Unfortunately, there are no reference books or archives containing a full listing of who appeared on what magazine covers over the years. After several months of conducting (admittedly casual) research while preparing an article for Bing Magazine, I found the Internet to be the best source for documenting this information . . . for current celebrities. As for delving back beyond a few decades into the past, the virtual path all but vanished. Prior to this page going online, a Google image search turned up only about fourteen different Bing Crosby covers and, ironically, the then-new “bing” search engine was even less efficient, retrieving but eleven. About the only way to chronicle Bing Crosby’s long ago and far away appearances on paper periodicals with any level of certainty was to physically find them, whether at flea markets, garage sales, antique shops, or posted in online auctions. As those who remember Bing fade and pass with the years, these magazines—tangible records of his massive popularity, ephemeral time capsules originally intended to last only as long as a couple of commuter train trips or a few weeks in a dentist’s office before being tossed into the incinerator—also become more and more scarce.
Below is a visual sampling of magazine covers on which Bing appeared from the 1930s to the 1970s, followed by a list of the more than 250 Crosby covers I've managed to unearth.
Key: Name of magazine (country of origin, if other than the U.S.) – issue date – description of cover illustration, if other than a solo photo of Bing. Sunday newspaper magazine supplements are indicated with (sup.).
245 Well-Known Songs – November 1949
400 Songs to Remember – September 1939
1000 Jokes – Winter 1942 – with Bob Hope, in costume for Road to Morocco
1000 Jokes – Winter 1942 – with Bob Hope, in costume for Road to Morocco
“ “ – Spring, 1950 – Bing and brother Bob, as babies in pen & ink cartoon carriage
ABC Weekly, The (Australia) – August 28, 1943
American Home – February 1956 – with son Lindsay at Hayden Lake, Idaho home
Antena (Argentina) – December 23, 1947
Best-Known Songs – 1943
Billboard – July 13, 1940
Bing Crosby Album – 1949 (A Dell publication, celebrating Bing’s life to date.)
Calling All Boys (comic book) – September 1947
Canadian Magazine, The (Canada) (sup.) – April 26, 1969
Chicago Tribune Picture Section, The (sup.) – May 30, 1948
Chez Nous (France) – September 11, 1952 – with son Lindsay
Cinelandia (Argentina) – November 1941
Cine Review (France) – September 7, 1945
“ “ “ – ? 1946 – with Barry Fitzgerald, from Going My Way
“ “ “ – ? 1954 – with Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen, from “Noel Blanc”
Cine Romance (Portugal) – 1955 – with Grace Kelly, still from The Country Girl
City of Destiny – Autumn 1939 – local Tacoma, Washington publication
Colecção Cinema (Portugal) – August 27, 1959 – colorized still from The Bells of St. Mary’s, with Ingrid Bergman
Collier’s – June 8, 1956 – inset of Bing with Frank Sinatra, from High Society
Colorama (Philadelphia Inquirer sup.) – March 21, 1954
Compact …for Young People – November 1953 – inset, Bing & Bob (still from Road to Bali): “The Bing Crosby Bob Hope Feud …is it for Real?”
Disc (UK) – Dec. 1963 – Beatles cover w/ inset of Bing in ad for “Do You Hear What I Hear?”
