The Suicide of Lindsay Crosby
It is rarely easy being the child of a celebrity and it was no different for Lindsay Crosby, the son of crooner Bing Crosby. Bing’s first marriage to actress/singer Dixie Lee produced four sons: Gary, Lindsay, and twins Dennis and Phillip. Having four strapping boys and the image of the ideal father played well for Bing’s reputation, but real life was far different than reel life. Dixie Lee had a drinking problem and Bing was a strict disciplinarian.
Still, the world knew no different and the boys, after appearing on their father’s holiday specials, formed a nightclub act, The Crosby Boys. That didn’t last long as the siblings fought and the act ended in 1959.
Lindsay, Phillip, and Dennis all appeared in the Rat Pack laden film Sergeants 3, but after that, Lindsay starred in easily forgettable films like The Girls from Thunder Strip, The Glory Stomps, and Murf the Surf.
Lindsay married his first wife Barbara D. Frederickson in 1960, but after two children, the couple was divorced in late 1962. He married Janet Sue Schwartze in February 1966. That married produce one child, but ended in divorce in a little over a year and a half. His marriage to third wife Susan Marlin produced two children and lasted from 1968 until 1978.
Bing died on the golf course in October 1977. In 1983, Gary wrote “Going My Own Way,” which destroyed his father’s reputation as the perfect father. He said Bing beat the boys until they bled, called them names like “Bucket Butt” and “The Head,” and suggested they not drink, since it killed their mother, but smoke pot instead. Phillip insisted that Gary had over exaggerated the situation. However, Phillip and Lindsay agreed, at least in part, with what Gary wrote. Lindsay went as far as to say “Gary said what needed to be said.” He also said that he remembered all the good things and forgot the rough times. Bing’s brother, bandleader Bob Crosby, said he never remembered Bing being physical with the boys and his second wife Kathryn, wrote “My Life With Bing,” which painted a rosy recollection of the family life she experience with Bing and their three children, Harry, Mary, and Nathaniel.
Something must have been eating at Lindsay though. Prone to listening to his father’s Christmas music during the holidays, on December 11, 1989, after suffering a bout with depression and a painful breakup with girlfriend Pam Desnon, Lindsay took a gun and shot himself in the head. He was 51 years old. He had watched his father’s holiday classic film White Christmas less than 23 hours beforehand.
Lindsay wasn’t the only brother to be dealt a heavy hand by fate. In May 1991, distraught over his brother’s death and dealing with alcoholism, Dennis shot himself in the head as well. He was 56 years old.
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Tags: Bing Crosby, Lindsay Crosby
June 1st, 2009 at 6:24 pm
In 1957 /1958 Lindsey was in the Army’s Special Services. and ate in the
WAC Mess hall at Ft. Ord. Ca. He always seemed quieter then the other so called celebs that were stationed there. One thing I remember at dance with certain celebs and other service personnel at the the ” Soldierrs Club” He drank out of a siver flask alot I think his mother drank and he just seemed to be addicted to it also. He never put on high airs and I think his father had a place at Pebble Beach, Ca and he spent his week-ends there. Sad story on all of those first four sons of Crobsy’s.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
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September 9th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
September 11th, 2009 at 8:25 am
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April 26th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Lindsay was the love of my life .. he hated listening to any music of his father’s . did NOT watch any movies . I had on TV some bandleader doing all of Bing’s music.. Lindsay turned it off and said NEVER turn anything like that on .. I know many things .. as I knew him for many years before we fell in love .. The boys DID collect monies from some of the recordings quarterly .. but the will stated ‘not until 65 will they get an inheritance’ .. Phil was the only son who lived to see that . I have no clue if that money went on to the boys offspring or not .. Lindsay was on meds to help him with various problems . when he did not stay on the meds .. he drank . . and became a problem . then he would stop and go on the meds . he did NOT like his father .. One day when we were at a Buffet on our way back from the High Sierra’s .. our dogs in the car .. he said to me … ‘you have 5 minutes to finish or I am leaving you here’ . .I was shocked .. he told me that is what Bing did to the boys . they had NO money and would have to walk home for MILES and MILES . I met Bing . he was very nice .. at that time did NOT know all the things I learned from three of the brothers .. never met Gary . though did speak with him on projects I worked on .. never told him about Lindsay & I living together .. the 3 brothers did NOT want that book published . I also was good friends with Bing’s sec’y from years before (they had an affair) .. she told me how rotten he was to the boys .. as did the 2 brothers . Lindsay rarely said anything .. NASTY man, his father was . taught them to be RANCHERS . .excuse me? .. Awful way to earn a living .. Denny taught skiing in Big Bear for a while .. Gary did parts & worked on projects .. Phil would record and sing . the 4 brothers DID have VEGAS contracts and could sing SO well .. but that did not last long .. I miss Lindsay & Denny a LOT .. Lindsay, more, of course .. I was going to call him day he killed himself but cause I was late for work . did NOT . could I have prevented it . dunno ..maybe . denny was closer to Lindsay than to his twin Phil ..
Just my 2¢
May 24th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Thanks N.Ellen for sharing your memories with us. That was really interesting and I love reading personal stories like that. For some reason, it seems like most of the people post personal stories about Lindsay.