Bing Crosby-His Best & Worst Movies With Inflated Box Office Grosses
73Bing Crosby in his #5 movie Road to Morocco(Movie Score 69.43)...Crosby and Bob Hope made a total of seven "Road to".....movies.
With his famous bass-baritone voice, Bing Crosby was one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century. Although somewhat forgotten, his movie career is equally impressive. Bing Crosby's film career started with the 1930 film The King of Jazz. His first big break came in 1932 when he appeared in The Big Broadcast, which was the sixth most successful movie of that year. He appeared on the annual top ten box office stars for the first time in 1934. He would appear on that list a total of fifteen times in his career. From 1944 to 1948, Crosby was the number one star, for a record five years in a row.
In 1940 Bing Crosby and Bob Hope starred in the very successful Road to Singapore. The comedy team of Crosby/Hope became very popular. They made six very successful sequels over the next twenty-two years. Having conquered singing and comedy, Crosby started concentrating on serious acting. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1944 for the blockbuster hit Going My Way. He received another nomination the next year for The Bells of St. Mary's. In 1954, he received his final nomination for Best Actor the Country Girl co-starring Grace Kelly. She won the Oscar playing Bing's wife. In 1966 he appeared in his last movie, the remake of the classic western Stagecoach. There was talk of making Road to the Fountain of Youth, but Bing Crosby died in 1977 before he could make that movie.
The following table has all of Bing Crosby's movies from 1930 - 1966. Movies are sorted by Movie Scores, but can sorted by any category heading.
Rank Movie Year
| 2011 Inflated Box Office (Millions)
| Tickets (Millions)
| Movie Score
| Critics Audience Score
| Nom / Win
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 Going My Way (1944)
| 355.40
| 44.70
| 87.34
| 76%
| 10 / 07
|
#2 The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)
| 411.80
| 51.79
| 81.34
| 81%
| 08 / 01
|
#3 The Country Girl (1954)
| 247.20
| 31.10
| 80.94
| 77%
| 07 / 02
|
#4 Holiday Inn (1942)
| 229.00
| 28.79
| 73.25
| 87%
| 03 / 01
|
#5 Road to Moracco (1942)
| 229.00
| 28.79
| 69.43
| 81%
| 02 / 00
|
#6 Road to Utopia (1946)
| 225.00
| 28.29
| 69.41
| 82%
| 01 / 00
|
#7 Road to Rio (1947)
| 213.10
| 26.79
| 68.83
| 81%
| 01 / 00
|
#8 White Christmas (1954)
| 456.30
| 57.40
| 67.89
| 78%
| 01 / 00
|
#9 Blue Skies (1946)
| 284.60
| 35.79
| 66.40
| 72%
| 02 / 00
|
#10 High Society (1956)
| 183.60
| 23.10
| 63.81
| 74%
| 02 / 00
|
#11 Dixie (1943)
| 181.30
| 22.79
| 60.93
| 71%
| 00 / 00
|
#12 Welcome Stranger (1947)
| 288.60
| 36.29
| 59.59
| 56%
| 00 / 00
|
#13 The Emperor Waltz (1948)
| 174.90
| 22.00
| 55.55
| 55%
| 02 / 00
|
Rank Movie Year
| 2011 Inflated Box Office (Millions)
| Tickets (Millions)
| Movie Score
| Critics Audience Score
| Nom / Win
|
#14 Here Come the Waves (1944)
| 128.80
| 16.20
| 52.44
| 75%
| 01 / 00
|
#15 Road to Zanzibar (1941)
| 120.80
| 15.19
| 51.69
| 79%
| 00 / 00
|
#16 Road to Singapore (1940)
| 100.20
| 12.60
| 47.81
| 79%
| 00 / 00
|