Down Beat – December 15, 1939
“ “ – May 19, 1950 – hamming it up on trumpet with Jimmy McPartland
“ “ – July 30, 1952
“ “ – September 22, 1954
“ “ – August 22, 1956 – with Louis Armstrong, from High Society
Everybody’s (Australia) – January 24, 1962 – with son Harry
Family Circle, The – Sept. 24, 1937 – inset w/ Mary Carlisle, Martha Raye, Double or Nothing
“ “ – September 9, 1938 – inset with Ellen Drew and banjo
“ “ – July 14, 1939
“ “ – August 22, 1940
“ “ – September 20, 1940 – inset with Mary Martin, from Rhythm on the River
“ “ – April 18, 1941 – with Hope and Lamour, still from Road to Zanzibar
“ “ – November 6, 1942
“ “ – November 26, 1942
Family Weekly (sup.) – December 15, 1957 – candid shot of Bing and Kathryn, dancing
Feature Films (comic book) – June 1950 – Riding High in comic book format
Field & Stream – November 1973
Film Complet – (France) – ?, 1942 (?) – w/ Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, publicity shot for Road to Morocco
“ “ – (France) – June 21, 1949 – w/ Joan Caulfield, publicity shot for Welcome Stranger
Film Feature (UK) – 1947
Film Pictorial (UK) – April 7, 1934 – with Judith Allen, from Too Much Harmony
“ “ – May 1935
“ “ – March 6, 1937
“ “ – October 9, 1937 – with Shirley Ross and Martha Raye, from Waikiki Wedding
“ “ – December 18, 1937
Filmski Zurnal (Yugoslavia) – August 2, 1940
Fore (Southern CA Golfing Assoc. publication) – spring 1969 – on links, surrounded by gallery
Filmski Zurnal (Yugoslavia) – August 2, 1940
Fore (Southern CA Golfing Assoc. publication) – spring 1969 – on links, surrounded by gallery
Friday – December 9, 1949 – publicity photo with guitar
Funk und Film (Germany) – October 25, 1946
Game & Gossip – January 15, 1965 – illustration of Bing superimposed on golf ball
“ “ – February 7, 1966 – graphic illustration of Bing golfing
“ “ – January 1977 – Bing leaning on golf cart at the Pro-Am
Golf Digest – June 1953 – Bing & Bob
Golfer, The – April 1955 – with Frank Heffelfinger
Guideposts (an “inspirational magazine,” ed. By Norman Vincent Peale) – Nov. 1967 – family
Heroes All—Catholic Action Illustrated – October 4, 1946 – Roman Catholic schoolchildren’s comic book, featuring the following cover story: American Legend—The Story of Bing Crosby
Images du Monde (France) – September 3, 1946
Inside – November 1955 – inset, with the caption, “Bing in 1930: Jail by Nite—Movies by Day”
Joe Palooka (comic book) – February 1950 – inset, with four sons, reading a Joe Palooka comic
Koralle (Germany) – August 14, 1938 – with family
Ladies’ Home Journal – May 1966 – the Crosby family
“ “ – April 1973 - Inset photo with Mary Frances
Latest Popular Radio Hit Songs – 1941 – Bing with Carolyn Lee from Birth of the Blues
Legato – November 1952 – “The Magazine of the Home Organist” inset photo from Just for You
Le Samedi (French Canadian) – August 1952
Leoplan (Argentina) – (?), 1956 – With Frank Sinatra, scene from High Society
Liberty – March 15, 1947 – painting, in Emperor Waltz costume, encircled by insets of four sons
Life – February 4, 1946 – Bing & Bob, onstage in Road to Utopia
“ – October 7, 1946 – with Joan Caulfield on movie set
“ – March 10, 1961 – with Maurice Chevalier, on the set of their TV special
Living (L.A. Examiner, pictorial sup.) – April 15, 1956 – at Hayden Lake, Idaho home
Look – July 6, 1937 – one of four inset photos, candid
“ – December 23, 1947 – with Bob Hope, in Road to Rio costumes
“ – January 17, 1950
“ – January 13, 1953 – with Bob Hope, dancing the Highland Fling in publicity shot for Bali
“ – March 22, 1955 – with Judy Garland
“ – May 13, 1958 – with Kathryn
“ – July 22, 1958 – with brother Bob Crosby
“ – June 7, 1960 – with Kathryn, Harry, and Mary Frances
“ – July 17, 1962 – with Kathryn, Harry, and Mary Frances
Love Novels – June 1934 – with Carole Lombard, from We’re Not Dressing
McCall’s – December 1976 – inset photo, in Santa hat, with Mary Frances
Melody – July 1935
Men Only (UK) – June 1948 – illustration of Bing wearing straw hat
Metronome – October 1944 – with Dinah Shore
“ – November 1946 – with Fred Astaire, from Blue Skies
“ – July 1948 – with Frank Sinatra
“ – December 1950 – candid shot of Bing playing bongo drums!
