Modern Screen (Jul-Dec 1945)

from "Holiday Inn" to the Paramount star list. Bing had the magic touch not only for himself but for everyone else. Bing's Road to Maturity as a great Hollywood star also found him growing up at last himself. He discovered that what people liked him to sing were sentimental, tender and melodious ballads. From then on his biggest hits have been sentimental tunes like ''White Christmas'" where Bing's untrained but naturally perfect voice, has its fullest play. His greatest selling record is the religious double. "Adeste Fideles" and "Silent Night." And in his personal life he changed from the irresponsible Hell-busting Bing who never harbored a serious thought in his head to one of Hollywood's most solid citizens. But as he became more and more of a family man, his extra steam found its outlet in another major love of his life — sport. Bing took up golf again seriously. He qualified for the National Amateur and three times copped the Lakeside championship cup. The horse fever that seized the Hollywood big shots when the Santa Anita racetrack opened found a ready victim in Bing Crosby. Bing went for a stable of bangtails. His racing silks were blue-and-gold after his first radio theme song. He hired a high priced trainer (an old Spokane boy) and bought an ancient Spanish ranch near San Diego at Rancho Santa Fe to breed and train his gee-gees. From two ancient adobe ruins, Bing created a beautiful country home and launched his campaign in the sport of kings. On his Paramount sets he glued himself to a telephone between takes as his horses galloped in the local races. He rolled out of bed before dawn to pace and clock his thoroughbreds at Santa Anita. And, while the tardiness of Bing Crosby's nags has been a running joke for years and years — actually Bing didn't do so bad. How could a Crosby really flop at anything? His horses came through at the wire oftener than people realized. "Fight On" once paid 100-to-one and "Ligaroti," his best racer, collected some very sizable money stakes around West Coast and Eastern tracks. A Crosby dream came true, when, with Pat OBrien and other Hollywood horse lovers, he built Del Mar, his own race track, now converted to a big "defense factory. Bing remained a rabid football fan, supported West Coast baseball and had his left hand on the promotion of all of Hollywood's big sports developments. He kept up his early love for ocean fishing and before war struck, planned to buy a boat and cruise the far corners of the seven seas. His motto about people became, "Everybody's okay with me until he proves himself a wrong guy."' Potential rivals coming along turned into buddies — Bob Hope. Frank Sinatra. Bing's calm, even ability to duck an\of a s-.velled head made it this way. He never patronized anyone in his life. He recognized Bob and Frankie as terrific personalities and gave them their due. When war came and Bing turned over the efforts of his Crosby Corporation to entertaining Army camp GIs he told his brother, Larry, who planned the programs, "Listen now, nothing but the best for these guys. They're not dopes. They're plenty hep." On his GI entertainment tour of the European war front, Bing added millions of fighting sons of Uncle Sam to his list of friends by the same great, natural way he has of easy, unassuxning frier, dship. Or.:e a pompous public relations officer introduced him as "Bing Crosby, the great Hollywood star" and Bing got so mad he could have slugged him. He quickly corrected" that with the GIs. "Nuts to that 'star' stuff," he said, "I'm just Bing Crosby. Hello guys." Next to bis heart warming, unforgettable moments as "Der Bingle" abroad, the experience closest to Bing's heart is playing NEW WORD FOR GLAMOUR Suntan safely ! Enjoy the sure allure of a gorgeous, golden I Gabytan. Just apply GABY . . . America's most popular Suntan Lotion. Then take your place in the sun. No fiery after-effect. No smearv' grease. No drying alcohol. And GABY is so smooth, so soothing to even the tenderest skin. Three sizes ... 25c . 50c . $1.00 plus tax