Showing posts with label Dixie Lee Crosby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dixie Lee Crosby. Show all posts

Saturday, February 14, 2026

CROONING THROUGH LOVE: THE ROMANTIC SIDE OF BING

Bing Crosby’s voice was velvet—smooth, warm, and timeless. It drifted through radios and movie screens, comforting a nation through war, winter, and wistful longing. But behind the crooner’s calm exterior was a romantic life filled with devotion, heartbreak, and quiet complexity.

In 1930, Bing met Dixie Lee, a beautiful and talented nightclub singer. Their whirlwind romance led to marriage, and soon they were raising four sons in the glow of Hollywood’s golden age. Dixie was vivacious and charming, but the pressures of fame and family weighed heavily on her. She struggled with alcoholism, and their marriage, though enduring, was often strained. Bing, deeply rooted in his Catholic faith, never divorced her—even when the emotional distance between them grew vast.

Despite the challenges, Bing remained by Dixie’s side until her death from ovarian cancer in 1952. Her passing left a quiet ache in him, one that lingered even as the world saw him smiling on screen.

During his marriage, Bing’s name was quietly linked to other women. Actress Joan Caulfield was one such figure. Friends noted her deep affection for Crosby, and though their relationship was never publicly confirmed, it was clear she hoped for more. But Bing’s devotion to his faith—and his complicated marriage—kept him from pursuing anything permanent.


Then came Grace Kelly, the elegant star who captivated audiences and Crosby alike during the filming of The Country Girl. Their chemistry was undeniable, and Bing reportedly proposed to her. Grace, however, declined. She was already engaged to designer Oleg Cassini and would later become royalty as Princess of Monaco. Crosby, heartbroken, postponed his wedding to another woman—Kathryn Grant—because of his feelings for Grace.

Eventually, Bing did marry Kathryn in 1957. She was young, vibrant, and brought a renewed sense of joy to his life. Together, they had three children and remained married until his death in 1977. Kathryn stood by him through his later years, offering stability and warmth that had eluded him in earlier chapters.

Bing Crosby’s romantic life was never simple. It was filled with longing, loyalty, and moments of quiet sorrow. His relationships shaped not only his personal world but also the emotional depth of his music. When he sang “White Christmas,” it wasn’t just a holiday tune—it was a reflection of the home, peace, and love he always seemed to be searching for.

In the end, Bing passed away in Spain after a round of golf, reportedly saying, “That was a great game of golf, fellas. Let’s go have a Coca-Cola.” It was a simple farewell from a man whose life was anything but.

His love story, like his music, was layered and deeply human. And while the world remembers the crooner for his voice, those who knew him best remember the man behind the melody—a man who loved deeply, lost painfully, and lived fully...



Sunday, January 4, 2026

DIXIE LEE: HOLLYWOOD STAR

Dixie Lee, born Wilma Winifred Wyatt on November 4, 1911, in Harriman, Tennessee, was an American actress, singer, and dancer best known for her marriage to legendary crooner Bing Crosby. However, before becoming Mrs. Crosby, Dixie Lee carved out a notable—albeit brief—career in Hollywood during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Dixie Lee began her entertainment career as a singer and dancer in vaudeville and nightclubs. Her talent and charm quickly caught the attention of film producers, and she transitioned to the silver screen during the early sound era of Hollywood. Her film debut came in 1929 with Fox Movietone Follies of 1929, a musical revue that showcased her singing and dancing abilities. This film was part of the wave of early sound musicals that capitalized on the novelty of synchronized sound.

Here are some of the key films in Dixie Lee’s filmography:

Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 (1929)
A musical revue-style film featuring various performers. Dixie Lee’s appearance helped launch her film career.

Love Comes Along (1930)
Dixie starred opposite Bebe Daniels in this romantic musical drama, further establishing her as a leading lady.

The Big Party (1930)
A drama set in the world of college life and youthful exuberance, showcasing Dixie’s appeal to younger audiences.

