Authors: Gary Giddins
The memoirs of the former Kitty Lang were a revelation to me that I hope will be edited and published in their own right.
I am deeply indebted to her son, Tim Good, for entrusting me with them. I am equally in debt to Julia Rinker, for her insights
as well as the irreplaceable memoirs of her father, Al Rinker. Alison McMahan phoned when she heard about my project to offer
transcript, tape, and photos of her grandmother, Doreen Wilde, an incredible boon. My thanks to Helen Votachenko for the memoir
of her father, Frank Tuttle; Julie Gordon, for her study of her grandfather, Eddie Bracken; and James T. Maher, for preparing
and annotating his extensive notes from his interviews with John Scott Trotter.
Rory Burke is a constant source of encouragement and good cheer. She flew to Spokane when I was researching there and gave
me many hours of candid recollections, then sent a carton of correspondence, photos, scrap-books, and other materials. I thank
her daughter, Quinn Burke, for the baptismal photograph used in this volume. Elizabeth Frank offered good advice and packed
a shopping bag with the relevant scripts and papers of her father, writer-producer Mel Frank. I thank Sonny Rollins for being
who he is and for playing “Prisoner of Love” and “Sweet Leilani” when I most needed to hear them — coincidences, of course,
but evidence that jazz is God’s gift.
I miss Jimmy (Dr. W. James) Gould, who with his wife, Maureen, offered encouragement, friendship, and a quiet place to work
when I began, in 1991. I am indebted to Richard W. Weiss for helping me to see that the examined life is worth living. No
one has been more encouraging over the years than Michael Anderson, a masterly editor who always knows just when to call,
and Mary Cleere Haran, singer, chanter, humorist, and my main
source on Irish Catholic angst. I owe more than I can ever repay to Geoffrey C. Ward, though none of his many kindnesses has
meant as much as his and Diane Ward’s friendship.
The enthusiasm and generosity of Bing Crosby’s fans have been a tonic. Mark Scrimger, the president of Club Crosby, one of
two international fan clubs that publish outstanding fanzines, sent me a freezer-size carton of
Bingang,
books, magazines, and other materials — so many that it took a year to work my way down to the bottom. He subsequently provided
invaluable photographs and letters. The late Bob Lundberg, who founded and edited
Bingtalks,
and the late James S. Johnson introduced me to Bing fan-dom, including that most congenial and magnanimous of fans, Bill
Hunt, who sent me numberless audiotapes, videotapes, articles, and suggestions. Some collectors build fortresses around their
acquisitions; Bill wants everyone to enjoy his.
Malcolm Macfarlane, editor of the other exceptional fanzine, the International Crosby Circle’s
Bing,
has provided endless aid and comfort, not least through his invaluable
Bing: A Diary of a Lifetime,
but also through swift e-mail responses to my relentless barrage of queries. Always ready to help, Malcolm forwarded useful
materials and hooked me up with Ron Bosley, who provided several of this book’s photographs. I am grateful to the ICC’s American
representative, F. B. Wiggins, for many kindnesses, and to John Marshall and his intelligently acerbic early-1990s Crosby
newsletter,
The Grapevine.
Arne Fogel, the Minnesotan singer and radio personality who has given as much thought to the Crosby style as anyone, has generously
shared his expertise while sending me dozens of audio- and videotapes, including most of the existing Crosby interviews. My
old friend Will Friedwald, whose passion for Cros runs just as deep (see
Jazz Singing),
was the first to come by bearing a truckload of Crosbyana. Where would we be without the ministrations of Uncle Wilski? Records
Will and Arne did not have were put on tape for me by BMI’s singer maven, Dan Singer. Peter Levinson offered me contacts,
phone numbers, clippings, Los Angeles hospitality, and worthy advice. My thanks to Saint Clair Pugh of Liz Smith’s office,
for phone numbers and advice, and to Ms. Smith for publishing an item about the book that brought numerous responses.
John McDonough provided me with the manuscript of his comprehensive history of Decca Records, commissioned for the company’s
sixtieth anniversary, in 1994, by MCA, which then chose not to celebrate it. John also made available interviews he conducted
for his newspaper stories, as well as the Robert Trout epigram. Chip Deffaa recorded and annotated audiotapes of
materials so rare that I would not have known enough to go looking for them. James Gavin revealed a gift for locating impossible-to-find
films and sent other items he happened upon. Bill Milkowski’s Crosby anecdotes, writings, and photographs proved treasurable.
