48blonde wrote:

I just purchased this book on ebay for 4 bucks. Is it a good book about Bing's movies? I have many Bing books but decided to add this one to my collection.

By Robert Bookbinder? I have not read it. Why not read it and let us know your opinion and recommendation?

 

I am waiting for the book. It should come this week. I always wanted to write a book on Bing's films and another book on how to care for parakeets [Budgies to my friends in England]. I had a parakeet named Bing and another named Hope at one time. Hope lived a long life and Bing died young.

Book finally arrived! Nice photos! Many of the photos I haven't seen before.37 page intro, List of Academy Award Winning Songs and Nominated Songs, Crosby at Box Office,  Bing's Movies; Cast, Credits,Songs in movies,Running time of movies, Notes about movies. Back of book has Crosby Short Subjects, Cameos, Bit Parts, Miscellaneous, Doctor Cook's Garden and The Recent Crosby/An Epilogue. I don't see High Tor mentioned anywhere maybe when I go through it better. Again, I Love the photos!!

Richard, Dr. Cook's Garden is given 2 pages and that was a TV production. The author claims he included this TV movie because of Bing's Great performance. The book seems accurate, readable, no index[it isn't needed here], supporting actors, directors are listed for each movie. The books copyright is 1977. I think when book was written, Bing was still alive because last pages mention that Bing is still active. It mentions his concerts ect..Doesn't mention his death at all.

There is one mistake I came across- It mentions Bing's year of birth as being 1904. At that time 1970's everyone still thought that was right. Am I correct? Malcolm, Thanks for your input! I wanted to send you some old golf photos a fan gave me years back to put in the next Bing Magazine. Do I send them to you? I would like them rturned once you are finished with them. Helen Tolton gave them to me years back. She went to many Bing outings and took photos! I don't think she is alive. I heard from her last maybe 15 years ago and she was just going to start living in a nursing home. I miss all those fans that wrote to me back then. Richard, Malcolm, Wig, Greg ect... You people are awesome!! Keep up the Great work!

Over the w/e on TCM was 'Utopia' and just now at 10.00pm Pacific time Tuesday 2/12/14
is 'Connecticut Yankee' so I'll watch till it finishes around 11.15pm.
More Bing!

TCM were showing Rhonda Fleming films be cause after 'Connecticut' was another film with her.

What a treat! Now I'm watching 'Robin and the 7 Hoods'.

This thread has led me to look at my Bing Crosby book collection and figure out which titles I have and which I don't, and I've realized I don't have the one by Bookbinder on Bing's movies, so I've ordered a copy. Also, I've found this other book that I'd never heard of before, and I've gone ahead and ordered a used copy of it. It's this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fabulous-Life-Crosby-George-Carpozi/dp/0532191714/ref=sr_1_29?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417648523&sr=1-29&keywords=bing+crosby

It's entitled The Fabulous Life of Bing Crosby, written by one George Carpozi, Jr., and published in the late 1970s. The Amazon website doesn't list the number of pages, and the cover uses the same picture that appears on the cover of another Crosby book I have, The One and Only Bing, by Bob Thomas. Has anyone read it? Does anyone have any information about it? Like I said, I've ordered it, but I think it'll be a few months before I really have any time to sit down and read it...

Last edited by Anton G.-F. (03/12/2014 11:22 pm)

Malcolm Macfarlane wrote:

I have the Carpozi book. It's poor and should not be relied upon.

Malcolm, I agree. In the immediate period following Bing's death there was a rash of hastily prepared publications many of which were more or less "cut and paste" jobs. I acquired several and they have not stood the test of time. Those with a publication date of 1977- 78 need to be treated with some care, though there are one or two exceptions. Those who took their time and excercised care (Ken Barnes for one - published in 1980) are more reliable and readable.