Cheer Up and Smile (1930)
A musical comedy where Dixie played a prominent role, reinforcing her image as a charming and talented performer.

Night Life in Reno (1931)
A drama set against the backdrop of Reno’s nightlife, this film gave Dixie a chance to explore more serious acting.

Manhattan Parade (1932)
One of her final film appearances, this musical comedy was released by Warner Bros. and featured Lee in a supporting role.

 
Despite her early success, Dixie Lee’s film career was relatively short-lived. After marrying Bing Crosby in 1930, she gradually stepped away from the spotlight. The pressures of Hollywood, combined with personal struggles—including health issues and the demands of family life—led her to retire from acting by the mid-1930s.
Legacy

Though her filmography is modest in size, Dixie Lee remains a fascinating figure in early Hollywood history. Her contributions to the musical genre during the transition from silent films to talkies helped pave the way for future stars. Moreover, her influence on Bing Crosby’s early career and personal life was profound.

Dixie Lee passed away in 1952 at the age of 40, but her brief time in Hollywood left a lasting impression. Today, she is remembered not only as Bing Crosby’s first wife but also as a talented performer who shone brightly during a transformative era in American cinema...


Sunday, May 5, 2024

FLASHBACK: 1952

Here is a sad photo, but I wanted to share it. It ia the closet picture I have found of Bing at his wife Dixie's funeral on November 3, 1952. I feel that Dixie's death changed Bing's life...






Friday, February 28, 2020

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: MORE MEMORIES OF DIXE LEE CROSBY

Almost eight years ago I published some great photos of the Bing's first wife Dixie Lee (1911-1952). Dixie was the love of Bing's life, and here are some more candid photos...















Monday, November 11, 2019

DIXIE LEE HONORED


HARRIMAN, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Wilma Winifred Wyatt was born on November 4, 1909 in Harriman, Tennessee.

In 1928, she kicked off her stage career after winning a Chicago singing contest and changed her name to Dixie Lee after she joined Fox Film Corp. in 1929.

On November 8, 2019, more than 100 years later, the City of Harriman held a Dixie Lee Day to celebrate their most famous hometown girl.

The day featured a discussion of Lee's film career with radio host Bradley Reeves and Chris Hammond. Afterwards, attendees were treated to "Love in Bloom," arguably Lee's most famous film.

In 1930, Lee married Bing Crosby, and retired from acting in 1935.

She later died in 1952 of ovarian cancer.

Photo courtesy of Chris Hammond

Friday, November 1, 2019

THE PAIN OF LOSING DIXIE LEE

American singer and actor Bing Crosby was a devoted husband and father. However, despite his fame and success he never got over the death of his first wife, Dixie Lee. She died 67 years ago today on November 1, 1952. Despite almost divorcing twice, they were together until her death.

When the two first met Bing was immediately smitten. The couple met again at a party in Hollywood and this time, Dixie couldn’t resist Bing’s charm. They got married when the actress was 18 years old at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood.

Dixie died from ovarian cancer a week after Bing’s returned home from filming Little Boy Lost and three days before her 41st birthday. The actor and his wife were married for more than two decades. The couple had four children — Gary, Phillip, Dennis, and Lindsay.


Bing traveled a lot during their marriage and during that time, Dixie looked lost without him. The actress wrote letters frequently to let him know how much she had missed him. That’s so sweet and romantic! Whenever Bing returned home from travel, he and Dixie were inseparable. They enjoyed taking care of the horses at their home in Del Mar or Santa Anita. The actress on her part loved the Christmas holidays, as she used to spend months preparing for gift giving in advance.

Neither of them was of the opinion that marriage was a trap. Bing and Dixie got married because they were so in love and would not have allowed family and homes cage their love. He loved Dixie even after her death. His children and friends noted that the actor was really devastated by his wife's death, despite being close to getting divorced. Though he eventually remarried, others close to him say he never recovered from the death of Dixie.

