I found out what the name means and it fits Bing perfectly. It means, number 1, creative,unity,beginning,God, masculine,physical and mental activity,leadership, spotlight, individuality, friendly presence, reaches the top with things they are interested in. I guess he is a Lillis!

Interesting? I'll have to dig further...

Found the answer! 

At the bottom of page 30 in Gary Giddins  1st volume on Bing.

Bing's Father was disappointed he did not have a girl so his Mother named him after his Father.

However she chose Lillis as the middle name after a family friend in the neighborhood.

Both Bing and his Father continued to use the Sr. and Jr. designations.

 

Last edited by Benclink (23/3/2023 2:23 pm)

Blonde56 wrote:

Thanks Benclink! I read that book about 3 times, you'd think I would have remembered.

Yes, I've read both Mr Giddin's books several times and it is amazing what you read the next time around and think, "That's new to me". Such wonderful detail. 

I have done another presentation and have left it with Jace to look over ready for next year. Without giving anything away yet, I had looked up all the various reference books we have to see how Bing became involved with a particular vocal/instrumental quartet. Although all the books gave good detail about the collaborations, Mr Giddins was the only one who gave insight as to how the association began. I had read the particular page several times previously but had no recollection of the information. In fact, I looked up Pocketful of Dreams last not expecting to find anything about the group as they aren't particularly significant in the overall career of Bing. What a nice surprise it was to rediscover the information that proved invaluable to my presentation. Stay tuned...next year, hopefully.
 

Ian Kerstein wrote:

I've always wondered about Bing's middle name - so thank you, Benclink. 

You have me thinking now, Aaron.
If I promise to fulfil the homework you've set me on "Road to Utopia" - would you indulge me if I guessed the vocal/instrumental quartet being The Mills Brothers? I believe a family run version of them may still running to this day? 

I can confirm I will be presenting this in the January meeting and it is not The Mills Brothers. The male vocal/instrumental vocal quartet I will be focusing on are not related to one another.

I did say the group in question aren't particularly significant to the overall career of Bing. So can't be The Mills Brothers as they did play an important role in Bing's career - from the early 1930s right up to the Pasadena Concert. 

Ian Kerstein wrote:

Indeed The Mills Brothers did play a significant role in Bing's career, Aaron - we don't disagree on that but I was just so otherwise stumped as to who this quartet might be. You still have me guessing ....
I'm really looking forward to your presentation, anyway. I so enjoyed your previous one. 

But you must hold to your promise of watching Road to Utopia.
 

Ian Kerstein wrote:

I promise - but I've not long taken delivery on DVD of Bing's 1971 television film "Dr Cook's Garden" and "Little Boy Lost". Two of his non-musical dramatic performances? I must confess, having seen at least four of the "Road" films, I am far more curious over the previously mentioned two. Do I have teacher's permission to watch these first? 

Oh, all right. 

You are absolutely correct. Little Boy Lost and Dr Cook's Garden are essential viewing and they are so different to anything else Bing did. Whereas, although Utopia is one of the best Road films, it is still more of the same. 

Have a box of tissues ready for Little Boy Lost. If it doesn't get you at any point, the finale certainly will.

The first time I ever watched Dr Cook's Garden: Les had given me a copy on VHS along with some other films. It was a summer's night. I would have been late teens - 18, 19 or so. Couldn't sleep it was so hot and humid and so about 1 or 2 in the morning I got up and watched Dr Cook. My parents had a portable air-cooler in the lounge room. You filled the thing with cold water and it would blow air that somehow lowered the temperature (not as good as air-conditioning - and it probably ended up contributing to the humidity anyway). The air-cooler had a distinct mildewy or mouldy smell. I grabbed a box of tiny teddies (a biscuit line here in Australia made by Arnotts Biscuits) and gauged myself silly while watching the film.

To this day whenever I watch Dr Cook's Garden I can smell the combination of the air-cooler and tiny teddies. Funny how things like that stay with you.