This ABC sitcom featured ex-crooner Bing Crosby as (wait for it) an ex-crooner called Bing Collins. Bing (both of them) takes up a post as a teacher in electrical engineering at Colbert University in Los Angeles.
Stories revolved around his family life, with his wife, Ellie (Beverly Garland), who craves a return to the glamorous showbiz world, and their two daughters: typical boy-crazy teenager Janice (Carol Faylen) – 15-years-old and a Freshman at Richmond High School – and super-bright 10-year-old Joyce (Diane Sherry, pictured below right) who attends Gorman Elementary School.
Willie Walters (Frank McHugh) was the family’s live-in handyman at their house at 168 Valley Tree Lane.
The plots invariably and implausibly made room for Bing to sing a song in almost every episode, in between mediating disputes and dispensing sage advice to all.
Bing also loved baseball and was often pictured in front of the TV set sporting a Pittsburgh Pirates hat (Bing Crosby was part owner of the Pirates in real life), even though the series was set in Los Angeles.
Crosby’s real-life son, Gary, portrayed a wannabe singer/songwriter in one episode.
The Bing Crosby Show was also the title of a one-off, 50-minute Variety show, made in England by A-R for ITV and screened on 27 February 1963.
The old crooner was joined by British guests including Terry-Thomas, Shirley Bassey, Dave King, Miriam Karlin, Pat Coombs and, inevitably, Bob Hope; Sid Green and Dick Hills joined Crosby’s usual American writers to provide the script.
Bing Collins
Bing Crosby
Ellie Collins
Beverly Garland
Janice Collins
Carol Faylen
Joyce Collins
Diane Sherry
Willie Walters
Frank McHugh
Video
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The plots invariably and implausibly made room for Bing to sing a song in almost every episode, in between mediating disputes and dispensing sage advice to all.