When asked about coping with the loss of Dixie, he said:

"I will never talk about my grief at losing her. But in the years ahead I’m going to sorely miss her love, steadfast and constructive support."

Dixie Lee was definitely the woman behind the man....

Saturday, September 7, 2019

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: MORE BALD BING

My daughter is six, and I have her fascinated with Bing Crosby. Afterall, she is named after the Bing song "I Love You. Samantha" from 1956's High Society. For some reason though she loves to look at pictures of Bing without his toupee. I originally did a photo story on Bing's baldness in 2011, which is one of the most popular photo blog entries I've done. So I combed my photos and found some more pics of a bald Bing Crosby...


Bing with Judy Garland



Bing with Grace Kelly



Bing with wife Dixie Lee

One of Bing's last photos on the day he died

You can see the original post here: PHOTOS OF THE DAY: A BALD BING

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

DIXIE LEE TO GET HISTORICAL MARKER

PRESS RELEASE - HARRIMAN NATIVE AND ACTRESS DIXIE LEE TO RECEIVE STATE HISTORICAL MARKER...

Harriman, Tennessee – The Tennessee Historical Commission recently approved an application to honor Harriman native and Actress of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Dixie Lee. Dixie was born in the Walnut Hill neighborhood in Harriman near the intersection of Oak and Maple Streets, where the marker will be installed later this year. Unfortunately, the modest wooden frame house that was located on the property was destroyed by fire in 1959. Dixie Lee was born on Nov. 4, 1909 as Wilma Winifred Wyatt, although she later claimed to have been born in 1911. Wilma was the youngest of three daughters born to East Tennessee natives, Evan Wyatt and Nora Scarborough Wyatt.

Throughout her youth her family moved several times due to her father’s career as an insurance agent, eventually ending up in Chicago, Illinois where Wilma entered and won an amateur singing contest at the Sherman Hotel in 1928. This led to her being offered a part in a Broadway play and ultimately to her being discovered by Fox Film Corporation. Her name was changed to “Dixie Lee” to avoid confusion with another actress with a similar name. She made her big screen debut in Fox’s Movietone Follies of 1929. She went on to have major and minor roles in at least 17 known films. In 1930, she met and married a little known up-and-coming crooner by the name of Harry Lillis Crosby, Jr., or “Bing Crosby” as he would later become known. She retired from acting in 1935, and helped Bing raise their 4 boys. She died on Nov. 1, 1952, from ovarian cancer. Over the years, she has been largely forgotten and become a footnote in her famous husband’s story.

However, this talented Harriman native will now be remembered for who she was and the talent she possessed. Details for a public dedication will be released later this year.

The City would like to thank Dixie Lee’s granddaughter in California and Chris Hammond from Powell, Tennessee without whom this application would not have been successful...


Friday, March 1, 2019

LINDSAY CROSBY: POOF IT'S GONE

Here is an interesting blog article I found. Some different info in it...

The youngest of crooner Bing Crosby's four sons by his marriage to jazz singer Dixie Lee (real name Wilma Wyatt) was born in Los Angeles on January 5, 1938. Lindsay first appeared on film with brothers Gary, Dennis, and Phillip as audience members in the 1945 movie Out of This Worldf featuring his famous father. In 1957, he made his television debut on The Edsel Show with his father and Frank Sinatra. A nightclub act with his three brothers called the Crosby Boys ran until 1959. Never steadily employed, Lindsay read scripts for his father while trying to carve out a place for himself in films. However, he only managed to land bit parts in low-budget biker, exploitation, and horror films like The Girls from Thunder Strip (1966), The Glory Stompers (1967), Scream Free! a.k.a. Free Grass (1969), and Bigfoot (1970). He also briefly appeared in two seventies films (The Mechanic; Live a Little, Steal a Lot,1972) before making his final film, Code Name: Zebra in 1984.


