The entertainment world is mourning the loss of a beloved figure. Kathryn Crosby, the widow of legendary singer Bing Crosby, has passed away at the age of 90.
Kathryn Crosby, beloved actress and widow of the legendary Bing Crosby, has passed away at 90. Kathryn left this world peacefully at around 9 p.m. last Friday, September 20, surrounded by her family at her Hillsborough, California, home. Per her family representative, her death was attributed to natural causes.
Bing Crosby and Kathryn Crosby at San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital on December 22, 1975 | Source: Getty Images
The actress was born Olive Kathryn Grandstaff in West Columbia, Texas, in 1933. Her journey to Hollywood began like something out of a classic movie. After winning a beauty contest, she found herself with an opportunity most could only dream of—a screen test with none other than William Holden.
Kathryn launched her acting career under the name Kathryn Grant in 1953, just after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. From the start, she appeared in small but memorable roles, including a part in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window.”
Kathryn Grant Crosby at the Harlequin Theater on July 25, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Getty Images
But fate had more than just an acting career in store for her. While working as a columnist for her hometown newspaper, Kathryn landed an interview on the set of “White Christmas” in 1954. That’s where she first crossed paths with Bing, sparking a love story that would soon become the stuff of Hollywood legend.
Kathryn Crosby performs on stage with Bing Crosby in UK, on June 22, 1976. | Source: Getty Images
The couple married in 1957, but their journey to the altar wasn’t without its quirks, however. “We kept meeting each other, and then we’d plan to get married, and he would have a kidney stone or something dreadful like that,” Kathryn humorously recalled in a 2014 interview.
Kathryn Crosby at Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California, in 2003 | Source: Getty Images
After many delays, they finally decided to wed in secret. Kathryn confessed, “I still loved him, but I hadn’t spoken to him for a year. He wrote to me asking for dinner, and I said, ‘Yes. I still love you. No. I won’t see you.'” When the time came, the two met in Las Vegas, where Kathryn was accompanied by her Aunt Mary, and Bing by his driver, Leo Lynn.
Bing Crosby and Kathryn Crosby at the 27th Annual Academy Awards on March 30, 1955 | Source: Getty Images
After obtaining their marriage license, the couple managed to slip past eager reporters, with Bing throwing them off by claiming they were headed to Arrington for the ceremony. But in reality, the pair drove just a short distance to a Catholic church, where they quietly tied the knot.
Bing and Kathryn Crosby at an undisclosed location on December 6, 1963. | Source: Getty Images
After the wedding, Leo quipped, “Don’t you think you better tell the press? It’s a hot day, and they’re about to drive seven hours to Arrington!” And so, their post-ceremony breakfast at the Sands Hotel was joined by Father Ryan and forty curious reporters, marking the beginning of their life together.
Kathryn became Bing’s second wife, despite their 30-year age difference, and together they had three children: Harry Lillis III, Mary Frances, and Nathaniel. Their love story, filled with Hollywood glamour and unexpected twists, stood the test of time.
Bing Crosby, Kathryn, and their son Harry, 3, are shown after arriving from London, on August 25, 1961 | Source: Getty Images
Despite the frequent questions about their age difference, Kathryn maintained that it never bothered her. “By the time we started dating, I was crazy about Bing, and he felt the same way,” she recalled. When they finally said “I do,” she had come to a powerful realization: she could stand on her own two feet.
Meanwhile, Bing recognized he didn’t want a life without her by his side. Kathryn playfully declared that this mutual understanding was the perfect mindset to kick off their marriage—strong, independent, and undeniably united in love.
Bing Crosby and Kathryn Crosby attending ‘Metropolitan Golf Writers Association National Awards Dinner’ on February 17, 1969, at the Americana Hotel in New York. | Source: Getty Images
Though Kathryn stepped back from the spotlight after starring in films like the 1958 family adventure “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” and the 1959 crime-thriller “Anatomy of a Murder,” she still made memorable appearances with Bing and their children.
Mostly in Bing’s beloved Christmas specials and “The Bing Crosby Show” in the 1960s. They were a family act, captivating audiences together with their warmth and charm.
