The Bing Crosby Show (1964-65 ABC TV)

Bing Crosby made his first and last attempt at a weekly television series in 1964 when he starred as Bing Collins, a middle-aged singer and engineer at Calford University, in a domestic musical comedy series. In a sharp break from past roles, Bing played a happily married man. He and his wife, Beverly Garland, supervised their two daughters -- a precocious 12-year-old "Janice" and a boy-crazy 16-year-old "Joyce." Bing's priestly pal from Going My Way, Frank McHugh, played a live-in handyman. The show featured many celebrity guests, including Phil Harris, Mel Torme, Donald O'Connor, Frankie Avalon, George Gobel, Bing's real wife, Kathryn, and real son, Gary. Bing sang at least one song in every episode. Bing's long-time musical director on radio, John Scott Trotter, reprised his role in the TV series. As was standard in 1960s television, Bing and his wife slept in separate beds.

Bing Crosby Productions filmed 28 original episodes at Desilu studios on soundstage 7 leased on the Paramount lot, where Bing filmed many of his movies. All episodes were filmed in black-and-white except for the colorful Christmas episode. The opening and closing theme songs ("There's More to Life Than Just Living" and "It All Adds Up") were written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn and sung by Bing. The series had a generous budget of $70,000 per episode, but after a promising start the show fell in the Nielson ratings to 77th and was cancelled after the first season, eliminating any chances of syndication. The series has yet to be released on home video. Bing Crosby Productions was later absorbed into Desilu (through various production partnerships), and Desilu’s library ultimately became part of Paramount Television, whose present‑day successor is CBS Studios. Most likely, CBS Studios owns the distribution rights to The Bing Crosby Show.