SPOTLIGHT ON LOUISE CAMPBELL

Louise Campbell is just a footnote in Hollywood history. She made films for just a short 10 year period, and her most famous work was probably with Bing Crosby. Louise Campbell Weisbecker was born on May 30, 1911 in Chicago. Despite her success in Hollywood, she made it clear she preferred the stage.

Campbell attended St. Michael's School.and DePaul University, studying dramatic arts at the latter. She gained additional dramatic training at the Chicago School of Expression. She said that when she was 6 years old, she decided to be an actress after she watched a production of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

At one point, she worked as a dental assistant, an experience which she said was "invaluable to me in my acting" as she observed changes in patients' facial expressions in the dentist's office, with their changing expressions displaying "their real character."

Campbell gained early theatrical experience by performing in stock theater. Her Broadway debut was in Three Men on a Horse (1935). Her other Broadway credits include Julie the Great, Guest in the House (1941), A House in the Country (1936) and White Man (1936). A column in the June 13, 1942, issue of Billboard complimented "Louise Campbell, that fine actress, for a lovely, beautifully projected, altogether excellent performance in Guest in the House."

Campbell went to Hollywood in 1937 and made 13 films in the 1930s and 1940s. Her film debut was in Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937).Her film credits included Bulldog Drummond sequels, Night Club Scandal (1937), Men with Wings (1938), The Buccaneer (1938) with Fredric March, and The Star Maker (1939) with Bing Crosby. It would be her most popular film, playing Bing's wife in the loose bio of songwriter Gus Edwards. Watching her film appearances, Louise looks and sounds amazingly like Mary Martin.

Despite leaving Hollywood in 1947, she would occasionally act on the stage. “The demands of the screen are less than those for the stage,” she told The Times in 1939. The close-up, for instance, is a tremendous aid to the screen player. In close-ups the star has a chance to put over any emotion called for, with a lot of rehearsals and direction, whereas on the stage the actress must manage to get that emotion over without any such assistance whatsoever. Then, too, the stage demands talent and hard work, not merely personality and looks.”

Campbell was married to actor Horace McMahon, whom she met when they were both in the Broadway play Three Men on a Horse. They wed in 1938 and remained married until his death in 1971. Not much is know about Louise's private life, but I believe she had three children. Campbell died November 5, 1997, in Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut. She is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Norwalk, Connecticut...

COMING SOON - NEW BING CROSBY RECORD

Last year, UME celebrated the holidays with a selection on 7” vinyl. This year, they’re continuing the series, complete with a new snow white-colored 7” of Bing Crosby’s beloved “White Christmas.”

The 2024 collection included pressings of The Beach Boys’ “Little Saint Nick,” Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run,” Ella Fitzgerald’s “Sleigh Ride,” Frank Sinatra’s “Jingle Bells,” and Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song.” Each 7” features a beloved holiday hit on the A-side and another festive favorite on the B-side.

“White Christmas” will come out as part of the 2025 lineup. It is set to be released on its own as well as part of a carrying case that will include the full lineup of 2024 and 2025 releases...

BRIAN CROSBY: A FORGOTTEN CROSBY

I am sure that Brian Crosby is not forgotten to his family, but he is forgotten to Bing's loyal fans. Brian was 18-year-old grandson of Bing Crosby. He was killed shortly after Bing's death on October 14, 1977. Brian Patrick Crosby died on August 19, 1978. He died in a motorcycle crash in Beverly Hills after running a red light and being chased by a police car, according to authorities. He was the son of Phillip Crosby, one of the singers four children by his first marriage. Brian is buried right next to his father....

I reached out to his young half-brother Phil Crosby Jr, who did not really remember Brian, but he had this to say: "Yeah my theory or what I may have heard from my dad or someone in the family was that if he got caught high on anything one more time he would have been kicked off the football team. And that would have been the only way to disappoint my dad." 

I would love to learn more about Brian and his short life. If you have any details let me know...