Modern Screen – September 1948
Mon Film (France) – July 15, 1953 – with Jane Wyman, Just for You
Mon Film (France) – July 15, 1953 – with Jane Wyman, Just for You
“ “ – March 11, 1954 – with Nicole Maurey, in scene from Little Boy Lost
Motorcyclist – October 1942 – Bing in a candid shot with a motorcycle enthusiast
Movie and Radio Guide – March 16-22, 1940 – w/ Bob, Dottie, Judith Barrett: Singapore stars
Movie Life – August 1947
Movie Life – (Yearbook) 1947 – one of three inset head shots, including Gene Kelly
Movie-Radio Guide – June 20-26, 1942 – in a recording studio, with son Lindsay
Movie Songs – July 1946
Movie Story – June 1940
“ “ – ? 1947 – inset, with Barry Fitzgerald, from Welcome Stranger
“ “ – July 1948 – painting, with Joan Fontaine, from Emperor Waltz studio photo
“ “ – April 1950 – with Colleen Gray, in Riding High
Movies – January 1935
National Police Gazette, The – August 1953 – with Hope, wearing Pirates and Indians uniforms
National Song Review – dated “Late Summer” only; possibly 1941
New Beat, The (UK) – September 1949
News Review – May 18, 1940
Newsweek – Jan. 28, 1946 – seated in studio, sporting necktie, fedora, and work boots!
“ – January 4, 1954 – Bing smiles into CBS TV camera lens
New York News (Sup.) – December 5, 1976
Over 245 Well Known Songs – November 1949
Parade (sup.) – March 6, 1949
“ – June 16, 1957 – with Inger Stevens, in posed publicity shot for Man on Fire
“ – September 17, 1961 – with Bob in The Road to Hong Kong
“ – March 21, 1971 – with Kathryn, Mary Frances, and Nathaniel, in Goldilocks garb
People (Australia) – August 13, 1952 – Bing, sans toupee
People – December 16, 1974 – with Kathryn, in hobo makeup for Xmas TV Special
Photoplay – March 1947
“ – March 1949 – with four sons in background
Pictorial and TV Magazine (sup.) – May 13, 1962 – caricature with Bob Hope
and Edie Adams
Picturegoer (UK) – October 28, 1944
“ “ – January 17, 1948
“ “ – April 1, 1950
“ “ – November 29, 1952 – with Bob and Dottie, from Road to Bali
Picture Show (UK) – June 2, 1934 – with Marion Davies, from Going Hollywood
“ “ – May 25, 1935 – with Kitty Carlisle, from Here Is My Heart
“ “ – December 7, 1935 – with Mary Boland, from Two for Tonight
“ “ – February 1, 1941 – with Mary Martin, from Here Is My Heart
“ “ – August 23, 1941 – with Bob and Dottie, from Road to Zanzibar
“ “ – August 29, 1942 – with Virginia Dale, from Holiday Inn
“ “ – December 19, 1942 – with Bob and Dottie, from Road to Morocco
“ “ – October 23, 1943 – with Marjorie Reynolds, from Dixie
“ “ – December 23/30, 1950 – with Nancy Olsen, from Mr. Music
“ “ – October 4, 1952 – with Jane Wyman, from Just for You
“ “ – December 25, 1954 – with Kaye, Clooney, and Ellen, White Christmas
“ “ – April 23, 1955 – with Grace Kelly, publicity pose for The Country Girl
“ “ – December 22, 1956 – with Sinatra, Kelly, and Holm, from High Society
Popular Song Hits – July 1935 – with Ethel Merman
Popular Songs – December 1934 – painting of grinning Bing in sailor suit
“ “ – November 1949
Popular Songster, The – Spring 1935(?)
