Was Bing Crosby An Abusive Father?

Answer 1

Although he has been accused of doing so there is no proof, so one would assume that he did not. It is possible that his children fabricated that story to gain attention. Of course there is the possibility he did, we probably will never know for sure.

Answer 2

Three of his children have stated VERY publicly that Bing was a physically and emotionally abusive father, one admits to the use of corporal punishment but denies it was abusive. Hard to say: some people exaggerate their stories in order to get publicity, and some abuse victims deny their victimhood. You can take your pick.

Answer 3

I'm no Bing Crosby expert, but I've never read anything that would lead me to believe he was racist. Especially in context of the day and age in which he lived, when views on many issues were quite different than they are now.

I assume you raise the question because he performed in blackface on a few occasions. There is a clip of one instance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAHSTbD4A5M along with some interesting commentary below.

Some assert that Bing, like Frank Sinatra, stood up for his fellow musicians who were black. Others discuss the history the of minstrel show and blackface tradition, which they claim was actually, in some ways, a positive force for race relations. That is hard to grasp for most of us today, but I found the discussion interesting as I knew little of the tradition, which was gone by the time I was born.

In any case, Bing would probably be pleasantly surprised to learn we have an African-American president. America is supposed to be about progress, and doubtless by the time you and I are very old and gray, many things will have come to pass which we would not have dreamed.
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Bing Crosby was definitely not a racist. He produced albums with Ella Fitzgerald ("Christmas Jump & Live" to name just one of them).


The big band/swing artists of that era seemed to not care about race as much as their parent's generation. Take the Rat Pack for example. Sinatra and Dean Martin would not be the rack pack without Sammy Davis, Jr., a black man.


Besides, Bing Crosby was a jazz singer. Jazz is a black tradition. He's in black territory--so he better not be racist. It'd be like a white racist from Georgia wanting to live in Harlem. Doesn't happen. Crosby was not a racist. (Neither of the two men with that name were racists.)

Answer 4

Supposedly he was very abusive towards his wife and towards his children.

Answer 5

I don't think Bing Crosby is a child abuser because he seems quite nice!

Answer 6

definatly not he just was strict