#17 A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)
| 121.60
| 15.30
| 46.36
| 63%
| 00 / 00
|
#18 Here Comes the Groom (1951)
| 89.00
| 11.19
| 45.15
| 67%
| 02 / 01
|
#19 Waikiki Wedding (1937)
| 101.00
| 12.69
| 45.15
| 65%
| 02 / 01
|
#20 Top o' the Morning (1949)
| 105.70
| 13.30
| 42.48
| 61%
| 00 / 00
|
#21 Road to Bali (1952)
| 95.40
| 12.00
| 42.00
| 66%
| 00 / 00
|
#22 Little Boy Lost (1953)
| 87.40
| 11.00
| 41.79
| 70%
| 00 / 00
|
#23 Rhythm on the Range (1936)
| 84.30
| 10.60
| 39.77
| 66%
| 00 / 00
|
#24 Say One For Me (1959)
| 113.70
| 14.30
| 39.70
| 45%
| 01 / 00
|
#25 Just For You (1952)
| 95.40
| 12.00
| 38.93
| 55%
| 01 / 00
|
#26 The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
| 59.60
| 7.50
| 38.52
| 76%
| 00 / 00
|
Rank Movie Year
| 2011 Inflated Box Office (Millions)
| Tickets (Millions)
| Movie Score
| Critics Audience Score
| Nom / Win
|
#27 Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)
| 83.50
| 10.50
| 38.43
| 59%
| 02 / 00
|
#28 Mr. Music (1950)
| 83.50
| 10.50
| 38.22
| 62%
| 00 / 00
|
#29 Double or Nothing (1937)
| 64.40
| 8.10
| 36.15
| 67%
| 00 / 00
|
#30 Dr. Rhythm (1938)
| 71.60
| 9.00
| 35.84
| 62%
| 00 / 00
|
#31 Road to Hong Kong (1962)
| 80.30
| 10.10
| 35.30
| 55%
| 00 / 00
|
#32 Riding High (1950)
| 85.90
| 10.80
| 35.02
| 51%
| 00 / 00
|
#33 Sing You Sinners (1938)
| 38.20
| 4.80
| 34.06
| 76%
| 00 / 00
|
#34 The King of Jazz (1930)
| 25.40
| 3.20
| 33.97
| 78%
| 01 / 01
|
#35 The Big Broadcast (1932)
| 43.70
| 5.50
| 33.94
| 72%
| 00 / 00
|
#36 College Humor (1933)
| 21.50
| 2.70
| 33.52
| 84%
| 00 / 00
|
#37 Anything Goes (1956)
| 66.80
| 8.39
| 32.95
| 56%
| 00 / 00
|
#38 Stagecoach (1966)
| 63.60
| 8.00
| 32.31
| 56%
| 00 / 00
|
#39 Here Is My Heart (1934)
| 35.00
| 4.40
| 32.02
| 72%
| 00 / 00
|
Rank Movie Year
| 2011 Inflated Box Office (Millions)
| Tickets (Millions)
| Movie Score
| Critics Audience Score
| Nom / Win
|
#40 Mississippi (1935)
| 22.30
| 2.79
| 31.93
| 79%
| 00 / 00
|
#41 East Side of Heaven (1939)
| 44.50
| 5.59
| 31.29
| 64%
| 00 / 00
|
#42 We're Not Dreaming (1934)
| 42.10
| 5.30
| 31.00
| 65%
| 00 / 00
|
#43 Birth of the Blues (1940)
| 18.30
| 2.29
| 29.46
| 72%
| 01 / 00
|
#44 The Star Maker (1939)
| 37.40
| 4.69
| 29.35
| 63%
| 00 / 00
|
#45 Paris Honeymoon (1939)
| 32.60
| 4.09
| 28.39
| 63%
| 00 / 00
|
#46 Going Hollywood (1933)
| 29.40
| 3.70
| 28.27
| 64%
| 00 / 00
|
#47 High Time (1960)
| 48.50
| 6.09
| 28.15
| 51%
| 01 / 00
|
#48 If I Had My Way (1940)
| 25.40
| 3.20
| 27.82
| 65%
| 00 / 00
|
#49 Rhythm on the River (1940)
| 23.80
| 3.00
| 27.76
| 64%
| 01 / 00
|
#50 Two For Tonight (1935)
| 18.30
| 2.29
| 26.76
| 66%
| 00 / 00
|
#51 Anything Goes (1936)
| 19.90
| 2.50
| 26.37
| 64%
| 00 / 00
|
#52 Too Much Harmony (1933) (1933)
| 18.30
| 2.29
| 26.05
| 64%
| 00 / 00
|
#53 She Loves Me Not (1934)
| 54.10
| 6.80
| 25.60
| 41%
| 01 / 00
|
#54 Pennies from Heaven (1936)
| 19.10
| 2.40
| 25.59
| 61%
| 01 / 00
|
#55 Man on Fire (1957)
| 54.90
| 6.90
| 24.45
| 39%
| 00 / 00
|
Rank Movie Year
| 2011 Inflated Box Office (Millions)
| Tickets (Millions)
| Movie Score
| Critics Audience Score
| Nom / Win
|
Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald both won Oscars for Going My Way in 1944.
