TV Spotlight: American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered Airs Tonight

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It’ll be a “White Christmas” for millions of people this holiday season, and in celebration of the holidays (and a great artist), the documentary American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered premieres tonight at 8 pm on PBS (check local listings).

The installment, which serves as the series’ Season 28 finale, centers on Crosby’s illustrious career and his family life (the movie is also available on DVD per PBS Distribution). The documentary also has a holiday encore presentation on Friday, December 26 on PBS at 9 pm.

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Narrated by Oscar nominated actor Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), the project features interviews with Cosby’s widow Kathryn, daughters Mary and his sons Harry and Nathaniel.

(l to r) Nathaniel, Mary and Harry with their parents Kathryn and Bing Crosby as seen in "American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered." Photo credit: Courtesy of Bing Crosby Enterprises
(l to r) Nathaniel, Mary and Harry with their parents Kathryn and Bing Crosby as seen in “American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered.” Photo credit: Courtesy of Bing Crosby Enterprises

The project doesn’t sugarcoat the entertainer’s personal life, as it details his own struggles with his first wife Dixie and their sons Gary (he penned the 1983 memoir Going My Own Way), Dennis, Phillip, and Lindsay. Entertainers Michael Feinstein, Tony Bennett, biographer Garry Giddens, and record producer Ken Barnes are also interviewed for the doc.

“I’ve never seen an entertainer more comfortable in his own skin, more certain of who he was,” says Emmy-winning filmmaker Robert Trachtenberg, whose previous American Masters documentaries include Mel Brooks: Make a Noise, On Cukor, Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer and Cary Grant: A Class Apart. “With the new material I’ve found, I think the breadth, depth and candor of his story will hopefully allow people to see him in a new light.”

Photo credit: Courtesy of Bing Crosby Enterprises
Photo credit: Courtesy of Bing Crosby Enterprises

During his career, Crosby amassed almost 400 hit singles, starred in the popular “Road” films with comedian Bob Hope, and won the Oscar for the 1944 flick Going My Way.

For more info, check out the official site for American Masters.