Film preservationist Bob DeFlores enabled me to see several rare films (including the splendid
Here Is My Heart);
my thanks to him and Brenda for their hospitality. Until the day he died, Leslie Gaylor was a relentless Crosby propagandist
whose name was known to every broadcaster in England; they had all received his letters demanding more Bing. (Bing felt guilty
about the postage Leslie paid and sent him small checks, which he initially refused to cash.) Leslie sent me his correspondence
from Crosby, Johnny Mercer, and others — many times. Peter Cakanic Jr., always an encouraging correspondent, sent tapes and
clips. John Newton shared several remarkable finds from his collection of showbiz memorabilia. I had hardly met Eric Anderson
when he loaned me his collection of Bing ads. The late Bill Osborn transferred to tape a complete collection of Crosby radio
broadcasts. The late Ken Twiss, who created the Bing Crosby Historical Society, shared print materials and time when he had
precious little of it left.
Ernest H. Sutkowski, who has long sponsored a thrice-weekly Crosby show on WRTN-FM in New Jersey, took an early interest in
this book and offered his considerable assistance in acquiring recordings and meeting people. I am grateful to him and his
assistant Mary Beth Del Balzo for many things, not least for introducing me to Francis X. Smith, former city councilman and
justice of the New York Supreme Court. When Frank was named “Judge of the Year” in 1984, Congressman Gary Ackerman took note
in the
Congressional Record
of his collection of Crosbyana, assembled with “boundless zest, wide-eyed rapture, and an unquentable thirst to expand his
knowledge.” After dinner with Ernie and Frank, the judge opened his car trunk and entrusted me with two huge volumes of memorabilia.
With apologies to those inadvertently omitted, I thank Alice Faye, Alan Nahigan, Allen Sviridoff, Andrew O’Toole, Ann McKee,
Arnold J. Smith, Barnaby Conrad, Ben Sonnenberg, Bill Christine, Bill Daugherty, Bob Ellis, Bob Gottlieb, Bob Larsson, Bob
Mohr, Campbell Burnap, Charles D. Bail-lie, Charles Graham, Chica Boswell Minnerly, Chris Bozeman, Curtis F. Brown, Dan Levinson,
Daniel Okrent, David Lobosco, David Lotz, David McCain, David Nasaw, David Stenn, Deborah Grace Winer, Derek Parkes, Dorothy
Rivers, Dr. Jock Jocoy, Duncan Lamont, Dwayne Netland, Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee, Edward Cramer, Eileen Van Buren, Evan
Chal-lis, Gene Santoro, Gord Atkinson, Greg Van Beek, George Scorpy Doyle, Hank O’Neal, Hobie Wilson, Jack Bean, Jack Ellsworth,
James Spada, Jane
Kovner, Jay Diamond, Jean Bach, Jean Strouse, Jean-Louis Brindamour, Jeff Abraham, Jeff Atterton, Jeanine Bassinger, Jewell
Baxter, Jim Reilly, Joe Sin-nott, John R. T. Davies, John Joyce, John McNicholas, Father John Russo, S.J., Joyce Jamison,
Joyce Jansen, Joyce Lundberg, June Waller, Ken Bloom, Keith Parkinson, Kent Jones, Leith G. Johnson, Leonard Maltin, Lyn Erik-son,
Marian McPartland, Michael Bloom, Michael Avallone, Michael Fein-stein, Michael Modero, Miguel Ferrer, Nancy Franklin, Nancy
Gordon, Nat Hentoff, Pam Sharp, Patricia O’Hare, Perry Robinson, Peter O’Brien, S.J., Peter Minton, Peter and Susan Straub,
Philip Yampolsky, Raphael Ferrer, Richard Lamparski, Richard M. Sudhalter, Richard Stone, Ridge Walker, Romy Kaufman, Ron
Hutchinson, Ronan Tynan, Ross Firestone, Sherwin Dunner, Stan White, Stanley Dance, Steve Dolley, Steve Futterman, Steven
LaVere, Stuart Oderman, Susan Terry, Sy Johnson, Terry Carter, Thomas M. Hampson, Tom Dardis, Walter Surovy, Ward Grant, Wayne
L. Martin, Wilfrid Sheed, William Bastone, William E. Redpath, and William Ruhlmann.
My chief researcher was Libby Pace, an extraordinary investigator who efficiently rounded up people, legal papers, and archival
material; expertly helped with interviews; and enabled me to navigate Los Angeles. Nancy Snyder, who took over midway, is
a canny researcher to whom I confidently delegated interviews. A few early interviews were conducted by Arlene Hellerman;
others were set up by Joe Gilford.
