DOIN' THE BING

Bing Crosby was once called the Mick Jagger of the 1920s. Spy Vibers who only know Der Bingle from his later years and Christmas tunes would be surprised to see him at his youthful prime, belting out hot jazz numbers with the likes of Bix Beiderbecke, Frankie Trumbauer, and Eddie Lang. Bing was really the first super star, reaching the #1 spot as America's entertainer on radio, film, and records. He essentially played himself in public, cultivating a relaxed, casual vibe. Way before the hat and pipe, viewers were introduced to his trademark cool in a series of Mack Sennett shorts in the early 1930s. On Christmas Eve 1962, ABC aired the Bing Crosby Christmas Special for Clairol (his fourth special and the network's first broadcast in color). The show included guests Mary Martin and Andre Previn, and featured this fantastically modern dance devoted to Bing's casual lifestyle, Doin' the Bing. I love the design choices, from the costumes and minimal staging to the use of contemporary furniture. If your season is filled with White Christmas and Holiday Inn and you crave more Bing, I challenge you to master this hilarious (and charming!) dance. Happy Holidays from Spy Vibe! Suggested Bing CDs: Bix n Bing, 16 Most Requested Songs, Some Fine Old Chestnuts, Bing in Dixieland, So Rare, Johnny Mercer Songbook, Irving Berlin Songbook, And Some Jazz Friends, Fancy Meeting You Here, Favorite Hawaiian Songs. 

Selected Spy Vibe posts: Road to Hong Kong, Inside Gerry Anderson, Ringo Does Goldfinger, Sixties Beat Wear, SPECTRE Announced, Popular Skullture, New Gerry Anderson Sets, New SECRET AGENT set, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Modesty Monday, Feraud Mod Fashion, Flint Scores!, Bond Danish, Home Movies, New Richard Sala Book, New 007 Comics, Designing Bond Books, Green Hornet Manga, Margaret Nolan Art, No 6 Festival, Barbarella Returns, 007 Audio Books Return, Designer: Gene Winfield, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.