News
September 23, 2024
Kathryn Crosby, Actress and Widow of Bing Crosby, Dies at 90
Kathryn Crosby, the widow of Bing Crosby, has died peacefully at her home in Hillsborough, California, surrounded by her family at the age of 90.
She was born Olive Kathryn Grandstaff on November 25, 1933, in West Columbia, Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, she won a beauty contest, and the prize was a screen test in Hollywood with William Holden. She began her film career as Kathryn Grant in 1953, also writing a column about Hollywood for her hometown newspaper. She met Bing Crosby whole doing interviews for her column on the set of the film White Christmas. They were married in 1957. She is survived by their three children, Harry, Mary and Nathaniel, and a multitude of grandchildren. She became a registered nurse and teacher in 1963.
Crosby appeared in more than twenty films including, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Anatomy of a Murder, Operation Mad Ball, and The Wild Party. On television she was frequently seen with her family on Bing Crosby’s popular Christmas specials. She also hosted The Kathryn Crosby Show, a 30-minute talk show in San Francisco.
After Bing Crosby’s death in 1977, Kathryn appeared in several stage productions including the 1996 Broadway revival of State Fair. She also hosted the charitable Crosby National Golf Tournament in Bermuda Run, North Carolina for many years.