Lindsay was 14 when his mother died in 1952. A trust fund set up by Dixie Lee based on then booming oil investments yielded each of the boys a monthly four figure check. Big Crosby married actress Kathryn Grant in 1957 and the 73 year old was happily raising a second family when he died of a heart attack on October 14, 1977, on a golf course in Madrid, Spain. If Der Bingle's sons were expecting to immediately inherit chunks of their father's considerable fortune they were soon disappointed. Perhaps he knew them too well. Lindsay, like older brother Gary, was an alcoholic and manic depressive who had suffered a nervous breakdown in 1962. In addition to several arrests for drunken driving and battery, Lindsay had also logged an arrest for indecent exposure in Durango, Colorado, in 1977 for running naked around a motel pool. The boys were shocked when they learned their father had left them money in a blind trust that could not be touched until they reached age 65.


On December 1, 1989, attorneys managing Dixie Lee's trust fund informed the brothers that the recent glut in the world's oil markets had wiped out their investments. Eleven days after learning that there would be no more monthly checks forthcoming, Lindsay Crosby took his life on December 11, 1989.

The 51 year old was staying in an apartment in Las Virgenes in the 26300 block of Bravo Lane while undergoing treatment for alcoholism at a center in nearby Calabasas, California. Crosby was set to return home for the weekend to his second wife and family in Sherman Oaks when a friend found him on the floor of his den dead from a single gunshot wound to the head. A small caliber rifle lay close by. Marilyn Riess, spokeswoman for Lindsay's older brother, Gary, offered this explanation for the act: "You're dealing with a 51-year-old man who finds himself with a wife and four kids living in a fairly expensive home. He's under treatment for alcoholism, he's a manic depressive and then you throw a bomb at him. The one thing he could depend on was his mother, even when she wasn't alive. Then it (the inheritance) was gone....Poof, it's gone." Older brother Dennis Crosby took his life in an eerily similar fashion on May 4, 1991...

Thursday, February 14, 2019

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: BING AND HIS LOVES

Bing Crosby had a hard time showing affection. Even in his movies, he rarely passionately kissed his leading ladies. In honor of Valentine's Day, here is Bing with some of the loves in his life.

with 1st wife Dixie Lee (1911-1952)


with mistress and co-star Joan Caulfield (1922-1991)


with girlfriend and co-star Grace Kelly (1929-1982)


with girlfriend Mona Freeman (1926-2014)


with girlfriend and co-star Ingrid Stevens (1934-1970)


with 2nd wife Kathryn Grant

Monday, October 3, 2016

SPOTLIGHT ON DIXIE LEE CROSBY

Born Wilma Winifred Wyatt, she adopted the professional name "Dixie Carroll" as a singer and showgirl. Winfield Sheehan of the Fox film studio changed the name to Dixie Lee, to avoid confusion with actresses Nancy Carroll and Sue Carol. She married Bing Crosby at the age of 18, and had four sons with him, all of them battled alcoholism as Dixie did.

Crosby's biographer, Gary Giddins, describes Dixie Lee as a shy, private person with a sensible approach to life. Giddins recounts that Dixie and Bing, as young marrieds, were often invited to parties where liquor was plentiful, and Dixie drank socially to keep up with Bing. She succeeded in curbing Bing's alcohol consumption, but ironically her own alcoholism worsened. She had a brief film career, starring in a few features for Bing's home studio Paramount Pictures in the 1930s; her most notable film is probably Love in Bloom (1935).

The two first met in November 1928 and Bing was immediately smitten. Dixie was a bit more hesitant. They met again at a party in Hollywood in early 1929 and the Crosby charm was too much to resist. The two married September 29, 1930, at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood. 


As Bing's stardom rose to superstar status in the 1930s, four boys arrived in the Crosby household. Gary Crosby arrived first in October 1933, the twins, Phillip and Dennis came along in 1934, and Lindsay rounded out the bunch in 1938.