I remain grateful for the efficiency and kindness of Mary Beth Hughes, who ran my office and planned my research trips when
she should have been writing. She introduced me to Charles Bock, who examined countless issues of
Variety
and fanzines when he, too, should have been working on his novel. Connie Julian found research material and transcribed tapes
until she was called away by political uprisings. Debra Wenzel and Joan Hirsch did many transcriptions. Lee Rothchild, now
bringing order to Australia, brought order to hundreds of bulging Crosby files. Thanks also to Christopher Luongo, Gloria
James, Jenny Rothchild, Lea Jacobson, and Peter Lubell. Special thanks to my assistant Elora Charles, whose beguiling voice
and Alexandrian zeal have brought refreshing charm and efficiency to an office in need of both.
The one person without whom this book would not exist is its original editor, Paul Bresnick, who persisted for years in convincing
me to tackle it, then watched the manuscript grow larger and larger until it finally burst into two volumes. The original
publisher was swallowed by one that wanted nothing to do with it. I am grateful to Paul for his loyalty and friendship, and
hope he takes pride in the finished work.
Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams
was an orphan for no more than the blink of an eye thanks to my radiant editor and publisher, Sarah Crichton, who said yes
in thunder. She also conned me into thinking the manuscript was as clean as I needed to believe until it was finished, and
then covered page after page with her “suggestions.” I cannot enumerate all the ways in which Sarah has helped me to focus,
pare, and open the narrative. Have I said, “Thank you?” Thank you! And thank you to Steve Lamont, who copy-edited the final
manuscript with ingenious fastidiousness and empathy and did yeoman fact-checking that saved me all kinds of humiliation and
grief. My thanks to editor Chip Rossetti for piloting the entire project; managing editor Mary Tondorf-Dick; John Fulbrook
III, who designed the cover (with a photograph made available by Mickey Kapp); publicists Beth Davey and Heather Rizzo; publisher’s
assistant Rita Omark; Jon Protas; and everyone at Little, Brown. Also to Don Forst, Robert Christgau, Doug Simmons, and everyone
at the
Village Voice,
my second home.
I owe a lot more than 10 percent to my canny agent, Georges Bor-chardt — not that I want to plant a seed. But he did restore
my sanity more than once during an often tumultuous decade. Thanks also to Anne Bor-chardt and DeAnna Heindell.
Bing Crosby never had a better friend than Rosemary Clooney, and neither have I. She’s become a member of the family, or have
I become a member of hers? Hers is certainly larger, and I love them all. Rosemary’s encouragement, beyond her substantive
help and extraordinary generosity to me and Debbie and especially Lea, has meant more than she can imagine. At the same time,
she is the critic about whom I am most nervous — ‘cause she
knows,
and thanks to her I know more than would otherwise have been possible.
My thanks to Alice Giddins and Helen and Norman Halper are boundless. I am grateful to Aaron Donner, and his mom, Ronnie Halper,
for the loan of his computer-wizard dad, Marc Donner, and to Donna and Paul Rothchild for their computer savvy and the loan
of their children — listed above, earning their keep. Many thanks to Norma Salfarlie.
My wife, Deborah Halper, and daughter, Lea, lived through every sentence of this book. My only regret is the weekends and
evenings it kept me from them. On the other hand, I don’t expect ever to forget the look on Lea’s face the night she met Bob
Hope; you would have thought he was Derek Jeter. No writer ever had a more loving and supportive family — all of my books
are for them, but this one is truly theirs.
The author is grateful for permission to include the following previously copyrighted material:
Excerpts from “Livin’ in the Sunlight, Lovin’ in the Moonlight” by Al Sherman and Al Lewis. Copyright 1930 by Famous Music
Corporation. Copyright renewed © 1957 by Famous Music Corporation. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Excerpts from “Ballad for Americans,” music by John LaTouche and lyrics by Earl Robinson. Copyright © 1939 (renewed) by Music
Sales Corporation and Sony ATV. Copyright 1940 Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (renewed). All rights administered by Sony/ ATV Music Publishing,
8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Excerpts from “Stereophonic Sound” by Cole Porter. © 1955 Cole Porter. © (renewed). Assigned to Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.,
Trustee of the Cole Porter Musical & Literary Property Trusts. Chappell & Co., owner of publication and allied rights throughout
the world. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Warner Bros. Publications U.S. Inc., Miami, FL 33014.
Excerpts from “Shadow Waltz” by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. © 1933 (renewed) Warner Bros. Inc. All rights reserved. Used by
permission. Warner Bros. Publications U.S. Inc., Miami, FL 33014.
“I’m an Old Cowhand” by Johnny Mercer. © 1936 EMI Feist Catalog Inc. © renewed, assigned to Johnny Mercer Foundation in USA
(administered by WB Music Corp.). All rights outside USA controlled by EMI Feist Catalog Inc. All rights reserved. Used by
permission. Warner Bros. Publications U.S. Inc., Miami, FL 33014.