Quick (a pocket size weekly) – August 8, 1949
“ – October 2, 1950 – with Bob Hope, wearing Pirates & Indians baseball uniforms
“ – December 25, 1950
“ – October 28, 1953 – with Nicole Maurey, from Little Boy Lost
Radio Album – summer 1948
Radio and Television Best – September 1948 – Bing, plus smaller shot of him with four sons
Radio and TV Mirror – August 1950
Radio Guide – September 5, 1936 – painting of Bing in costume for Rhythm on the Range
Radio Hit Songs – 1941 – Bing, with Carolyn Lee, playing clarinet in Birth of the Blues
Radioland – October 1933 – painting of Bing at microphone against fiery red background
Radio Life – January 2, 1944 – Bing and Frank Sinatra
Radio Mirror – April 1934 – painting of Bing wearing Captain’s cap; U.S. flag as background
“ “ – February 1935 – painting, wearing open-collar shirt, sky blue background
“ “ – May 1936 – painting of smiling Bing on a black background
“ “ – May 1938 – with Dixie, Gary, and the twins, in bathing suits
“ “ – January 1939 – A photographic apparition of Bing, hovering above a radio, sings to a delighted baby!
“ “ – January 1939 – A photographic apparition of Bing, hovering above a radio, sings to a delighted baby!
Radio Row – May 1945
Radio Stars – June 1933 – painting of singing Bing (see back cover of Bing #145)
“ “ – October 1934
“ “ – June 1936 – painting of Bing against red background
Radio Stars Album - 1932
Real Life Comics (comic book) – January 1947
Record Guide (Australia) – November 1955
San Francisco – December 1974 – illustration of Bing and family, “The Road to Hillsborough”
Saturday Evening Post, The – February 14, 1953 – small inset, promoting Call Me Lucky
“ “ “ – April 9, 1966 – Bing in makeup for Stagecoach
Screen Guide – December 1949 – Bing dressed as Santa, with four sons
Screen Romances – July 1934 – painting of Bing with Carole Lombard
“ “ – August 1943 – Bing in Dixie costume
Screen Songs – March 1946
Screen Stories – October 1949 – with Ann Blyth; publicity shot for Top O’ the Morning
“ “ – August 1952 – with Jane Wyman, in publicity photo from Just for You
SeleçõES de Idilio (Brazil) – September 1959
Shadowplay – February 1935 – painting of Bing and Kitty Carlisle
Showmanship (UK) – April 1949 – studio shots promoting A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Sintonia (Argentina) – October 1934 – playing an accordion, from We’re Not Dressing
Song-Dial, The – August-September 1942
Song Hits – June 1937 – with Martha Raye & Shirley Ross, from Waikiki Wedding
“ “ – October 1937
“ “ – July 1939
“ “ – April 1940
“ “ – May 1941
“ “ – November 1938
“ “ – November 1941
“ “ – November 1942
“ “ – January 1944
“ “ – February 1945 – with Betty Hutton, publicity shot from Here Come the Waves
“ “ – June 1945
“ “ – August 1945
“ “ – March 1946 – with Dorothy Lamour, from Road to Utopia
“ “ – June 1947
“ “ – January 1949
“ “ – May 1956
Song Hits Magazine Presents Christmas Songs – Winter 1970 – several inset photos of singers (Perry Como, Nat Cole, et al.), including a shot of Bing singing “live” on television
Song Master – November 1941
Song Parade – May 1941 – four individual photos of current stars, including Bing
Songs That Live Forever – Spring 1963 – Inset photo of Bing from Road to Bali
Southern Golfer, The – 1958 – posed photo of Bing teaching Kathryn golf swing
Sporting Weekly (Australia) – July 1943 – “Complete Life Story of Bing the Groaner”
Star Week (Toronto Star sup.) – April 11-18, 1970 – with Bernadette Peters in “Cooling It”
Sunday Mirror (sup.) – September 9, 1951 – with Dorothy Lamour
Sunday News (sup.) – March 11, 1945
“ “ – February 15, 1948
Sun Spots (Local publication, Palm Desert, CA) – March 1958 – candid shot with Kathryn, entering Shadow Mountain Club… caption reads, “The Mayor and First Lady”
Tele Scope (sup.) – September 28, 1959 – line drawing montage of Bing on set w/ TV camera, crew, etc.
