screen, and was promptlj" thrown out with the reel tossed after him. The ekeeutive was of the opin* ion that the public would not accept such a picture and further, that thoj i dance-band singer could not sing. All of which is important, because the; young singer was Bing Crosby, to-day the highest paid singdng star on thoi Screen. Crosby 's career, unlike that of many; other film stars, was successful from the start. It was his family 's dnten* tion to make him a Iawyer, and towardo that end he was sent to Gonsaga Col* lege. He joined the uollege Glee Club, and became something of a Sensafxon in-Spokane, his native city# Then he and another student, Ranker? started an orchestra which made such a "hit" that a local theatre, manager gave them a lengthy stage en* gagement. This caused the two youths to think seriously of entering the en* tertainment world. As a result, they left college and went to Los Angelesa where they were well receive.d 5x* vaudeville and in night clubs,, Paul Whiteman. heard of -Bing Crosby and his partner, A1 Rinker; was at* tracted by their ability, and ultimately brought them' to New York, where ha added a third i^ember to tio team— » Harry Barris. This was the beginning of the famous Rhythm Boys, who werci soon known from one side of Americal to the other, " j This was f oilowed by somei minof screen. appearances and an engagemenf at ihe Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, where Crosby began making a name for himself *as a soloist. His radio career followed; then Paramount signed him to appear in the first of their series of "Big Broadcasts," and he joined the' screen 's greatest. \ ' «