The Best of Bing Crosby.
#1 Going My Way(Movie Score 87.34)....he won the Oscar playing Father Chuck O' Malley....movie also won Best Picture of the year
#2 The Bells of St. Mary's(Movie Score 81.34)....he returns as Father Chuck....this movie was even bigger than the original....51.79 million tickets sold for this movie
#3 The Country Girl(Movie Score 80.94).....his final Oscar nomination, he plays a struggling actor.....Grace Kelly steals the show in her Oscar winning role
#4 Holiday Inn(Movie Score 73.25)....this was his first of many monster hits....co-stars Fred Astaire
#5 Road to Morocco(Movie Score 69.43)...the third in the franchise.....barely holds off Road to Utopia(Movie Score 69.41) for the best of the Road movies
Movie Score card for # 9 Blue Skies.
So what the heck are Movie Scores?
There are all kinds of ways to determine if you want to see or skip a movie. You can depend on your favorite critic.My favorites are Roger Ebert and Leonard Maltin. You might go to Rotten Tomatoes to get the consensus of all the critics. You might watch the viewer ratings at Yahoo Movies and IMDB. You might depend on which movies are doing the best at the box office. You might wait for the end of the year awards. Movie Score takes all of these options and creates a mathematical equation that generates a score from 1 to 100. The higher the score the better the movie.
For more Movie Scores from other stars go here.
Alphabetical Index: Classic Actors/Actresses
Humphrey Bogart; Marlon Brando; James Cagney;Gary Cooper; Bing Crosby;Kirk Douglas;Clark Gable; Cary Grant;Katharine Hepburn; Charlton Heston; Rock Hudson; Burt Lancaster; Myrna Loy; Steve McQueen; Marilyn Monroe; Paul Newman; Gregory Peck; James Stewart;John Wayne; Richard Widmark;
Bing Crosby is currently ranked #12 on my greatest actor/actress table. He is right behind #11 Leonardo Dicaprio and ahead of #13 Julia Roberts.....to see this table click the link below.
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CommentsLoading...
I had no idea that Bing Crosby made that many movies. I, for one, did not like him after I heard how he treated his four sons. Some of his movies were very good but he is low on the totem pole for me. Good research...
Never understood how much of a beast he was at the box office, it looks like he ruled the movies for about 15 years. Sad part is that I have only seen one of all of these movies listed.
Good old Bing. He's definitely one of my all-time favorites. A great singer/actor/comedian. He was also a very successful businessman and one of the best golfers in Hollywood.
In 1999, when Time Magazine made their list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, there were only two singers on the list and one was Bing (Elvis was the other.) Several other famous singers admitted that his style influenced them (Including Sinatra, Dean Martin and Perry Como.)
Sadly, Bing's reputation suffered after he died when his eldest son (Gary) wrote a book about him which claimed Bing was abusive, although this allegation has been refuted by other family members and some close friends (Like Bob Hope). They claim Gary had serious issues because his own acting and singing career never took off and the family said he was angry about his failure and that he got the fame that had always elluded him by writing a slanderous book about his dad. (Two of Bing's other six kids would admit that Bing believed in corporal punishment but they said that Gary exaggerated the extent of it.) Gary's book became a best seller and--true or not--it permanently stained Bing's laid-back, nice-guy image, despite his wife's efforts to repair Bing's image with her own book. The truth remains debatable but many people have come to accept Gary's accusations as fact.
He'sprobably best remembered today for "White Christmas" which was the top selling song for six decades. I fondly remember the "Road" movies he made with his real-life best buddy Bob Hope. It's too bad he never got the chance to reunite one last time with Hope in"the Road to the Fountain of Youth". They werea great team.
Thanks to Robwrite about the abuse clarification.
Hmmm I haven't seen Bing's three highest scoring films, but I have seen many of the others. I love the Road series he did with Bob Hope, especially Morocco. My favourite musical of his... probably High Society.
You'll have to do a Bob Hope hub now Cogerson. ;)
Another fascinating hub, voted up and useful.
Thank you mentalist acer.....I am sure there are Bing could have a music only hub(he sold a half a billion records) a television special only hub and one on his charity work....
