Bing Crosby Was a Music Icon—But His 7 Kids Reveal a Far More Complicated Family Story
From acting to golf to tragedy, his children have led surprising and dramatic lives
Bing Crosby was one of the most popular musicians of the early 1900s, soaring the charts and becoming a leader in record sales. The crooner recorded thousands of songs, scored 41 number one hits and even became a staple for the Christmas season, recording the song “White Christmas,” as well as starring in a film of the same name.
But while he was busy maintaining one of the most successful music careers of all time, Crosby was also becoming a father to his seven children. The singer, who married twice to Dixie Lee and Kathryn Crosby, welcomed sons Gary, Dennis, Phillip, Harry, Nathaniel and Lindsay, as well as daughter Mary. Get to know the seven children of Bing Crosby and find out what they thought about their iconic father.
Gary Crosby
The first child of Crosby and his then-wife, Dixie Le,e was son Gary Crosby, born on June 27, 1933. Gary followed in the footsteps of his father, becoming an actor and singer, starring in films like Star Spangled Rhythm (1942), A Private’s Affair (1959) and Girl Happy (1965). He was also a member of The Crosby Boys with his siblings Dennis, Phillip and Lindsay, in the 1950s and 1960s. Gary left the group in 1959 and the others continued as a trio.
He married three times and had one child, Steven, with his wife Barbara Cosentino. In 1983, six years after his father’s death, the singer released a memoir titled Going My Own Way, in which he alleged his father had abused him and his brothers. While his brother Dennis said the book was “Gary’s business,” his brother Lindsay said she hoped it “clears up a lot of the old lies and rumors.”
After a battle with alcoholism, Gary became a lecturer for Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1995, at age 62, he died after battling lung cancer.
Dennis Crosby
Dennis Crosby, born on July 13, 1934, was the second son of Bing and Dixie. Despite his time in The Crosby Boys, Dennis did not pursue music after leaving the group, though he did try his hand at acting. He appeared in projects like Out of This World (1945), Duffy’s Tavern (1945) and Sergeants 3 (1962).
Dennis had a daughter, Denise (who would go on to play the character Tasha Yar in Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation), while in a relationship with Marilyn Miller Scott in 1957. A year later, Dennis married showgirl Pat Sheehan and the two welcomed sons Dennis Jr. and Patrick, while also adopting Sheehan’s son, Gregory, from another marriage. When he married Arleen Newman in 1964, the couple had daughters Erin and Kelly, and he also adopted Newman’s daughter, Catherine.
In 1991, Dennis died of a gunshot wound, which was said to have been self-inflicted. He was 56.
Phillip Crosby
Phillip Crosby, the third son of Bing and Dixie and twin of Dennis, was born on July 13, 1934. He too, was a member of The Crosby Boys, as well as an actor for a brief period. Phillip was married four times, to Sandra Jo Drummond, Mary Joyce Gabbard, Georgi Edwards and Peggy Compton and became a father to five children: Dixie, Brian, Mary, Flip and Phillip.
Like his eldest brother, Phillip also struggled with alcoholism. However, when Gary released his memoir, Phillip disputed the claims he made. In 2004, he was found dead of natural causes. He was 69.
Lindsay Crosby
Born on January 5, 1938, was Bing and Dixie’s youngest son, Lindsay Crosby. He, too, became a musician and joined The Crosby Boys group, later going on to release solo music. Like his brothers, Lindsay tried out acting, with roles in Scream Free! (1969), Bigfoot (1970) and The Mechanic (1972).
Lindsay went on to marry three times to Barbara Diane Fredrickson, Janet Sue Schwartze and Suzy Crosby, and he fathered five children. While he supported his older brother’s views of their father and the release of his memoir, Lindsay had more fond memories of Bing Crosby. He shared, “Dad would say, ‘Goodnight, I love you,’ and that to me was heaven. I still miss him. I probably didn’t realize how much I’d miss him when he died.”
Alcoholism ran in the family as Lindsay also struggled with the addiction. In 1989, the singer was found dead in a suspected suicide at age 51.
Harry Lillis Crosby III
When Bing remarried to Kathryn Grant after his first wife’s passing, the couple welcomed three children together. Their first was son Harry Lillis Crosby III, born on August 8, 1958. Though he was born much later than his older brothers, Harry also dipped his toe in the acting pool. In his early life, he appeared on Christmas specials with his father, and later starred in films like Friday the 13th (1980) and The Private History of a Campaign That Failed (1981). Eventually, he left the entertainment business and transitioned to investment banking.
Harry also had kind words to say of his father and his upbringing, explaining, “He was an integral part of our family, first as the father. You know, I loved what he loved about music and the fact that he imparted that on us, but in a very casual way. He was a very low-key guy.”
In 2003, Harry married Mihaela Skobe and the pair has at least two children, though it’s not known if they have had more.
Mary Crosby
The second child of Bing and Kathryn was daughter Mary, born on September 14, 1959. Unlike her musical siblings, Mary stuck to acting, starring in the hit series Dallas as well as films like The Ice Pirates (1984) and The Legend of Zorro (2005).
Mary was previously married to Ed Lottimer from 1978 until 1989 and later tied the knot with Mark Brodka. Mary and Mark have two children together.
Nathaniel Crosby
The youngest of the Crosby clan is Nathaniel Crosby, born to Bing and Kathryn on October 29, 1961. Nathaniel veered entirely from the career path his siblings and father led, following his passion of golf instead.
Nathaniel became a golf professional and later worked as a golf executive, founding AppleTree Management Group. He also co-authored a memoir, 18 Holes with Bing: Golf, Life, and Lessons from Dad, like his eldest brother Gary, although he focused more on what he learned from his father.
Nathaniel was married once prior and later married his current wife, Sheila. The couple shares six children, four from Nathaniel’s first marriage and two from Sheila’s.
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