BING CROSBY - DOCUMENT SIGNED 11/08/1947 - HFSID 69938

BING CROSBY
Bing Crosby signs a document consenting to allow Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures to mention him in an upcoming production.
Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Bing Crosby" in ink under "Approved", 1p, 8½x11. Culver City, California, 1947 November 8. Agreement in letter form on letterhead of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures to Bing Crosby, Hollywood, California, regarding mention of Crosby in a production. In part: "We are desirous of including in our forthcoming production entitled "THE BIG CITY" mention of your name and imitation of your manner of singing in connection with the action and dialogue substantially as follows: Danny Thomas, just before singing a song entitled 'YIPPEE O YIPPEE AY!', recites the following words of dialogue: 'I want to sing for you a little song about the west. A song that's been doing right smart, before Bing Crosby came along and made a record of it...After this dialogue he goes into 'HOME ON THE RANGE' and imitates the Bing Crosby style of singing...If there is no objection to the foregoing, would you please sign and return to us the two attached copies of this letter?" Also signed: "R. Monta" for Loew's Incorporated. The Big City, in which Danny Thomas played Jewish cantor David Irwin Feldman, was released in 1948. The film, which is noted for Thomas' rendition of the western song mentioned in this letter, also starred Margaret O'Brien, Robert Preston and George Murphy. Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (1904-1977) won the 1944 Academy Award for Best Actor for Going My Way. He was also nominated for Best Actor Oscars for The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) and The Country Girl (1954). Known for his relaxed "crooning" style of singing, Crosby recorded more than 1,600 songs that sold at least 500 million copies. His 1942 single of "White Christmas" sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and was the best-selling single in any music category for more than 50 years. In 1947, the year of this letter, Crosby starred in the films Variety Girl, My Favorite Brunette, Welcome Stranger and two of his famous "road" pictures, Road to Hollywood and Road to Rio. That year, he was named the #1 box-office attraction for the fourth consecutive year (he would receive his final top nod in 1948) and was equally popular as a recording star. The reference in this letter to Crosby's style on a Western song was not as strange as it might seem - Crosby had several 1940s country & western hits, including "New San Antonio Rose", "You Are My Sunshine", "Deep in the Heart of Texas", "Pistol-Packin' Mama", "San Fernando Valley" and "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy". Lightly creased. Staple holes at upper left corner, 2 file holes at upper blank margin. Lightly soiled at blank mid-left margin and lower blank edge. Overall, fine condition.