Bern1960 ...yep he made that many movies....not all his kids thought Bing was a bad dad.....thanks for reading and commenting
Hey ShaunBroncoMan....well if watched one Bing Crosby movie I would suggest one of the first Road to movies....Morocco is the highest rated here but Road to Rio and Road to Utopia are good starting points as well
Thanks for reading and commenting Jeff....Rob does a great job discussing the Bing rumors
Hey Rob...when you suggested Mr. Crosby....I never thought it would take this long to finish his blog...I must have read about 10 books on him....finding his 1930s box office was nearly impossible...I think an 8th Road to movie would have been interesting....I knew he had died on a golf course...I did not know it was as soon as he finished his round of golf...that is strange.....but Bob Hope said it was exactly how Bing would have wanted to go......thanks for the suggestion
Hey Steve....well I do not think you missing anything with his top two....he plays the same character....and they were huge hits.....but they have not aged very well.....#3 The Country Girl is awesome....besides Crosby and Kelly you also get a very young William Holden. You are right, I need to do Bob Hope....while researching Crosby I kept running into Bob Hope facts.....as always thanks for reading
I was never a Bing Crosby fan, but that in no way negates the excellent job you have once again done at compiling his contributions to entertainment. I would never have guessed him to be number 12 on a list of greatest actor/actresses, but then again, I wouldn't have put John Wayne on that list at all, so what do I know. :)
up/useful
Hey Fay....I have read that he sold over half billion records and sold over one billion movie tickets....that is a serious amount of revenue.....Quigley Publishing has John Wayne as the number one star of all time...Crosby comes in at number six on that list.......as matter of fact they just released their top 10 for 2010.....in order Depp, Jolie, Downey, Damon, Carell, Hanks, Washington, DiCaprio, Clooney and Hathaway
Another great hub! I think it's interesting that two of Bing's top movies are re-makes (sort of): 'White Christmas' has several elements in common with Bing's other hit, 'Holiday Inn' (including re-using the titular song); and 'High Society' was a musical version of the classic American film, 'Philadelphia Story.'
I never knew he was such a top movie guy, singing and golf yes, movies wow.
You are going way back here, the man has been gone close to 35 years and has not made a movie in close to 50 years. That being said, I used to watch some of his movies with my granddad in the 1970s. Thanks for positng.
BoomerFlicks....great points....I know before I did this hub...I was a little confused about Holiday Inn and White Christmas....there is about 10 years between the two movies....but both were very big hits...thanks for reading
Thanks for reading and commenting hinton1966 and Yankees Rule...it is greatly appreciated
Interesting article on somebody I have heard of but did not know anything about. Thanks for posting.
so...where are you getting your numbers for box office grosses?, I have been looking for some box office information from the 1940s and your site popped up, any help would be greatly appreciated
You are welcome KellyE
Interesting....old Variety magazines have lots of information about movie grosses
I've seen every one of Bing Crosby's 55 movies, Cogerson, and I can tell you he was the greatest -- as a singer, of course, but also as an actor. He was also a wonderful comic actor, beginning with the short subjects he did with Max Sennett and the seven road pictures with Bob Hope. Nice work.
Hey William....very impressive that you have seen all his movies....when I was doing my research on this hub...my favorite story was at the beginning of his movie career ...they kept trying to glue his ears back...and the glue would not keep them pinned back.....after the 10th time....he said "There out and they are staying out"....thanks for reading and commenting.
I have a complicated relationship with Bing Crosby. He was an excellent singer and made a lot of movie musicals-a genre I love. and the road films are fun. But I was born a year after he died and didn't know of him before it was revealed how he treated his children. It was nothing like on tv. He beat his children. And his son Gary recently turned 60 years old, allowing him to finally get his inheritance. bizarre. I have to ignore waht I think about him as a man as much as possible-I find I can actually do this best in his non-musicals or where-like in High Society-he isn't the only leading man. I can listen to him sing Christmas carols and love it. I just have to separate the artist from the human being. Depending upon my mood I may be better at it than others. Films with strong plots (eg. Going My Way) work better than thin ploys with an excuse for singing songs. Suffice to say I watch the road films for Bob Hope and his interaction woth Bing Crosby.
Okay, enough of my issues and on with the movies.
I have seen:
All of his Top 10 movies. However, as we go down the list the percentage of films I've seen goes way down. I've seen 17 of his movies total. I'm surprised Pennies From Heaven is last. It is a much stronger film than, say, Rhythm of the Range, which I have also seen.
