I don't mind the sit-com. I mean, its not my go-to Bing opus. But still its okay.

Measured against so many other films and other project, yes it is weak.

However, family sit-coms are pretty low-brow really. And when you measure The Bing Crosby Show against things like Leave it to Beaver before it, The Brady Bunch after it and My Three Sons contemporaneous to it, then The Bing Crosby Show is a masterpiece. The kids, the wife and the buddy are all interesting characters for Bing to bounce off. The plot lines are fairly progressive for their day too.
If Bing really wanted to do a sit-com he should have had something fashioned for him around some sort of occupation and the supporting characters were quirky folks he knew in his work and in his broader community. If he played a theatre manager and Frank McHugh was his stagehand, it would have been more believeable that his character could sing and dance. He would have also been better cast for his age than playing a father. I know Bing had children in real life the same age as the children in the sit-com...but that is unusual for a man his age.

But, Ian, Bilko is another league all together. This is a masterpiece!

60 years from Cinerama's Russian Adventure too!
70 years since the Bing Swings Whilst Bregman Swings album.
70 years since the Songs I Wish I Had Sung album.

Since it’s the University of Iowa, with them being a bigger public university, I doubt they would do that, but it’s a nice thought! As much as I’d love the copy of it, I like the idea of it being there for Bing fans who may come to the university. The university has a surprisingly robust catalog of Crosby books, including the Osterholm bio-bibliography, the Morgereth discography/radio/film list book, the Ted and Larry Crosby ‘30s biography, Ulanov’s Incredible Crosby, and even more!

Wow - you should borrow Day By Day out and just keep renewing it as often as you can. Return it and then borrow it again. The uni might then gift it to you when you graduate!

David Lobosco wrote:

ModernBingFan0377 wrote:

In some ways, since they had just talked to Gary, I would imagine that the mention of a third volume being in the works is more concrete than the idea has been in the past. I also remember that Gary has said that all of the research is done for the third volume, it is just a matter of writing it. I don't know, I certainly hope that the third volume can happen. Bing's 1974-1977 career has always been so fascinating to me and I would love to hear Gary's take on it.

I agree. I am a little more hopeful now. Have you ever had a chance to read Ken Barne's The Crosby Years. The book is a fascinating look at the 1974-1977 period.
 

Yes, I’m very lucky to own a copy, it’s a wonderful book! I was able to get a copy of it a few years ago, but even before that I would ‘borrow’ it from the Internet Archive.

Ian Kerstein wrote:

Did you prefer one Peterson trio from the other with the Gershwin songbooks, Aaron? 
Did Ella do another Gershwin songbook album away from her 1959 classic set with Nelson Riddle? 

I don't think Ella returned to the songbook idea - the only thing that comes to mind - in the early 80s she did an album devoted to Antonio Carlos Jobim.

I can't say which trio I prefer. Overall, I do like the recordings of the Peterson/Ray Brown/Ed Thigpin Trio. However, the guitar trio is brilliant too. In terms of the Songbook series, the guitar trios do tend to allow greater improvisation whereas the Brown/Thigpen trios tend to be more structured/arranged. The tracks also tend to be shorter than the earlier versions. 

It has been many years since I've read the Troubadour book. My memory is that it is more detailed than Charles Thompson's book. Also, it was a welcome relief after "The Hollow Man". 

He makes some assertions about Bing's singing through the years that I don't entirely agree with. However, Norman does support his opinion with examples. Therefore, I respect his opinions throughout even when I disagree with him.

It doesn't measure up against Gary Giddins' 2 volumes, but then I'm not sure anything ever will in terms of biography. The other great books on Bing, of course are Malcolm's Day By Day (even though I have to be content with the online version - my wife won't let me take a second mortgage on the house), Fred's Crosby Collections and the ICC discography, radio and TV listings. However, all these volumes are intended as reference material and do not fall into the category of biography. They all have a singular purpose and they do it extremely well. 

Troubadour is worth a read as it balances the views on Bing nicely. It doesn't raise him on too high a pedestal, nor does it destroy the incredible contribution Bing made to 20th Century popular culture.

You're right, Pantelis. It can be done. 

There was a wonderful book written a few years back by Aidan Levy on the life and music of tenor saxophonist, Sonny Rollins (who only passed away earlier this year at the age of 95). It covers a tremendous amount of detail. Highly recommend, if you are into the Bebop era. Sonny covered quite a few Crosby songs throughout his career, "I'm An Old Cowhand" being the most outstanding. Also interesting to note with the recent passing of Dolly Parton, Sonny also covered "Here You Come Again".

Anyway, what I wanted to say about the book is the Gary Giddins is mentioned in the thanks and acknowledgement section of Mr Levy's book. Giddins also interviewed him when the book was released. Aidan flipped the compliments back on Gary and told viewers to get their hands on Gary's two volumes on Bing.
 

Did you prefer one Peterson trio from the other with the Gershwin songbooks, Aaron? 
Did Ella do another Gershwin songbook album away from her 1959 classic set with Nelson Riddle? 

Thanks, Aaron. That's very much appreciated.
Funnily enough, although perhaps not as marked, I've always thought "When I Leave the World Behind" as the better song. It seems better constructed, more varied, less repetitive in both lyrics and melody and more open to the unexpected. Plus it's a hell of a valedictory for Bing.  

Aaron Tickner wrote:

And I have a great voice for silent movies!

It sounds pretty good to me, Aaron, particularly when you deliver your presentations.
I have a theory as to why very few of us like the sound of our own voices and that is when we hear them outside of our own bodies (such as on a recording), they always seem to sound lighter and with less gravitas than when within. 

I'm sorry to hear of your loss, Ian.

The other Irving Berlin song, "When I Leave the World Behind" tells the departure of someone from their end. Bing, of course, recorded it on the sessions for "Feels Good, Feels Right". Berlin wrote this also as a tribute to Dorothy Goetz.