A First!

Here is a photo of Bing Crosby’s first appearance on television.

With a shortfall of funds facing the U.S. Olympic team, Hollywood luminaries gathered on the stage of the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles and pleaded, cajoled and implored the television audience watching on both NBC and CBS to phone in their pledges.

The 14 hour telethon was hosted by Bob Hope and his frequent co-star in the Paramount Pictures string of “Road” movies, Bing Crosby, who until then had shied away from television.

A week before the telethon, Hope marked Crosby’s impending television debut by showing a large cutout of his friend on “The Colgate Comedy Hour.” Crosby, a CBS man, and Hope, always on NBC, joined forces at the behest of Vincent X. Flaherty, a legendary sports columnist for the now-defunct Los Angeles Examiner and a drinking and golfing buddy of both men.

Perhaps the biggest coup of the telethon was in getting Crosby to appear on television. Crosby already has turned down several well-paying opportunities to appear on television.

“This is one time I couldn’t refuse,” Crosby said. “I think every American should get behind our Olympic team and send our athletes across at full strength; and in the finest style possible. We’ve got to show those Reds up.”

The 1952 Olympics were the first ones that pitted Americans against Soviets, and the Communists were heading to the Games predicting victory.

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