I've seen most but not all of the road films.
Favourite films in alphabetical order:
The Bells of St. Mary
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Going My Way
High Society
Holiday Inn (enjoy White Christmas too, but this is the original)
Correction: I was born a year BEFORE he died. sheesh.
I think the jury is still out on the claims Gary made about his father. Crosby had 7 kids, and I think the other 6 kids have said that Bing might have been tough on them but he was not abusive. Granted Gary was the oldest of the group....Gary passed away in 1995.
I have only seen a few of his movies....so I will bow to your expertise on his movies. One of the few that I have seen was pretty good....A Country Girl....I thought he was excellent in very different role for him. I have seen a couple of his Road movies...they look like they had a great time making those movies.
As for his legacy.....I think as more time passes...the less people remember him...which is a shame....my kids which range from 23 to 2 have no idea who he is. Thanks for your comments....I always appreciate the amount of time you spend on your comments.
A Country Girl was very good- got Kelly her Oscar. If you are ever looking for a star to finish off quickly in between the ones that take a long (i.e. Diaz before Cooper) time consider Kelly. Because she married Ranier there aren't a lot of films, but there are still enough to to take a look. (eg. no point with James Dean-only 3).
Yep Flora, Grace Kelly would be a short hub....11 movies...of which I already have 8 of them in my massive database....13,600 films and growing everyday. I have already done all the research on Elizabeth Taylor and Bette Davis....just never got around to writing their hubs.....and I always think Audrey Hepburn needs one as well. So many actors/actresses...and so little time.....lol.
@Cogerson...Who had a voice like Bing? I always watch "White Christmas". It's fun with the relationship of the two guys and the two gals. (I'm a real Danny Kaye fan.) Bing and Danny in that girls duet is a scream. Makes me belly laugh every time! Kaye did a little improvising in that song scene and got extra giggles out of Bing.
Bing was great in drama, too. "The Country Girl" still rings true, as well as "Going My Way".
"Holiday Inn" is loads of fun, and so are these movie columns!
Hey Barbsbitspieces...Bing Crosby always made a great partner on screen...it could be Bob Hope or Danny Kaye or Frank Sinatra he always made the movie better....The Country Girl blew me away when I saw the movie....maybe I was confused because I had already seen The Farmer's Daughter...and I was expecting a movie like that...instead The Country Girl is an intense drama....that got Grace Kelly her Oscar....and got Bing an Oscar nomination....As for White Christmas it is a classic that gets better each year....well you will be happy to know that Danny Kaye is on my list of career movie hub subjects to do....thanks for the compliment.
@Cogerson...Great! I can't wait for Danny Kaye to hit your column!! He was a real humantarian, as well as accomplished actor and comedian. He had a great deal to do with the beginning of a very well-known charity for children.
Coming soon....I think the current lineup is.....Ron Howard....then my 100th hub...which will be a shout out to hubbers like yourself....then Barbara Stanwyck.....then a current actor ....then Danny Kaye....so it might be awhile....but at least he is grabbing a bat and loosening up.
cogerson, dear, what about your mother-in-law's suggestion?
maybe Poitier can be after Stanwyck?
By the way, I look forward to all these hubs you've mentioned. I've seen lots of their films (well, more on Ron acting than directing...)
Hey Flora....he would match the sequence of pulse/no pulse....so I think we will go ahead and schedule him to be #102......after Stanwyck and before Kaye....I actually could not remember if Stanwyck was still alive....just checked...Wow she passed away 21 years ago....as always thanks for the suggestions and comments.
Just revisiting this great hub and realized I somehow failed to link it to one of my Crosby hubs, which now is corrected. Bing was not only the best popular singer in history and a very talented actor but he was a good man who didn't deserve having his character besmirched by his wayward son, Gary.
Hey William F. Torpey....thanks for the link and I will return the favor. Looking at this hub I realize that I need to give it a facelift so it looks like my newer hubs....I agree with you about his son Gary, too bad the truth seems to be hidden with the misconception. Thanks for the revisit.
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Mentalist acer Level 6 Commenter 13 months ago
As an honorable mention,Bing was delightful on TV with his variety specials...loved by everybody and mocked in the media for his love of orange juice and his,to be vague, stern fatherhood toward his children.;)