49 YEARS AGO

49 years ago the music stopped. On this date in 1977, at the La Moraleja Golf Course near Madrid, Bing played 18 holes of golf. His partner was World Cup champion Manuel Piñero; their opponents were club president Cesar de Zulueta and Valentin Barrios. 

At about 6:30 pm, Crosby collapsed about 20 yards from the clubhouse entrance and died instantly from a massive heart attack. 

On October 18, following a private funeral Mass at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Westwood, Crosby was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Crosby's trademark warm bass-baritone voice made him the best-selling recording artist of the 20th century, having sold over one billion records, tapes, compact discs and digital downloads around the world...

FLASHBACK: 1938

August 12, 1938 - Bing Crosby’s horse Ligaroti takes on the legendary Seabiscuit at Del Mar! Co-owned by Bing himself, Ligaroti gave the champ a run for his money in one of the most talked-about races of the decade...

HIGH SOCIETY IN 4K ULTRA HD

Review by John Larkin

As someone who admittedly isn't deeply steeped in the golden age of Hollywood musicals, and with only a passing familiarity with the individual works of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, I have to confess that HIGH SOCIETY wasn't a film that was on my radar. Yet, the online buzz surrounding its 4K Ultra HD release from Warner Archive was simply too infectious to ignore. And what a release it is! This marks only the second 4K offering from Warner Archive, following the monumental release of THE SEARCHERS – a film that, thanks to our very own owner and editor-in-chief Roy Frumkes, received what is, by far, the best coverage on the internet, or perhaps ever written!

So, with a sense of curiosity and a dash of skepticism for a genre I don't typically gravitate towards, I dove into HIGH SOCIETY. And I'm incredibly glad I did. This hip, witty musical version of Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story is an absolute delight. We're whisked away to the scenic, moneyed grounds and waters of outwardly elitist Newport, Rhode Island, where Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra romp elegantly through a tangled web of romance and witty banter.

The film's charm is immediately evident, not least due to the legendary Louis Armstrong, who plays himself and serves as our delightful narrator. Through prose and song, he guides us through the peccadillos of his songwriter friend C.K. Dexter Haven (Crosby), his beautiful perfectionist ex-wife Tracy Samantha Lord (Kelly, in her luminous and final film role), and her rather stuffy fiancé George Kittredge (John Lund). The plot thickens with the arrival of a scandal sheet reporter (Sinatra) and a wise-cracking photographer (Celeste Holm), who are there to cover the wedding but end up complicating the already convoluted romantic entanglements. Armstrong and Dexter conspire musically and by other devious means to stop Tracy's impending marriage. Dexter, naturally, wants her back, but she finds herself drawn to the magazine writer – all of which provides everyone with wonderful excuses to break into the incomparable songs of Cole Porter.

What truly elevates this release, beyond the sheer enjoyment of the film itself, is the meticulous work done by Warner Archive. M-G-M truly pulled out all the stops for HIGH SOCIETY back in 1956, even going so far as to license Paramount's magnificent widescreen process, VistaVision, to ensure it was something special. Now, thanks to the tireless and truly amazing work of George Feltenstein and his team at Warner Archive, this film has been meticulously restored and remastered from its original VistaVision negative. The result is nothing short of stunning. The colors pop, the detail is exquisite, and the sense of depth is palpable. Accompanied by a thrilling new Dolby Atmos remixed soundtrack, HIGH SOCIETY looks and sounds better than ever before, truly a testament to the preservation efforts being made. It's a release that immediately brings to mind Paramount's excellent 4K offering last year of WHITE CHRISTMAS, which was the very first VistaVision film ever shot.

Even if you're not a die-hard musical fan, or if the names Crosby and Sinatra don't immediately conjure up images of cinematic magic for you, I urge you to give HIGH SOCIETY a watch. It's a sparkling, witty, and visually glorious experience, and a truly stunning release from Warner Archive that showcases the incredible work they continue to do in preserving and presenting classic cinema...

COLLEGE HUMOR: A 1933 REVIEW

Here is the original movie review for the early Bing film - College Humor. This appeared in the New York Times of June 23, 1933...

