Blonde56, this is an excellent subject and one which often amused Bing himself, whom along with Fred Astaire, never thought of himself in those terms. From a male perspective I'd say, even when young, Bing was an extremely pleasant looking chap, with a very relaxed (someone once even said a sleepy) and openly approachable face. I think he had a very easy, non-challenging public presence and the looks to match - but most certainly had that indefinable magnetism of "Star Quality". People who posses this (male or female), automatically draw the eye, don't they?

I know Bing stated on a number of occasions that when still in his very late twenties/early thirties, he believed the film studios were on a hiding to nothing when during his earliest film making years, they attempted to market him as a "heart throb" (glueing back his famously protruding ears, toupées, Etc ). There I tend to agree with him because unlike other singers such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, I don't believe he possessed any sexual magnetism.Then again, I'm no expert.

I think even his widow Kathryn briefly spoke or even wrote about this once or twice, once saying that where all the women in the world wanted to have an affair with Frank Sinatra, they wanted to marry Bing - and that how lucky it was was that she was the one he wished to marry.

Last edited by Ian Kerstein (24/7/2022 4:37 pm)

Blonde56 wrote:

Ian, Thanks for your input. It's funny you mentioned Frank and Elvis. Mom and I never found them attractive. I always thought Bing more sexy than them. His eyes, his voice and speaking voice! Yes, David the way he lit a match. Frank had magnetism but I never thought he was handsome. Elvis was handsome but I never thought he had magnetism.

My pleasure, Blonde56! Of course not named - as Sinatra's "Ol Blue Eyes" were, apparently Bing was also the possessor of as an attractive and effective pair of the same colour. Although his second wife Kathryn spoke in glowing terms of these, she also commented that when angered, they would turn to a steely grey!  I've known a couple of people in my time (one male, one female) who served the late Paul Newman in shops and both strongly testified that his eyes shone so brightly blue, it appeared as if they were illuminated from within. I have no idea as to the colour of Elvis' eyes. 

Yes, beauty (and attractiveness) always seems in the eye of the beholder, doesn't it?
 

Last edited by Ian Kerstein (25/7/2022 2:58 pm)

One of my closest friends is a staunch admirer of Steve McQueen's. He believes him to have been the "coolest" man on film, ever! Despite him liking some of Bing and Bob's road comedies, Cagney is too much of an historical stretch for him (he's aged fifty-one) but he's bowled over by Steve's magnetism and star presence. He's often told me McQueen doesn't have to "do" anything to appear to be doing everything. I agree.

Thank you for your comments on British men, Blonde56. Although it would be stretching things somewhat placing me in the handsome category, I must confess during a wonderful, never to be forgotten 2009  fortnight in New York, being cornered by so many uber-friendly natives and being asked to repeat certain words. 

Almost forty years ago, Bing's eyes were commented upon by Lesley, a young (in her thirties), recently widowed neighbour of ours. I'd been asked by my parents to show off some of my record collection to her. The novelty value of a twelve year old being a fan of Bing's, affectionately tickled the fancy of my family and their friends - and also produced many a good natured chortle and joshing from my fellow school pupils. One of the LP covers Lesley soon came upon was precisely this one:

 

"Oh wasn't he lovely!", she touchingly exclaimed on seeing the above, "He was the very image of my grandfather, bless him - with just the same blue eyes!" She paused, smiled again at the cover she'd tilted further towards her and then carefully returned the handful of LPs I'd placed on her lap.

I could see this had touched my neighbour at an obviously poignant time when her emotions were most understandably running very high. She then went on to speak of how much she loved Bing's personality and "beautiful voice". 

The LP, as with this memory, remains with me still.

Last edited by Ian Kerstein (02/8/2022 2:09 pm)

Blonde 56 - and with apologies for my late response. Life sometimes has a habit of getting in the way, doesn't it? Thank you for your kind words but I certainly went crazy over all your fellow New Yorkers. Bing would tell the occasional story of your city's warmth and quick wit and I certainly found nothing to argue with him there.

What a wonderful family legacy for Bing to have indirectly taught your maternal grandmother English. I am so sorry to hear that she died when you were so young. It was an indirect legacy from my maternal grandmother's estate which enabled my lengthy visit to your stunning city and its warm, funny and welcoming people. Funnily enough she was also an admirer of Bing's charms and voice - although she sometimes affectionately complained he sang "far too slowly". We'd have good natured arguments about this.

I'm also so sorry to hear that you were never able to meet your paternal grandmother and of her tragic death. I was blessed enough to know all four of my lovely grandparents intimately with the final one (my maternal grandmother) being gathered when I was then thirty-eight years of age.

All of them were of Bing's original audience generation, with my paternal grandfather being particularly fond of his music. We'd swap records and he had a preference for his 1930's recordings, which he'd remember fondly from his early twenties. He (my grandfather) also viewed Bing's personality and appearance with fondness, commenting that he was, "very watchable". However, he did not at all care for the recordings Bing later undertook for Ken Barnes with Pete Moore's orchestrations, which he once referred to as, "That band!", when declining the offer of the loan of another of these from yours truly.

Just for the record, these are among my very, very favourites of Bing's output, particularly his final LP, "Seasons"  (which was the refused offer). I believe this album was as near a perfect note to have gone out on. Sorry, Grandad - we'd still be differing on this one. x

PS: The two most requested words for me to repeat while conversing with many of your lovely fellow citymen and women while in the Big Apple were by far, "Super" and "Smashing" but I fear not as charmingly proclaimed as Bing on the spoken bridge of his recording of "Feels Good, Feels Right".

Last edited by Ian Kerstein (02/8/2022 2:06 pm)

Ian, I like Seasons too! I met a few Brits in the city through the years even famous ones. I was a huge Elton John fan at one time. I met him a couple of times. I also met Rod Stewart a few times. I met some Brits in Brooklyn who told me I looked like a smaller version of Princess Di . Ron don't worry about flappers it's something the ladies can hold on to! And like Bing said easy to fly with!

Bing versus Frank was a hot topic in Australia in 1946. A radio-oriented newspaper titled Listener In invited correspondence on the matter for many months. After a Melbourne radio station broadcast a Sunday night program in which Crosby and Sinatra fans debated the merits of each singer, another publication Radio Times was bombarded with letters complaining about the personal remarks about each singer by some participants: comments on Bing's age and Frank's 'funny looks'.