Television (Canada) (sup.) – 1962
Television (sup.) – December 9-15, 1973 – with Mary Frances, on location for Christmas Special
Tempo (Australia) – June 1939 – “On the air” with John Scott Trotter
“ “ – November 1940 – four photos from Road to Singapore
“ “ – November 1944
“ “ – September 1950
This Week (sup.) – July 3, 1945
“ “ – October 15, 1950
Time – April 7, 1941 – charcoal drawing of Bing surrounded by admiring women
Tuney Tunes (Netherlands) – June 1951 – candid shot, with son Gary
“ “ “ – June 1954 – with son Lindsay
TV and Amusement (sup.) – September 28, 1958 – with Patti Page, publicity for TV Special
TV and Radio Magazine (sup.) – March 4-10, 1956
TV Channels (sup.) – Feb. 9-15, 1964 – with Kathryn
“ “ – December 19-25, 1965
TV Digest (sup.) – Nov. 28–Dec. 4, 1964 – with TV sitcom “family” plus Frank McHugh
“ “ – December 8-14, 1973 – separate photos of Bing and Perry Como
“ “ – September 4-10, 1976 – caricature drawing, with Liza Minnelli
TV Graphic (sup.) – October 2, 1960 – caricature portrait of Bing
“ “ – August 4, 1963 – Bing on the golf course, holding banner that reads: “Beat Bing”
TV Guide – January 1-7, 1954
“ “ – October 12-18, 1957 – inset, among several other celebrities
“ “ – Dec. 14-20, 1963 – with Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Dean Martin, and Kathryn
TV Magazine (sup.) – May 13-19, 1962 – caricature, with Bob Hope, hunting and fishing
“ “ – Dec. 13-19, 1970 – with family on the set of that year’s Christmas Special
“ “ – Dec. 12-18, 1971 – w/ Robert Goulet, Mary Costa; from Christmas Special
TV Prevue (sup.) – March 1-7, 1959 – pastel drawing of Bing
“ “ – March 12-18, 1961 – w/ Maurice Chevalier, on set of their TV Special
“ “ – December 10-16, 1961 – caricature of Bing piloting a gondola in Venice
TV Radio (sup.) – September 28-October 4, 1958 – pastel drawing
TV-Radio Life – March 10-16, 1956
“ “ – December 1957 – with Frank Sinatra, in Happy Holidays with Bing & Frank
TV Roundup (sup.) – May 9-15, 1965 – with Diane Sherry, from The Bing Crosby Show
TV Screen – June 1951 – individual photos of Bing and Bob Hope
TV Times (sup.) – February 9-15, 1964 – with Kathryn
“ “ – September 13-19, 1964 – inset with Beverly Garland; Bing
Crosby Show
“ “ – December 18, 1976 – with Kathryn
TV Times (UK) (sup.) – July 8-14, 1962 – Candid shot of Bing looking through binoculars
TV Week (sup.) – September 12-18, 1964 – with Carol Faylen, Diane Sherry; Bing Crosby Show
“ “ – November 1-7, 1964
“ “ – May 5, 1968 – shot from TV Special, with Peter Gennaro
“ “ – December 14-20, 1969 – shot from TV Special, with Juliet Prowse
“ “ – April 11-17, 1970 – Cooling It with Bernadette Peters
TV Weekly (Sup.) – November 3-9, 1963 – caricature of Bing as a magician
“ “ – August 2-8, 1964
“ “ – August 2-8, 1964
Varsity – June 1949 – Bing and Hope, wearing Pirates & Indians baseball uniforms
Weekend (UK) – Feb. 7-13, 1968 – Candid close-up of Bing, with Kathryn in background
Weekly Film News (UK) – May 28, 1949
“ “ “ – September 10, 1949
“ “ “ – March 4, 1950
Whack (comic book) – December 1953 – caricature/cartoon illustration
What’s On in London (UK) – December 14, 1945 – with Dottie and Bob, from Road to Utopia
Wrestling USA – August 1954 – with wrestler Gorgeous George
Compiled by Jon Oye
© Jon Oye, 2011; updated 2020