On the campus of Mid-West University the girls are charming, the faculty is tolerant and the romantic problems of Jack Oakie and Richard Arlen have a reminiscent appearance. "College Humor," at the Paramount, is a musical comedy tour of Mid-West during the four semesters when Professor Bing Crosby is giving his informal course on the history of the drama.Burns and Allen are there, too, as caterers, and Miss Allen is still preserving an uncommonly foolish attitude to the facts of life. 

And there are songs—"Learn to Croon," "Moonstruck," "Play Ball" and "The Old Ox Road." And a football game, Mid-West vs. that Eastern college, and the score 13—7 in the last minute."College Humor" is funny in spurts and agreeable most of the time. There are delightful moments when it seems to be on the verge of satirizing all the dreary collegiate films of the last decade. 

Mr. Crosby turns out to have a sense of humor and his subterranean blue notes are easy to listen to. Burns and Allen, hilarious clowns, have too little catering to do, for one thing. And the story wanders off the deep end about the time Mr. Arlen is kicked out of school for getting drunk and trying to punch Mr. Crosby in the nose.Looked at as a whole, it emerges as an unsteady entertainment, with no very discernable intent, theme or goal, but with a modest fund of humor and two or three heartily amusing patches. The story would seem to indicate that Mondrake (Mr. Arlen) is in love with Barbara Shirrel (Mary Carlisle), sister of his room-mate, Barney Shirrel (Mr. Oakie). Barbara, a capricious girl, loves Professor Danvers (Mr. Crosby), who doesn't realize it. Mondrake is expelled for making a spectacle of himself and Barney is forced to bear the brunt of the big football game all by himself.Mr. Oakie's owlish efforts to assimilate an education help the comedy along and Miss Carlisle is a very model of a model musical comedy co-ed. Mr. Arlen is reliably pleasant...

VIDEO BREAK: SING BING SING

Here is a beautiful restored copy of the Mack Sennett short Sing Bing Sing from 1932! There are some scenes added that were deleted from other releases...

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: MY FAVORITE BING PICS

There are so many Bing pictures out there. During his heyday I am sure he was the most photographed Hollywood star. Here are some of my personal favorite Bing photos...

A BING BIO BOOK FOR CHILDREN

Amy Lane Publishing is excited to announce the acquisition of world all- language rights to Bing Himself: The Story of Bing Crosby, The World’s First Multimedia Star, a vibrant nonfiction biography written by author Lauren R. Harris, featuring illustrations by artist Joe Everson.

Bing Himself introduces young readers to the legendary Bing Crosby, the world’s first multimedia star, whose remarkable career as a singer, actor, and influencer left an indelible mark on history. Written with a fact-driven narrative, the book shares Crosby’s story with authentic quotes from Bing himself, offering an accessible and inspiring look at his achievements. Paired with Joe Everson’s breathtaking gallery portraits—created specifically as illustrations for the book—this biography combines historical accuracy with stunning visuals, making it a perfect read for anyone eager to explore the pioneers of entertainment.

Jessica Reed, Editorial Director at Amy Lane Publishing, shared her enthusiasm: “I fell in love with Lauren R. Harris’s vision for this book from the start. Her talent for weaving a fact-driven narrative with Bing Crosby’s own words is remarkable, creating a story perfectly suited for young dreamers. Add Joe Everson’s vivid art, and you have a biography that’s as educational as it is captivating. This book is set to be a treasured addition to our catalog and a delightful discovery for young readers.” This is Lauren’s third book; her two previous publications are narrative nonfiction picture books about theJapanese American veterans of WWII.

Joe Everson, the artist behind the book’s illustrations, is renowned as America’s only singing action painter, represented by the world’s largest art dealer, Park West Gallery. He paints for professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies, and is in the private collection of dozens of high-profile organizations and celebrities. His gallery paintings for Bing Himself bring Bing Crosby’s story to life in vivid detail.

It is publishing in the United States in Fall 2025.