However, despite her husband's fame and the four boys, Dixie was very tortured with what modern doctors would diagnose as depression. In the 1940s, Bing Crosby was one of the most recognizable men in the world, and with this fame he spent more and more time away from his family. As a result, Dixie was turning more and more towards alcohol.


In 1947, a movie came out called Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman starring Susan Hayward. It was a thinly disguised story based on the life of Dixie. It was directed by Stuart Heisler, who had directed Bing in Blue Skies the year before. Bing and Dixie were outraged at the film, and it further brought tension to their lives together.

Bing attempted to divorce Dixie following World War II to marry actress Joan Caulfield. The Catholic hierarchy denied Bing's request, and Caulfield was sent packing. In 1952 Bing learned that Dixie was dying of ovarian cancer while he was in France filming Little Boy Lost. She died Nov. 1, 1952, a week after his return home and three days before her 41st birthday. Bing's children and friends noted that Bing was devastated by his wife's death, despite their close encounters with divorce. Despite eventually remarrying in 1957, others close to Bing say he never recovered from the death of Dixie, who was there with him since the beginning of his rise to super stardom. Dixie Lee was definitely the woman behind the man, depite her demons...




Monday, December 8, 2014

BING'S TWINS AND FETAL INFANT ALCOHOL SYNDROME


But a new documentary called Bing Crosby Rediscovered – which aired on December 2nd at 8 p.m. ET on PBS as part of the American Masters series – sheds fresh light on Crosby's first family with Dixie Lee, a shy actress who drank herself to oblivion before succumbing to ovarian cancer in 1952 at the age of 41.

She and Crosby had four sons, two of whom were twins named Dennis and Phillip, who experts believe suffered from their mother's heavy drinking.

"I had been hearing about it and then the twins, they didn't look quite right," Robert Trachtenberg, the documentary's director, tells PEOPLE. "Something had told me that it was fetal alcohol syndrome, so I took existing photos of the twins and showed it to a couple of specialists at USC. When they’re born [with fetal alcohol syndrome], it affects their skull and their nose, and it manifests itself physically as well. The specialists looked at them and said 'Yeah, this is a like a textbook case of fetal alcohol syndrome.' "

It's not clear whether Crosby ever suspected that his first wife's drinking had an adverse affect on their twins, Trachtenberg admits. Dennis Crosby killed himself in 1991, and Phillip died of a heart attack in 1994. (The two other brothers, Gary and Lindsay, died in 1995 and 1989).


"I couldn't find anything where he blamed her," Trachtenberg says. "That's the other tragedy of this whole situation. She died at 41. Nobody really had any significant way to treat that. Kathryn, Bing's second wife, says in the film it was a terrible way to die. So to add insult to injury, you have this situation [with the twins] on the one hand and then she dies on the other. We could have done a whole other film just about that."

The rest of the documentary features interviews with Crosby's second family – including wife Kathryn and their daughter, Dallas actress Mary Crosby – and focuses on the singer's many contributions to the business, like how he revolutionized radio when he began taping his popular radio shows.

"I think people have this idea of him from those Christmas specials from the end of his life, which even Mary said was bad variety TV," Trachtenberg says. "But what they don’t remember was how cool he really was in the '30s and '40s and '50s. He is just so revered as a musician’s musician to this day … his timing, his phrasing. People still cite him as one of the most influential singers of the 20th century."


SOURCE

Monday, February 3, 2014

ESTATE OF DIXIE LEE CROSBY LOSES CASE

 
Even she died over 60 years ago, Dixie Lee Crosby is making news or at least her estate is...

C.A. Tosses Ruling in Favor of Estate of Bing Crosby’s First Wife
By a MetNews Staff Writer

The estate of Bing Crosby’s first wife is not entitled to revenues resulting from the popular entertainer’s right to publicity, the Court of Appeal for this district held yesterday. Div. Three, in an opinion by Justice Walter H. Croskey, reversed the order granting Wilma Wyatt Crosby’s trust a community property interest in her former husband’s right of publicity.  The trial court, in a judgment by Superior Court Judge Michael I. Levanas, had granted Wilma’s estate the interest because a 2008 amendment to the Civil Code §3341.1(p) created a new right to a deceased personalities who died before 1985. The statute, which provided that a deceased celebrity’s right of publicity is descendible, was amended to expressly provide that the law was retroactive to celebrities who died before 1985.

Harry Lillis Crosby, known as Bing Crosby, married Wilma Crosby on Sep. 29, 1930. They had four sons together, and remained married until her death in 1952.Wilma Crosby—also known as Dixie Lee—left a will which provided that her community property should be distributed in trust to her sons. Bing Crosby died on Oct. 14, 1977, leaving the residue of his estate to a martial trust for the benefit of his second wife, Kathryn Grant Crosby.

In 1996, Wilma Crosby’s trust sued the a company which was formed for the purposes of managing Bing Crosby’s interests, including his right of publicity for the trust’s entitlement to income derived from the community property of Bing and Wilma Crosby. That matter was settled for roughly $1.5 million. The settlement provided that the agreement was to be final and complete as to any money due to Wilma Crosby’s trust. The agreement also contained a release of all claims involving claims to community property.

On June 23, 2010, Wilma Crosby’s estate petitioned for an order granting it an interest in Bing Crosby’s post-mortem publicity rights under §3341.1, as amended by SB 771, which was signed into law two years earlier. The estate argued that the right to publicity in Bing Crosby’s estate was only created when the 2008 amendment was signed into law.

Croskey said:“The trial court reached this conclusion based solely on the 2008 amendment’s provisions that it was ‘retroactive’ and without analyzing the pre-2008 version of the statute. In fact, prior to the 2008 amendment, section 3344.1 provided that it applied to ‘any such natural person who has died within 70 years prior to January 1, 1985.”

The justice went on to say:“The amendment did not create any new rights that fell outside of the 1999 settlement’s release of all claims to community property, the argument…[that] right of publicity did not exist in 1999 and thus could not have been the settlement agreement must fail. The petition of Wilma’s Estate is clearly barred by res judicata.” The case is Crosby v. HLC Properties, B242089.

SOURCE

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

DIXIE LEE MARRIES CROONER


I have never been able to find any wedding pictures of Bing Crosby and Dixie Lee from 1930, but here are the details as they appeared in The Los Angeles Times of September 30...

Dixie Lee weds Bing Crosby Another romance in Hollywood culminated in marriage yesterday when Dixie Lee, under contract to Fox, was wed to Bing Crosby, a member of Gus Arnheim's Orchestra and one of the original Rhythm Boys. Although the two have been going together ever since last January, they were able to keep their plans to wed secret and even Mrs. M. M. Wyatt, Dixie's mother, did not know of the projected marriage until yesterday morning.

The wedding took place in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood with Father Stack performing the ceremony. Betty Zimmerman, an old school friend of Miss Lee's was bridesmaid, while Everett Crosby, the bridegroom's brother was stood up as best man. It was through her chum Marjorie White that Miss Lee met Crosby. They were introduced at a party given by Miss White last January. Miss Lee's real name it was revealed was Wilma Wyatt and thus it was possible for she and her fiancé to apply for a wedding licence without being discovered. There isn't to be any honeymoon trip as both young people are too busy in their professions at this time to be able to spare time to go away. The reception is held at Everett Crosby's new house in Nichols Canyon...

Sunday, January 29, 2012

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: MEMORIES OF DIXIE LEE CROSBY

When Bing married actress Dixie Lee in 1930, Dixie Lee was the bigger star. Crosby was just a struggling crooner. As Bing's fame grew, Dixie faded more into the shadows. Despite her beauty, I think that her life was a very sad and lonely one. Dixie would have turned 100 last November 4th, and she died three days before her birthday on November 1, 1952. Just looking at the pictures below, I am amazed at what a great beauty Dixie Lee was and is...